The Iowa House has — again — approved legislation that would provide new protections for landowners along the proposed Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline route.
“Parts of the government of Iowa seem to refuse to recognize reality and at some point, it starts to look like corruption,” Representative Charley Thomson, a Republican from Charles City, said. “…I think the right thing will be done. I hope it’s sooner rather than later.”
The package includes new restrictions on the use of eminent domain to seize land for an expansion of the pipeline and it calls for Summit to reimburse landowners who cannot get insurance because the pipeline runs through their property. Representative Steven Holt, a Republican from Denison, said he’s proud the House has been standing up for property owners.
“I have to say that the pride has been replaced with disappointment by the fact that members of the senate have not listened to the cries of our citizens to stand up for the Constitution, to tell Summit and Bruce Rastetter and the lobby that the fundamental private property rights of Iowans are not for sale,” he said, “not now and not ever.”
Bruce Rastetter is the founder and owner of Summit Carbon Solutions.
One Democrat who voted for the package suggested it will not become law because Republican Governor Kim Reynolds and key Republicans in the Senate support the pipeline project.
The head of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association said he’s confident “cooler heads will prevail in the senate,” the pipeline will be built and demand for corn will increase “by billions of bushels.”