If a bill in the Iowa House becomes law, a group of legislators could force lawmakers to vote on whether the proposed carbon capture pipelines can get state government permission to seize property for the project. Twenty-one members of the Iowa House or 11 members of the Iowa Senate would have to sign a petition seeking an up or down vote on the use of eminent domain for the project. Victoria Sinclair, a lobbyist for a group called Land of the Free Action, says the Iowa Utilities Board review of the Summit Carbon Solutions project has been grossly unfair.
Landowners like Kathy Carter of Rockford in Floyd County say it’s been an exhausting to fight against having her farm property seized through eminent domain.
Pete McRoberts, a lobbyist for the American Civil Liberties Union of Iowa says the ACLU is not taking a position on the pipeline, but support the bill strongly.
Republican Representative Charley Thomson of Charles City says existing Iowa Utilities Board rules for pipeline developers have been manipulated to deprive Iowans of their due process rights.
Republican Representative Steven Holt of Denison says it’s frustrating that landowners who don’t want the pipeline on their property aren’t protected under current law.
The Iowa House passed a bill last year setting up some new guidelines for carbon capture pipelines, but Senate Republicans did not bring it up for a vote. No one representing Summit Carbon Solutions spoke at Wednesday morning’s House subcommittee hearing on the bill.
