Bill gives landowner protection against pipelines

Landowners would get new legal protections when pipelines stretch through their property under a bill that’s cleared the Iowa Senate. Pipelinecompanies would be required to repair land to crop or pasture growing condition. Senator Kitty Rehberg, a republican from Rowley says the Alliance pipeline project which’ll stretch through northern Iowa is the catalyst for the bill. Rehberg says present law doesn’t call on the company to fix “soil compaction” caused by heavy equipment used to lay the pipeline. Rehberg says the bill ensures that the pipeline will be removed — at the company’sexpense — if Alliance or any other pipeline is shut down or goes bankrupt. The bill now goes to the House for consideration.