John --
What we have been hearing is true. It's here.
The Republican-controlled Congress is attempting to sneak a federal eminent domain land grab for pipelines into the “big, beautiful bill” that President Trump requested be passed by Memorial Day. It is scheduled for debate and vote in a House Committee TODAY. [1]
This proposed law would establish a "federal permit" for interstate CO2, hydrogen, and oil pipelines. It would expressly overrule all state pipeline laws, such as routing laws, moratoriums, bans on eminent domain, and construction mitigation requirements, as well as county pipeline ordinances.
It is extremely urgent that you contact your members of Congress now to make sure this federal power grab gets killed.
TAKE ACTION TODAY:
If passed, this proposed law would give the federal government authority to take your land via eminent domain on behalf of corporations.
Worse, the proposed law would also provide "expedited review," meaning that federal agencies would have one year, extendable to 18 months, in which to approve needed federal permits.
If a federal agency failed to approve a permit within this time period, the permit would be automatically approved “in perpetuity” without consideration of landowner or community concerns.
If passed, this law would mean that years of blood, sweat and tears poured out by landowners and impacted communities to ban state use of eminent domain for CO2 pipelines and require commonsense state and local safety and land protection requirements will have been for nothing.
The South Dakota ban on use of state eminent domain for CO2 pipelines would be rendered irrelevant, because Summit could use federal eminent domain. The CO2 pipeline moratoria in Illinois and California would be voided, because states would no longer have authority to permit interstate carbon dioxide pipelines.
Moreover, all of the county setback ordinances would be voided, because routes would be determined solely by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
Instead of public hearings by state and county agencies, pipeline permits would be approved by distant bureaucrats in Washington, DC.
If the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce approves the bill after debate on Tuesday, it would move to a vote in the full House perhaps before the end of next week. If the House votes to approve it, then it would be considered by the Senate.
On Earth Day this year, the White House’s proclamation stated that the "key actions President Trump is taking on the environment" include "supporting cutting-edge technologies like carbon capture and storage." [2]
Congressional lobbying by big oil and carbon capture supporters created this proposed law. If it is enacted, their payday will be the biggest federal eminent domain for private corporations land grab of all time.
Take action now and tell Congress and President Trump: Stop the federal eminent domain land grab.
Thanks for standing with us.
The Bold Nebraska team
REFERENCES
[1] "Energy and Commerce unveils broad climate law rollbacks," E&E News, 5/12/25.
[2] "On Earth Day, We Finally Have a President Who Follows Science," WhiteHouse.gov, 4/22/25.
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