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Day two of David Pecker testimony wraps in NY Trump trial; Supreme Court hears arguments on Idaho's near-total abortion ban; ND sees a flurry of campaigning among Native candidates; and NH lags behind other states in restricting firearms at polling sites.

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The Senate moves forward with a foreign aid package. A North Carolina judge overturns an aged law penalizing released felons. And child protection groups call a Texas immigration policy traumatic for kids.

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Wyoming needs more educators who can teach kids trade skills, a proposal to open 40-thousand acres of an Ohio forest to fracking has environmental advocates alarmed and rural communities lure bicyclists with state-of-the-art bike trail systems.

Group Sees Proposed Pipeline as Threat to Landowners, Environment

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Thursday, February 18, 2016   

DES MOINES, Iowa - After four days of testimony last week, the Iowa Utilities Board on Wednesday announced it was holding yet another afternoon of public hearings tomorrow.

The board even has reserved two additional days in March if necessary for further deliberation. But one Iowa group says it doesn't matter how many hearings are held; the members of the board have shown a lack of understanding about the Bakken oil pipeline issue and their authority to regulate such projects.

Adam Mason is state policy director of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement.

"The major concern everyday Iowans should be worried about is that if the IUB grants this permit, it's going to give an out-of-state corporation eminent domain powers, and really that boils down to eminent domain for private gain," says Mason.

Opponents of the proposal say since the oil only passes through Iowa, it does not meet state law requiring that projects involving eminent domain provide Iowa consumers with a public convenience and necessity.

If approved, the 1,134-mile-long pipeline would transport a half million barrels of crude oil daily from North Dakota through South Dakota and Iowa for further processing in Illinois.

Mason says while the Bakken pipeline may create jobs in Iowa, there are better ways to do that, while still producing needed energy. He says the risk to Iowa's environment caused by the pipeline is not worth it.

"We believe that it's not a question of if there'll be an oil spill, but when," says Mason. "We believe that by doubling down on wind and solar production, we can create 80,000 jobs here in Iowa. We'd be better served by investing in renewable energy infrastructure than this whole fossil-fuel infrastructure."

Mason says the lack of legal precedent for a proposal like this was also a factor in the group issuing a vote of no confidence in the utilities board.







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