Iowa Regulators Advance Second Phase of Embattled CO2 Pipeline Amid Legal Challenges
The Iowa Utilities Commission is preparing hearings for the next segment of Summit Carbon Solutions' proposed carbon dioxide pipeline, which would extend hundreds of miles across the Corn Belt. The project remains mired in court disputes over the company's use of eminent domain to acquire land. Landowners argue the hearing schedule is premature, while Summit and its supporters push for an expedited decision by year's end.
The second phase would add hundreds of miles of pipeline to a project already stalled by litigation. Summit's original plan—transporting CO2 from ethanol plants to North Dakota for underground storage—has unraveled after South Dakota banned eminent domain for carbon pipelines and a North Dakota judge revoked the company's storage permit. Summit now says it may route the pipeline to Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado, or Kansas, and has petitioned regulators to remove destination language from its permit. Company materials indicate the CO2 could ultimately be used for enhanced oil and gas recovery, a shift from its original climate-focused framing. Landowners along the route argue the commission should not schedule hearings until Summit settles on a final destination.
This case could reshape how infrastructure projects acquire private land and how carbon-capture ventures are evaluated. If regulators approve the pipeline without a fixed destination, landowners may face eminent domain seizures for a project whose purpose remains undefined. The outcome could also influence other proposed carbon pipelines nationwide, potentially affecting rural communities' property rights and the credibility of climate-focused infrastructure projects.