Big Bend rancher sues pipeline company

The owner of an 11,000-acre ranch south of Marfa has filed suit in federal court, claiming the use of eminent domain by a private pipeline company to take part of his land is unconstitutional. Filed in Pecos, the lawsuit by lawyer John Boerschig of Katy against Trans-Pecos Pipeline LLC comes as construction of the 148-mile natural gas line through the unspoiled Big Bend is already underway. In his lawsuit, Boerschig claims that “Texas law deprives private property owners … of any opportunity to challenge the pipeline company’s right to take their property in advance of the company taking possession of the property.” A hearing has been set for Tuesday in Midland on his request for a preliminary injunction to halt the condemnation of his land. The pipeline is being built for Mexico’s Federal Energy Commission by a bi-national consortium that includes billionaires Kelcy Warren of Energy Transfer Partners and Carlos Slim, the richest man in Mexico...more