Democratic Senate hopefuls voice qualms over Iowa CO2 pipelines

CEDAR RAPIDS — Democratic U.S. Senate hopefuls say they have reservations about the use of eminent domain to help route underground carbon dioxide pipelines across Iowa, as well as doubts whether the proposed projects make economic and environmental sense for the state.

The candidates — former U.S. Rep. Abby Finkenauer of Cedar Rapids, retired Admiral Michael Franken of Sioux City and physician Glenn Hurst of Minden — agree that removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is important, but question proposals to move the greenhouse gas through pipelines from Iowa ethanol plants to sequestration sites in other states.

“The science is poor,” Hurst said during an April 4 virtual forum with the Iowa Democratic Party Rural Caucus. “As a matter of fact, it might actually add greenhouse gases with the effort to build the pipeline and move the CO2.”

The issue of using pipelines to move CO2 is “thoroughly flawed from top to bottom,” Hurst added.

The candidates are competing in the June 7 primary election for the Democratic nomination for the seat held by Republican U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley in the November elections. Republican voters are suing in Polk County District Court over a decision to allow Finkenauer on the ballot, arguing that some signatures required for her to be on it are not valid. A judge had not ruled in the case by Saturday morning. On the GOP side, Grassley also faces a primary against state Sen. Jim Carlin of Sioux City.

Eminent domain — the power of the government to take private land for public use or benefit — is a flashpoint in proposals by three companies to build pipelines across the state to move CO2. So far, only one of the pipeline developers, Summit Carbon Solutions of Iowa, has filed an application with the Iowa Utilities Board and is asking for permission to use eminent domain, but said it is uncertain it will be needed.

“Eminent domain rings loud in this discussion,” said Franken, who grew up on a northwest Iowa farm. “It's unique that we're executing it for private gain, granted with a public good, but ultimately to private gain. “I do not believe it's a winner.”

Hurst agreed the issue of eminent domain is of “primary importance because it's about private benefit to another private individual.”

“So I would oppose this completely top to bottom,” he said.

Supporters argue the pipelines are vital to Iowa’s ethanol industry, which produces CO2. While there is a future for ethanol, Franken believes it “includes carbon extraction, not running pipelines.”

Franken supported an amendment filed in the Iowa House that would delay regulatory hearings on the use of eminent domain until after Feb. 1, 2023.

Capturing CO2 is important in addressing climate change, Finkenauer said, “but the way that this is impacting Iowans across the state, and very specifically in rural America and rural Iowa, in particular, is very, very concerning.”

As opposed to Grassley, who listens to “high-paid lobbyists to tell him what to think and what to say and what to support and what not to,” Finkenauer said, she wants to hear from Iowans who will be impacted by pipeline construction.

“That's not how this legislation or any decisions should be made on it,” she said.

The decision whether to allow private pipeline companies to use eminent domain is an issue for state government, not Congress, according to Grassley. He has voiced support for carbon sequestration as “one of the ways to hit at global warming.”

In an October interview with the Mason City Globe-Gazette, Grassley said he assumes moving it underground is safer than above ground by truck or train.

“Whether it’s done by a pipeline, it's collected and stored someplace or whether it's done by carbon sequestration by farmers farming according to where you can sequester the most carbon, all of those things are justified under global warming,” Grassley said.

Franken and Hurst are scheduled to participate in forum sponsored by the Democratic parties in Delaware, Dubuque, Jackson and Jones counties from 1 to 3 p.m. April 16 at Maquoketa Valley High School in Delhi. Doors open at 12:30 p.m. Face masks are recommended.

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