Lege Trend: Palmetto State Saying No Eminent Domain for Pipes

South Carolina lawmakers tells us their emoinent domain laws are old- decades old. Back in the olden days lawmakers though of eminent domain as something for utilities and power companies, not pipelines. 

Specifically, lawmakers never considered pipelines owned by private companies. Whereby private companies gain eminent domain.

The proposal would require oil and gas pipelines to gain approval from their version of the PUC and of TCEQ before being afforded the ability to use eminent domain authority. 

South Carolina is mirroring the Georgia approach for eminent domain use by pipes. Recently, the Georgia agency refused eminent domain for a pipeline project.

North Augusta Star