Federal Judge Grants Nebraska Gas Firm Immediate Access to Private Property
|
March 15th, 2012
Nebraska: A Nebraska gas firm was given immediate access to condemned private property in south-central Kansas. The 9,100 acres of property was said to be in the public's interest to use the land to encompass seeping gas from an underground storage facility.[1]
This ruling was handed down by a federal judge on March 13th, 2012, and for many it is a step closer in the continuous eminent domain fight over natural gas from the underground storage facility owned by Northern Natural Gas Co. The property, which spans Pratt, Kingman, and Reno counties in south-central Kansas, has more than 173 owners who each hold some property interest in the land that is targeted by this lawsuit..[1]
Federal Judge Monti Belot also issued an injunction, which had been sought by Northern Natural Gas Co. to prohibit L.D. Drilling from modifying a well in order to develop other underground facilities. Judge Belot also granted the gas company access to other wells on other parts of the condemned property to be used for observation wells or for injecting water to stem the seeping gas from the company's storage fields. Furthermore, Judge Belot's orders require the gas company to post bonds of 7.8 million dollars to protect the rights of property owners while the lawsuit is contested..[1]
In addition to that 7.8 million dollars, the gas company had to deposit $2.67 million for property owners to draw upon just until the court has ruled on the final compensation amount due to the property owners for the condemnation..[1]
The lawsuit has been using the power of eminent domain to seize property from unwilling sellers and is now currently moving its way through the United States District Court in Kansas..[1]
See also
Footnotes
| |||||
Federal courts:
Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: District of Nebraska • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: District of Nebraska
State courts:
Nebraska Supreme Court • Nebraska Court of Appeals • Nebraska District Courts • Nebraska County Courts • Nebraska Separate Juvenile Courts • Nebraska Workers' Compensation Court • Nebraska Problem-Solving Courts
State resources:
Courts in Nebraska • Nebraska judicial elections • Judicial selection in Nebraska
