(Radio Iowa) – A group of Republican lawmakers has introduced six bills that would strengthen landowner rights in response to the potential use of eminent domain for a carbon capture pipeline.
The Iowa Utilities Commission has given conditional approval for Summit Carbon Solutions to move forward with pipeline construction in Iowa to capture carbon dioxide from ethanol plants — if South Dakota regulators approve construction of that segment of the pipeline. Republican Representative Charley Thomson of Charles City says the commission made several errors that must be addressed.
House Speaker Pat Grassley says the six bills may be combined into one or two packages, but each of the six will get a subcommittee hearing first to bring attention to issues surrounding the carbon pipeline project. Over the past few years the House has passed several bills about eminent domain and pipelines that carry a hazardous substance like liquid carbon dioxide — but none have passed the Iowa Senate.
