John --
We're already seeing impacts from the North Dakota Public Service Commission's (ND PSC) decision earlier this month to *deny* Summit Carbon Solutions' permit for a CO2 pipeline. [1]
The ND PSC specifically cited landowners' concerns over pipeline siting on their properties, and a lack of adequate information from Summit in denying the company's permit. While Summit already hastily filed for a "reconsideration," it should also be denied because it actually includes an entirely new route and potentially hundreds of new impacted landowners with no due process.
Meanwhile, landowners in Iowa began their testimony last week to defend the land against Summit's CO2 pipeline permit application at the Iowa Utilities Board's hearings in Fort Dodge, citing all the same concerns about siting and safety that sunk Summit's permit in North Dakota.
Despite efforts by IUB Commissioners (who were recently hand-picked and installed by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds) to stymie landowner organizing -- by barring the use of cell phones and computers in the hearing room, providing little advance scheduling notice, and cutting short lunches while prohibiting any food or drink inside the venue -- Iowa farmers have persevered to deliver powerful testimony, with so many showing up on the first day in support that some were turned away from attending the "full capacity" hearing. [2]
As the IUB (and ND PSC) offer no archive of live video, we're doing our best as capacity allows to capture and archive landowner and expert witness testimony video in Iowa, North Dakota and other states on the Bold Nebraska YouTube channel.
Landowners are turning up the heat on Iowa's Gov. Reynolds, and the 2024 Presidential candidates visiting the Iowa State Fair to campaign as they're defending the land against eminent domain and CO2 pipelines at the IUB.
Iowa landowners sponsored several plane flyovers with "No Eminent Domain" and "No CO2 Pipelines" messages, at a fundraiser at Summit founder Bruce Rastetter's summer party, and over the Iowa State Fair as Gov. Reynolds was interviewing several Presidential candidates.
Visitors to both the Iowa State Fair and the IUB hearings in Fort Dodge are also seeing landowner-sponsored billboards, and ads in the Des Moines Register and other publications.
The Iowa Easement Team also launched another radio ad campaign across Iowa during the IUB hearings, which feature the compelling actual 911 from victims during the 2020 carbon pipeline rupture in Satartia, MS. [4]
TAKE ACTION
Thanks for standing with us.
The Bold Nebraska team
REFERENCES
[1] "Landowners, Farmers, Property Rights Advocates Praise North Dakota Public Service Commission’s Rejection of Summit Carbon Pipeline Permit," Pipeline Fighters Hub, 8/4/23.
[2] "Public Alleges Iowa Utilities Board Summit CO2 Pipeline Hearing is “Kangaroo Court", Pipeline Fighters Hub, 8/24/23.
[3] "Plane Flyover and Billboard Sponsored by Landowners Facing Eminent Domain for Proposed Summit CO2 Pipeline Greet Governor, Presidential Candidates, Visitors to Iowa State Fair," Pipeline Fighters Hub, 8/10/23.
[4] "Landowners’ Radio Ad Exposes Dangers of CO2 Pipelines with 911 Call from 2020 Explosion," Pipeline Fighters Hub, 10/3/22.
P.S. Chip in to support Bold Nebraska's work.
@Bold Nebraska on Twitter
Bold Nebraska on Facebook
Bold Nebraska
P.O. Box 254
Hastings, NE 68902 US
