The IUC is responsible for reviewing and processing all petitions for natural gas pipeline permits following Iowa Code chapter 479, Pipelines and Underground Gas Storage. A pipeline permit is the authorization granted by the IUC for the construction, maintenance and operation of an intrastate pipeline.
The granting of a pipeline permit requires a finding by the IUC that the project will promote the public convenience and necessity and follows an acceptable route.
Natural Gas Pipeline (P-Docket) Permit Forms and Information
- New Permit Form
- Renewal Permit Form
- Exhibit C - Form
- Suggested Form for Filing Comments, Objections or Letters of Support in an Open Docket
- Instructions for Filing a Comment, Objection or Letter of Support
- Natural Gas Pipeline Informational Meeting Presentation Handout
- Common Questions about Eminent Domain
- Statement of Property Owner's Rights
- Restoration of Ag Land During/After Pipeline Construction (199 IAC chapter 9)
- County's Role in Pipeline Projects (presentation)
- IUC Pipeline Procedures
Contacting Iowa One Call
To avoid a potential pipeline accident caused by excavation and to comply with Iowa's One Call law, a homeowner or excavator must go online to IowaOneCall.com or call 811 or 800-292-8989 to schedule underground utility lines to be located and marked. This will create a ticket for the location to be visited.
The request should be made at least two days before starting any digging or excavating project, excluding Saturday, Sunday and legal holidays. Iowa One Call is a free service.
After Iowa One Call is contacted, the following will happen:
- Operators with underground facilities in the area where the excavation is planned are notified. This includes natural gas and power utilities, communications companies, and cities and towns.
- Within 48 hours after being contacted, utilities either mark their underground facilities with color-coded paint marks or flags, or tell the excavator they have no lines in the area.
If a contractor is performing the excavation work, a person should make sure that the contractor calls Iowa One Call two days prior to the commencement of excavating.
The Office of the Attorney General enforces the One Call Law. See more information about One Call Complaints and enforcement through the Attorney General's Office.
Visit the Iowa One Call webpage for more information about damage prevention and the law.
One Call complaints can be filed online using the One Call complaint form.
Ongoing Filing Requirements and Company Record Updates
Companies are required to keep their company and contact information up-to-date with the IUC on an annual basis. Companies are required to submit and maintain a company profile in IUB 24/7, the web application for companies to manage and update their individual and company information with the IUC. For more information about IUB 24/7, visit Information About IUB 24/7.
Companies are required to file a copy of all reports submitted to the U.S. Department of Transportation pursuant to 49 CFR Part 191 and Part 192 with the IUC, as detailed in 199 Iowa Administrative Code 10.15(1). Companies are required to notify the IUC of any incident or accident causing $15,000 or more in damage or resulting in loss of service to 50 or more customers, as detailed in 199 IAC 10.15(2).
Searching for Natural Gas Pipeline Permit Filings
All public filings and IUC orders regarding specific natural gas pipeline permit filings (P-Docket) are available on the IUC's electronic filing system (EFS). To search for documents related to natural gas pipeline permits, click the EFS link, select Search from the top navigation menu, and scroll down to Document Search. This will open a document search screen. Enter the docket number (P-XXXX) relating to the permit for which you would like more information and click the Search button. This will provide a list of all documents filed online with the IUC in that proceeding.
If you do not know the specific docket number, you must do a docket search to determine the docket number. To start, click the EFS link, select Search from the top navigation menu and scroll down to Docket Search. This will open a docket search screen. Select P - Pipeline Permit from the Docket Type drop down box and then select the company name from the Participants drop down box. Be sure to click the Add button to add the company to the search parameters. After entering the search terms, click the Search button to display a list of all documents filed in all P-dockets for that company. To narrow the search to a particular county, include the county name in the Docket Description field, surrounded by the percent sign (%) as a wildcard character.
Contacts
Pipeline Permits
Sanel Lisinovic
Safety and Engineering Section
Iowa Utilities Commission
iuc@iuc.iowa.gov
Media Inquiries
Don Tormey
Communications Director
Iowa Utilities Commission
515-725-7347
don.tormey@iuc.iowa.gov