This bill enhances safety regulations and landowner protections regarding hazardous liquid pipeline construction and operation in Iowa. It empowers counties to establish setback and safety requirements that surpass state and federal standards. The Iowa Utilities Commission is barred from issuing permits for liquefied carbon dioxide pipelines until updated federal safety standards are available. Pipeline companies are required to bury pipelines with a minimum of eight feet of cover and must secure all necessary permits before exercising eminent domain rights. Additionally, companies must disclose plume modeling study results and acquire at least 90% of affected parcels through voluntary easements prior to seeking eminent domain.

The bill also broadens the definition of compensable damages for landowners to encompass soil compaction and damage to conservation structures and irrigation systems. It allows landowners, including tenants, to file complaints regarding land restoration violations and seek compensation for losses due to pipeline activities. New requirements for voluntary easement negotiations include obtaining notarized written permission from landowners before negotiations and limiting communications to two per month unless otherwise permitted. Violations can lead to fines payable to affected landowners. The bill mandates that companies provide detailed investor information in permit applications and removes the previous provision allowing companies to survey private land with just 10 days' notice. The provisions of Division II take effect upon enactment and apply retroactively to relevant permit applications and issued permits.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 331.301, 479.25, 479A.11, 479B.4, 479B.5, 479B.9, 479B.16, 479B.20, 479B.29, 6B.52