Summit Carbon Solutions has filed a lawsuit against Kossuth County in federal court after the county amended their zoning ordinance last month to restrict where hazardous liquid pipelines could be placed.
The board of supervisors approved the 3rd and final reading of an amended zoning ordinance back on December12th, adding regulations for hazardous liquid pipelines that were not included when the original ordinance was written in 1973.
The amended ordinance would require hazardous liquid pipelines, like the carbon sequestration project proposed by Summit Carbon Solutions, to be at least 2.5 miles outside of city limits in the county, and at least 2600 feet from any home, hospital, nursing home, church, livestock confinement or public park. The proposed route for the Summit pipeline would have it run east to west through Kossuth County along 170th Street, taking it right through the Irvington area.
Kossuth becomes the 4th county in the state that Summit has filed a lawsuit against to try and block pipeline related ordinances from being put in place. In December, a Federal Judge ruled in Summit’s favor in their case against Shelby County and Story County. The company argued state and federal officials have sole authority to approve its pipeline route and set safety standards. The judge in that case ruled the ordinances would make it nearly impossible for Summit to construct their pipeline if they gain approval from the Iowa Utilities Board. That decision is currently being appealed.
Summit also filed suit against Emmet County, but that case has not been resolved at this time.
