Kinder Morgan sues Austin suburb over anti-pipeline ordinance

[Elderberry]

Houston Chronicle by  Sergio Chapa July 22, 2019

Houston pipeline operator Kinder Morgan has sued an Austin suburb over the passage of an ordinance that the company alleges aims to keep a proposed natural gas pipeline out of town, disrupting the route approved by state regulators.

In a 22-page lawsuit filed on Monday in U.S. District Court in Austin, Kinder Morgan alleges that the City of Kyle overstepped state and federal law when city council members passed a July 2 ordinance regulating the construction of natural gas pipelines within city limits.

Kinder Morgan is seeking to build the $2 billion Permian Highway Pipeline to connect the prolific Permian Basin of West Texas to the Katy natural gas hub near Houston. Spanning 430 miles, the 42-inch diameter pipeline is designed move 2 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day but the proposed route faces stiff opposition in the Texas Hill Country, Hays County and the City of Kyle.

Opponents unsuccessfully tried to stop the project by suing Kinder Morgan in a state district court in Austin. A judge tossed out the lawsuit in a June 25 decision. Days later, the Kyle City Council passed an ordinance stating that all natural gas pipelines with a diameter of 30 inches or more would require a city permit.

More: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/energy/article/Kinder-Morgan-sues-Austin-suburb-over-14115039.php

[IsailedawayfromFR]

KM should have known going near Austin could mean only trouble and delay.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Well, well.  This was nothing but a typical shakedown.  Immoral to allow a pipeline on health and safety of its citizens?  Not when Kyle can get their hands on some real money.


City of Kyle Reaches Settlement in Lawsuit with Kinder Morgan

KYLE, Texas — A multi-billion-dollar natural gas pipeline will soon be to coming to Central Texas.

Earlier City of Kyle passed ordinance restricting pipeline
Kinder Morgan filed a lawsuit against the city
Settlement requires Kinder Morgan to pay City of Kyle $2.7 million
On Friday during a special called meeting, Kyle City Council approved a settlement agreement with the Permian Highway Pipeline, LLC, and Kinder Morgan Texas Pipeline, LLC. The agreement allows Kinder Morgan to construct the Permian Highway Pipeline (PHP) through the boundaries of the City of Kyle. It also provides protections for the city regarding how the pipeline affects existing infrastructure and future development projects.

In July, Kinder Morgan filed a lawsuit against the City of Kyle for passing an ordinance regulating how pipelines can be installed in the city. The ordinance required Kinder Morgan to bury the pipeline 13-feet deep, to allow the city to put its wastewater lines or water lines streets over the top of the pipeline.

Kinder Morgan sued the city saying that state and federal law prohibits cities from regulating pipelines. The City of Kyle amended the ordinance on September 11 to address some of the claims that its ordinance was inconsistent with state and federal law.

“To be clear, this settlement has nothing to do with re-routing the pipeline out of the Hill Country,” said Travis Mitchell, Mayor, City of Kyle. “We still share in the concerns of thousands in our community who fear the impacts of the PHP on our safety and our environment. Settling this case has no bearing on those risks, which would have remained in full force either way.”
https://spectrumlocalnews.com/tx/austin/news/2019/10/05/city-of-kyle-reaches-settlement-in-lawsuit-with-kinder-morgan

[Smokin Joe]

Someone has been taking lessons from the "Water Protectors"....

DAPL just went around the Reservation, rather than clip the corner.
(Rumors had it that the agreed upon right-of-way payment suddenly was tripled when it came time to sign, so they re-routed, prompting the protests).

Classic holdup.