Governor Kim Reynolds has vetoed a bill that would have made it harder for Summit Carbon Solutions to seize land along the pipeline route from unwilling property owners. Reynolds says she respects both sides in the debate over the use of that eminent domain authority, but Reynolds says the bill is too broad and affects other types of energy infrastructure. The ethanol industry and the Iowa Corn Growers Association have been urging Reynolds to reject the legislation. Monte Shaw is with the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association.
Shaw says the bill would have diminished Iowa’s ethanol industry as well as prospects for Iowa corn farmers.
House Speaker Pat Grassley, the top Republican in the House, has called for a special session of the legislature, to override the governor’s veto. Representative Bobby Kaufmann, a Republican from Wilton, helped craft the bill.
Bruce Rastetter is the founder of Summit Carbon Solutions. Kaufmann says Reynolds has been steadfast in her defense of constitutional rights over her tenure as governor, and he’d expected her to sign the bill into law.
Representative Steven Holt, a Republican from Denison, led House debate on each piece of pipeline-related legislation over the past few years.
Senate Republican Leader Jack Whitver says he supports the governor’s decision to veto the bill and he expects a majority of Senate Republicans would not be interested in any attempt to override her veto. Though, he says, a significant majority of Senate Republicans support a better policy to protect landowner rights. Shaw, the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association’s executive director, says the industry is open to negotiations.
Reynolds says the debate has highlighted areas were real progress is possible. The governor says she wants to work with lawmakers to strengthen landowner protections, modernize permitting, and respect private property.
To see the Governor’s full comments on the veto as well as other bills vetoed and signed into law yesterday, visit the Office of the Governor website.
