Last week, a bipartisan cohort of more than 30 landowners and farmers from across Iowa met with Senator Charles Grassley to express their frustration with Summit Carbon Solutions’ proposed carbon pipeline. The hazardous liquid pipeline would traverse over 1,000 miles of Iowa farmland and require the use of eminent domain for nearly 1,000 properties. Landowners and farmers claim the project is only viable due to the government subsidies available to the carbon capture industry and urged Senator Grassley to abolish a key subsidy known as the 45Q tax credit.
As the longest serving U.S. Senator currently in Congress, constituents impacted by the carbon capture industry believe Senator Grassley can influence a change in policy to end incentives that encourage the construction of unnecessary carbon pipelines. Senator Grassley, as a member of both the Senate Budget and Senate Finance Committees, has the ability to protect the land and livelihoods of Iowa farmers by recommending 45Q be cut during the budget reconciliation process currently taking place.
During the short meeting, Bremer County farmer, Ted Junker, told Senator Grassley, “Republicans, Democrats, Independents, we’ve all come together to fight this carbon capture scam. Nearly 80% of Iowans are opposed to using eminent domain for carbon pipelines. This isn’t a red or blue issue. It’s a common sense issue. Destroying our cropland is not how we support agriculture. Giving our tax dollars to shareholders in foreign countries is not how we support agriculture. Allowing a company to monopolize the ethanol industry is not how we support agriculture. Stand by farmers and cut 45Q during the budget reconciliation process.”
Senator Grassley did not provide a firm position on the request. Impacted constituents hope to follow up with the senator when they are in Washington D.C. next month.
