In the West Virginia mountains, a fight is brewing between a pipeline and 100 landowners over access to land.
The pipelines say they need access to the land to comply with federal requirements.
The landowners say that the access the pipeline wants exceeds what is allowed under West Virigina Law in at least 3 ways:
- West Virginia code is limited to examining, surveying, and laying out lands for easement
- Only a governmental body may enter and bring machinery, equipment, or tools upon the property.
- Eminent domain can only be exercised in West Virginia if the private property is going to be put to public use and a pipeline with no access polints for West Viriginians is not a public use.