The Iowa House has passed legislation that would prohibit the use of eminent domain for carbon capture pipelines, marking a significant development in the ongoing political debate surrounding CO2 transport infrastructure in the state.
House File 2104 cleared the chamber in a 64-28 vote after moving rapidly through committee review.
The bill would ban the use of eminent domain to acquire land or rights-of-way for pipelines primarily designed to transport carbon dioxide, effectively limiting project development to routes secured through voluntary landowner agreements.
The legislation now advances to the Iowa Senate, where lawmakers are simultaneously considering related measures that could shape the future of carbon pipeline deployment.
One Senate proposal, SF 2067, would allow hazardous liquid pipeline operators to adjust approved routes within a five-mile corridor in order to avoid unwilling landowners, while also requiring companies to demonstrate good-faith efforts to reroute projects before invoking eminent domain.
Relevant: Iowa House Committee Advances Eminent Domain Ban For CO2 Pipelines
A second bill, SF 2069, would introduce a severance tax on liquid CO2 transported through pipelines.
The House vote follows months of public opposition from landowners and local communities concerned about property rights, safety, and the pace of carbon pipeline development tied to ethanol decarbonisation and industrial capture projects.
If enacted, the House bill could significantly reshape Iowa’s carbon capture infrastructure landscape, potentially slowing large-scale pipeline buildouts while increasing pressure on developers to negotiate land access directly with property owners.
Read more: US Supreme Court Rejects Iowa Counties’ Bid To Regulate Carbon Pipeline
