The Hays County Commissioners Court will consider joining as a plaintiff in a lawsuit against U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Army Corp of Engineers and Kinder Morgan Inc. for violation of the Endangered Species Act Tuesday, Jan. 28.
Hays County Commissioners Court would potentially be joining the Texas Real Estate Advocacy and Defense Coalition who funded the intents to sue Kinder Morgan.
The lawsuit is targeted toward the Permian Highway Pipeline, a prospective 430-mile natural gas pipeline stretching from the Permian Basin in West Texas to the Gulf Coast region. The project is estimated to cost around $2 billion and work on the pipeline has already begun in the west section of the pipeline.
The proposed route does not require approval from any state agency even though it crosses the Edwards and Trinity Aquifers, which supply drinking water for over two million people. The pipeline will also cut directly through the habitat of endangered species such as the Barton Springs Salamander and the Austin Blind Salamander, among others. All ESA-listed species are granted certain protections from such development under the ESA.
Precinct 3 Commissioner Lon Shell said he is glad to see more jurisdictions coming together to oppose the construction of the pipeline.
“We are pleased to see so many jurisdictions joining this cause and realizing the seriousness of the issue,” Shell said.
The Hays County Commissioners hold court every Tuesday on the third floor of the Hays County Courthouse, beginning at 9 a.m.