Clayton: Carbon Capture Sequestration Pipelines to Criss-Cross Iowa

Two large-scale carbon capture pipeline systems are seeking permits to build their pipelines across the state of Iowa.

Summit Carbon Solutions LLC and Navigator CO2 Ventures LLC want to install over 1000 miles of pipeline in Iowa. The basic premise of the lines is to carry captured carbon in liquid form from ethanol plants to be stored underground at capped sequestration points in North Dakota and Illinois, respectively. The proposed projects are classified as hazardous liquid pipelines. These for-profit private companies are requesting the use of our productive farmland to build an unproven idea of a hazardous material carbon capture sequestration system in order to benefit the environment.

Summit and Navigator are seeking permits through the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB). These companies and their carbon capture pipelines are not public utilities. Therefore, they should not be able to forfeit the rights of our ag procedures through the enforcement of emanate domain. I have not seen the term eminent domain used in the public information from either company, but what will the result be if landowners refuse to sign off on the projects?

Public comments can be made concerning these projects at Written comments or objections to the proposed pipeline can be filed electronically using the IUB’s Open Docket Comment Form, by email to customer@iub.iowa.gov, or by postal mail to the Iowa Utilities Board, Attn: Docket No. HLP-2021-0003, 1375 E. Court Ave., Des Moines, IA 50319.  The public meetings for Summit Carbon have passed, but public meetings are coming up in 36 Iowa counties for the Navigator CO2 Ventures, LLC pipelines starting November 29th in Lyon and Plymouth Counties. See the full schedule below:

• Lyon County: November 29, noon – Forster Community Center, 404 First Ave., Rock Rapids
• Plymouth County: November 29, 6 p.m. – Le Mars Convention Center (lower level), 275 12th St. S.E., Le Mars
• Cherokee County: November 30, noon – Aurelia Community Center, 235 Main St., Aurelia
• Woodbury County: November 30, 6 p.m. – Sioux City Convention Center (Rooms A & B), 801 Fourth St., Sioux City
• O’Brien County: December 1, noon – Crossroads Pavilion Event Center (Great Hall), 301 34th Ave., Sheldon
• Osceola County: December 1, 6 p.m. – 9th Street Center, 418 Ninth St., Sibley
• Dickinson County: December 2, noon – Dickinson County Community Center, 1602 15th St., Spirit Lake
• Emmet County: December 2, 6 p.m. – VFW Hall, 314 S. First St., Estherville
• Kossuth County: December 3, noon – Eagle Center (banquet room), 401 Smith St., Lakota
• Delaware County: December 6, noon – The Gathering Place, 1711 N. Second St., Manchester
• Linn County: December 6, 6 p.m. – Veterans Memorial Building (coliseum), 50 Second Ave. Bridge, Cedar Rapids
• Clinton County: December 7, noon – Wild Rose Convention Center & Ballroom, 777 Wild Rose Drive, Clinton
• Cedar County: December 7, 6 p.m. – Cedar County Fairgrounds (Matthews Building), 220th Street, Tipton
• Des Moines County: December 8, noon – LOFT Events, 416 Jefferson St., Burlington
• Lee County: December 8, 6 p.m. – Small Grand Things, 1903 West Point Road, West Point
• Van Buren County: December 9, noon – Bonaparte Opera House, 614 First St., Bonaparte
• Jefferson County: December 9, 6 p.m. – The Walton Club, 2265 Walton Lake Road, Fairfield
• Wapello County: December 10, noon – Bridge View Center (conference rooms), 102 Church St., Ottumwa
• Clay County: December 13, noon – Clay County Regional Events Center, 800 W. 18th St., Spencer
• Buena Vista County: December 13, 6 p.m. – Alta Community Center, 28 N. Lake St., Alta
• Pocahontas County: December 14, noon – Rolfe Community Center, 319 Garfield St., Rolfe
• Webster County: December 14, 6 p.m. – Best Western Starlite Village, 1518 Third Ave. N.W., Fort Dodge
• Hamilton County: December 15, noon – Briggs Woods Conference Center (Van Diest Supply Co. meeting room), 2501 Briggs Woods Trail, Webster City
• Hardin County: December 15, 6 p.m. – Ellsworth Community College (auditorium), 1100 College Ave., Iowa Falls
• Franklin County: December 16, noon – Franklin County Convention Center, 1008 Central Ave. W., Hampton
• Butler County: December 16, 6 p.m. – Greene Community Center, 204 W. South St., Greene
• Floyd County: December 17, noon – Floyd County Fairgrounds (Youth Enrichment Center), 2516 Seven Mile Road, Charles City
• Benton County: January 3, noon – Norway Community Center, 210 South St., Norway
• Iowa County: January 3, 6 p.m. – Price Creek Event Center, 4709 220th Trail, Amana
• Keokuk County: January 4, noon – Sigourney Public Library, 720 E. Jackson St., Sigourney
• Poweshiek County: January 4, 6 p.m. – Grinnell College (Joe Rosenfield Center), 1115 8th Ave., Grinnell
• Mahaska County: January 5, noon – George Daily Community Auditorium, 1800 N. Third St #2, Oskaloosa
• Jasper County: January 5, 6 p.m. – DMACC Newton Campus (Conference Center auditorium), 600 N. Second Ave. W., Newton
• Story County: January 6, noon – Gateway Hotel & Conference Center (Prairie Ballroom), 2100 Green Hills Drive, Ames
• Boone County: January 6, 6 p.m. – DMACC Boone Campus (auditorium), 1125 Hancock Drive, Boone
• Polk County: January 7, noon – Iowa State Fairgrounds (Oman Family Youth Inn), 3000 E. Grand Ave., Des Moines
• Virtual meeting: January 19, 6 p.m.