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Nebraska Elected Officials Should Stand Up For Landowners Against TransCanada Pipeline Company
Media Releases | Nebraska Sierra Club | Bold Nebraska | August 27, 2010
The Nebraska Sierra Club and Bold Nebraska today called on Nebraska elected officials to stand up for Nebraska landowners against the threats by the TransCanada pipeline company to use eminent domain to condemn individuals’ private land. “Nebraska elected officials should stand up for the people they represent and not allow them to be threatened and overrun by a foreign owned company that does not even have approval to go forward with the pipeline,” said Ken Winston, Nebraska Sierra Club lobbyist.
Jane Kleeb, Bold Nebraska Executive Director, noted that many of the world’s leading oil companies are located in nations which do not share American values. “If we allow TransCanada to condemn private land in this manner, where does it end?” she asked. “If they are successful, what would prevent an oil company owned by the Chinese or Middle Eastern governments from condemning the land of Nebraska farmers if they want to run an oil pipeline across Nebraska? The national security implications are staggering.”
Winston stated particular concern that TransCanada is threatening to condemn private land before the project has been approved. “The pipeline project hasn’t yet been approved, but TransCanada is already telling Nebraska landowners they will condemn their land if they don’t go along with them. This is usually the phase when a developer is trying to convince everyone they will be a good neighbor. TransCanada’s public relations people have said they will treat landowners with “respect”. This is akin to BP’s representations that “safety was their highest priority” prior to the Gulf oil disaster, and we all know how that turned out. TransCanada’s actions before the project has been approved speak louder than their words and are likely to bode poorly for landowners when problems arise later. Once the land is acquired they will have no motivation to respond to the needs and concerns of Nebraskans.”
The Nebraska Sierra Club and Bold Nebraska called upon elected officials to take the following actions:
- Stand up to TransCanada on behalf of the people they represent and tell them to cease their threats to use eminent domain at this stage of the process.
- The Nebraska Legislature needs to change laws related to eminent domain so that foreign pipeline companies cannot use this procedure against Nebraska landowners unless appropriate safeguards are in place to protect their rights. Winston noted that local elected officials such as Natural Resources Districts have much more stringent requirements they must meet before using the power of eminent domain.
- Our federal representatives should recommend that the State Department deny the permit, or at least suspend the project, based on TransCanada’s treatment of Nebraska landowners. Winston stated: “The courageous Nebraskans who settled the Sandhills and prairies would be rolling over in their graves if they knew their descendents could be treated like this by foreign companies. TransCanada’s trampling of local property owners’ rights provide yet another basis for denial of their application under the State Department’s authority to assure appropriate diplomatic relations between nations.
Tagged with: keystone xl, transcanada, pipeline, nebraska, sierra club, eminent domain, bold nebraska
