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STATE OF IOWA
KIM REYNOLDS
GOVERNOR
April 16, 2026
The Honorable Paul Pate
Secretary of State of Iowa
State Capitol
Des Moines, Iowa 50319
Dear Mr. Secretary,
I hereby transmit:
House File 2227, an Act relating to land restoration following the initial construction of
electric transmission lines, and including effective date and retroactive applicability
provisions.
The above House File is hereby approved on this date.
Sincerely,
Kiri*MndQds_J
Governor of Iowa
cc: Secretary of the Senate
Clerk of the House
STATE CAPITOL DES MOINES, IOWA 50319 515.281.5211 WWW.GOVERNOR.IOWA.GOV
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House File 2227
AN ACT
RELATING TO LAND RESTORATION FOLLOWING THE INITIAL CONSTRUCTION
OF ELECTRIC TRANSMISSION LINES, AND INCLUDING EFFECTIVE DATE
AND RETROACTIVE APPLICABILITY PROVISIONS.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
Section 1. Section 478.18, Code 2026, is amended to read as
follows :
478.18 Supervision of construction — location.
1. The utilities commission shall have power of supervision
over the construction of a transmission line and over its
future operation and maintenance , including inspections for
compliance with the standards adopted under section 478.34
after restoration of the land is complete .
2. A transmission line shall be constructed near and
parallel to roads, to the right-of-way of the railways of the
state, or along the division lines of the lands, according
to the government survey, wherever the same is practicable
and reasonable, and so as not to interfere with the use
by the public of the highways or streams of the state, nor
unnecessarily interfere with the use of any lands by the
occupant .
3. The utilities commission may contract a qualified
individual for the purpose of inspections authorized under
section 478.34. The reasonable cost of the inspection shall
be paid by the electric transmission owner. The utilities
commission shall instruct the inspector appointed by the
House File 2227, p. 2
conunission regarding the content of the statutes and rules and
the responsibility of the inspector to require restoration
conforming with the applicable standards established in section
478.34. For purposes of this section, "qualified individual"
means the same as defined in section 478.34.
Sec. 2. NEW SECTION . 478.34 Land restoration.
1. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise
requires :
a. "Electric transmission line" means a high-voltage
electric transmission line with a capacity of two hundred
kilovolts or more that has been approved on or after July
1, 2024, for construction in a federally registered planning
authority transmission plan with costs allocated regionally.
b. "Electric transmission owner" means an individual or
entity who owns and maintains an electric transmission line.
c. "Landowner" means the same as defined in section 478.2.
d. "Qualified individual" means someone who is capable and
knowledgeable enough to determine compliance with the standards
set forth in this section.
2. The commission shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A
to administer this section, which shall include rules regarding
the restoration of agricultural lands following the initial
construction of an electric transmission line, as specified in
subsection 3.
3. The commission shall adopt rules to implement the
following requirements, which shall not apply within the
corporate limits of a city or to any construction, activity, or
electric transmission lines other than the initial construction
of an electric transmission line with a voltage of two hundred
or more kilovolts and for which an election to construct has
been made under this section:
a. An electric transmission owner shall repair a damaged
underground drain tile as soon as practicable during
construction of the electric transmission line. Permanent
repairs to the damaged underground drain tile shall be
completed as soon as practicable after the initial construction
of the electric transmission line is complete. The repairs
made to the damaged drain tile shall be of at least equal
quality, size, and flow capacity of the original drain tile.
House File 2227, p. 3
b. Following the initial construction of an electric
transmission line, the electric transmission owner shall remove
from the easement area all rock larger than three inches in
average diameter not native to the soil of the excavated
land. The rock removed from the excavated land that cannot be
used to backfill shall be disposed of at a location and in a
manner agreed upon by the electric transmission owner and the
landowner .
c. Upon completion of construction activities on a property,
the electric transmission owner shall deep till agricultural
land, including right-of-way access points or roads traversed
by heavy construction equipment, to alleviate soil compaction.
The land shall be tilled at least eighteen inches deep in land
used for crop production and twelve inches deep in other lands
unless otherwise agreed to by the landowner.
d. Upon completion of the electric transmission line, the
electric transmission owner shall restore the soil conservation
practices and structures damaged during construction of the
electric transmission line to the elevation and grade existing
on the land prior to the construction. The soil used to
repair embankments intended to retain water shall be well
compacted. Any vegetation disturbed during construction shall
be reestablished, including cover crops when appropriate.
e. Following compaction of the land, agricultural land that
is not in row crop or small grain production at the time of
construction, including hay ground and land in conservation or
set-aside programs, shall be reseeded and a cover crop shall
be utilized when appropriate. Seeding for cover crops may be
delayed if the construction of the electric transmission line
is completed too late in the year for a cover crop to become
established and is not required if the land will be tilled in
the following year. The landowner may request ground cover
to prevent soil erosion in areas where construction on the
electric transmission line is completed if the season is not
suitable for seeding a cover crop.
f. Unless agreed upon by the electric transmission owner
and the landowner, the electric transmission owner shall remove
field entrances or temporary roads built for the purpose of
constructing the electric transmission line upon the completion
House File 2227, p. 4
of the initial construction and restore the area to its
previous use.
g. An electric transmission owner shall use good utility
practices for constructing the electric transmission line in
wet conditions, such as electing to use matting or padding when
utilizing heavy equipment. An electric transmission owner
shall grade and till any rutted land to restore, to the extent
practicable, the original condition of the land prior to the
construction of the electric transmission line. If agreed
upon by the electric transmission owner and the landowner,
the landowner may repair any damage caused by construction
activities in wet conditions and the electric transmission
owner shall reimburse the landowner for the reasonable cost
incurred to repair the damage. If an electric transmission
owner utilizes heavy equipment in wetlands or mudflats, mats or
other measures shall be utilized to minimize soil disturbance.
h. For each electric transmission line, the electric
transmission owner shall designate a point of contact for
inquiries or claims from an affected person. The designation
shall include a name, a telephone number, an email address, and
an address.
4. a. If an electric transmission owner and a landowner
dispute a potential violation of the restoration standards
provided in subsection 3, the commission may appoint a
qualified individual to inspect the property for compliance.
If the qualified individual determines that there has been
a violation of the applicable restoration standards, the
commission shall provide oral notice, followed by written
notice, to the electric transmission owner and the contractor
operating for the electric transmission owner and order
corrective action to comply with the restoration standards.
The electric transmission owner shall be responsible for the
costs of the corrective action.
b. If the electric transmission owner or the contractor
for the electric transmission owner does not comply with a
valid order for corrective action issued by the commission, the
commission may issue an order requiring corrective action to be
taken and may impose civil penalties under section 478.29.
c. The commission shall instruct the inspector appointed by
House File 2227, p. 5
the commission regarding the content of the statutes and rules
and the responsibility of the inspector to require restoration
conforming with the standards established in subsection 3.
5. a. A petitioner for a franchise for an electric
transmission line shall file with the petition a written land
restoration plan that documents how the requirements and rules
of subsection 3 will be met. The petitioner shall provide a
copy of the plan to all landowners of property that will be
disturbed by the initial construction.
b. Nothing in this section shall preclude the application
of provisions for protecting or restoring property that are
different than those prescribed in subsection 3, in rules
adopted under subsection 3, or in the land restoration plan,
if the alternative provisions are contained in agreements
independently executed by the electric transmission owner and
the landowner. Independent agreements for land restoration
between the electric transmission owner and the landowner shall
be in writing and provided to the commission.
c. The commission may by waiver allow variations from the
requirements of subsection 3 if the electric transmission
owner requesting a waiver satisfies the standards set forth
in section 17A.9A and if the alternative methods proposed
by the electric transmission owner would restore the land
to a condition as good as or better than as provided for in
subsection 3.
d. The commission may waive preparation of a separate land
restoration plan if the electric transmission owner enters into
an agricultural impact mitigation plan or similar agreement
with the appropriate agencies of this state that satisfies
the requirements of subsection 3. If a mitigation plan or
agreement is used to fully or partially meet the requirements
of a land restoration plan, the statement or agreement shall
be filed with the commission and shall be considered to be,
or to be part of, the land restoration plan for purposes of
subsection 3.
6. Nothing in this section shall limit, expand, or otherwise
modify the rights of access and obligations for damages set
forth in section 478.17.
Sec. 3.
importance
Sec. 4.
House File 2227, p. 6
EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act, being
takes effect upon enactment.
RETROACTIVE APPLICABILITY. This
deemed of immediate
retroactively to transmission lines included
Act applies
in a federally
registered planning authority long-term transmission plan
approved on or after July 1, 2024.
PAT GRASSLEY AMY SINC IR
Speaker of the House President of the Senate
I hereby certify that this bill originated in the House and
is known as House File 2227, Ninety-first General Assembly.
Approved 2026
"EGKAN nelson
Chief Cl>rk nt-J-hp House
KIM REJNptDS C j
MEG
Governor