A new law was signed in South Dakota earlier this month that could have some implications in Iowa.

Sources say that the South Dakota Legislature passed a bill that was signed into law by Governor Larry Rhoden on March 6th that bans the use of eminent domain for construction of underground carbon dioxide pipelines. The decision would affect the same type of project that is being proposed by Summit Carbon Solutions. 

Summit is looking to build an underground liquid carbon dioxide pipeline through five Midwest states, including Iowa, that would capture carbon dioxide from several ethanol plants and be transported to an underground storage facility in North Dakota. Iowa District 24 Senator Jesse Green tells Raccoon Valley Radio that he feels Iowans are aligned with South Dakotans on this topic.

“I believe that the people of South Dakota and the people of Iowa aren’t too terribly different in their perspective on this. I think most people are very sensitive that they understand that there’s something different about carbon pipelines than any other pipeline in any other type of utility. So I believe that we in the state of Iowa need to respond with something as well.”  

Green is continuing to sponsor Senate File 92 that was drafted by Greene County Attorney Thomas Laehn that would create an exception to the current law that would disallow companies within the jurisdiction of the governing entity with these projects, the Iowa Utilities Commission, from giving authorization to use eminent domain on agricultural land to build an underground liquid carbon dioxide pipeline. He says he will continue to drum up support for the bill.

“When I heard the news from South Dakota, I text some of my friends in the (Iowa) House and encourage them to try to pass my particular bill because like I said, I think it best reflects the politics in the situation in Iowa. I do think some changes need to happen.” 

Green adds that his bill could have one of two possible fates. The first being that a majority of lawmakers could back away from passing the legislation, or there could be even more support from legislators because of the recent decision in South Dakota.