We want real climate solutions - not greenwashing schemes!

Iowa has three carbon dioxide (CO2) pipeline proposals.  They are centered around Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). The lines would carry captured carbon dioxide from ethanol plants. CCS is very complicated but when you boil it down, the basic premise is that it captures the carbon dioxide and stores it underground (CCS) or it captures the carbon dioxide and uses it for industrial purposes, Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS).

Summit, Navigator, and Wolf pipelines claim that they are going to permanently store the CO2 underground.

The three pipelines in Iowa are being offered as false climate solutions.  We already know the solutions to our climate crisis - we must end our dependence on fossil fuels and invest in solar, wind, battery storage, conservation and efficiency!

CO2 Pipelines Proposed in Iowa:

1.  Summit Carbon Solutions, aka Bruce Rastetter’s CO2 Pipeline.  Bruce Rastetter’s Pipeline Connects ethanol plants and other industrial agriculture facilities to a pipeline that leads to North Dakota.  From there the CO2 will be stored underground or will be used for Enhanced Oil Recovery.

CCS is a false solution in this instance because: 

• It does not address other emissions or forms of pollution from fossil fuel extraction and industrial agriculture 
• It will allow for the extension of fossil fuel extraction through enhanced oil recovery 
• Fails to acknowledge CO2 is incredibly dangerous and a pipeline leak or break could poison surrounding communities and first responders

2.  Navigator CO2 Pipeline.  Oct. 20, 2023, Navigator cancelled its Heartland Greenway carbon dioxide pipeline project.  The Navigator pipeline connects ethanol and fertilizer plants in Iowa to a pipeline that leads to Illinois where the CO2 will be stored underground.  Navigator Heartland Greenway issued a new map of the route for its carbon dioxide pipeline.  It has added a number of counties to its route, snaking across the western part of the state, connecting the Poet ethanol plants to the pipeline.  At the same time, it has dropped a number of counties in the eastern part of the state.  Further, Navigator has decided to build-out its pipeline network in two phases.  See a map of the counties that will be crossed by Phase 1 of the project

CCS is a false solution in this instance because: 

• It will extend the life of the polluting ethanol industry and industrial agriculture practices that have contributed to our climate crisis, water pollution and more.
• CCS continues business as usual and delays investment in REAL climate solutions 
   

3.  Wolf Carbon Solutions is partnering with ADM to run a carbon dioxide pipeline from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to Clinton, Iowa, and then onto Decatur, Illinois.  This was announced on January 11, 2022.  

In the examples of the 3 proposed carbon pipelines in Iowa, CCS is a false solution that takes us farther away from our climate goals. These pipelines continue business as usual, will only be feasible with massive public subsidies, and should not be approved. Let’s invest in REAL climate solutions. 

Take Action Now!

• Sign & share our petition to say no to CCS pipeline projects in Iowa

• If you're a landowner who will be directly impacted by the pipeline, we encourage you not to sign a voluntary easement. 

• Submit an objection to the Iowa Utility Board to ask them not to grant a permit to Summit, Navigator and Wolf.

Click this link

Select “HLP-2021-0001 (Summit Carbon Solutions LLC, Petition for a Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Permit)” to submit an objection for the Summit pipeline
Select "HLP-2021-0003 (Navigator CO2 Ventures LLC, Petition for a Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Permit)" to submit an objection for the Navigator CO2 Ventures pipeline.
Select "HLP-2022-0002 (Wolf Carbon Solutions, Petition for a Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Permit)" to submit an objection for the Wolf pipeline.

Resources:

Videos/Webinars:

• Watch Jess Mazour on Iowa Press, April, 2023
• See the webinar "Stories From Satartia", January, 2022
  Link to full recording
  Link to just the Satartia panel
• Watch our "Carbon Pipelines: A Disaster Waiting to Happen" webinar.
• Watch our "Protect Our Land: No Carbon Pipelines" webinar.
• Watch the Science and Environmental Health Network's webinar to learn more about Carbon Capture & Storage.
• Hear why this landowner in Linn County says no to a voluntary easement.
• What does a CO2 pipeline rupture look like? Watch this.
• See the Governor's answer about legislation to stop eminent domain for private gain, on Iowa Press on February 18, 2022
• See the Market to Market segment on carbon dioxide pipelines, aired the weekend of July 29, 2022, segment on the carbon dioxide pipelines starts at 5:30

Factsheets:

• See our fact sheet on CO2 pipelines
• See flyer on "Tell your legislators, "No eminent domain for hazardous liquid pipelines" and how to answer their concerns"
• Landowners: Know Your Rights About Surveys, Land Agents and Easements
• Landowners: Know Your Rights About Eminent Domain FAQ Sheet. (share this with other landowners)
• Find out why counties should hire an independent inspector. (share this with your County Supervisors)
• Summit & Navigator: Release the Landowner Lists! FAQ Sheet.
• View and print our Tri-Fold Factsheet about the Summit Pipeline.
• View and print our Tri-Fold Factsheet about the Navigator Pipeline.
• View and print our Tri-Fold Factsheet about the Wolf Pipeline.
• The Summit and Navigator Pipelines are full of political connections.  Take a look at our Pipeline Revolving Door infographic.

Iowa Law:

• Chapter 9 - Restoration of Agricultural Lands During and After Pipeline Construction
• Chapter 479b - Hazardous Liquid Pipelines and Storage Facilities

Counties intervening at the Iowa Utilities Board

Counties have a huge stake in the pipelines proceedings before the Utilities Board, including requests for eminent domain over their landowner's properties, issues related to emergency management, restoration of farmland should the pipelines be built, and the right for the pipelines to cross public property.  By intervening, the counties will have a seat at the table during the formal hearings.  You can ask your members of the Board of Supervisors to intervene in the pipeline cases currently before the Utilities Board.

Counties that intervened in the Summit pipeline case are:

• Dickinson
• Emmet
• Floyd
• Franklin
• Hardin
• Kossuth
• Shelby
• Woodbury
• Wright

Counties that have requested to intervene or have already intervened in the Wolf pipeline case are:

• Linn

Counties that have requested to intervene or have already intervened in the Navigator pipeline case are:

• Bremer
• Butler
• Delaware
• Dickinson
• Emmet
• Floyd
• Woodbury

Counties Objecting to the Pipelines; telling Utilities Board to deny eminent domain

The Boards of Supervisors from counties across the state are writing letters to the Iowa Utilities Board objecting to the pipeline project and telling the Board to deny the use of eminent domain for the pipeline projects. 

See map of counties that have filed objections.  Below is a list of the counties and a link to what they have filed:

1. Adair - Navigator, filed September 26, 2022
2. Bremer - Navigator, filed August 3, 2022
3. Buchanan - Navigator, filed September 6, 2022
4. Buena Vista - Navigator, filed January 26, 2022
5. Butler - Navigator, filed February 17, 2022
6. Cedar - Wolf, filed August 18, 2022
7. Cerro Gordo - Summit, filed February 25, 2022
8. Clay - Summit and Navigator, filed February 23, 2022
9. Crawford - Summit, filed January 14, 2022
10. Delaware - Navigator, filed September 2, 2022
11. Dickinson - Summit and Navigator, filed December 28, 2021
12. Emmet - Summit and Navigator, filed January 7, 2022
13. Floyd, Summit and Navigator, filed September 27, 2022
14. Franklin - Summit and Navigator, filed January 7, 2022
15. Fremont - Summit, May 3, 2022
16. Greene, Summit, filed April 13, 2022
17. Hancock - Summit, filed December 27, 2021
18. Hardin - Summit, intervened on behalf of the county - filed May 5, 2022
19. Keokuk - Navigator, filed on July 14, 2022
20. Kossuth - Summit and Navigator - filed December 8, 2021
21. Iowa - Summit and Navigator, filed December 7, 2021
22. Jefferson - Navigator, filed August 31, 2022
23. Johnson - Wolf (ADM), filed July 14, 2022
24. Lee - Navigator, filed June 8, 2022
25. Linn - Summit and Navigator, filed January 13, 2022, Wolf filed January 13, 2023
26. Lyon - Summit, filed January 14, 2022
27. Mashaska - Navigator, filed June 24, 2022
28. Mills - Summit, filed May 20, 2022
29. Montgomery - Summit, filed April 5, 2022
30. O’Brien - Summit, filed December 27, and Navigator, filed December 21, 2021
31. Osceola - Navigator, filed January 10, 2022
32. Page - Summit, filed May 9, 2022
33. Palo Alto - Summit and Navigator, filed December 21, 2021
34. Plymouth - Summit and Navigator, filed January 7, 2022, April 26, 2022
35. Pottawattamie - Summit, filed August 23, 2022
36. Pocahontas - Navigator, filed January 10, 2022
37. Poweshiek - Navigator, filed March 4, 2022
38. Scott - Wolf, filed September 15, 2022
39. Shelby - Summit, filed January 21, 2022
40. Sioux - Summit and Navigator, filed January 24, 2022
41. Story - Summit and Navigator, filed December 14, 2021
42. Webster - Summit, filed May 5, 2022
43. Woodbury - Summit and Navigator, filed January 11, 2022
44. Wright - Summit, filed November 19, 2021, see page 11

Towns and Cities Objecting to the Pipelines; telling Utilities Board to deny eminent domain

City Councils from across the state are writing letters to the Iowa Utilities Board objecting to the pipeline project and telling the Board to deny the use of eminent domain for the pipeline projects.  Below is a list of the towns and cities and a link to what they have filed:

1. City of Fairfax, Navigator, filed 12.22.21
2. City of Walford, Navigator, pg 11, filed 12.20.22
3. Mount Vernon, Navigator, pg 47, filed 1.21.22
4. City of Kinglsey, Navigator, filed 2.18.22
5. Marengo, Navigator, pg 32, filed 2.11.22
6. Story City, Navigator, filed 3.16.22
7. Deep River, Navigator, pg 2, filed 3.25.22
8. City of Rockford, Summit & Navigator, pg 5, filed 3.20.22
9. City of Terril, Navigator, pg 6 filed 3.20.22 and Summit, filed 8.30.22
10. Palmer, Navigator, filed 7.22.22
11. City of Fairbank, Navigator, filed 8.25.22
12. City of Oelwein, Navigator, filed 8.30.22
13. City of Manchester, Navigator, filed 9.13.22
14. City of Readlyn, Summit & Navigator, filed 9.20.22
15. City of Independence, Navigator, filed 9.20.22
16. City of Long Grove, Wolf, filed 10.13.22
17. City of Fremont, Navigator, filed 11.14.22
18. City of Eldridge, Wolf, filed 12.9.22
19. City of Donahue, filed 1.6.23
20. City of Waverly, filed 1.13.22
21. City of Armstrong, filed 1.20.23
22. Shell Rock, filed 2.14.23
23. Ely, filed 3.13.23
24. City of Clarksville, filed 4.7.23
25. City of Gruver, filed 4.11.23
26. City of Wallingford, filed 5.2.23
27. City of Dows, filed 5.4.23
28. City of New Providence, filed 5.12.23
29. City of Dolliver, filed 7.5.23
30. City of Sioux City, filed 11.9.23

Iowa Landowners Request Meeting with Governor Reynolds After Senate Takes No Action On Eminent Domain Bill

Governor Reynolds has the power to protect the landowners - will she use it?

February 16, 2022

Des Moines, IA. Today Iowa landowners impacted by the Summit and Navigator pipelines have formally requested a meeting with Governor Reynolds after the Senate Commerce Committee took no action on the eminent domain bill.

SF 2160 passed out of subcommittee on Tuesday and a Senate Commerce Committee hearing was scheduled for the bill today.  Shortly after the meeting started, Senator Schultz announced that the bill was being pulled from the agenda with no explanation as to why. 

Landowners and other opposition groups say this isn’t over yet.  The bill can still move forward if there is political will.  Governor Reynolds has the power to make sure the bill advances and she has the power to stop the pipelines in their tracks.  “The big question is whether Governor Reynolds will protect us landowners or will she protect the private pipeline companies. That’s why we want to meet with her.  She hasn’t sought out our opinion at all throughout this process.” said Craig Woodward, landowner in Cerro Gordo County.

Earlier this year, Governor Reynolds created the carbon sequestration task force, stacked with pipeline insiders from Summit, Navigator, Valero, ADM, Iowa Utilities Board Chair Geri Huser and others. This sends a strong signal to Iowa landowners that she cares more about these pipeline companies and the big donors associated with them than she does about everyday Iowans who vote for her.

Landowners hope to meet with Governor Reynolds before planting season, before farmers are busy out in the fields.