Iowa lawmakers avoid taking sides on CO2 pipelines

Indicators opposing the proposed route of the Wolf Carbon Options carbon dioxide pipeline are seen Oct. 12 alongside Ivanhoe Highway close to Ely. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Given what number of Iowans are involved about proposed carbon dioxide pipelines within the state, Home Speaker Pat Grassley expects a invoice within the 2023 session addressing some features of the initiatives.

Would laws set a moratorium on the usage of eminent area to amass land for development of the CO2 pipelines, as some lawmakers sought to do final 12 months? Wouldn’t it set up security setbacks from faculties or different buildings?

Or would Iowa lawmakers go the opposite route and ease the allowing course of for pipelines, or sweeten the pot with state incentives?

Grassley, R-New Hartford, can’t say at this level. The legislative session begins Monday.

“I might count on to see one thing from the Home’s perspective or from members of the caucus working collectively,” he stated in an interview with The Gazette. “I am unable to inform you what that invoice appears like proper now. However I might count on that there can be some type of one thing. I do know members are having these conversations.”

Iowa Home Speaker Rep. Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford

Three corporations — Summit Carbon Options, Navigator Heartland Greenway and Wolf Carbon Options — have proposed constructing pipelines to move liquefied CO2 from Iowa ethanol vegetation to underground sequestration websites in North Dakota and Illinois.

Corporations that get permits stand to realize billions of {dollars} in federal tax credit granted as a result of some scientists suppose carbon sequestration might assist scale back the influence of local weather change. By decreasing the carbon footprint of ethanol manufacturing, corporations like ADM, POET and different ethanol producers hope to make their gas extra aggressive in states, like California, with low carbon gas requirements.

Summit and Navigator every have filed for permits with the Iowa Utilities Board, a three-person appointed board that will resolve whether or not and the place CO2 pipelines may very well be in-built Iowa. To date, the board has not granted a listening to on both undertaking. Wolf has stated it plans to file its software later this month.

Extra opponents, extra vocal

At informational conferences held concerning the initiatives, opponents have far outnumbered supporters. Within the docket for Summit’s undertaking, for instance, there are greater than 340 written objections and about 35 letters of help.

Main supporters of the initiatives have been these linked with Iowa’s 40 ethanol vegetation, financial improvement teams or unions whose staff can be employed to construct the pipelines.

Cedar Rapids Metro Financial Alliance leaders stated in August they help the Wolf undertaking, which incorporates Linn County, as a result of “to help the agribusiness economic system of Iowa we’d like corporations like ADM to achieve success.”

The pipeline initiatives even have deep political connections, together with Bruce Rastetter, a significant Republican donor who leads Summit’s father or mother firm; Terry Branstad, the six-term former Republican governor of Iowa and former U.S. ambassador to China who’s a Summit senior coverage adviser; and Jess Vilsack, Summit’s common counsel and son of U.S. Division of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, a Democrat.

The moist mill at ADM’s Cedar Rapids facility is pictured Oct. 25. Wolf Carbon Options is proposing an underground pipeline to move liquefied CO2 from ADM vegetation, together with the one in Cedar Rapids, and others to an underground sequestration website in Illinois. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Individuals who oppose the initiatives fear about security after a CO2 pipeline exploded in Mississippi in 2020, sending 45 individuals to the hospital. Different considerations embrace the disruption of topsoil and underground drainage tile for farm fields. Many Iowans don’t suppose storing CO2 underground is one of the best ways to scale back the impacts of local weather change.

However the greatest criticism concerning the pipelines is backers could be allowed to make use of eminent area to power easements from unwilling landowners.

Each Summit and Navigator have requested the utilities board to grant them eminent area rights. Wolf has not but utilized for a allow, however Pat Brierley, Wolf’s vice chairman of engineering, stated the corporate won’t ask to make use of eminent area.

The board that will resolve whether or not to grant the permits consists of Chair Geri Huser, of Altoona, first appointed by Branstad in 2015; Richard Lozier, of Des Moines, appointed by Branstad in 2017; and Joshua J. Byrnes, of rural Mitchell County, appointed by Gov. Kim Reynolds in 2020.

Mount Vernon resident Steve Pisarik poses questions Aug. 30 about neighborhood security throughout a public assembly at Veteran’s Memorial Constructing in Cedar Rapids on the proposed pipeline by Wolf Carbon Options that will transport carbon dioxide from ADM vegetation to southern Illinois. (Geoff Stellfox/The Gazette)

Lawmakers tread rigorously

Iowa lawmakers interviewed by The Gazette aren’t taking sides on the pipelines and have given few clues about doable payments in 2023.

“Non-public property rights are a vital side of our nation and the financial success it has seen for the final 250 years,” Iowa Senate Majority Chief Jack Whitver, R-Grimes, stated in an e-mail to The Gazette. “The carbon seize pipeline is on the thoughts of a few of our members.”

Iowa Senate Majority Chief Jack Whitver, R-Grimes

Whitver declined to reply three questions:

Whitver stated “an settlement was made” in 2022 to “guarantee no Iowa Utilities Board motion occurred earlier than March of 2023.” It’s not clear what he means by this. A invoice final 12 months that will have prohibited the board from ruling on eminent area till March 2023 failed.

“I count on to proceed to carefully monitor the pipelines course of to make sure the regulation is adopted and the property rights of Iowa landowners are being revered,” Whitver stated.

Democratic leaders within the Iowa Home and Senate additionally are usually not saying a lot.

“Democrats stand on the aspect of native management and the accountable use of eminent area,” stated Senate Democratic Chief Zach Wahls, D-Coralville. “And, you already know, my agency perception is that if you’re speaking about eminent area, these initiatives must be within the public good.”

Home Minority Chief Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights, stated she’d prefer to “have a strong dialog” concerning the situation.

Iowa Home Minority Chief Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights

“I feel that it is important that we now have a dialog, the Legislature, about pipelines, their use, landowner rights, making certain security, whereas additionally balancing jobs and alternatives which are supplied,” she stated.

Threshold for eminent area

Rep. Chad Ingels, R-Randalia, is a Fayette County farmer and member of the Home Agriculture Committee.

He attended an informational assembly for the Navigator undertaking, a 1,300-mile pipeline that will accumulate CO2 from 18 POET vegetation — together with one close to Fairbank, in Ingels’s district — earlier than sequestering the liquefied CO2 in underground rock formations close to Decatur, Sick.

“There are individuals very against it,” Ingels stated of the pipeline. “Others are type of ambivalent. Others are sturdy supporters, at the same time as a lot as saying ‘I want they’re going throughout my land as a result of I heard they’re paying nicely’.”

Summit introduced in November having signed voluntary leases for 50 p.c of the proposed 2,000-mile, five-state pipeline. Ingels stated initiatives ought to have extra keen landowners for the state to think about eminent area for the rest.

“It must be fairly a bit increased than that for me to be snug,” he stated. “I might suppose at the very least 75 p.c.”

Rep. Chad Ingels, R-Randalia

The Iowa Farm Bureau, which regularly has numerous affect on the Iowa Legislature, voted in September to advocate for laws requiring 90 p.c of land be dedicated voluntarily earlier than eminent area is used for power initiatives, together with pipelines and electrical energy transmission strains.

Erin Murphy and Tom Barton of The Gazette Des Moines Bureau contributed to this report.

Feedback: (319) 339-3157; erin.jordan@thegazette.com