{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/56-257.5.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/56-257.5.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/56-257.5.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/56-257.5.html"}],"law_id":59346,"edition_id":1,"section_id":59346,"structure_id":15336,"section_number":"56-257.5","catch_line":"Manner of installing underground utility lines through agricultural operation","history":"2020, c. 666.","full_text":"A\n\nFor purposes of this section:\n\t\t\t“Topsoil” means at least 12 inches of the surface soil layer or a six-inch layer of soil that includes the surface soil and the unconsolidated subsoil immediately below it.\n\t\t\t“Underground utility line” means an underground pipeline or conduit of an inside diameter greater than 12 inches or an underground electrical transmission or distribution line of a capacity greater than 115 kilovolts.B\n\nEvery operator, as defined in § 56-265.15, having the right to install an underground utility line shall install such underground utility line in accordance with regulations adopted pursuant to subsection C.C\n\nThe Commission shall adopt regulations applicable to any operator that is subject to the provisions of subsection B. The regulations shall require that if such operator, in the course of installing the underground utility line, disturbs an area of land that measures 10,000 square feet or more and constitutes one or more agricultural operations, as defined in § 3.2-300, the operator shall, if desired by the landowner or land management agency, either (i) redistribute the topsoil removed from the disturbed area to graded areas elsewhere on the land of the affected property owner or (ii) if insufficient graded areas are available as sites for such redistribution, stockpile the topsoil removed from the disturbed area until it can be redistributed on the area initially disturbed. The regulations shall require that redistributed topsoil be placed on scarified land and that stockpiled topsoil be protected from erosion and compaction. If the property owner does not agree, then the topsoil shall be disposed of in accordance with applicable law.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":217523,"text":"For purposes of this section:\n\t\t\t“Topsoil” means at least 12 inches of the surface soil layer or a six-inch layer of soil that includes the surface soil and the unconsolidated subsoil immediately below it.\n\t\t\t“Underground utility line” means an underground pipeline or conduit of an inside diameter greater than 12 inches or an underground electrical transmission or distribution line of a capacity greater than 115 kilovolts.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":217524,"text":"Every operator, as defined in § 56-265.15, having the right to install an underground utility line shall install such underground utility line in accordance with regulations adopted pursuant to subsection C.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":217525,"text":"The Commission shall adopt regulations applicable to any operator that is subject to the provisions of subsection B. The regulations shall require that if such operator, in the course of installing the underground utility line, disturbs an area of land that measures 10,000 square feet or more and constitutes one or more agricultural operations, as defined in § 3.2-300, the operator shall, if desired by the landowner or land management agency, either (i) redistribute the topsoil removed from the disturbed area to graded areas elsewhere on the land of the affected property owner or (ii) if insufficient graded areas are available as sites for such redistribution, stockpile the topsoil removed from the disturbed area until it can be redistributed on the area initially disturbed. The regulations shall require that redistributed topsoil be placed on scarified land and that stockpiled topsoil be protected from erosion and compaction. If the property owner does not agree, then the topsoil shall be disposed of in accordance with applicable law.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B"}},"ancestry":[{"id":15336,"edition_id":1,"name":"Pipelines and Other Works","identifier":"5","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13238,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:54:03","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:54:03","permalink":{"id":249035,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15336,"identifier":"5","token":"56\/10\/5","url":"\/56\/10\/5\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13238,"edition_id":1,"name":"Heat, Light, Power, Water and Other Utility Companies Generally","identifier":"10","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12881,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:30","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:30","permalink":{"id":248721,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13238,"identifier":"10","token":"56\/10","url":"\/56\/10\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12881,"edition_id":1,"name":"Public Service Companies","identifier":"56","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:58","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:58","permalink":{"id":248473,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12881,"identifier":"56","token":"56","url":"\/56\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":86555,"structure_id":15336,"section_number":"56-257","catch_line":"Manner of installing underground utility lines","url":"\/56-257\/","token":"56\/10\/5\/56-257","metadata":false},{"id":61480,"structure_id":15336,"section_number":"56-257.1","catch_line":"Means of locating nonmetallic underground conduits","url":"\/56-257.1\/","token":"56\/10\/5\/56-257.1","metadata":false},{"id":72279,"structure_id":15336,"section_number":"56-257.2","catch_line":"Gas pipeline safety","url":"\/56-257.2\/","token":"56\/10\/5\/56-257.2","metadata":false},{"id":60030,"structure_id":15336,"section_number":"56-257.2:1","catch_line":"Projects presenting material risk to public safety; licensed professional engineers; regulations","url":"\/56-257.2_1\/","token":"56\/10\/5\/56-257.2_1","metadata":false},{"id":87245,"structure_id":15336,"section_number":"56-257.3","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/56-257.3\/","token":"56\/10\/5\/56-257.3","metadata":false},{"id":58377,"structure_id":15336,"section_number":"56-257.4","catch_line":"Report by the State Corporation Commission on investigation of natural gas utilities incident","url":"\/56-257.4\/","token":"56\/10\/5\/56-257.4","metadata":false},{"id":59346,"structure_id":15336,"section_number":"56-257.5","catch_line":"Manner of installing underground utility lines through agricultural operation","url":"\/56-257.5\/","token":"56\/10\/5\/56-257.5","metadata":false},{"id":67342,"structure_id":15336,"section_number":"56-258","catch_line":"Who to permit laying of pipelines in roads","url":"\/56-258\/","token":"56\/10\/5\/56-258","metadata":false},{"id":79586,"structure_id":15336,"section_number":"56-259","catch_line":" Rights-of-way, etc., may be contracted for; location of easements of public service corporations","url":"\/56-259\/","token":"56\/10\/5\/56-259","metadata":false},{"id":68525,"structure_id":15336,"section_number":"56-259.1","catch_line":"Instruments conveying easements to public service corporations","url":"\/56-259.1\/","token":"56\/10\/5\/56-259.1","metadata":false},{"id":84814,"structure_id":15336,"section_number":"56-260","catch_line":"Compensation for damages","url":"\/56-260\/","token":"56\/10\/5\/56-260","metadata":false},{"id":58402,"structure_id":15336,"section_number":"56-260.1","catch_line":"Contract provisions exempting company from liability unlawful","url":"\/56-260.1\/","token":"56\/10\/5\/56-260.1","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":58377,"structure_id":15336,"section_number":"56-257.4","catch_line":"Report by the State Corporation Commission on investigation of natural gas utilities incident","url":"\/56-257.4\/","token":"56\/10\/5\/56-257.4","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":67342,"structure_id":15336,"section_number":"56-258","catch_line":"Who to permit laying of pipelines in roads","url":"\/56-258\/","token":"56\/10\/5\/56-258","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/56-257.5\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2020. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 666<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":62811,"section_number":"3.2-300","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/3.2-300\/"},{"id":58284,"section_number":"56-265.15","catch_line":"Definitions; calculation of time periods","order_by":null,"url":"\/56-265.15\/"}],"permalink":{"id":249061,"object_type":"law","relational_id":59346,"identifier":"56-257.5","token":"56\/10\/5\/56-257.5","url":"\/56-257.5\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/56-257.5\/","token":"56\/10\/5\/56-257.5","dublin_core":{"Title":"Manner of installing underground utility lines through agricultural operation","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 56-257.5","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> For purposes of this section:\n\t\t\t“Topsoil<\/span>” means at least 12 inches of the surface soil layer or a six-inch layer of soil that includes the surface soil and the unconsolidated subsoil immediately below it.\n\t\t\t“Underground utility line<\/span>” means an underground pipeline or conduit of an inside diameter greater than 12 inches or an underground electrical transmission or distribution line of a capacity greater than 115 kilovolts. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> Every operator, as defined in § 56-265.15<\/a>, having the right to install an underground utility line<\/span> shall install such underground utility line<\/span> in accordance with regulations adopted pursuant to subsection C. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> The Commission<\/span> shall adopt regulations applicable to any operator that is subject to the provisions of subsection B. The regulations shall require that if such operator, in the course of installing the underground utility line<\/span>, disturbs an area of land that measures 10,000 square feet or more and constitutes one or more agricultural operations, as defined in § 3.2-300<\/a>, the operator shall, if desired by the landowner or land management agency, either (i) redistribute the topsoil<\/span> removed from the disturbed area to graded areas elsewhere on the land of the affected property owner or (ii) if insufficient graded areas are available as sites for such redistribution, stockpile the topsoil<\/span> removed from the disturbed area until it can be redistributed on the area initially disturbed. The regulations shall require that redistributed topsoil<\/span> be placed on scarified land and that stockpiled topsoil<\/span> be protected from erosion and compaction. If the property owner does not agree, then the topsoil<\/span> shall be disposed of in accordance with applicable law<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nMANNER OF INSTALLING UNDERGROUND UTILITY LINES THROUGH AGRICULTURAL OPERATION\n(\u00a7 56-257.5)\n\nA. For purposes of this section:\n\t\t\t“Topsoil” means at least 12 inches of the surface soil layer or a\nsix-inch layer of soil that includes the surface soil and the unconsolidated\nsubsoil immediately below it.\n\t\t\t“Underground utility line” means an underground pipeline or\nconduit of an inside diameter greater than 12 inches or an underground\nelectrical transmission or distribution line of a capacity greater than 115\nkilovolts.\n\nB. Every operator, as defined in § 56-265.15, having the right to install\nan underground utility line shall install such underground utility line in\naccordance with regulations adopted pursuant to subsection C.\n\nC. The Commission shall adopt regulations applicable to any operator that is\nsubject to the provisions of subsection B. The regulations shall require that if\nsuch operator, in the course of installing the underground utility line,\ndisturbs an area of land that measures 10,000 square feet or more and\nconstitutes one or more agricultural operations, as defined in § 3.2-300,\nthe operator shall, if desired by the landowner or land management agency,\neither (i) redistribute the topsoil removed from the disturbed area to graded\nareas elsewhere on the land of the affected property owner or (ii) if\ninsufficient graded areas are available as sites for such redistribution,\nstockpile the topsoil removed from the disturbed area until it can be\nredistributed on the area initially disturbed. The regulations shall require\nthat redistributed topsoil be placed on scarified land and that stockpiled\ntopsoil be protected from erosion and compaction. If the property owner does not\nagree, then the topsoil shall be disposed of in accordance with applicable law.\n\nHISTORY: 2020, c. 666.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}