The Senate Commerce Committee has overhauled a wide-ranging bill key Iowa House members, including State Representative Charley Thomson of Charley City, say would — in their words — “clean up the mess” the Iowa Utilities Commission (IUC) created by granting a pipeline permit to Summit Carbon Solutions.
Republican Senator Mike Bousselot of Ankeny says his proposed 34-page alternative would make legislation more comprehensive.
North Iowa farmer Kim Junker of Butler County expressed her frustration during a Senate subcommittee hearing.
Former US Congressman Steve King urged senators to stop Summit’s carbon capture project.
The bill is now eligible for debate in the full Senate, which has never considered any pipeline-related bill since Summit’s project was first proposed in 2022. This year’s original House bill would have set a 25 year limit on the operation of a carbon pipeline. Bousselot gets rid of that limitation, but sets some standards for any type of pipeline, transmission line project or structures to generate power proposed since last year.
Bousselot’s plan also says the IUC would have to decide within a year if a project qualifies for eminent domain.
***Radio Iowa contributed to this story
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