The Iowa Association of Business and Industry submitted a letter of support of the Navigator Carbon Capture Pipeline project proposed for Iowa earlier this month. In the letter ABI noted it represents more than 1,500 members in all 99 Iowa counties with more than 330,000 employees.
The letter states the two main drivers of Iowa’s economy are agriculture and manufacturing.
“It is not surprising then that the membership of ABI includes those engaged in value-added agriculture, food production, agricultural implement manufacturing and alternative, ag-based fuels production,” the letter states. “As the markets for these products evolve, so too must the products evolve to meet those markets and sustain the Iowa economy. Thereofre, ABI supports the filing, under current law, by Navigator Heartland Greenway, LLC to construct a CO2 pipeline through Iowa and consider the project vital to the shared economic well-being of Iowans.”
The letter in support was signed by JD Davis, the vice president of public policy at ABI.
We reached out to ABI on Tuesday afternoon to seek more information about how it reached the conclusion to support the pipeline and if membership voted on such a decision. We’re awaiting a return call from ABI.
According to a campaign finance report covering July 15-Oct. 14, the Iowa Industry PAC contributed $78,654.20 to state politicians.
Top recipients include:
Gov. Kim Reynolds — $15,000 (plus $404.20 for food for a fundraising event for Kim Reynolds’ campaign)
Sen. Jack Whitver — $10,000
Rep. Mike Bousselot — $3,500
Rep. Pat Grassley — $3,500
Sen. Dawn Driscoll — $3,500
ABI’s PAC previously donated $2,500 to Reynolds in July and $1,000 to Bousselot in June.
Here is a list of ABI’s “top supporters.”
