DES MOINES — Legislation making it more difficult for private companies to acquire access to private property through condemnation cleared two subcommittee Tuesday and appears to be on the fast track in both the House and Senate.
Subcommittees in both chambers signed off on Senate Study Bill 1276 to change the process for private companies to build underground pipelines and overhead transmission lines. It grows out of concern and frustration with two specific projects: the Rock Island Clean Line, that would carry electricity across the state, and the Bakken oil pipeline, which would go through 17 Iowa counties as part of a connection between oil fields in North Dakota and Pakota, Illinois.
The companies behind those projects told a House-Senate subcommittee on the bill they intend to get voluntary easements on 90 percent of the property they need. Neither is close to that goal and landowners say they are resisting often heavy-handed attempts to get them to sign easements.
Full story here.
If you think you may be affected by the Rock Island Clean Line Project and/or are interested in a free consultation, contact our eminent domain landowner attorneys at 1-888-318-3761 or visit us on the web at www.landownerattorneys.com.
