Companies plan carbon capture pipelines in Iowa, including Siouxland

SIOUX CITY (KTIV) - Two pipelines are drawing criticism from some farmers in Siouxland. The companies say the pipelines will be safe, but those opposed say they don’t want the Iowa Utilities Board to grant eminent domain.

This is a map showing one of the proposed pipelines that would pass through Woodbury County:

To orient yourself, the red line is the proposed pipeline, while the yellows are major roads. The pipeline would travel through thirty-seven Iowa counties.

For one Woodbury County landowner, the pipeline is too dangerous for environmental reasons and construction would be disruptive. Summit Carbon Solutions offered the landowner a voluntary easement agreement, but she declined.

“Any pipeline of this pressure and content would be dangerous. With the possibility of eminent domain, they own that forever. They say you can farm over it, but they still own that property. If the funds for this project would dry up, they could sell that to any other company,” said Deb Main.

Summit Carbon Solutions says its pipeline will be safe, and construction equipment will be limited. Because the pipeline is smaller than some others in the region, the company says the trucks used wouldn’t be any larger than typical farm equipment.

“We feel like we’re, we’re, we’re doing everything proactively, to plan for a seamless execution. And we’re trying to convey that to the landowners and to the regulators,” said Jimmy Powell, COO of Summit Climate Solutions.

The pipeline will transport captured carbon and essentially bury the carbon in North Dakota. Farmers worry an accident could cause serious injury, while the company says its executives have a track record of safe operations, even though Summit Carbon Solutions is a new company.

The pipeline will only begin construction after a vote by the Iowa Utility Board, which required pipeline companies to hold several public hearings before it decides whether to grant a permit to the company.

Summit Carbon Solutions hopes approval will come this year, with the pipeline to finish sometime in 2024.

Heartland Greenway wants to build a 13-hundred mile pipeline in several northeast Nebraska and northwest Iowa counties. Public hearings are still taking place across the state. One of those hearings drew 150 people, mostly opposed to the project.

You can participate in a virtual hearing on January 19th. It will take place between 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

The WebEx Virtual Meeting Link: https://iub.webex.com/iub/onstage/g.php?MTID=ef9a8d4c3914c2bd2e3947f55c28a12c4

“We like to do everything in a voluntary fashion. So, we’re starting with voluntary survey permission, you know, going out and proactively- after we have the local meeting in each county.” Said Elizabeth Thompson-Burns, Spokesperson for Heartland Greenway.

Both pipelines hope to be operational sometime in 2024 if they receive all the proper permits.

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