Will send letter to IUC objecting to pipeline
The Greene County supervisors heard information at their Aug. 5 meeting from Franklin Township property owner and environmentalist Chris Henning about the carbon dioxide pipeline proposed by Summit Carbon Solutions. The pipeline would run diagonally across Greene County, from the Paton area to the Louis Dreyfus ethanol plant in Grand Junction, and then to the Poet ethanol plant in between Bayard and Coon Rapids in Guthrie County.
The proposed pipeline route covers 70 miles in the two counties. Eight of Greene County’s 15 townships would be affected.
The issue is bipartisan, Henning, an active Democrat, told the supervisors, all of whom are Republicans. Former Congressman Steve King (R) of Iowa’s Fourth District and 11 Republican state legislators have spoken against it, as has the Sierra Club and Bold Alliance, both progressive environmental groups.
She noted that along with serious environmental concerns, the project is objectionable because Summit is seeking to use eminent domain where landowners do not grant voluntary easements.
The Iowa Utilities Commission (formerly the Iowa Utilities Board) determined that eminent domain can be used for the northern Phase 1 project. That decision has been appealed by counties involved.
Henning provided information about the hazards of CO2 pipelines, stating that there’s a half-mile “kill zone” on either side of the pipeline should it rupture. When supervisor Dan Benitz questioned where that information came from, sheriff Jack Williams answered that it’s in the emergency response manual.*
The supervisors had submitted a letter to the IUC in March 2022 in objection to Summit’s Phase 1. Henning asked them to send a similar letter now objecting to Phase 2.
The board readily agreed. “It (the letter) still represents how we feel about it, not that anyone gives a hoot how we feel,” board chair John Muir said.
The supervisors directed county attorney Thomas Laehn to update the letter for their signatures.
Henning invited the supervisors to attend a public meeting about the proposed pipeline this Thursday, Aug. 8, at 7 pm at the Jefferson municipal building. Jessica Mazour of the Sierra Club- Iowa, and Greene County landowner Dan Tronchetti will speak.
Henning also asked the supervisors to consider approving an ordinance that would address setbacks from CO2 pipelines and the safety of persons, livestock, waterway tiles, and public and natural areas. Muir asked her to gather sample ordinances from other counties that have passed the sort of ordinance she suggested, and to visit again with the board.
The board received further information from Jon Heydon of Heritage Insurance with various deductibles and rates for the county’s autos, buildings and contents. The request followed a presentation on renewal rates at the July 29 meeting.
Based on Heydon’s information, the supervisors approved the 2024-25 insurance renewal with the deductible for buildings increased to $25,000 and the deductible for for contents/additional property increased to $5,000. The deductible on auto insurance was increased to $5,000. That saved the county almost $22,000.
Benitz reported he had attended a meeting of the Central Iowa Juvenile Detention Center board. To a side question from supervisor Peter Bardole, Benitz answered, “Things have been worked out… we had several closed sessions.”
The supervisors accepted the retirement of Lisa Tucker (treasurer’s office) effective Sept. 6, 2024; approved a special Class C retail alcohol license for Cloud Wine LLC for Country Blessings’ fall festival Sept. 12-16; and reappointed Karla Janning to the Region XII Regional Housing Authority board of directors for Oct. 1, 2024 through Sept. 30, 2025.
*Williams later told GreeneCountyNewsOnline that in the case of a rupture, an emergency responder would need to put on an airtight breathing apparatus and run, carrying another apparatus, to the person within the zone, put it on the person, and then get them both back out of the zone, all within four minutes. Motor vehicles cannot be used in the case of a CO2 rupture because there is no oxygen available for the combustion engine to work.
