§2. Expropriation by state or certain corporations, limited liability companies, or other
legal entities
Prior to filing an expropriation suit, an expropriating authority shall attempt in
good faith to reach an agreement as to compensation with the owner of the property
sought to be taken and comply with all of the requirements of R.S. 19:2.2. If unable to
reach an agreement with the owner as to compensation, any of the following may
expropriate needed property:
(1) The state or its political corporations or subdivisions created for the purpose of
exercising any state governmental powers.
(2) Any domestic or foreign corporation, limited liability company, or other legal
entity created for, or engaged in, the construction of railroads, toll roads, or navigation
canals.
(3) Any domestic or foreign corporation, limited liability company, or other legal
entity created for, or engaged in, the construction or operation of street railways, urban
railways, or inter-urban railways.
(4) Any domestic or foreign corporation, limited liability company, or other legal
entity created for, or engaged in, the construction or operation of waterworks, filtration
and treating plants, or sewerage plants to supply the public with water and sewerage.
(5) Any domestic or foreign corporation, limited liability company, or other legal
entity created for, or engaged in, the piping and marketing of natural gas for the purpose
of supplying the public with natural gas as a common carrier or contract carrier or any
domestic or foreign corporation, limited liability company, or other legal entity which is
or will be a natural gas company or an intrastate natural gas transporter as defined by
federal or state law, composed entirely of such entities or composed of the wholly owned
subsidiaries of such entities. As used in this Paragraph, "contract carrier" means any legal
entity that transports natural gas for compensation or hire pursuant to special contract or
agreement with unaffiliated third parties.
(6) Any domestic or foreign corporation, limited liability company, or other legal
entity created for the purpose of, or engaged in, transmitting intelligence by telegraph or
telephone.
(7) Any domestic or foreign corporation, limited liability company, or other legal
entity created for the purpose of, or engaged in, generating, transmitting, and distributing
or for transmitting or distributing electricity and steam for power, lighting, heating, or
other such uses subject to the following qualifications. Property located in Louisiana may
be expropriated exclusively by an electric public utility as defined in R.S. 45:121 or an
affiliated entity either for a transmission or generation project that is approved and
included in a multistate regional transmission organization's or independent system
operator's transmission expansion plan or identified by such regional transmission
organization or independent system operator as necessary for the reliability of the electric
system or necessary for the interconnection of a generator, or for generating plants,
buildings, transmission lines, stations or substations, distribution lines, or other associated
facilities if a majority of the electricity or steam power to be generated, transmitted, or
distributed in connection with these intended facilities will be delivered to end-users
located within Louisiana. The generating plants, buildings, transmission lines, stations,
and substations expropriated or for which property was expropriated shall be so located,
constructed, operated, and maintained as not to be dangerous to persons or property nor
interfere with the use of the wires of other wire using companies or, more than is
necessary, with the convenience of the landowners. The terms "Regional Transmission
Organization" and "Independent System Operator" shall have the meanings provided by
16 U.S.C. 796. In the event that any provision or provisions of this Paragraph are declared
invalid or unenforceable by any court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining terms and
provisions that are not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.
(8) All persons included in the definition of common carrier pipelines as set forth
in R.S. 45:251.
(9) Any domestic or foreign corporation, limited liability company, or other legal
entity created for the purpose of, or engaged in, piping or marketing of coal or lignite in
whatever form or mixture convenient for transportation within a pipeline as otherwise
provided for in R.S. 30:721 through 723.
(10) Any domestic or foreign corporation, limited liability company, or other legal
entity created for the purpose of, or engaged in, the piping or marketing of carbon dioxide
for use in connection with a secondary or tertiary recovery project for the enhanced
recovery of liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons approved by the commissioner of
conservation, or created for the purpose of, or engaged in, the transportation of carbon
dioxide by pipeline for underground storage, including but not limited to through
connecting to an existing pipeline transporting carbon dioxide for underground storage,
whether owned or operated by the same entity, and which has received a certificate of
public convenience and necessity pursuant to the provisions of R.S. 30:1107(B). Property
located in Louisiana may be so expropriated for the transportation of carbon dioxide for
underground injection in connection with such projects located in Louisiana or in other
states or jurisdictions.
(11) Any domestic or foreign corporation, limited liability company, or other legal
entity created for the purpose of, or engaged in, the injection of carbon dioxide for the
underground storage of carbon dioxide and that has received a certificate of public
convenience and necessity pursuant to the provisions of R.S. 30:1107(A) . Property
located in Louisiana may be so expropriated for the underground storage of carbon
dioxide in connection with such storage facility projects located in Louisiana, including
but not limited to surface and subsurface rights, mineral rights, and other property
interests necessary or useful for the purpose of constructing, operating, or modifying a
carbon dioxide storage facility. This Paragraph shall not allow for the expropriation of
reservoir storage rights for geologic storage of carbon dioxide, except in connection with
any project as to which R.S. 30:1108(B)(2) is applicable. This Paragraph shall have no
effect on nor does it grant expropriation of the mineral rights or other property rights
associated with the approvals required for injection of carbon dioxide into enhanced
recovery projects approved by the commissioner under R.S. 30:4.
(12) Subject to any applicable limitations in this Section, any domestic or foreign
corporation, limited liability company, or other legal entity created for the purpose of, or
engaged in, any of the activities otherwise provided for in this Section.
Amended by Acts 1966, No. 62, §1; Acts 1974, Ex.Sess. No. 11, §1; eff. Jan. 1,
1975; Acts 1977, No. 452, §1; Acts 1977, No. 561, §2; Acts 1980, No. 116, §1, eff. June
26, 1980; Acts 1981, No. 760, §1; Acts 1999, No. 358, §1; Acts 2001, No. 4, §1 eff. May
8, 2001; Acts 2007, No. 428, §1, eff. July 11, 2007; Acts 2009, No. 517, §1, eff. August
15, 2009; Acts 2012, No. 702, §1, eff. August 1, 2012; Acts 2020, No. 61, §2, eff. August
1, 2020; Acts 2024, No. 164, §1, eff. August 1, 2024; Acts 2024, No. 620, §1, eff. August
1, 2024.