KDSN RADIO News
GOP lawmakers urge carbon pipeline opponents to keep up the pressure
Republicans who oppose the use of eminent domain to seize land for the proposed Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline are urging Iowans to lobby members of the Senate to protect property rights.
During a news conference at the Iowa Capitol today, Senator Doug Campbell of Mason City had this message for landowners who are fighting the project: “You will prevail, but you cannot disengage. You cannot give up for any and every reason…Don’t give in. Persist.”
Representative Helena Hayes of New Sharon, who served as an emcee for the news conference, said the now abandoned Navigator pipeline project would have gone through her House district. “And I’m thankful for that, but I didn’t sit back and go, ‘Whew! O.K., I guess I don’t have to worry about it anymore,'” she said. “No, because directly or indirectly, this issue affects all Iowans.”
Representative Charley Thomson of Charles City said that Summit should shelve the project. “I’m calling today for Summit to withdraw their petition from the I.U.C.,” Thomson said, to applause. “It never should have been approved. It doesn’t comply with the law. It doesn’t comply with the constitution. I think now that we’ve seen, there’s no basis under the current IUC order to proceed.”
A new law in South Dakota forbids Summit from using eminent domain to acquire land from unwilling South Dakota property owners. The Iowa Utilities Commission’s permit for the pipeline is conditioned on the company getting permits to operate in other states along the pipeline route.
Republican senators who joined the news conference said they’re working with a Republican who supports the pipeline in hopes of passing some eminent domain protections. “It’s in our best interest to let Republicans kind of work through these things,” Senator Mark Lofgren of Muscatine said. “…We’re not done yet.”
House Republicans are preparing a package of pipeline-related proposals, but House GOP bills on the subject have never been considered in the Senate over the past three years.
Sabrina Zenor, a spokesperson for Summit Carbon Solutions, released the following written statement: “We respect the role of elected officials in the policymaking process and remain focused on delivering a project that supports Iowa agriculture, ethanol, and national energy dominance. The Iowa Utilities Commission reviewed this project thoroughly and voted unanimously—3-0—to grant our base scope permit. That decision came after years of public input, regulatory review, and strong support from farmers, landowners, ethanol producers, and business leaders across the state.”
