Judicial Proceedings

This page details the status of active judicial proceedings involving the Iowa Utilities Commission and provides recent court filings.  

Updated September 8, 2026

Enterprise Products Operating, LLC v. Iowa Utilities Board

Polk County District Court Case No. CVCV065780 / 24-1648
Subject: Judicial review of agency orders in Docket No. SPU-2023-0003 regarding agency's order assessing civil penalties for Enterprise’s failure to have required permits.  
Original Petition: Petition for Judicial Review  (314.75 KB) Archived .PDF filed July 7, 2023. 
Current Status: Iowa Supreme Court issued ruling on June 6, 2026, reversing both the lower courts and holding that all the permit violations were “one related series." District court issued an order on July 23, 2026, imposing the $200,000 penalty.
Recent Filings: Appellate Court Decision. (261.33 KB) Archived .pdf

Shelby County et al. v. Iowa Utilities Commission 

Polk County District Court Case No. CVCV067849
Subject: Judicial review of agency order to conditionally grant a permit for a hazardous liquid pipeline in Docket No. HLP-2021-0001  
Original Petition: Petition for Judicial Review (274.25 KB) Archived .PDF  filed September 10, 2024. 
Of note: Proceeding consolidated with five additional Polk County District Court Cases: Petitioners Allan Boeck et al., CVCV067869; Sierra Club Iowa Chapter, CVCV067871; Robert Soat et al., CVCV067873; Greg Kracht et al., CVCV067874; and Kerry Hirth et al., CVCV032240.
Current Status: Case was remanded to the IUC for consideration and ruling on Summit Carbon’s motion for amendment. The IUC issued a issued an order on June 30, 2026.  The Counties filed a motion for stay on July 7, 2026, later joined by petitioners Jorde Landowners and Sierra Club, asking the District Court to stop all proceedings at the agency level on Summit’s amendments until the appeal is concluded. Both Summit and the IUC filed resistances to the stay, and Farm Bureau filed an appeal of IUC’s denial of the stay, joined by the Hirth petitioners. The IUC and Summit filed their responses on August 17, 2026. No date for hearing has been set for either  motion in district court.
Recent Filings: Order Setting Oral Arguments (40.37 KB) Archived .pdf

Swan Lake Road Farms v. Iowa Utilities Commission and ITC Midwest LLC

Polk County District Court Case No. CVCV068000
Subject: Judicial review of agency order in Docket No. E-22501 granting electric transmission line franchise
Original Petition: Petition for Judicial Review (601.67 KB) Archived .PDF  filed October 10, 2024. 
Current Status: District court issued a ruling September 30, 2025, affirming IUC’s decision to grant the franchise. Petitioner and ITC Midwest appealed to Iowa Supreme Court. Supreme Court set oral argument for September 10, 2026.
Recent Filings: Order for Stay; (141.96 KB) Archived .PDF Petitioner's Notice of Additional Authority. (157.38 KB) Archived .pdf

Hawkeye Land Co. v. Iowa Utilities Commission and Metronet

Linn County District Court Case No. CVCV108100
Subject: Judicial review of agency decision in Docket No. FCU-2025-0001.
Original Petition: Petition for Judicial Review (154.3 KB) Archived .pdf  filed July 3, 2025.
Current Status: The District Court issued a briefing schedule on March 26, 2026. All briefs have been filed by all parties. Awaiting court's decision on whether to set the case for oral argument or rule based on the briefs and the agency record. 
Recent Filings: IUC's Answer. (138.33 KB) Archived .pdf Metronet's Answer. (117.84 KB) Archived .pdf

Cerro Gordo County v. Iowa Utilities Commission 

Polk County District Court Case No. CVCV071416
Subject: Judicial review of agency decision in Docket No. GCU-2025-0004.
Original Petition: Petition for Judicial Review filed July 13, 2026.
Current Status: IUC preparing agency record for district court. Petitioner's brief due September 11, 2026; respondents’ briefs by October 11, 2026; reply brief due October 26, 2026. Hearing on the merits of the case set for 8:30 a.m. November 6, 2026, in Polk County Courthouse Room HC270. 
Recent Filings:  

Note: Court cases that began prior to July 1, 2024, reference the Iowa Utilities Commission's prior name, Iowa Utilities Board, unless changed as part of the proceedings. 

Beyond Nuclear v. Iowa Utilities Commission and NextEra Energy Duane Arnold LLC

Polk County District Court Case No. CVCV071640 
Subject: Judicial review of agency decision in Docket No. GCU-2025-0013.
Original Petition: Petition for Judicial Review (129.9 KB) .pdf  filed August 19, 2026.
Current Status: Served on the IUC on September 2, 2026. 
Recent Filings:  

Note: Court cases that began prior to July 1, 2024, reference the Iowa Utilities Commission's prior name, Iowa Utilities Board, unless changed as part of the proceedings.