Iowa Utilities Board pipeline hearing finishes second week of testimonies

FORT DODGE — The second week of the Iowa Utilities Board’s (IUB) evidentiary hearing for Summit Carbon Solution’s proposed pipeline permit wrapped up Thursday, and will recess Friday and Monday before resuming Tuesday, September 5 at 8 a.m.
The hearing began Tuesday, August 22, at the Cardiff Event Center in Fort Dodge. So far, testimonies have been from landowners, including two from Shelby County, and a Harlan resident who owns land in Crawford County. Other Shelby Countians are listed on the docket for the hearing, which is expected to last at least six weeks.
Ron Beymer, owner of two contingent Shelby County properties, voiced concerns about the proposed pipeline’s proximity to nearby farmsteads and communities during his testimony last week.
 “There’s a small town called Earling,” Beymer said. “They’re actually running it, the way I understand it, right up against the town. There’s a baseball field there were kids play. To me, they’re not really worrying about where they’re putting it.”
 Beymer said he is also worried about possible damage to terraces and tiling during construction. “If you open those terraces, you’re not going to get them put back the way they were.”
  Shelby County landowner Dave Reinig also expressed concern about tiling and conservation measures during his testimony Wednesday, and stated he is worried about crop loss within the easement area.
 Reinig said at first, he wasn’t against the pipeline, until he started reviewing information. “At first I thought it was a joke and it wouldn’t go through,” he said. “I’m still not sure I was wrong, but it is getting closer.”
 Reinig stated he had spoken to “at least four different agents” from Summit Carbon Solutions. “They are all courteous. They have a job to do, and I understand that. But the company they are working for doesn’t sound too good.”
 Summit Carbon Solution is proposing a pipeline system spanning 2,000 miles and five states. It would connect to ethanol plants, and transport captured carbon dioxide to North Dakota for underground sequestration. Approximately 680 miles of the proposed pipeline route would  be built in Iowa. Summit said it has obtained voluntary easements for about 72% of the route. IUB said the remaining portion of the route which is subject to eminent domain includes about 950 land parcels.