PA Ruling on Eminent Domain Puts Contentious Pipeline Project on Alert

"Unanimous ruling against seizing private land for gas storage has potential implications for at least one major proposed fracking-related pipeline across the state."

"The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has unanimously ruled unconstitutional a section of state law that lets companies seize private land for certain natural gas projects, with potentially major implications for one of the biggest proposed pipelines in the state.

Under the original rule, passed in 2012, any company has the authority to take private land through eminent domain for the purpose of storing natural gas underground.

The justices unanimously decided on Sept. 28 that this section of the law unconstitutionally lets private companies profit from taking people's land with no direct or obvious benefit to Pennsylvanians. The oil and gas companies argued the projects could benefit the state by creating new jobs, for example, but the justices were not convinced."

Zahra Hirji reports for InsideClimate News October 18, 2016.