Efforts to restrict the use of eminent domain for a proposed CO2 capture pipeline in Iowa were dealt a blow this week when Governor Kim Reynolds vetoed House File 639, a bill aimed at tightening rules around pipeline development.
The legislation would have imposed stricter insurance requirements for hazardous liquid pipelines and redefined what qualifies as a “common carrier” — potentially limiting the ability of companies to invoke eminent domain.
However, in her veto message, Reynolds argued the bill lacked clarity and could lead to unintended consequences.
“It combines valid concerns with vague legal standards and sweeping mandates that reach far beyond their intended targets,” she wrote.
One of the main projects affected by the bill was Summit Carbon Solutions‘ proposed pipeline, which would collect carbon dioxide emissions from biorefineries throughout Iowa and transport the gas to North Dakota for underground storage.
Opponents of the project had hoped the bill would curtail its progress, but the governor’s veto leaves current eminent domain laws unchanged — for now.
Read more: Iowa Senate Passes Bill Limiting Eminent Domain For Carbon Pipelines
