Landowner Group Says Property Rights, Pipeline Still Major Election Issues

by Cami Koons (Iowa Capital Dispatch/Charles City Press) A group of Iowa landowners opposed to a carbon sequestration pipeline say the issue of property rights is still “one of the biggest issues in the state of Iowa” though fewer than 70 candidates in the upcoming November election responded to a questionnaire about eminent domain.

Kathy Carter, a Floyd County Landowner and vocal opponent of the Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline, said the governor’s race is important because the winner can pressure the Legislature to put an eminent domain bill on his desk and sign it.

“This governor also has the opportunity to appoint two new Iowa Utilities commissioners – who we believe were Governor Reynolds’ and Summit’s political appointments – midway through the Summit hearing process,” Carter said. “The next governor must meet with us about who should be appointed to the IUC and should make those appointments before the hearings on the Ida and Floyd dockets take place in February and March.”

Kathy Stockdale, another landowner and opponent of the pipeline project, said the leaders of the state “must stand up in opposition to this risky land grab.”

“It’s time for individual landowners to stop bearing the burden of keeping this multibillion-dollar company accountable,” Stockdale said in a news conference Thursday. “Our elected leaders need to do their jobs and stand up for the constitutional rights of the people they represent.”

Carter and Stockdale are among a group of landowners who have been fighting against the carbon sequestration pipeline and more specifically Summit’s right to eminent domain, or the ability to force private landowners to allow use of their property for infrastructure projects deemed in the public interest.

Eminent domain has been a prominent issue at the Iowa Statehouse during the past several legislative sessions as lawmakers have worked to push legislation that would restrict or ban the use of eminent domain for carbon sequestration pipelines. In 2025, the issue led to a among Iowa Senate Republicans, who traded jabs at one another on the Senate floor.

Incumbent Republican Charley Thomson, R-Charles City, was the only House 58 candidate to answer the questionnaire.

Using eminent domain for the pipeline would be unconstitutional, said Thomson, who as an attorney has represented various parties in the fight against the project, including a group of fellow legislators.

In Iowa House District 60, representing Rock Grove and Rockford townships in northwest Floyd County, Republican candidate Dani Ollenburg and Democratic candidate Alexander Schmidt both said they would work against using eminent domain for the pipeline project.

In Senate District 29, incumbent Republican Sandy Salmon and Democratic challenger Jim Vowels both said they are against the project, and that eminent domain shouldn’t be used for private projects.

Gubernatorial candidates Sand and Lahn both said they oppose the use of eminent domain for carbon capture pipelines and said the state privilege to take land should not be used for “private gain.” Both candidates said they would sign legislation that would ban the use of eminent domain for carbon pipelines.

Gov. Kim Reynolds, who is not running for reelection, vetoed legislation passed in 2025 to restrict carbon capture pipelines in Iowa. A banning the use of eminent domain for the projects did not make it to her desk this year. READ MORE