As many of you know, Summit Carbon Solutions began its informational meetings in House District 57 this week. These meetings are regarding phase two of the Summit Carbon Pipeline project which will now include a similar route to the defunct Navigator Pipeline project.
I was able to attend Tuesday evening’s meeting in Waverly. At this meeting, I heard from many Iowans about their continued concerns with these projects and with the larger process surrounding projects of these sorts. I had, of course, heard many of these concerns before. However, it was still very helpful to continue to get feedback from Iowans to help inform what we can do in the State Legislature going forward.
This issue has really brought to light what I believe many of us already knew – the state of Iowa needs a comprehensive review of our current law and processes surrounding landowner rights, utility policy, and eminent domain law.
As a reminder, we have passed multiple bills to try and address this in the Iowa House already. In 2023, we passed House File 565 to protect landowner rights. This bill would have required carbon capture pipeline companies to reach voluntary easements for 90% of the land on their route before they could seek to use eminent domain. It also would have created an interim study committee to make recommendations that would improve eminent domain policy in Iowa. It would have taken a look at:
- Standards for entering land for surveying purposes
- Review of land restoration standards
- Review of eminent domain public benefit and private use tests
- Engineering study analysis
- Land compensation practices and procedures
- Iowa Utility Board perspectives
That bill did not advance in the Senate in 2023. We came back in 2024 with additional ideas. We passed House File 2664 which would have allowed landowners who are subject to eminent domain from CO2 pipeline companies to challenge the legitimacy of those requests in court earlier in the permit process.
Once again, our attempts to help landowners went unanswered in the Senate.
The more I’ve heard from Iowans, the more it has strengthened my resolve that this policy change needs to happen. Currently, the decision on whether eminent domain is allowable may come many months later. For that entire period, landowners are held in limbo, unable to get answers to their questions, sell their land at full value, or make decisions on tiling or estate planning. I want to revisit this policy change in 2025.
Many more issues, informed by the feedback we’ve received from Iowans, must be on the table in 2025. We need to look at land restoration standards, land surveying processes – which right now don’t give enough leverage to the property owner – and we must increase transparency.
For example, one thing that was brought up in Waverly on Tuesday was that there would be no record of the contents of the meeting. It’s not recorded or streamed anywhere, and there aren’t even minutes taken. Additionally, there was no member from the three-person Iowa Utilities Commission present to hear from landowners at that meeting. I think it’s important for them to be present to listen to Iowans as they express their concerns at these meetings.
In the House, we’ve put a lot of time and effort into this. I’m not new to this issue. I was a leader in the efforts to stop the taking of land for the Rock Island Clean Line back in 2016. I plan to continue to work hard, alongside Representative Charley Thomson and Senator Sandy Salmon to find resolution on the issues I’ve outlined above. I believe we are fortunate to have the three of us representing this part of the state as we face this issue.
As your legislator and Speaker of the House, I remain committed to keeping this issue at the forefront of the Iowa Legislature. In the House, you can expect to see more vigorous debate and committee work on this issue.
I would love to see you and your friends and family in Waverly on September 4th to celebrate Freedom in the Heartland! We have a great lineup of speakers and a phenomenal musical guest ready to make the night an evening to remember.
See more information and get your tickets here!
