Iowa landowner says he wasn’t pressured in carbon pipeline deal

MARCUS, Iowa (KTIV) - The march to build a carbon pipeline through northwest Iowa carries on.

We previously told you about the tax incentive the federal government is offering along with these types of pipelines, but the divisiveness doesn’t stop there. The Sierra Club is leading the charge against the pipelines.

Objections fall into two main categories: Eminent domain abuse and safety concerns. The pipeline companies could be granted a public easement if approved by the Iowa Utilities Board.

That would mean they could build the pipeline without the consent of the landowner. And these types of pipelines have leaked in the past.

“And it’s going to be just a bad precedent that private companies can come in and take land for their benefit. And I think that that right there alone is why we’re seeing people all across the state say no, not on my land,” said Jessica Mazour, an official with the Sierra Club of Iowa.

Jeff Dorr lives in Marcus, Iowa, and he’s already signed up to have one of the pipelines underneath his farm. He says Summit Carbon Solutions, one of the pipeline companies, addressed all of his concerns about safety.

He adds he felt no pressure to sign, even though eminent domain could come into play in some cases.

“No, actually, I didn’t feel any pressure. And like I said, earlier, I actively had to engage them. So, you know, they were a little more hands-off, in my opinion,” said Jeff Dorr.

That’s just a small part of the story regarding these carbon pipelines. Coming up this weekend, we’ll take a deeper dive into the issues and the possible impact on Siouxland’s economy.

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