A Louisiana court of appeals will decide whether pipeline companies seizing land under eminent domain are subject to state open record laws.
The Advocate reports the 1st Circuit Court of Appeal heard the case Wednesday. A lower court sided with the company building the 163-mile crude oil pipeline called Bayou Bridge.
The Center for Constitutional Rights says Energy Transfer Partners should be subjected to open record laws because seizing private property is a right usually reserved for the government. It says the company should therefore be open to similar scrutiny.
Energy Transfer Partners says the petrochemical industry can use eminent domain because it benefits the whole state, but shouldn't be subject to open record laws because it isn't using public funds.