Iowa Utilities Board

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The Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) is a three-member public utilities commission, with beginnings in 1878. It is a quasi-judicial tribunal, which regulates services and rates of electric, natural gas, water and telecommunication providers, as well as all pipelines and transmission lines in the U.S. state of Iowa and has existed with its present name since 1986.

Contents

History

1878–1986

In 1878 the Iowa Board of Railroad Commissioners was founded, whose three members were publicly elected for a two-year term. In 1911, an Office of Commerce Counsel was established within, which with increasing electrification took on the regulation of transmission lines. In 1937, it was renamed the Iowa State Commerce Commission. [1]

It was only in 1963 that the regulation of rates and services of all public utility companies (electricity, natural gas, water and telecommunications) became Iowa State Commerce Commission tasks. At the same time, the legislature extended commissioner terms to six years and the positions became appointed. In 1986, the state renamed the commission as "Iowa Utilities Board". [1]

21 st century

In August 2023, the IUB held hearings regarding Summit Carbon Solutions proposal to build 700 miles of carbon capture pipeline in Iowa for carbon generated by ethanol plants to underground storage in North Dakota., [2] one of three companies planning such a project. [3]

Authority

The Iowa Utilities Board regulates rates and services of electric utilities, natural gas utility and water utilities, and a some telecommunication companies per Iowa Code chapters 476 through 479B. [4] It supervises all pipelines and transmission lines, and the sale and distribution of electricity. In addition it has various connected authorities like resolving disputes and dealing with complaints, enforcing safety as far as engineering standards go. [5]

Electric utilities

The IUB regulates service and rates of the 2 Iowa electric companies, MidAmerican Energy and Interstate Power and Light Company (IPL), a subsidiary of Alliant Energy Company and also the Rural Electric Cooperatives (RECs). The latter can choose to be regulated for rates and only the Linn County, Iowa REC has chosen to do so. [5]

Waterworks

The IUB regulates rates and service of only the Iowa-American Water Company, which operates in Davenport, Iowa and Clinton, Iowa. It neither regulates small, nor municipally owned water utilities. [5]

Communications utilities

The IUB regulates only the service of landline telephone providers in Iowa, and neither regulates cellphone providers, nor any rates. Since 2007 it issue cable television franchise agreements. [5]

Pipelines

The IUB decides about the building and maintenance of all pipelines, whether they carry gas, oil or carbon (Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Permit).

Members

Members are appointed by the Governor of Iowa for 6-year terms. As of 2016 the IUB consisted of Libby Jacobs, Nick Wagner with Geri Huser as chairwoman. [6] As of 2023 the IUB consisted of Richard W. Lozier, Joshua Byrnes with Geri Huser as chairwoman. [7]

As of 2015, Huser has been described as "businessfriendly". [8] In 2017, there was a petition to remove Lozier because of connections to Energy Transfer Partners during the time when the Dakota Access pipeline was being deliberated. [7]

Board members since the board's inception in 1986 are listed in the table per its website. [9]

TermNameFunctionParty
1987–1997Nancy Shimanek Boyd
1988–1994Dennis Nagel
1991–1999Emmit George
1995–2001Allan T. Thoms
1997–1999Paula Dierenfeld
1999–2001Susan Frye
1999–2007Diane Munns
2001–2005Mark O. Lambert
2002–2005Elliott G. Smith
2005–2009John R. Norris
2005–2007Curtis W. Stamp
2007–2011Krista K. Tanner
2007–2013 Darrell Hanson Republican
2009–2011Robert Berntsen
2011–2013 Swati Dandekar Democratic
2013–2015Sheila Tipton
2011–2017 Libby Jacobs interim chair May 1, 2011 - April 30, 2015Republican
2013–2020 Nick Wagner Republican
2015–2023 Geri Huser chairDemocratic
2017-2023 Richard W. Lozier, Jr.
2020-2025 Joshua Byrnes Republican
2023-2029 Erik Helland chairRepublican
2023-2027 Sarah M. Martz

Court cases

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References

  1. 1 2 History of the Iowa Utilities Board Iowa Utilities Board, n.d., retrieved 18 March 2016
  2. ↑ "Opinion: Summit's clout is winning out". The Gazettte. 2023-08-26. Retrieved 2023-08-30.
  3. ↑ Eller, Donnelle. "What we know about three carbon capture pipelines proposed in Iowa". desmoinesregister. Retrieved 2023-08-30.
  4. ↑ Iowa Code, Iowa General Assembly, n.d., retrieved 18 March 2016
  5. 1 2 3 4 Jurisdiction and Regulatory Authority of the Iowa Utilities Board Iowa Utilities Board, n.d., retrieved 18 March 2016
  6. ↑ Board members Iowa Utilities Board, n.d., retrieved 18 March 2016
  7. 1 2 "Petition to Remove Richard W. Lozier, Jr., from the Iowa Utilities Board – Bold Iowa" . Retrieved 2023-02-13.
  8. ↑ Ryan J. Foley,Gov. Branstad taps new chair for Iowa Utilities Board. Associated Press, March 11, 2015
  9. ↑ Past Commissioners/Board Members Iowa Utilities Board, n.d., retrieved 18 March 2016
  10. 1 2 3 Court proceedings Iowa Utilities Board, 14 March 2016, retrieved 18 March 2016
  11. ↑ Hawkeye land company v. Iowa Utilities Board
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