This week marks the second week of the Iowa legislative session, and lawmakers are again taking up the issue of eminent domain and carbon capture pipelines following Governor Kim Reynolds’ veto of related legislation last summer.
Senate Republican Leader Mike Klimesh has introduced bills that would allow Summit Carbon Solutions adjust its pipeline route to avoid landowners who refuse voluntary easements, while also imposing a tax on liquid carbon transported through Iowa. Klimesh says the proposals could raise corn prices for local farmers and reduce the need for eminent domain. He adds the tax could help offset Iowa’s income tax in the future.
State Senator Dennis Guth of Klemme says the House and Senate are approaching the issue differently, with the House moving to block eminent domain outright while the Senate debates whether changes to the pipeline corridor could offer a compromise.
“The house has already taken action, a bill that would say that eminent domain could not be used on CO2 pipelines. And I would certainly be in favor of that. My understanding is that in the Senate, that is not as favored as passing a bill that would allow a company to widen the corridor that they can go through. Right now there is a corridor set for Summit Carbon Solutions to be able to talk to landowners to see if they can get through without eminent domain. This would allow, I think it’s an extra five miles on each side of the corridor, so it’s given more space to find people that are not refusing to voluntarily sign up for the easements.”
Guth says he’s open to expanding the corridor if it’s done transparently and with proper notice to landowners.
“Personally, I guess I’m not opposed to that, but I want to make sure that if we do that, we go through all of the proper channels. the same as the first time that they set up a corridor. They’re going to have to notify landowners ahead of time so that everybody knows about it and they’re not trying to get uninformed people to sign up. So I don’t know how it’s going to all shake out here. There will be some disagreements, I’m sure, but hopefully we can keep things civil and be able to move things forward.”
The proposed pipeline corridor runs through Franklin County, affecting local farmers and landowners who must decide whether to grant voluntary easements. House Republicans have criticized the plan, saying it could still allow eminent domain. Lawmakers say negotiations are expected to continue in the coming weeks as the session moves forward.
