Oskaloosa Herald: Landowners form group to fight pipeline eminent domain

By KYLE OCKER, 2/23/22

“Iowa landowners have formed a new alliance group aimed to carry out a united legal strategy to oppose two proposed carbon pipeline projects,” the Oskaloosa Herald reports.

“The Iowa Easement team was formed at the landowners hired Omaha-based firm Domina Law. They will challenge the proposed pipelines by Summit Carbon Solutions and Navigator CO2 Ventures. The group says Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has failed to meet with landowners who are impacted by the projects. She created the Carbon Sequestration Task Force, and landowners say it was “stacked with pipeline insiders.”

“…Landowners and county officials have concerns about what the pipelines could do to the farm fields in the state, and also the use of eminent domain to force them into giving up right-of-way access to build the pipeline.

“I fear for the safety of our first responders, firemen, our water, our land, our freedom,” Shirley Linn, a landowner in Mahaska County, told the Herald. “So I’m refusing to sign an easement. I don’t want the pipeline on our land.”

“…Those interested in joining the Iowa Easement Team can visit www.iowaeasement.org for more information. The team has requested a meeting with Reynolds to talk about ending the pipeline project altogether, or aiding in the passing of legislation of Senate File 2160, a bill that would curtail the use of eminent domain.”