Texas judge halts TransCanada oil pipeline work over landowner's fraud claim
HOUSTON - A Texas court has ordered TransCanada to temporarily halt work on a private property where it is constructing part of an oil pipeline designed to carry tar sands oil from Canada to the U.S. Gulf Coast.
Texas County Court at Law Judge Jack Sinz signed a temporary restraining order and injunction Friday. The injunction went into effect Tuesday after Michael Bishop, the landowner, posted bond.
TransCanada says this will not delay its project.
Bishop argued the Canadian company defrauded him by taking his land for a pipeline it said would carry crude oil. He argues that tar sands oil is not crude oil and that the company's claims that it is are fraudulent.
The judge says there's sufficient cause to halt the project until a hearing Dec. 19.
