The Nebraska Supreme Court is set to hear oral arguments about the proposed route of the Keystone XL pipeline through the Cornhusker State.
On Thursday, the court will begin hearing from landowners who argue that the Nebraska Public Service Commission didn't have jurisdiction to approve what is called the Mainline Alternative Route.
Dave Domina, who along with Brian Jorde, represents all appealing landowners says, “The jurisdictional prerequisite of gubernatorial denial of the Mainline Alternative Route was not met and the Public Service Commission lacked jurisdiction to consider, hear, or decide the application. Without a denial of the proposed route, review by the Public Service Commission is not triggered."
Nebraska has been ground zero for challenges to the proposed pipeline as landowners organized into a tight knit group filed three state constitutional challenge lawsuits, which included a trip to the Nebraska Supreme court in 2014. The group has also fought TransCanada in nearly 60 condemnation lawsuits all of which were dismissed and intervened in the Public Service Commission process having a four day trial in August 2017.