Nebraska judge strikes down legislature’s move allowing Keystone XL route

Washington Post ^ | February 19, 2014 | By Lenny Bernstein

[Brad from Tennessee]

A Nebraska judge ruled Wednesday that the state violated its constitution when it allowed the governor to approve the route of the controversial Keystone XL pipeline, a decision that could significantly delay the $5.3 billion project.

District Court judge Stephanie F. Stacy blocked Gov. Dave Heineman (R) and other defendants “from taking any action on the governor’s January 22, 2013 approval of the Keystone XL Pipeline route,” such as allowing land to be acquired by eminent domain for the project.

Stacy concluded that the state legislature’s decision to take the siting power away from its Public Service Commission and give it Heineman violated the state’s constitution. More than 200 miles of the TransCanada pipeline, which would carry heavy crude oil from Canada to refineries along the Gulf of Mexico, runs through Nebraska.

[no-to-illegals]

This one is easy. Ignore the judge. Build the Pipeline. Ignore any penalties. Ignore obama. Go to work and Get ‘Er Done. When they bring out the firearms, film them, and ask ‘em about why they protect illegals and will not protect Americans and Americans jobs. A stand has to be taken.

[Steve_Seattle]

Fine, if that’s the law, but I wonder if this judge would disallow any of Obama’s usurpation of Congressional powers?

[TurboZamboni]

Muslims will be on Mars before this pipeline ever gets done.

[Steve_Seattle]

"Ignore the judge."

Reminds me of the old joke about London Bobbies:

What does a Bobby say to a fleeing criminal?

"Stop, or I'll blow my whistle again."

[Oliviaforever]

“Ignore the judge. Build the Pipeline. Ignore any penalties. Ignore obama. Go to work and Get ‘Er Done.”

It will be much tougher to ignore the land owners who oppose the use of eminent domain to build the pipeline through their private property.

[Steve_Seattle]

"Muslims will be on Mars before this pipeline ever gets done."

Second best comment of the day.

[Salvation]

Toss her out the next election — or is she an appointed judge?

[realcleanguy]

Funny how everyone wants to be in control and make all the decisions. The world must be laughing at us

[Iron Munro]

Money talks.

But sometimes when it talks the words come out of the mouths of politicians, judges or others.

[drypowder]

You are spot on. I think that is exactly what needs to be done on all of this government strong arming. Hell, these is no law those in DC won’t break. Let the government fire the first shot if they want to stop the people from trying to rebuild the economy and we’ll see then what falls from that tree.

[Steve_Seattle]

"It will be much tougher to ignore the land owners who oppose the use of eminent domain to build the pipeline through their private property."

This does not seem to me to be an abuse of eminent domain. To me, a pipeline is a legitimate public purpose even if there is private involvement (and I admit I don't know the ratio of public/private participation in this proposed project).

[Brad from Tennessee]

I suspect the hand of the White House in this mess. A state judge makes a ruling that now has the governor and Nebraska legislature holding up the pipeline. It gives Obama an excuse to continue doing nothing while blaming a Republican governor.

[Paladin2]

Show me the money...

[Oliviaforever]

“This does not seem to me to be an abuse of eminent domain.”

That is likely accurate for you and I, but it may not be true to those who actually own land where the pipeline is planned.

[Paladin2]

In rural Nebraska, one mile one way or the other is no big deal.

[SamuraiScot]

judge Stephanie

What's that French expression to explain bizarre instances of corruption? (They mean it in a different sense, but here goes):

Cherchez la femme.

[CedarDave]

Fine. Let’s build a railroad along the route of the pipeline and see how that would sit with them.

[gleeaikin]

Is anyone here aware of the $billion plus cleanup cost of the Kalamazoo River Pipeline Spill (Google that). This pipeline owned by another Canadian company was spilling the same type of oil, toxic dilbit, for 24 hours before anyone realized that. This happened in 2010, and it is still not fully cleaned. Never mind eminent domain. The homeowners along the river where this occurred never even had a change to protest. They are just out of their homes for months or even forever.

So far as I know this is completely private ownership of KXL. Perhaps there is some Canadian government involvement, but highly unlikely there is any US government participation.

[trisham]

Cherchez la femme From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Cherchez la femme [ʃɛʁʃe la ˈfam] is a French phrase which literally means "look for the woman." The implication is that a man behaves out of character or in an otherwise inexplicable manner because he is trying to cover up an affair with a woman, or trying to impress or gain favor with a woman. The expression comes from the 1854 novel The Mohicans of Paris by Alexandre Dumas (père).[1] The first use in the novel reads: Cherchez la femme, pardieu ! cherchez la femme ![2] The phrase is repeated several times in the novel. Dumas also used the phrase in his 1864 theatrical adaptation, which reads: Il y a une femme dans toutes les affaires ; aussitôt qu'on me fait un rapport, je dis : « Cherchez la femme ! »[3] Translated into English this reads: There is a woman in every case; as soon as they bring me a report, I say, 'Look for the woman!' The phrase embodies a cliché of detective pulp fiction: no matter what the problem, a woman is often the root cause. The phrase has come to refer to explanations that automatically find the same root cause, no matter the specifics of the problem.