HAYS COUNTY, Texas — The Hays County Commissioners Court on Tuesday unanimously voted to join a contemplated lawsuit seeking to stop Kinder Morgan from building a pipeline across property owners' land.
Hays County believes the long-contested Permian Highway Pipeline would cause damage to environmentally sensitive areas.
“The action taken by the Court today will continue our fight on behalf of the private property rights of the citizens of Hays County,” Precinct 4 Commissioner Walt Smith said.
The City of San Marcos, Travis County, the City of Austin, the Barton Springs Edwards Aquifer Conservation District and interested landowners have all joined the contemplated suit, which names the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Kinder Morgan and its affiliates as violating the Endangered Species Act.
RELATED: Kinder Morgan faces new lawsuit from Hill Country property owners regarding pipeline construction
“Our natural resources – our aquifers, rivers, creeks and wildlife – will be endangered by the pipeline’s construction, and should a leak or explosion occur the results would be devastating,” Precinct 3 Commissioner Lon Shell said.
The Hays County General Counsel’s Office will be handling communications for executing the agreement and litigation. The plaintiffs will be represented by multiple law firms familiar with environmental and property rights issues. The Commissioners Court will set aside $75,000 for the suit.
On Monday, several Hill Country property owners filed a federal lawsuit against Permian Highway Pipeline LLC, Kinder Morgan Texas Pipeline LLC and a number of other companies in hopes of preventing the pipeline to be built on their properties.
Kinder Morgan has faced several lawsuits prior to this one, including one from the City of Kyle, San Marcos and Austin.
Construction of the pipeline is already underway in West Texas. It will carry natural from that area all the way to an area near Katy, Texas.
MORE:
- Kinder Morgan says Hill Country pipeline construction could start in January
- Kyle, Austin, San Marcos, 2 other organizations join lawsuit against Kinder Morgan's Permian Highway Pipeline
- City of Kyle votes to end fight over natural gas pipeline
- Kinder Morgan now suing City of Kyle in ongoing pipeline battle
- Judge rules in Kinder Morgan's favor over Hill Country pipeline
- Austin City Council passes resolution opposing pipeline through Hill Country
- Judge to rule on pipeline set to run through the Hill Country as landowners fight it
- City of Kyle, Hays County and landowners sue pipeline company
- Hays County to file lawsuit to fight natural gas pipeline
- Hill Country landowners fight to stop a new natural gas pipeline
- Proposed pipeline has some Hays County residents concerned for nearby watershed