A bill was introduced this week in the Iowa state legislature that supporters of carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration (CCUS) projects in the state hope will address some of the concerns of landowners.
Iowa Senate Majority Leader Mike Klimesh introduced the bill which “reforms the permit process to be less confrontational, expands the ability to voluntarily negotiate with landowners on 10 miles to either side of the noticed corridor, and requires developers to exhaust all voluntary easement options before eminent domain can be considered.”
Iowa Renewable Fuels Association (IRFA) Executive Director Monte Shaw believes the provisions in the bill will allow developers to reach more voluntary easements with landowners, ensuring landowner rights are respected while allowing projects to move forward.
“Sen. Klimesh’s bill to reform the Iowa Utilities Commission permit process will improve flexibility, giving projects more opportunities to find landowners willing to sign voluntary easements,” said Shaw. “While the bill is not perfect, it is a reasonable and pragmatic approach to dramatically improve the current process, which is unnecessarily rigid and confrontational. IRFA supports Sen. Klimesh’s bill. Everyone should. We will also continue to support additional solutions that enhance landowner protections while ensuring Iowa farmers have the infrastructure they need to access new and emerging markets.”
The Senate bill contrasts with legislation introduced last week in the Iowa House of Representatives House File 2104 that would ban the use of eminent domain for CO2 pipeline projects and carbon capture, use and sequestration (CCUS) initiatives. That bill passed in the House on a 64-28 vote Wednesday, which Shaw says “would effectively halt the development of CCUS infrastructure necessary for Iowa farmers to compete in emerging markets such as Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and marine fuel, and eliminate a source of new demand for corn at a time of growing supplies and falling prices.”
Shaw notes that a similar bill passed the House last year with 85 votes. “Today’s vote shows the effort to essentially ban these vital projects is losing steam as more people recognize their importance and benefits to the public good. IRFA strongly urges the Iowa Senate to reject this restrictive, ill-considered legislation. Rather, the Senate should focus on improving landowner protections, reforming the permitting process, and providing a path forward for the CCUS projects.”