Posted on 03/10/2014 6:35:34 PM PDT by PaulCruz2016
On Wednesday, a Nebraska judge struck down a state law that would have allowed TransCanada to use the power of eminent domain to seize private land to help construct a short 300-mile segment of the controversial Keystone XL pipeline between Cushing and Steele City, Nebraska.
The law in question, LB 1161, allows Nebraska Governor David Heineman and TransCanada to avoid regulators in siting a crucial portion of the pipeline.
Lancaster County District Judge Stephanie Stacy sided with three landowners who challenged the law, finding that regulatory power over industrial companies such as TransCanada must remain with agencies such as the Nebraska Public Service Commission, not the governor’s office.
(Excerpt) Read more at forbes.com ...
Does a private pipeline that adds to national economic security = public good?
Last century with the railroads the answer was yes.
Is TransCanada a US company or is it Canadian?
Big Blow would just love to be able to put hundreds of 500’ tall industrial wind turbines in everybodys back yards via “Eminent Domain”
They’re based in Canada. Actually, the headline of this Forbes article used to be: ‘Foreign Company Tries To Seize U.S. Land For Keystone Pipeline’, but got changed for whatever reason.
Ask Suzette Kelo.
Domestic or foreign, companies ought to pay fair market prices for whatever land they want to acquire, with the consent of the owners.
“Does a private pipeline that adds to national economic security = public good?
Last century with the railroads the answer was yes.”
I believe that it was actually “hell, yeah”.
Of course, we have cases now where eminent domain is use for the good of well-connected people (only).
They aren’t saying it can’t be ED just that it must be through the state commission and not the private company as required by state law - second time I’ve seen this story in about two weeks both times people on both sides misread it.
Thanks, yeah, didn’t sound quite right.
Pipelines or wind turbines. The choice will be made.
We have 36 miles of pipelines crossing the ranch, we still own the land, we drive on it and farm over it. Only thing we can’t do is build on top of it. The word seized is very misleading, they will be forced to allow the line to pass through and will be paid nicely for that privilege. The going pipeline Rod price here is about 300 to 425 per Rod that’s a nice chunk of change about 130,000 dollars a mile. If you have timber you can also log and sell it off before the line starts. Every 3 years they come down the line clearing brush which helps the grazing. 3 of the lines are 8 miles long running east to west and one runs north to south and it’s 12 miles long. We also ended up with 11 new gates and cattle guards.
Dusty, more people need to be aware of this...good post. Sharing and hope you don’t mind.
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