Justices Weigh Pipeline Company’s Right to Grab State Land (1)

U.S. Supreme Court justices appeared conflicted as they weighed state sovereignty and property rights concerns against natural gas pipeline development.

The court heard oral arguments on Wednesday over whether builders of the PennEast pipeline can use federal eminent domain to seize state-owned lands along the $1 billion project’s route in New Jersey. The case, which could affect pipeline siting nationwide, is the latest high-stakes energy infrastructure conflict to reach the justices in recent years.

“It’s really quite extraordinary to have private parties overriding state immunities,” Chief Justice John Roberts said, voicing New Jersey’s key argument in the case that’s expected ...