Fifth Amendment
The Bakken Oil Pipeline is currently under construction. It stretches from North Dakota to Illinois, and in between crisscrosses the state of Iowa. Many Iowa landowners have been forced to sell their land under the auspices of Eminent Domain. About 82% of Iowa landowners have agreed to the sale, while 18% have chosen to fight back against the government seizure.
Your goal is to look at both sides and determine the reasons the pipeline is legal under Eminent Domain, and reasons why it is illegal. Remember, we are NOT debating whether an oil pipeline is good or bad for the environment, we are strictly focusing on Eminent Domain. Make a copy of the Google Doc below, fill it out, and bring it with you tomorrow. You will select a side that seems most reasonable to you and defend that side to your classmates. Two maps of the pipeline's route are provided, as is the Google Doc.
A good source to begin with is The Des Moines Register. Follow the link to the paper's webpage and enter "Bakken Pipeline" into the search bar. You may use any other source you wish, but make sure it is credible (has an author's name, publisher's name, date of publication, etc.).
Bakken Oil Pipeline
