(The Center Square) – Beginning on Monday, the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) began presiding over dozens of public meetings regarding a carbon dioxide pipeline that would cross 30 Iowa counties.
Summit Carbon Solutions has proposed transporting carbon dioxide emissions from more than 30 ethanol plants to North Dakota through a hazardous liquid pipeline, which may become operational in 2024.
The pipeline would cross Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Minnesota, capturing and permanently storing more than 12 million tons of carbon dioxide each year instead of releasing it into the atmosphere, a news release said.
Before Summit Carbon Solutions can petition for a permit it must hold the meetings in all counties in which it proposes to place the pipeline, according to Iowa law, Iowa Utilities Board Communications Specialist Melissa Myers told The Center Square in an emailed statement. The soonest the company can file its petition for permit would be 30 days after the final scheduled informational meeting, which is on Oct. 15. It must notify each affected landowner, the release said.
Summit Carbon Solutions would need to meet the permitting requirements of any counties involved.
“The IUB will … determine whether the company meets all statutory and administrative rules requirements,” Myers said. “The company can begin negotiating with landowners for easements after the successful completion of an informational meeting in that county.”
Myers said the IUB is “not aware of the company’s financing plans” and the company won’t have to disclose those details in its petition. The Iowa Attorney General’s Office of Consumer Advocate (OCA) would represent the public in the petition proceedings, which could involve a discussion of financing, Myers said.
“The OCA has not yet taken a position on the merits of this proposed project because the company has not yet filed its petition with the details of its plan,” OCA said in a document that Lynn Hicks, chief of staff for the Attorney General’s office, provided to The Center Square that he said had been handed out at the first meeting.
After OCA lawyers and technical personnel analyze the company’s proposal, the OCA will state its position on the project to the IUB, the document said.
“The OCA will actively participate throughout the course of this proceeding,” the document said.
The meetings are as follows:
- Hardin County – September 13, noon, Timbers Edge, 19493 Co Hwy S56, Steamboat Rock
- Story County – September 13, 6 p.m., Gateway Hotel & Conference Center, 2100 Green Hills Drive, Ames
- Lyon County – September 15, noon, Rock Rapids Community Center, 404 First Ave, Rock Rapids
- Sioux County – September 15, 6 p.m., Terrace View, 230 St. Andrews Way, Sioux Center
- Plymouth County – September 16, noon, Le Mars Convention Center (lower level), 275 12th St SE, Le Mars
- Woodbury County – September 16, 6 p.m., Sioux City Convention Center, Meeting Rooms A & B, 801 Fourth St, Sioux City
- Cerro Gordo County – September 20, 1:30 p.m., NIACC – Beem Center, 500 College Drive, Mason City
- Floyd County – September 20, 6 p.m., Floyd Community Center, 706 Fairfield St, Floyd
- O’Brien County – September 22, noon, Sheldon Community Center, 416 Ninth St, Sheldon
- Cherokee County – September 22, 6 p.m., Cherokee Community Center, 530 W. Bluff St, Cherokee
- Dickinson County – September 23, noon, Dickinson County Community Center, 1602 15th St, Spirit Lake
- Emmet County – September 23, 5:30 p.m., Regional Wellness Center, 415 S 18th St, Estherville
- Palo Alto County – September 27, 12:30 p.m., Iowa Lakes Community College, 3200 College Drive, Emmetsburg
- Kossuth County – September 27, 6 p.m., Eagle Center Banquet, 401 Smith St, Lakota
- Hancock County – September 28, 1 p.m., Viaduct Center, 255 US Hwy 69 S, Garner
- Chickasaw County – September 29, 1 p.m., Chickasaw Event Center, 301 N. Water Ave, New Hampton
- Boone County – October 4, noon, Boone County Historical Society, 602 Story St, Boone
- Greene County – October 4, 5 p.m., Jefferson High School, 1901 N Grimmell Road, Jefferson
- Ida County – October 5, noon, Cobblestone Inn & Suites, 2011 Indorf Ave, Holstein
- Crawford County – October 5, 6 p.m., Memorial Hall, 550 Main St, Manilla
- Shelby County – October 6, noon, Therkildsen Activity Center, 706 Victoria St, Harlan
- Pottawattamie County – October 6, 6 p.m., Impact Hill, 501 Oakland Ave, Oakland
- Clay County – October 8, noon, Clay County Fairground, 800 W 18th St, Spencer
- Mills County – October 11, noon, Lakin Community Center, 61321 315th St, Malvern
- Fremont County – October 11, 6 p.m., The Waterfalls, 907 Hartford Ave, Farragut
- VIRTUAL Meeting – October 12, 5:30 p.m., Iowa Utilities Board, 1375. E. Court Ave, Des Moines (Register to attend.)
- Wright County – October 13, noon, Heartland Museum, 119 SW Ninth St, Clarion
- Franklin County – October 13, 5 p.m., Maynes Grove Lodge, 946 US Hwy 65, Hampton
- Page County – October 14, noon, Shenandoah Public Library, 201 S Elm St, Shenandoah
- Montgomery County – October 14, 6 p.m., Montgomery County Ag Society Gold Building, 1809 N Fourth St, Red Oak
- Hamilton County – October 15, 12:30 p.m., All Cultures Equal, 1440 E Second St, Webster City
- Webster County – October 15, 6 p.m., Best Western Starlite Village, 1518 Third Ave NW, Fort Dodge
The IUB will review comments that are submitted in writing. Written comments or objections to the proposed pipeline can be electronically filed using the IUB’s open docket form, by email to mcustomer@iub.iowa.gov, or by mail to the Iowa Utilities Board, Attn: Docket No. HLP-2021-0001, 1375 E. Court Ave. Des Moines, IA 50319. To get help with filing comments, learn more here or call the IUB IT Support team at (515) 725-7337. Learn more about hazardous liquid pipelines on the IUB’s Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Permits webpage.
