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Iowa Utilities Board Approves Summit Carbon Solutions Pipeline Project
28th June 2024
On June 25th, the Iowa Utilities Board (IUB) unanimously approved the Summit Carbon Solutions’ (“Summit”) CO₂ pipeline project to proceed with construction across 29 counties in Iowa. The decision comes after a two-year process that involved public input from over 4200 residents. The IUB determined that the proposed project serves “public convenience and necessity.” While over 75% of landowners along the pipeline have signed voluntary easements, the IUB’s decision vested Summit with the right of eminent domain to acquire additional land parcels that the board had individually reviewed and approved.
This decision follows decisions in support of the pipeline project from the North Dakota Supreme Court and Public Service Commission hearings. With these approvals secured, Summit plans to begin pipeline construction in 2025 and commence operations in 2026. The planned pipeline will transport 12 million tonnes of CO₂ per year from 57 partner ethanol plants, across Iowa, South Dakota, Minnesota, and Nebraska to a deep underground sequestration site in North Dakota, where Summit currently has three CO2 storage facility permit applications pending approval.
In approving the project, IUB imposed several conditions on Summit, including securing at least $100 million in liability insurance, compliance with specific safety and construction practices, and ensuring landowners and tenants are compensated for damages that may result from construction.
Summit CEO, Lee Blank, said in a statement that he anticipates continued momentum as the company prepares its South Dakota permit application in early July.
More information on the IUB decisions is available here.