The Webster County Board of Supervisors became the 27th Iowa county to send a letter to the Iowa Utilities Board to record its objection to the use of eminent domain for carbon capture pipeline projects.

Two carbon capture pipeline projects are currently being considered in Iowa and Webster County. In 2021, Summit Carbon Solutions, of Ames, and Dallas-based Navigator CO2 Ventures introduced plans for carbon capture pipelines that would cross the state of Iowa. Both proposed pipelines would cross through Webster County and in the last several months, many local landowners have voiced their opposition to the pipelines.

A few landowners approached the supervisors at their April 12 meeting to share concerns about the companies using eminent domain when the landowners deny the easement rights to their property. According to the Sierra Club Iowa Chapter, landowners of about 80 percent of the parcels of land the proposed Summit pipeline would pass through have not signed voluntary easements with the company.

On Tuesday, the supervisors voted to authorize board chair Mark Campbell to sign the letter on behalf of the Board of Supervisors and send it to the IUB. Supervisor Nick Carlson was absent from the otherwise unanimous vote.

“The Webster County Board of Supervisors does not believe the taking of lands by eminent domain is appropriate for projects that are not necessary for the public benefit,” the letter reads. “It is the opinion of this board that these projects are for the enrichment of private entities, rather than the public benefit and are therefore an inappropriate use of eminent domain.”

The letter also specifies that the board objects to any other future projects for carbon capture pipelines that may be submitted by other entities.

Other nearby counties whose boards of supervisors have also sent letters to the IUB objecting to the use of eminent domain include Wright, Pocahontas, Kossuth and Greene.