“It stinks” was how Greene County supervisor Peter Bardole characterized a new offer from Summit Carbon Solutions for an easement to construct a pipeline to carry liquified carbon dioxide on a route that would go under the Raccoon River Valley Trail in Franklin Township. The county owns the Greene County portion of the bike trail.
This second phase of a much larger project has been discussed in the board room at the courthouse since March, 2024.
County attorney Thomas Laehn reported at the supervisors Nov. 3 meeting that Summit’s new offer calls for a permanent easement. Summit has a proposed route across the bike trail, but the offer calls for the company retaining the right to place the pipeline anywhere within the parcel. The ultimate permanent easement would be 50 feet wide.
Summit would pay 25 cents per linear foot per year; the county owns 100.659 feet, providing a guaranteed payment of $25.16 per year. The rate would increase to $31.52 if Summit obtains voluntary easements from 80 percent of the affected landowners, to $43.75 with 90 percent participation, and to $50.33 per year if 100 percent of the affected landowners grant easements.
“It’s very smart, what they’re doing. They’re trying to get us to get others to agree,” Laehn said.
The county would also get a second payment – either a one-time payment of $6,711, or the county could become a participant in the pipeline. That option would provide a payment depending on the profitability of the pipeline.
The offers are for permanent easements. Summit Carbon Solutions would reserve the right to do any construction or maintenance on the pipeline, requiring that the bike trail be closed for that time.
Another provision in the agreement requires the county to promise “to cooperate with the pipeline and advocate for and join with Summit in any application or proceedings related to government authorization,” Laehn said.
The county would need to withdraw its previously-filed objection to the pipeline and advocate for it before the Iowa Utilities Commission.
It was at that point that Bardole offered, “it stinks.”
Laehn continued that the county “could not directly or indirectly oppose Summit’s effort to gain governmental authorization, nor make any statements that directly or indirectly interferes with the project.”
“I don’t think they’ve piqued our interest,” board chair John Muir said. “I can say anything I want now… It’s a small sentence, but permanent is a big thing.”
“It takes away our rights, our freedom of speech,” supervisor Dan Benitz said.
“At this point, their ask is a lot more, what they’re asking us to obligate the county to,” Muir said.
Laehn told the supervisors that should Summit Carbon Solutions successfully go through the legal process to have the land condemned and then take control of it, Summit would still need to pay the county fair market value for the land within the easement. Summit has not yet obtained the power to use eminent domain for Phase 2 of the project. Muir verified the other supervisors were in agreement, and they were. Dawn Rudolph, however, was not at the meeting.
