Six Iowa Bills Would Tackle Carbon Capture Pipelines, Iowa Utilities Commission

February 07, 2025

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by Stephen Gruber-Miller (Des Moines Register) Iowa House lawmakers have filed six bills to regulate the Iowa Utilities Commission and place new limits on carbon capture pipelines and eminent domain, the latest step in a multi-year battle against a project by Summit Carbon Solutions.

Last summer, the Iowa Utilities Commission granted Summit's application to build a carbon capture pipeline through the state, and to use eminent domain to acquire access to land from owners who don't want to sell.

In all, the pipeline would cross multiple states and transfer liquefied carbon dioxide from ethanol plants in Iowa and elsewhere to an underground sequestration site in North Dakota.

The project has sparked opposition from landowners, lawmakers concerned about private property rights and environmental groups concerned about the pipeline's impact. Opponents held a news conference at the Iowa Capitol Thursday to announce the new legislative package.

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Previous efforts to restrict eminent domain have passed the House, but failed to advance in the Iowa Senate. Rep. Charley Thomson, R-Charles City, said he's confident in the chances of this year's legislation getting through the House.

"I’m confident that all these bills will pass," he said. "How controversial is it to require the members of the Iowa Utilities Commission to attend their own meetings?"

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House Speaker Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford, told reporters that all six bills will get a hearing in the House, although they may eventually be combined as House Republicans decide which ideas have support to move forward.

"The reason why there was multiple bills introduced is because we wanted to have hearings on each of those topics," Grassley said. "At the end of the day, they may get rolled together in maybe one or two bills. I don't know how that plays out, but I think at this point, it shows that we're continuing to be thoughtful and serious about all of these different proposals, bringing attention to each of them, and we'll make some legislative decisions on what we feel is the best path forward."

Sabrina Ahmed Zenor, a spokesperson for Summit, said in a statement that "regulatory certainty is crucial for maintaining Iowa's competitive edge."

"With unanimous 14-0 approvals in North Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota, regulators have affirmed the project's safety, economic advantages, and importance for energy independence," she said.

She said Summit has signed voluntary easement agreements with more than 1,200 Iowa landowners and has adjusted the proposed pipeline route "based on feedback "based on feedback from stakeholders and regulatory agencies."

"These actions ensure the project responds to concerns, secures the future of ethanol, and opens pathways to low-carbon markets," she said.

What are the bills on pipelines and the Iowa Utilities Commission?

The six House bills related to carbon pipelines and the Iowa Utilities Commission are:

House File 237: The bill would forbid the Iowa Utilities Commission from filing sanctions against intervenors unless the commission determines the intervenor was knowingly dishonest, committed a crime or caused injury to the commission.
House File 238: The Iowa Utilities Commission could not renew any permit granted to a liquefied carbon dioxide pipeline and no CO2 pipeline would be allowed to operate longer than 25 years.
House File 239: The bill would remove the office of the consumer advocate from under the authority of the Iowa attorney general's office and make it an independent agency. The consumer advocate would be chosen from a list of three candidates provided by the secretary of agriculture, state auditor and state treasurer, then appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Iowa Senate.
House File 240: Applicants seeking to build hazardous liquid pipelines would be required to submit evidence that their project is insured sufficiently to cover any losses or injury from the construction of the pipeline and any discharge. It would also require the pipeline company to reimburse anyone whose insurance premiums increase due to the pipeline's presence.
House File 241: The bill would require all Iowa Utilities Commission members to be present at hearings on proposed public utility regulations, electric transmission lines and pipelines and for at least one commissioner to be present at informational meetings held in counties along the project's route.
House File 242: Iowans whose property is subject to eminent domain proceedings would have the right to go to court to get a judgment on whether eminent domain is proper in their case. READ MORE