April 2024

“Devillier v. Texas” or Why People in Right of Way Should Care Even if They Don’t Care About the Procedural Nuance

By |2024-04-23T14:59:10+00:00April 23rd, 2024|Eminent Domain, Inverse Condemnation, SCOTUS, Texas Law|

Devillier v. Texas is largely about a procedural nuance, but the pictures contain a message for people in right of way that matters even if the procedural nuance involved doesn't change much day to day. The eponymous Mr. DeVillier along with more than a hundred other parties to this U.S. Supreme Court Case own property [...]

July 2023

The Regulatory Regime for Infrastructure Projects Affecting Wetlands After Sackett

By |2023-07-28T21:23:13+00:00July 28th, 2023|Eminent Domain, FERC, Gas, Pipeline, SCOTUS, Virginia Law|

Wetlands are a particularly important and fragile ecological resource. In recognition of that, the federal government has long interpreted the Clean Water Act broadly to protect not only wetlands that are directly connected to traditional waterways but also those more remote wetlands that have some connection to such waterways.  In Sackett v. EPA, the Supreme [...]

October 2021

What Do Hunting Dogs and Labor Organizers Have in Common?

By |2021-10-15T12:22:29+00:00October 15th, 2021|Access, Governments, SCOTUS, Virginia Law|

Given that this is a blog about eminent domain law, it should come as no surprise that the answer to the headline’s question is related to state property law.  Until recently, both labor organizers and hunting dogs—or, more accurately, hunters who hunt with dogs—were beneficiaries of laws in different states that permitted them to access [...]

July 2021

Supreme Court Rules that State Sovereign Immunity Does Not Bar Eminent Domain Suits

By |2021-08-04T12:39:27+00:00July 19th, 2021|Acquisitions, FERC, Gas, Governments, New Jersey, Pipeline, SCOTUS|

The U.S. Supreme Court issued its opinion on Penneast Pipeline Co., v. New Jersey on June 29, 2021. In its 5-4 decision, one surprisingly not split across party lines, the Court addressed whether it is constitutional for the Federal Government to grant a pipeline company authority to condemn necessary rights-of-way in which a State [...]

June 2021

Supreme Court to Decide Case that Could Give States Ability to Block Natural Gas Pipelines

By |2021-06-07T02:39:08+00:00June 7th, 2021|FERC, Gas, New Jersey, Pipeline, SCOTUS, Uncategorized|

The Supreme Court of the U.S. is expected to rule soon in a case that could have a profound impact on the development of natural gas pipelines.  The case, PennEast Pipeline Co., LLC v. New Jersey, involves a natural gas pipeline project in the northeast.  PennEast obtained a certificate of public convenience and necessity from [...]

April 2020

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