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Iowa Gov. Reynolds meeting with stakeholders ‘on both sides’ before her decision on eminent domain pipeline bill
Reynolds has until June 14 to decide whether to sign into law or veto legislation that would regulate hazardous liquid pipelines and restrict the use of eminent domain
May. 23, 2025 1:00 pm
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JOHNSTON — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds is meeting with stakeholders who would be impacted by property rights and eminent domain legislation, and said Friday her decision whether to sign or veto the bill will not come until next week at the earliest.
Reynolds has until June 14 to act on bills passed during the recently concluded 2025 session of the Iowa Legislature.
Reynolds talked about the eminent domain bill and other issues Friday while recording her appearance on this weekend’s episode of “Iowa Press” on Iowa PBS.
“There’s a whole lot of passionate advocates on both sides of this issue. So I have been meeting with stakeholders on both sides,” Reynolds said Friday. “We started that this week. We’ll continue that next week. We’re going to continue to meet with stakeholders, listen. … I want to hear from them. I want to hear the impact. I want to hear why they support or why they don’t support the bill.”
Summit Carbon Solutions has proposed a 2,500-mile CO2 pipeline through five states, including Iowa, to capture the greenhouse gas from ethanol plants and bury it in North Dakota. State regulators approved a permit for the Iowa section, including granting Summit eminent domain powers.
During the final week of the session, state lawmakers approved House File 639, which would regulate hazardous liquid pipelines and other energy infrastructure projects and would restrict the use of eminent domain — the process by which the government seizes land for infrastructure projects.
Reynolds said she wants to hear from stakeholders before making her decision whether to sign the bill into law or veto it. She said in addition to those conversations, her staff is conducting research into the bill and her legal staff is examining its potential impacts.
“It’s been a really good process, and we’re going to continue that through at least the next week,” Reynolds said. “I want to make sure that I have given individual stakeholders the opportunity to weigh in so that I can, again, make the best informed decision that I can based on the information that I’ve heard.”
According to an email distributed between opponents of the proposed pipeline and eminent domain for private pipeline projects, six Iowa property owners met with Reynolds this week. The email described the meeting with Reynolds as “productive.”
Leaders in the state’s ethanol industry say the proposed pipeline would boost demand for Iowa-grown corn and Iowa-produced ethanol. They oppose House File 639.
Iowa House Speaker Pat Grassley, a Republican from New Hartford, said on last week’s episode of “Iowa Press” that he is “hopeful” Reynolds will sign the bill into law. But the bill was opposed by Republican leaders in the Senate.
If signed into law, the bill would, among other provisions:
- Define in state law what constitutes public good for the use of eminent domain.
- Require hazardous liquid pipeline companies to carry a certain amount of insurance and restore damaged farmland.
- Prohibit renewal of a CO2 pipeline project after 25 years.
- Place constraints on when and how pipeline companies can file lawsuits against landowners.
- Require Iowa Utilities Commission members to attend hearings on pipeline projects.
“Iowa Press” can be viewed on Iowa PBS at 7:30 p.m. Friday and noon Sunday, and any time online at iowapbs.org.
Comments: (515) 355-1300, erin.murphy@thegazette.com
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