Welcome to the Future!
Pipeline protesting proliferates the Northern Plains. The most recent rally cry is a purchase of billboard ad space along the proposed route of a pipeline.
Dakota Rural Action purchased the billboards to get citizens engaged. The determination whether to award eminent domain to the common carrier in the permitting process.
Considering the string of recent denials of eminent domain authority to private entities, like a pipeline, in the last few months, the billboard ad buy is a smart move.
In the 1950s and 1960s, a transportation authority in California gobbled up, with compensation, homes to make room for a freeway, and maybe some rail. High hopes. Big dreams of efficient transportation were for naught.
Nothing was built. But since the mid 1900s, the state has leased the homes to residents, who now hope to buy their abode.
Here’s the math, the homes were bought for $20,000ish, market price for nearby comparable homes now is $800,000.
Today a federal judge blocked implementation of EPA rules which would have required mapping of small waterways on private land. The case will proceed; however, the rules have been temporarily blocked.
July 9, 2015, Information Intelligence:
27 states and state agencies, as well as 14 agriculture-oriented organizations, have filed lawsuits across teh country to block the EPA water mapping project.
The EPA is seeking to map water flows, including mapping of low flow waterways on private property.
Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas filed suit in U.S. District Court in Galveston, Texas. Joining the suit in Galveston are: American Farm Bureau Federation, American Petroleum Institute, American Road and Transportation Builders Association, Leading Builders of America, National Alliance of Forest Owners, National Association of Home Builders, National Association of Manufactures, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, National Corn Growers Association, National Mining Association, National Pork Producers Council, and Public Lands Council.
CATO, the libertarian leaning think tank, sounding the horn on Donald Trump and his reliance on eminent domain.
The juicy bits:
Mississippi State Senator Mike Seymour entered the race for his seat due to his opposition to eminent domain and China…. In his words:
“”The thing that separates us from Russia and China and all is our property rights. I understand eminent domain for transportation and stuff like that but when it comes to economic development, it shouldn’t be the government taking your property and selling it to another entity to generate more tax revenue. That’s not America. It’s something that shouldn’t even be brought to the table.”
Once again, the refrain sounds- no eminent domain, for economic gain. private Entities with eminent domain authority- pipelines, railroads, electricty transmission lines, private water entities- should all be on high alert.
Rand Paul vows to focus on private property rights and eminent domain abuses to show why Trump is not in line with Republican primary voters.
What things are we going to hear?
TPPF is hosting a policy primer this week on Forced Annexation.
This comes on the heels of San Antonio City Council voting this week to begin annexation of unincorporated areas of Bexar County. A move that TPPF called:
TPPF Study on forced annexation focuses on Houston annexation, and recommends that annexation reform:
He said/She said/They Said abounds with the TransPecos pipeline. Its like a love triangle with the drama of a telenovela:
Trans Pecos is building the international pipeline through Big Bend and ranch lands. One of those ranches believes pipeline representatives entered to survey without permission. This trespass included sinking stakes into the land.
As a result of the pipeline trespass…an impending lawsuit. Its a case of landmen gone wild, threatening cease and desist orders against land owners.