Nebraska Farmers Union Asks Public Service Commission to Withdraw Keystone XL Pipeline Route Approval
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: John Hansen 402-476-8815 Office or 402-580-8815 Cell
June 15, 2021 LINCOLN, NE – Nebraska Farmers Union (NeFU) sent a letter to the Public Service Commission that respectfully requests they take immediate action to withdraw its route approval for the Keystone XL Pipeline owned by TransCanada, now rebranded as TC Energy. NeFU represents 3,850 farm and ranch families, including landowners on the route fighting TC Energy’s use of eminent domain to force them to provide easements, access, and in some cases land against their will.
NeFU President John Hansen says in the letter, “This action is necessary because notwithstanding the fact the required Presidential permit for this project has been withdrawn, and TC Energy has publicly stated they have abandoned the Keystone XL pipeline project, TC Energy continues its use of eminent domain authority to acquire easements, access, and in some cases land from non-cooperating landowners opposed to the Keystone XL Pipeline going through their property.”
NeFU has fielded Nebraska landowner complaints for many years about the way this foreign owned company has knowingly and aggressively misrepresented their legal position claiming they had eminent domain authority in force when they did not, misrepresented how the eminent domain process itself works, and the use of intimidation and bullying tactics to browbeat landowners into signing easements for their pipeline.
NeFU Madison County President Rich Johnson who lives north of Tilden is directly on the Keystone XL route and is currently in court fighting eminent domain proceedings from TC Energy. Johnson said, “The route approval and eminent authority needs to end. TC Energy cannot build the pipeline and has publicly said they are not going to build the pipeline, so why as a landowner am I still in Court fighting against this foreign company taking my land? This situation is crazy. The PSC needs to pull their route approval.”
NeFU President John Hansen said “We call on TC Energy to do the right thing and immediately withdraw all of their eminent domain actions against the 60 landowners in 9 Nebraska counties. Now is the time to make Nebraska landowners whole. We further call on the Nebraska Public Service Commission to take immediate action to withdraw its route approval of the Keystone XL pipeline and the eminent domain authority of TC Energy. Nebraska landowners are in a terrible situation that must be remedied as soon as possible. Eminent domain was never intended to be used for an abandoned pipeline project that will never be built that no longer has the required Presidential permit. This abuse of power must end.”
Nebraska Farmers Union is a general farm organization with 3,841 farm and ranch family members dedicated to protecting and enhancing the economic well-being and quality of life for family farmers and ranchers, and their rural communities. Since 1913, Nebraska Farmers Union has helped organize over 445 cooperatives.
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