Governor Kim Reynolds has vetoed a bill that would have made it harder for Summit Carbon Solutions to seize land along the pipeline route from unwilling property owners.
Reynolds says she respects both sides in the debate over the use of that eminent domain authority, but claims the bill is too broad and affects other types of energy infrastructure.
Representative Bobby Kaufmann, a Republican from Wilton, helped craft the bill.
Kaufmann adds that he vows to work against and kill every single bill she (Reynolds) comes up with because I no longer trust her judgement.
House Speaker Pat Grassley of Butler County, the top House Republican, has called for a special legislative session to override the governor’s veto. However, Senate Republican Leader Jack Whitver says he supports the governor’s decision to veto the bill and a majority of Senate Republicans would not be interested in any attempt to override her veto.
The ethanol industry and the Iowa Corn Growers Association have been urging Reynolds to reject the legislation. Monte Shaw with the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association says the bill would have diminished Iowa’s ethanol industry as well as prospects for Iowa corn farmers.
In a Facebook post, State Representative Charley Thomson, who helped draft the House bill, said of the Governor’s decision, “ Today is a dark day for Iowa’s citizens and their rights under the Iowa and United States Constitutions. She will oppose and veto any bill that Summit Carbon Solutions dislikes, and if that means trashing the rights of every landowner in the state, that’s just too bad. In the Governor’s view, constitutional rights, such as eminent domain protections, should not be allowed to interfere with schemes to make money, especially if those schemes are being promoted by her friends, supporters, and contributors. The Constitution doesn’t matter, the safety risks to the public do not matter, and the weight of public opinion does not matter.”
State Senator Sandy Salmon of Janesville echoed Thomson saying, “I had held out hope that she would, when it came right down to protecting property rights, sign that bill. But she didn’t. That speaks volumes. I would agree with Steve’s call for a House government oversight investigation into the IUC’s granting of eminent domain to Summit.”
Thomson said he would also support his colleagues in calling for a special legislative session to seek an override of the Governor’s veto.
***Picture is from a community information session in Floyd held in May to inform landowners in the path of the pipeline how they could fight Summit from advancing the project
