22 REPUBLICANS IN THE IOWA HOUSE HAVE INTRODUCED A BILL THAT COULD DELAY OR DERAIL PROPOSED CARBON PIPELINE PROJECTS IN IOWA.
REPRESENTATIVE STEVEN HOLT OF DENISON, IS A LEAD SPONSOR:
CARBON12 OC….FROM UNDER THEM. :12
IF THE BILL BECOMES LAW, PIPELINE DEVELOPERS WOULD HAVE TO GET VOLUNTARY ACCESS TO 90 PERCENT OF THE PIPELINE ROUTE THROUGH IOWA BEFORE STATE UTILITY REGULATORS COULD GRANT THE COMPANIES EMINENT DOMAIN AUTHORITY TO SEIZE THE REST.
THE BILL ALSO SAYS THE IOWA UTILITES BOARD COULD NOT ISSUE PERMITS UNTIL NEW SAFETY GUIDELINES FOR CARBON PIPELINES ARE ISSUED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
DEVELOPERS WOULD ALSO HAVE TO SECURE PERMITS FROM THE NEIGHBORING STATES THAT THE PIPELINES WOULD PASS THROUGH.
CARBON13 OC…….THROUGH THEIR PROPERTY.” :08
PIPELINE BACKERS HAVE SAID IT’S UNFAIR TO CHANGE REGULATIONS AFTER PROJECT DEVELOPMENT IS WELL UNDERWAY.
THE HOUSE BILL HAS THE BACKING OF SPEAKER PAT GRASSLEY AS WELL AS THE CHAIRMEN OF HOUSE COMMITTEES THAT DEAL WITH TAXATION AND LEGAL ISSUES.
HOLT CHAIRS THE HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE AND SAYS THE BILL WOULD SET UP A PROCESS FOR LANDOWNERS TO FILE COMPLAINTS WITH THE IOWA UTILITIES BOARD ABOUT INADEQUATE LAND RESTORATION ALONG THE PIPELINE ROUTE:
CARBON14 OC………DISTRICT COURT.” :21
HOLT SAYS THE PIPELINES ARE MAJOR ISSUE IN HIS DISTRICT, WHICH INCLUDES SHELBY COUNTY.
THE SHELBY COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS HAS ESTABLISHED LOCAL ZONING RULES FOR THE PIPELINES — AND IS BEING SUED BY SUMMIT CARBON SOLUTIONS.
A SPOKESMAN FOR SUMMIT CARBON SOLUTIONS SAYS THE COMPANY ANNOUNCED ITS CARBON CAPTURE PROJECT TWO YEARS AGO AND IS HOPEFUL LAWMAKERS WILL NOT CHANGE THE REGULATORY RULES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GAME.
RADIO IOWA
