Iowa Supreme Court · No. 24-1648
Enterprise Products Operating, LLC v. Iowa Utilities Commission
Decided June 5, 2026 · appeal from Polk County · Government
What the court decided
AI summary A pipeline company challenged a $1.8 million fine imposed by the Iowa Utilities Commission for permit violations. The company argued that the fine was too high and that the violations should not have been counted as multiple separate offenses. The court reversed the previous rulings and sent the case back to the lower court to determine if the penalty exceeded the legal limit.1
Result: Decision of Court of Appeals Vacated; District Court Judgment Reversed and Case Remanded
The court’s own summary
In an action for judicial review, petitioner, a pipeline company, appealed a district court ruling affirming an order by respondent Iowa Utilities Commission imposing a $1.8 million civil penalty for petitioner’s violations of Iowa Code chapter 479B’s permit requirements. Petitioner contended the court erred because: (1) the IUC wrongly found petitioner was required to have nine permits rather than a single permit for its pipeline system; (2) the IUC should have found petitioner committed only one “related series of violations” under Iowa Code section 479B.21(1) rather than nine separate “series of violations”; and (3) the penalty violated the Iowa Equal Protection Clause because it was substantially larger than penalties imposed on other pipeline and utilities companies for similar offenses. The court of appeals affirmed. Petitioner seeks further review.
Holding: A pipeline company appeals a $1.8 million civil penalty as exceeding the statutory maximum in Iowa Code section 479B.21. Decision of Court of Appeals Vacated; District Court Judgment Reversed and Case Remanded.
Judges
- Written by Justice Dana Oxley
- Trial judge: Scott D. Rosenberg, Polk County
Iowa Code it cites
Each links to the bills that change that chapter.