Union Pacific Seeking Immediate Appeal of Order Determining Land Use Rights in California

         Union Pacific is urging the United States District Court for the Central District of California to allow the company to receive an appeal of District Court Judge James Selna’s order ruling that congressional land grants to the railroad were provided only to further railroad purposes, not to grant easements for pipelines or to collect rent for the easement usage.  The series of litigation originates from a suit by landowners who claim that Union Pacific unlawfully used landowner’s subsurface rights in the 1950’s to construct underground oil and gas pipelines within the railroad’s right of way.  For further analysis on the District Court’s prior rulings in the case take a look at the linked article.