despite contingencies like the noncommitment, pickens youd, this could be the biggest deal of my life. the mesa water pipeline would cross private land. to make this feasible, i should explain that he's got a ranch up in the texas panhandle in the northern part of the state and plans to build a pipeline from his ranch down to dallas fort worth, but to do that, he needs to get special exemptions because it crosses private property. the pipeline would cross private land. to make it feasible, he has to negotiate with hundreds of owners and find access to their land. it was not clear what the other way might be until 2007 when a change of state law made by governor rick perry allowed pickens to form a new water district, the roberts county fresh water supply district number one. this gave him the right to issue tax free bonds for the water pipe and electrical transmission lines, the power to levy taxes, and most important to use the power of imminent domain to claim land for the pipeline. imminent domain is a legal doctrine dating back to 1066 by william the conqueror in which the governm