Legislation to provide private property rights and eminent domain protections for Iowa landowners passed the full House this week. House File 2448, sponsored by Iowa Representative Bobby Kaufmann, passed by a 63 to 33 vote. The legislation is supported by the Preservation of Rural Iowa Alliance and President Carolyn Sheridan is hoping Senators will approve the bill.
The legislation requires energy projects to receive Iowa Utilities Board approval within three years of their initial hearing. If they don’t, their application is rescinded. Sheridan says under the bill, energy projects are required to get voluntary easements before moving ahead.
Opponents to the bill including Rock Island Clean Line Wind energy officials say the measure is unfair because state legislators are changing the rules in the middle of the process. However, Sheridan disagrees.
Should the legislation pass the Senate and be signed by the Governor, Clean Line Energy will have 8 months to get full Iowa Utilities Board approval as their first hearing was in 2013.]
