The Iowa Legislature looks to finish the session on time this year and with that, they are running out of time to pass legislation and block a certain policy from occurring.

District 24 Representative Phil Thompson of Boone says the House passed a moratorium for ten months to not allow private pipeline companies to use eminent domain. There are three companies looking to establish underground carbon dioxide pipelines through Iowa and companies can use eminent domain to take a landowner’s piece of property by force at market value. Thompson points out with lawmakers getting ready to wrap up the session, they needed to do something to take the threat of eminent domain off the table temporarily. 

“So we just want to make sure that that threat of eminent domain looming over their heads, while we’re out of session and couldn’t really do anything to fix it. So we felt like this is a good medium ground to still allow these projects to continue, so long as they can work it out.” 

Greene County is one of the areas targeted by Summit Carbon Solutions and County Supervisor Chair John Muir says they are expecting to submit a letter to the Iowa Utilities Board, the governing entity that has authority to grant eminent domain to private companies, that they are opposed to allowing eminent domain for private use.

“My view of the letter to the (Iowa) Utilities Board is showing that we support our landowners and that should have ultimate control of their property and what they do with it.” 

The House’s moratorium bill is in the Senate for consideration.