Iowa Commission Hears Landowners’ Concerns About Summit Pipeline Plan

Approximately 40 landowners who could be impacted by Summit Carbon Solutions’ proposed carbon capture pipeline project on Wednesday attended the first Iowa Utilities Commission monthly meeting in two years, according to the state chapter of the Sierra Club.

“Landowners impacted by Summit’s docket raised concerns about the validity of Summit’s project and asked the IUC to dismiss Summit’s 15 pending dockets,” the group said.

Traditionally, the IUC held monthly meetings with public comment periods to update the public on litigation, financials and dockets, according to the club, but “shortly after” current commission member Erik Helland was appointed chair in May 2023, he ceased holding monthly public meetings.

During the 2025 legislative session, the chapter and impacted landowners successfully blocked the governor’s reappointment of Helland as chair, the group said, replacing him with Sarah Martz, who resumed the monthly meetings on Wednesday.

Neither the IUC nor Summit immediately responded to queries.

Summit has named a new chief executive officer to guide the project. Joe Griffin has taken over the role previously held by Lee Blank, he said in a letter this month to landowners along the route.

Summit is hoping to construct a 2,000-mile carbon pipeline across Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska and the Dakotas that would connect dozens of ethanol plants to underground storage.

The project has faced stiff opposition from landowners. Summit pushed back construction to early 2026, with operations starting in 2027.

–Reporting by Michael Schneider, mschneider@opisnet.com; Editing by Jordan
Godwin, jgodwin@opisnet.com