Back in February MDN told you about a group of aging hippies, er, a, New Englanders from Deerfield, MA who decided to sue the federal government to block Kinder Morgan’s Northeast Energy Direct (NED) pipeline project from being built across their property (see Mass. Town Sues FERC to Stop Pipeline Claiming Gas is for Export). The Town of Deerfield is using the pro bono services of a lawyer that doesn’t live in Deerfield, Cristobal Bonifaz. Bonifaz filed the lawsuit in federal court. His argument is that “most of the gas” flowing through NED will be exported and not even used in New England, and taking private property via eminent domain to do so is illegal. His claim is false–but truth isn’t what always wins in court cases. These days it’s finding a liberal judge you can influence that wins in court. Bonifaz is back and he’s filed the same exact lawsuit a second time–with a different (small) group of people from Deerfield and surrounding areas…
