Iowa (RI) — Governor Kim Reynolds has vetoed a bill that would have made it harder for Summit Carbon Solutions to seize land along the pipeline route from unwilling property owners. Reynolds says the bill is too broad and affects other types of energy infrastructure.
Dozens of landowners who would be impacted by the proposed Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline project held a conference call Thursday to talk about the governor’s veto of the pipeline bill. Megan Sloma, a part-owner of a Century farm in Sioux County, says the governor chose the rights of the pipeline company over landowners, without offering any alternatives.
Wright County land owner Julie Glade says she is “righteously angry” about the veto.
Glade says people are paying attention like never before, and that will show when it’s election time.
Bremer County Supervisor Cory Cerwinske says the veto is extremely disheartening and says the governor’s reasoning is absolutely flawed from any and every angle.
He supports the effort to override the veto, and also wants the governor removed from office.
Republican Representative Steven Holt of Denison says impeachment is not the way to go.
Holt says that there would likely not be enough votes in the Senate for a special session to override the veto. He says the veto will be an issue for legislation the governor proposes in the next session, and they will continue to bring up legislation in the House to force the issue.
The bill the governor vetoed would have put limits on the use of eminent domain for pipelines. The governor says the bill was too broad and would impact other projects outside of carbon pipelines.
