Protecting Our Conserved Lands Act

Bill: 116-hr-4910
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Kuster, Ann M. [D-NH-2]
Introduced: 2019-10-29
Policy area: Public Lands and Natural Resources
Subjects: Building construction

Land use and conservation

Oil and gas

Pipelines

Property rights

State and local government operations

Tax-exempt organizations
Latest action: action_date: 2019-10-30
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Energy.

Summaries:
action_date: 2019-10-29
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Protecting Our Conserved Lands Act of 2019</b></p> <p>This bill prohibits the use of eminent domain to acquire certain land or property to construct, operate, or maintain a natural gas pipeline, including land that is subject to a conservation easement or other conservation-related restriction by a local government or nonprofit entity.</p>

tv_txt: I 116th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 4910 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES October 29, 2019 Ms. Kuster of New Hampshire (for herself, Mrs. Watson Coleman , Mr. Malinowski , Mr. Quigley , and Mr. Huffman ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To prohibit the use of eminent domain for the construction or expansion of a natural gas pipe line through land conserved by certain land trusts and local governments, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Protecting Our Conserved Lands Act of 2019 . 2. Limitation on the use of eminent domain Section 7(h) of the Natural Gas Act ( 15 U.S.C. 717f(h) ) is amended— (1) by striking When and inserting (1) When ; and (2) by adding at the end the following new paragraph: (2) Beginning on January 1, 2022, notwithstanding paragraph (1), a holder of a certificate of public convenience and necessity may not exercise the right of eminent domain to acquire land or other property necessary to construct, operate, or maintain a pipe line for the transportation of natural gas, or any station or equipment necessary to the proper operation of such pipe line, any part of which will be located on land that is— (A) subject to a conservation easement or other conservation-related restriction by an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of such Code; (B) owned by or deeded to an organization described in subparagraph (A) for the purpose of conservation; (C) subject to a conservation easement or other conservation-related restriction by a municipality, county, or other division of local government; or (D) owned by or deeded to a municipality, county, or other division or subdivision of local government for the purpose of conservation. .