# Stay Off My Line Act

This bill protects your property from unwanted power lines and utility infrastructure. Specifically, it prevents utility companies from installing new electric transmission lines, natural gas pipelines, or other utility infrastructure on your private land without your explicit permission. If a utility company wants to run lines across your property, they now have to get your consent first rather than relying on old legal doctrines that gave them broad rights to access private land.

The practical impact is that landowners gain real control over what happens on their property. Before this bill, utility companies could sometimes claim they had the right to cross private land for infrastructure projects, even if the owner objected. Now, if you own land and a utility company wants to install equipment there, they must negotiate with you directly and get your agreement. This gives you leverage to negotiate compensation, set conditions about where lines can go, or even refuse access altogether if you choose.

This matters most for rural and suburban property owners who might otherwise find themselves with power lines or pipelines crossing their land. It also affects farmers and landowners with larger properties, since utility companies often need to cross multiple properties to connect infrastructure. The bill essentially shifts the balance of power from utility companies to property owners, making it harder for utilities to expand their networks without getting permission from everyone whose land they need to cross. However, the bill may also slow down infrastructure projects and potentially increase costs for utilities, which could eventually be passed on to consumers through higher energy bills.

Stay Off My Line Act

Miller-Meeks, Mariannette

Stay Off My Line Act This bill excludes from major federal actions under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 projects that neither involve federal lands nor federal control or responsibility.