"Supreme Court Backs Pipes on Land-Use Suits in PennEast Win"

"The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that natural-gas pipeline projects with federal approval can seize state-owned land, boosting PennEast Pipeline Co.’s planned 116-mile line through Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

In a 5-4 ruling Tuesday that asserted a broad federal power to acquire lands needed for national infrastructure projects, the justices rejected New Jersey’s contention that sovereign immunity shields the state from being sued by PennEast.

The pipeline would carry as much as 1 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day from northern Pennsylvania to New Jersey. PennEast, a joint venture of five companies including Southern Co. and Enbridge Inc., still must secure state-level permits, something that may prove difficult in New Jersey, according to Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Brandon Barnes. He said the project still has “low odds.”"

Greg Stohr reports for Bloomberg News June 29, 2021.

Source: Bloomberg Environment, 06/30/2021