Injunction Issued Against Keystone XL Land Seizure
By Bill Kelly 
, Senior Reporter/Producer Nebraska Public Media
Feb. 12, 2015, 6:36 a.m. ·
Plans to proceed with acquiring property rights in one county for the Keystone XL pipeline must be put on hold for now.
A District Court judge in Holt County, Nebraska issued a temporary injunction blocking TransCanada’s use of eminent domain to acquire land owned by opponents of the project.
Fred Knapp of NET News interviews state senator Ernie Chambers about the use of eminent domain with regard to the proposed Keystone XL pipeline in Nebraska. The interview is from a recent edition of NET News' weekly online discussion program "Capitol Conversations."
Judge Mark Kozisek signed the order in court Thursday afternoon. A group of landowners filed suit claiming the Canadian company did not have the power under state law to proceed with taking their property for the project. They argue a Nebraska Supreme Court ruling earlier this year did not settle whether the process was constitutional.
A hearing on those issues is scheduled for later this month. A similar lawsuit is also pending in York County.
Meanwhile, President Obama has until the end of next week to sign or veto the bill Congress passed authorizing construction of the pipeline.