Farm Bureau President says today’s pipeline decisions prove the system works
STATEMENT
TFB President Kenneth Dierschke:
The Texas Farm Bureau is very pleased with today’s Crosstex v. Reins Roads Farm decision in the Texas Ninth Court of Appeals. The Court affirmed that property owners have the right to challenge common carrier status and the eminent domain power that comes with it in court.
The decision does not mean that pipelines will be more difficult to build, because the same court also upheld the common carrier status of the TransCanada Keystone pipeline, today. These decisions mean that pipeline companies cannot have a free rein with no accountability to the landowners they affect. Bad actors will have to defend themselves in court. Those who operate in good faith and respect property rights will continue to build Texas’ energy infrastructure.
Ill-advised legislation in this session of the Texas Legislature would have left these critical issues to the Texas Railroad Commission. Today’s decisions demonstrate that our current system works.