Iowa CCI: No Eminent Domain for Private Gain

The group is urging the Iowa Senate to pass Senate File 101 

Iowa – Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement (Iowa CCI) members from across the state are urging their state Senators to support Senate File 101. The bill would prevent the use of eminent domain for hazardous liquid pipelines, including the three CO2 pipelines proposed by Summit Carbon Solutions, Navigator and Wolf/ADM.

"The proposed CO2 pipelines in Iowa are a false energy solution and public safety nightmare. They only serve to line the pockets of private interests like Bruce Rastetter's Summit Carbon Solutions which wants to run it's pipeline through my community," said Brenda Brink, Iowa CCI member from Story County. "They have no clear benefit to the public and should not be allowed to use eminent domain."

Currently the decision on whether or not to use eminent domain is left up to the Iowa Utilities Board.

"This decision to use eminent domain for hazardous liquid pipelines should not be left up to a board of three people who were appointed by the Governor. They are not accountable to the people in Iowa, they are accountable to Governor Reynolds and her political agenda," said Brink.

The three current Iowa Utilities Board members - Josh Brynes, Richard Lozier, and Geri Huser - were all appointed by close allies of Bruce Rastetter, Founder of Summit Carbon Solutions whose corporations stand to make billions in profit if the pipelines are built. Governor Reynolds has received $174,901 in donations from Rastetter since 2015. You can read more about the IUB's ties to pipeline profiteers in this report by the Oakland Institute.

Iowa CCI is tracking which Iowa Senators are supporting SF 101 at www.iowacci.org/co2-pipelines.

Iowans who care about this issue can contact their Senator and ask them to support Senate File 101 here.