70-667. Plants, systems, and works; construction or operation; works of internal improvement; laws applicable; eminent domain; procedure; when available.

All power plants and systems, all hydrogen production, storage, or distribution systems, all ethanol production or distribution systems, and all irrigation works constructed, acquired, used, or operated by any district organized under or subject to Chapter 70, article 6, or proposed by such district to be so constructed, acquired, owned, used, or operated are hereby declared to be works of internal improvement. All laws applicable to works of internal improvement and all provisions of law applicable to electric light and power corporations, irrigation districts, or privately owned irrigation corporations, the use and occupation of state and other public lands and highways, the appropriation, acquisition, or use of water, water power, water rights, or water diversion or storage rights, for any of the purposes contemplated in such statutory provisions, the manner or method of construction and physical operation of power plants, systems, transmission lines, and irrigation works, as herein contemplated, shall be applicable, as nearly as may be, to all districts organized under or subject to Chapter 70, article 6, and in the performance of the duties conferred or imposed upon them under such statutory provisions. Such laws, provisions of law, or statutory provisions are hereby made applicable to all irrigation works and facilities operated by irrigation divisions of public power and irrigation districts organized under Chapter 70, article 6, and shall include, but not be limited to, the right of such district to exercise the powers conferred upon districts by Chapters 31 and 46, relating to operation, maintenance, rehabilitation, construction, reconstruction, repairs, extension, recharge for ground water, and surface and subsurface drainage projects and the assessment of the cost thereof to the lands benefited thereby. The right to exercise the power of eminent domain is conferred, except that this power may not be exercised for the purpose of condemning property for use by a privately operated ethanol production or distribution facility or a privately operated hydrogen production, storage, or distribution facility. The procedure to condemn property shall be exercised in the manner set forth in Chapter 76, article 7.

Source:Laws 1933, c. 86, § 7, p. 349; Laws 1941, c. 138, § 1, p. 545; C.S.Supp.,1941, § 70-707; R.S.1943, § 70-667; Laws 1951, c. 101, § 106, p. 496; Laws 1971, LB 626, § 2; Laws 1973, LB 189, § 1; Laws 1981, LB 181, § 32; Laws 1986, LB 1230, § 49; Laws 2005, LB 139, § 17.

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