Iowa ethanol advocates and farmers are urging Gov. Kim Reynolds to veto a bill restricting carbon sequestration pipelines. The advocates said in a press conference Thursday the bill is “extremely problematic” to biofuels, farming, energy and Iowa economies.
The bill, House File 639, which passed the Iowa Senate May 12 and is awaiting a signature from Reynolds, would change definitions of a common carrier and increase insurance requirements for pipelines transporting liquid carbon dioxide. It would also set requirements for the Iowa Utilities Commission and expand who can intervene on dockets with the commission.
Advocates and lawmakers in favor of the bill oppose the use of eminent domain by the Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline, which would transport captured carbon dioxide from ethanol facilities in Iowa, and neighboring states, to underground storage in North Dakota.
