The Iowa Utilities Commission granted Summit Carbon Solutions a construction permit for phase one of it's carbon capture pipeline through Iowa. It's a conditional permit and neighboring states in the pipeline path must also have permits in place before construction can begin in Iowa.
- Last week, the South Dakota governor signed a bill into law banning the use of eminent domain for carbon pipelines.
- The law doesn't necessarily stop pipeline construction, but it does complicate it.
- Summit carbon solutions released a statement after the law was signed that read, in part: "It's very unfortunate that, despite our approvals in Iowa, North Dakota, and Minnesota, South Dakota changed the rules in the middle of the game."
- "I look at it a different way,” said Montgomery County landowner Jan Norris. “The rules are not being changed mid-game. The corporations just wanted to take advantage of no CO2 rules yet."
WATCH KATRINA'S STORY BELOW
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A new law in South Dakota could make it harder to build a planned carbon pipeline through Iowa farmland.
I'm Southwest Iowa neighborhood reporter Katrina Markel.
I've been following efforts to build carbon capture pipelines in Iowa for almost a year: the landowners who want the pipelines and those opposed.
"This pipeline is a joke, no offense."
Last week the governor of South Dakota signed a law banning the use of eminent domain for carbon capture pipelines.
Summit carbon solutions released a statement after the law was signed that read, in part: "It's very unfortunate that, despite our approvals in Iowa, North Dakota, and Minnesota, South Dakota changed the rules in the middle of the game."
Iowa landowners opposed to the pipeline, like Jan Norris in Montgomery County, are happy about the development.
"I look at it a different way,” she said. “The rules are not being changed mid-game. The corporations just wanted to take advantage of no CO2 rules yet."
But those in favor of the pipelines, including many corn growers, say capturing CO2 and storing it underground, opens up new markets for corn ethanol.
Carbon dioxide is a byproduct of ethanol production. By keeping it out of the atmosphere ethanol can be used in lower carbon fuels.
"When our customers are asking for low carbon fuel, then we kinda like have to deliver," said chair of the Iowa Corn Growers Association, Jolene Riessen in September.
At the end of the day, Norris says, it's about eminent domain and property rights.
"Constitution means something in South Dakota. They value landowner rights more than corporate profits," she said.
The Iowa House judiciary committee recently advanced a bill that would block CO2 pipelines from using eminent domain in Iowa.
