Floyd County Supervisors Explore Video Testimony for Carbon Pipeline Hearings

Floyd County Supervisors want to explore submitting video testimony to the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) in hearings regarding possible underground carbon capture pipelines in the County.

Last month, the Board hired attorney Timothy Whipple with Ahlers and Cooney, P.C. of Des Moines to represent the County in IUB proceedings and to help draft possible local ordinances to regulate the construction of not one, but two pipelines in the County. 

During their regular meeting Monday, Supervisor Chair Mark Kuhn reviewed the over $7,000 in legal fees spent thus far at $350 an hour.

County ARPA funds are being used to pay for the legal counsel. Kuhn also read from a motion filed by the Sierra Club that noted the unprecedented scope and size of Summit Carbon Solutions plan for its Midwest Carbon Express pipeline.

Supervisors voted to direct Whipple to ask the IUB whether they will accept video testimony when the IUB holds a technical meeting on March 15th, which will lay out the schedule for testimonial hearings leading up to a possible permit hearing for Summit in October. 

Navigator CO2 Ventures also wants to build a carbon pipeline in Floyd County, with a branch of its Heartland Navigator carbon pipeline originating from the Valero Renewables ethanol plant west of Charles City.