Kentucky House passes bill prohibiting Bluegrass Pipeline from seizing property
“There’s a new potential clog in the proposed Bluegrass Pipeline.
The Kentucky House today handed opponents of the project a big victory.
After an hour of passionate debate, the House passed a bill designed to protect landowners in the path of the Bluegrass Pipeline.
HB 31 would prevent developers of natural gas liquid pipelines, such as the Bluegrass Pipeline, from using eminent domain to obtain the property they need.
In short, the pipeline companies could not legally force landowners to sell.
“House Bill 31 is about private property rights. I would submit to this body that we, as Kentuckians, consider these rights sacred,” said Rep. John Tilley (D-Hopkinsville) as the debate began on the House floor.
The Bluegrass Pipeline would stretch through 13 counties and create hundreds of jobs and tax revenue.
And the bill’s opponents fear the measure could be costly.
“It’s about us realizing that our lives are dependant on the jobs created by these fuels,” said Rep. Jim Gooch (D-Providence).
“We just might as well put a ‘Do not Enter’ in our state for business because, basically, that’s what we’re telling this company,” argued Rep. Suzanne Miles (R-Owensboro).”
Smith, Lawrence. WDRB.com 21 March 2014.