§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, eff. June 16, 1999; Acts 2001, No. 4, §1,
eff. May 8, 2001; Acts 2007, No. 428, §1, eff. July 11, 2007; Acts 2009, No. 517, §1; Acts
2012, No. 702, §1; Acts 2020, No. 61, §2; Acts 2024, No. 164, §1; Acts 2024, No. 620, §1.