On November 8, the Louisiana First Circuit Court of Appeals added to the relatively sparse body of appellate rulings in pipeline expropriation matters. In an unpublished opinion, the court affirmed that landowners whose property is expropriated must prove their entitlement to severance damages to a “legal certainty.” Under Louisiana law, owners of expropriated property can … Continue Reading
In a decision announced this week, the Louisiana Supreme Court ruled on the constitutionality and method of compensation for the expropriation by a governmental body of property owned by an ongoing commercial venture. In St. Bernard Port, Harbor & Terminal District v. Violet Dock Port, Inc., LLC, the St. Bernard Port, Harbor & Terminal District … Continue Reading
In Chauvin v. Shell Oil Company, the Louisiana Fifth Circuit Court of Appeal affirmed the judgment of the trial court granting summary judgment to defendants on Plaintiffs’ trespass action. In doing so, the Fifth Circuit made clear that to succeed on a trespass claim when the contracts at issue are ambiguous, parole evidence from the … Continue Reading
A recent decision from the Eastern District of Louisiana provides a mixed bag for pipeline companies or others whose operations involve canals. Significantly, the decision from Judge Milazzo holds that during the existence of a right-of-way/servitude, Louisiana servitude law imposes a continuing duty to prevent canals from expanding and widening over time, unless unambiguous contractual … Continue Reading
On June 1, 2017, the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in Borcik v. Crosby Tugs, L.L.C. applied a broad definition of the intent required of a plaintiff under the Louisiana Environmental Whistleblower Act. In doing so, both the Fifth Circuit and the Louisiana Supreme Court apply a more plaintiff friendly standard to claims … Continue Reading
Professor Jim Rossi’s lecture on “Federalism Battles in Energy Transportation,” specifically whether the federal or state government is the proper authority to exercise its eminent domain and regulatory power.
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On November 23, 2016, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) confirmed its authorization of the construction of a $3.5 billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facility in Lake Charles, Louisiana and rejected the Sierra Club’s request for rehearing on the matter. In an April 15, 2016 Order, FERC authorized Magnolia LNG, LLC to site, construct, … Continue Reading
On November 11, 2016, the EPA published a proposed rule designed to update its Renewable Fuel Standards Program and support the growth of renewable fuel use. With the stated goal of removing barriers to production and distribution of renewable fuels, the proposed rule has three main components: (1) Updated Regulatory Structure to Address Biofuel Processing at … Continue Reading
The Third Circuit recently released an unpublished opinion making clear that when a pipeline company expropriates a servitude, the servitude is “perpetual,” and a Court cannot impose a term on that servitude. The Third Circuit also held that a landowner must prove any damages over and above the fair market value of the property, and … Continue Reading
The question often arises whether, in Louisiana, a party can file in the public record a “memorandum of servitude” rather than the full servitude. If the parties do that, any unrecorded provisions may not be binding on third parties. Other states’ laws may provide that recordation of such a memorandum of easement, the common law … Continue Reading
The Liskow & Lewis family stands by our friends and neighbors throughout the unprecedented flooding in our community. As we begin the long process of recovery, here is a brief legal update on the response of various courts and state agencies: State courts: Governor John Bel Edwards has issued an executive order which purports to suspend … Continue Reading
On August 16th, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (“PHMSA”) issued an advisory bulletin to clarify the regulatory requirements that may vary depending on the operational status of a pipeline under 49 C.F.R. Parts 192 and 195 (2016).… Continue Reading
In 2010, under the Endangered Species Act (“ESA”), the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (“the FWS”) designated 6,477 acres in Mississippi and Louisiana as “critical habitat” for the Rana sevosa or the dusky gopher frog. This frog has historically lived in nine counties or parishes across Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Since its 2001 designation … Continue Reading
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) released its long awaited new Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) updating the procedures and criteria used to determine when and if additional supplemental financial assurance is required for an Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) lease, pipeline right-of-way, or right-of-use and easement. New BOEM NTL No. 2016-N01, dated July … Continue Reading
President Obama signed the Protecting our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety Act or the SAFE PIPES Act into law on June 22, 2016. The Safe Pipes Act reauthorizes the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (“PHMSA”) through 2019 as well as its associated programs, including the one-call notification program, the pipeline integrity program, and … Continue Reading
The United States Supreme Court recently addressed whether the United States Army Corps of Engineers’ determination that wetlands are “waters of the United States” constitutes a final agency action that is subject to judicial review under the Administrative Procedure Act in U.S. Army Corps of Engineers v. Hawkes Co., Inc., 15-290, 2016 WL 3041052 (U.S. … Continue Reading
A panel of the United States Fifth Circuit consisting of Chief Judge Stewart and Judges Jolly and Graves recently issued a per curiam opinion regarding the effect of the Louisiana Underground Utilities and Facilities Protection Law (the “Louisiana One-Call Statute”). Plains Pipeline, L.P. et al. v. Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co., et al., No. … Continue Reading
In Kachina Pipeline Company, Inc. v. Lillis, No. 13-0596, the Supreme Court of Texas interpreted a natural gas-purchase contract and held that a producer was not required to share in the costs of compression, even though that compression helped yield a higher re-sale price. Whether this decision narrowly reflects the language of one specific contract … Continue Reading
By Carlos Moreno: The Supreme Court of Texas recently delivered a revised opinion discussing the power of eminent domain exercised by a common carrier CO2 pipeline. In Texas Rice Land Partners, LTD v. Denbury Green Pipeline-Texas, LLC, No. 09-0901, 2012 Tex. LEXIS 187 (Tex. Mar. 2, 2012), the Court was asked if a landowner can challenge … Continue Reading
By Emma J. Hinnigan In ExxonMobil Pipeline Co. v. Union Pacific Railroad Co., 08-2347 (La. App. 1. Cir. 5/13/09), the First Circuit held that ExxonMobil was not entitled to expropriate land owned by Union Pacific because the expropriation was not for a public purpose. ExxonMobil wanted to build an access road so that it could … Continue Reading
by Kelly Becker In Barasich, et al. v. Shell Pipeline Co. LP, et al., 2008 U.S. Dist. Lexis 47474 (E.D. La. 6/19/08), at issue was, inter alia, whether a group of commercial oyster fishermen could bring a class action against a group of defendants that owned land-based storage tanks or pipelines that burst as a … Continue Reading
In Davis v. Provost, 2007-1519 (La. App. 3 Cir. 4/2/08), — So. 2d –, the Louisiana Court of Appeal for the Third Circuit reinforced an earlier holding that 1977 La. Acts No. 514 § 1, which allowed the acquisition of a predial servitude through acquisitive prescription, was not retroactive. In Davis, the plaintiffs filed a Petition for … Continue Reading
By Katie Caswell In Rose v. Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co., plaintiff, owner of an undivided interest in property across which Defendant Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co. (“TGP”) held a pipeline “easement” or “right of way” obtained in an expropriation proceeding, appealed from the district court’s dismissal of her claims against TGP as time barred by prescription. 2007 … Continue Reading
In 2002, Jupiter Energy Corporation ("Jupiter") applied to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ("FERC") for a determination that two of its pipelines in the Gulf of Mexico were not for the primary purpose of transporting gas — a purpose within the FERC’s regulatory jurisdiction — but were instead for the primary purpose of gathering gas … Continue Reading
