North Iowa GOP Lawmakers Lead Rally to Limit Eminent Domain for Summit Pipeline

Republicans who oppose the use of eminent domain to seize land for the proposed Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline are urging Iowans to lobby members of the Senate to protect property rights. 

During a Republican Legislative Interveners for Justice news conference at the Iowa Capitol on Monday (03.17), Representative Charley Thomson of Charles City said Summit should shelve the project.

South Dakota recently passed a law prohibiting Summit from utilizing eminent domain to acquire land from unwilling property owners. Many think that could stop Summit in Iowa as well. Still, Senator Doug Campbell of Mason City, encouraged Iowa land owners to keep fighting.

Representative Helena Hayes of New Sharon says the now-abandoned Navigator pipeline project, which would have included Valero Renewables near Charles City and Poet Bioprocessing near Shell Rock, would have gone through her House district.

The Iowa Utilities Commission’s permit for Summit’s pipeline in Iowa is contingent on the company getting permits to operate in other states along the pipeline route. A Summit spokesperson says they respect the role of elected officials in the policymaking process and the company remains focused on their project that supports ethanol and agriculture in Iowa.

House Republicans have prepared a package of pipeline-related proposals, but previous House GOP bills have never been considered in the senate over the past three years.