Board names Snyder & Associates as county pipeline inspector for proposed 7.1‑mile MidAm natural gas line; public meeting set Feb. 25 in Hills

Johnson County planners presented information about a proposed 7.1‑mile natural gas pipeline and asked the Board of Supervisors to designate an on‑site county inspector under Iowa Utilities Commission rules.

PDS Director Josh Boussar told supervisors the pipeline would run from MidAm’s 560th Street valve station near Hills to Highway 1 in Iowa City (the packet and staff remarks cite the IUB/IUC docket as P‑8777). Boussar emphasized the county’s role is limited to oversight and inspection if the Iowa Utilities Commission (IUC) grants a permit; the project is not yet approved by the commission.

Boussar explained state law requires a county‑designated inspector to monitor construction and verify restoration of affected land—topsoil replacement, drain‑tile repair, revegetation, fencing and wetland mitigation. The county can request conditions be included in the IUC permit related to restoration standards.

Staff recommended Snyder & Associates as the county’s inspector; Christina Paradise from Snyder joined the session via Zoom and told the board there is also a public comment process on the IUC website and encouraged attendance at the informational meeting. The board agreed to designate Snyder & Associates and to name Paradise as the county inspector for the project. Supervisors also agreed Snyder & Associates and Paradise would be the point of contact for inspection and that MidAm, as the applicant, will pay inspection costs under state code.

Boussar said MidAm and the IUC must host an informational public meeting before voluntary easement negotiations with landowners. The informational meeting is scheduled for Feb. 25 from 5:30–8:30 p.m. at the Hills Community Center, 110 E. Main Street.

The board also decided which two supervisors would attend the informational meeting as county liaisons; supervisors indicated they would send two representatives to Hills for the Feb. 25 session. Boussar said the county may later petition the IUC to require specific restoration or mitigation standards relevant to Johnson County’s zoning and sensitive‑area concerns.

Ending: The board formally designated Snyder & Associates (inspector Christina Paradise) to serve as the county pipeline inspector, noted the Feb. 25 Hills informational meeting and directed staff to transmit the county’s designation to the IUC and to MidAm per the packet instructions.