Poll: 81% Do Not Support Eminent Domain

Iowa is polling on everything from potential Presidential candidates to private companies using eminent domain. Private companies using eminent domain is as popular in Iowa as it is in Texas.

  • 57% favor pipelines
  • A majority favor building wind transmission lines and pipelines

Iowans like energy projects, but they strongly dislike these same companies using eminent domain. 

  • 74% oppose eminent domain by pipelines and transmission line companies…

As the economy improves, expect developers to demand more uprooted families. (via eminent domain)

The above is a quote from USA Today this week examining the harsh opinions against eminent domain. Opinions become the most heated when eminent domain is used for ” taking of private lands for private enterprise,” quoting Representative Will Metcalf. 

Reflecting on Kelo, the 2005 U.S. Supreme Court case permitting the use of eminent domain for economic development, its noted that not all public use…

No Eminent Domain for Private Gain. Gaining Steam Fighting Wind Power Lines.

A vocal group at a transmission line public meeting echoed the refrain- no eminent domain for private gain. It rhymes which makes it good for protest marches.

A Houston Company is the target of this group of landowners. The company, Clean Line Energy Partners, is seeking the federal government’s buy-in to a wind energy project in Oklahoma & Arkansas. If the federal government gets involved, then the company gets eminent domain authority. 

200 landowners showed up to a m…

Update: Eminent Domain to Retain Employers?

St. Louis Aldermen approve the use of eminent domain to retain an employer in St. Louis, the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency. The choice was retain 3,100 jobs or use eminent domain against 30 properties. The vote was 17:11.

National Geospatial Intelligence Agency has not indicated if it will stay in St. Louis or relocate, but eminent domain use has been decided to try to keep it in St. Louis. 

adminPosted ineconomic development, legislation trend, private company, private property rights

9th COA Rules: No Common Carrier Status.

In a 7 year legal tussle over whether Denbury is a common carrier, the 9th Court of Appeals ruled that Denbury is not a common carrier.  Sounds innocuous, except that common carrier status grants Denbury, a private pipeline company, the power of eminent domain. Common carrier status comes with great power.

The Legislature tried to fix the common carrier issue in 2013, but an elegant point of order stopped it. In the summer of 2014, the Railroad Commission tried to fix it by rule ma…

Private Property Rights >The Fracking Bans. Do Property Rights Trump All?

Fracking & private property rights. Eminent domain is triggered at many levels in fracking. It can br triggered by the pipeline moving the oil to refining. It can be triggered when new roads are needed. It could be inverse condemnation when a regulation, like a fracking ban, limits how people can use their land. 

Senator Konnie Burton says cities should not be able to infringe on private property rights. Her  adminPosted in2015 legislation, legal trend, legislation trend, pipelines/common carriers, private company, private property rights