COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa. (KMTV) — Summit Carbon Solutions wants to build a pipeline across five states, including Nebraska and Iowa. In Iowa, it would leave quite a dent, stretching more than 680 miles and traversing 29 counties. A stretch of it would be in Pottawattamie County.
The company promises to invest nearly $23 million in Pottawattamie County, which would trickle down to local businesses. But not all are buying into the hype.
Thomas Kallman, who manages hundreds of miles of water main serving customers in the proposed area, has questions.
"My concern is what the impact of any kind of a mishap or brake in their line and the resulting explosion that would come from it would do to our water system lines in the ground," he said.
Kallman's other concern is using eminent domain to build the pipeline.
"This is a private company. We don't get to tell them what to do," he said.
Sentiments like these are why the Pottawattamie County Supervisors, including Justin Schultz, are taking a stand.
"When it comes to eminent domain, that's a dirty word for us," Schultz said.
The Board of Supervisors wants to make it clear that they have limited power when it comes to eminent domain and the pipeline. They can't stop it from happening if approved.
"This rests with the Iowa Utilities Board. They have the final say as to whether or not this will happen," Schultz said.
3 News Now reached out to Summit Carbon Solutions for a statement. While they say they understand the opposition to eminent domain, they are finding success without it by using easements, a one-time payment to a property owner. Nearly 70% of landowners have signed an easement agreement with the company.
Still, supervisors like Schultz want to stress that taking someone's land is serious business.
"That's something we absolutely do not want to exercise if we don't have to, and even then if we do, it's gonna be for the greater good or a public purpose," Schultz said.
Summit Carbon says that this project, if completed, would be the largest carbon capture and storage project in the world.
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