Des Moines, Iowa — 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 news conference at the Iowa Capitol, Senator Doug Campbell of Mason City had this message for landowners who are fighting the project.
Representative Helena Hayes of New Sharon says the now abandoned Navigator pipeline project would have gone through her House district.
Representative Charley Thomson of Charles City says Summit should shelve the project.
A new law in South Dakota forbids Summit from using eminent domain to acquire land from unwilling South Dakota property owners. The Iowa Utilities Commission’s permit for the pipeline is conditioned on the company getting permits to operate in other states along the pipeline route. Muscatine Senator Mark Lofgren says Republicans in the Senate are working with a Republican who supports the pipeline, in hopes of passing some eminent domain protections.
House Republicans are preparing a package of pipeline-related proposals, but House GOP bills on the subject have never been considered in the Senate over the past three years.
KIWA Staff Photo
