Despite being a highly discussed and contested topic, legislation on eminent domain and carbon dioxide pipelines didn’t make progress in the 2026 Iowa Legislative session.

Senator for District 12 Amy Sinclair says that she was initially very encouraged when Senator for District 32 Mike Klemish introduced a bill that would widen the notice corridor, put up extra layers of protection for landowners that don’t want to participate, and give additional opportunities for developers to go around protesting landowners. She tells Raccoon Valley Radio that there were just too many people that didn’t think the bill did enough.

“Honestly, I think it’s sad. I think it’s a lost opportunity. The fact that nothing changed means that we still don’t have any additional protections for landowners who might be opposed to this type of pipeline going across their properties.”

Sinclair mentions that she believes that this was the best opportunity to make significant change for the state in terms of pipelines, transmission lines, and other private ventures. Summit Carbon Solutions, the company wanting to build the high pressure carbon dioxide pipeline that many Iowans have protested, recently changed their planned map, removing eight counties from the plan, and reducing their footprint in four others.

Counties Removed
Shelby, Pottawattamie, Montgomery, Adams, Worth, Page, Fremont, Mitchell

Counties with Reduced Plan
Sioux, Dickinson, Floyd, Crawford