Nebraska Supreme Court denies landowners standing to defend their land from dirty pipeline

WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Friday, the Nebraska Supreme Court struck down a lower court ruling that deemed a law granting the governor’s authority to approve the Keystone XL pipeline in violation of the Nebraska constitution. This ruling effectively approves TransCanada’s pipeline route through Nebraska. However, TransCanada’s permit in South Dakota has expired, and the Public Utility Commission there is reviewing its application.

Friends of the Earth’s Climate and energy associate Luísa Abbott Galvão issued the following statement:

Today a majority of the Nebraska Supreme Court determined that the decision to grant approval for Keystone XL was contrary to the Nebraska Constitution. Unfortunately, three justices decided that Nebraskans should not have standing to challenge a foreign oil company in their court and refused to decide the merits of the case. Today’s ruling is an affront to citizens’ land rights and democratic self-determination. It continues a trend of everyday Americans being barred access to our courts.

Today’s decision does not change the fact that Keystone XL is not in our national interest. Keystone XL will put communities, national water resources and agricultural land at risk, and light the fuse to a giant carbon bomb. The pipeline fails President Obama’s climate test and he has all the information he needs to reject it immediately.

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Expert Contact: Luísa Abbott-Galvão, (202) 222-0716, [email protected]
Communications Contact: EA Dyson, (202) 222-0730, [email protected]