Iowa chairman of the House State Government Committee Bobby Kaufmann is looking to change the rules pertaining to eminent domain for the proposed carbon pipelines.
In fact, the state lawmaker is already drafting a plan that will require a larger percentage of local farmers and landowners to agree to any of the carbon pipelines before state regulators can step in and exercise eminent domain to seize remaining properties.
Currently, the legislation says that only 10% of landowners are required to give their approval for eminent domain to be used.
Representative Bobby Kaufmann of Wilton, however, is a known supporter of farmers and landowners and is now pushing for that number to be higher where the proposed carbon pipelines are concerned.
What to expect if Kaufmann succeeds
In 2006, Kaufmann overrode a veto of the law that limits local government authority to seize private property for projects that involve economic development.
And now he says that the proposed pipeline projects should abide to the same law that transmission lines and pipelines shipping electricity do, which requires a majority of landowners to sign up.
Furthermore, Kaufmann is looking to have the percentage of landowners increased to 75% before state regulators can take action and grant eminent domain for seizure of the remaining land.
Relevant: Governor Reynolds Calls For Investing In Carbon Capture Research
The Iowa lawmaker is currently researching similar laws in other states and is actively discussing the matter with stakeholders in the carbon pipeline projects that are set to pass through Iowa.
Just recently, a third carbon pipeline project was proposed by food processing and commodities trading corporation ADM.
And just as the other two projects, the pipeline is expected to service ethanol plants in the region by transporting liquified CO2 from ethanol production facilities to permanent storage sites.
Read more: ADM Proposes To Build The Third Carbon Capture Pipeline In Iowa
