Nebraska Supreme Court hears whether foreign oil company is exempt from Nebraska Constitution
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Nebraska Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case about the route of the Keystone XL pipeline through Nebraska. The case is an appeal by the Nebraska Attorney General of decision by a Nebraska judge. That decision struck down, as unconstitutional, a state law granting power over route approval to the office of Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman instead of the Public Service Commission. Governor Heineman approved a route for the controversial pipeline and gave TransCanada the right of eminent domain — the right to force landowners to sell their land for the construction of the pipeline. President Obama is expected to wait until after a judgment is issued in Nebraska before making a final decision on the controversial pipeline.
Friends of the Earth’s President Erich Pica issued the following statement:
TransCanada’s tactics of bullying ranchers and farmers, attempting to rewrite laws and corrupt government review processes is on trial in the Nebraska Supreme Court. Keystone XL’s approval process has been fraught with bias, from the hiring of conflicted contractors to conduct the environmental assessment, to the Nebraskan Governor trying to circumvent the Nebraska Constitution at TransCanada’s behest. We will continue to stand with the communities fighting to stop TransCanada from bulldozing this pipeline through.
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Expert Contact: Erich Pica, (202) 222-0739, [email protected]
Communications Contact: EA Dyson, (202) 222-0730, [email protected]