Celebrations are premature for Summit Carbon

Landowners targeted for eminent domain by Summit Carbon Solutions won several victories recently, but our fight is far from over. Summit remains a very real threat to private property rights. Summit suffered significant blows from regulatory agencies in multiple states. The North Dakota PSC denied Summit’s permit, and Oliver County denied its injection well permit. In South Dakota, the PUC denied the permit and upheld county ordinances. Summit has moved senior staff into five key counties to find alternate routes and reapply.

Because of permit denials in the Dakotas, Summit’s grandiose plan is a pipeline to nowhere. Company CEO Bruce Rastetter recently announced the launch has been delayed two years, if approved.

Two weeks ago, the IUB concluded its evidentiary hearing on the permit application. Summit presented its case followed by weeks of testimony from hundreds of Iowans with land targeted for eminent domain. Their stories were gripping, some moving grown men to tears. Videos can be viewed on Bold Nebraska’s YouTube postings.

The hearing is finished. Now, the Board must review thousands of pages of records. A decision is months away. Summit’s permit could be approved, denied, or approved with conditions. Even if approved, the decision will be tied up in court, possibly for years.

Meanwhile, Summit must obtain permits for hundreds of millions of gallons of water from the DNR and county permits for wastewater disposal, air quality, road crossings, river crossings, and conditional use. Counties are working on ordinances, and state legislators are discussing eminent domain reform.

Even though the hearing has ended, the fight is far from over. Impacted landowners and concerned Iowans will continue to rally against Summit’s unconstitutional land grab and dangerous CO2 pipeline. Celebrations are premature for Summit Carbon Solutions.

Bonnie Boeck Ewoldt,

Milford resident and Goodrich Township landowner

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