The developer of one of the two proposed carbon capture pipelines that, if the projects move forward, will cross through Webster County, gave an update on the project to the Webster County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.

The proposed Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline’s purpose will be to capture carbon emissions from 32 ethanol plants across five states — including 12 in Iowa — and transport the carbon to a location in North Dakota, where it can be permanently sequestered. Just under 31 miles of the pipeline would pass through the eastern third of Webster County, according to the most recent route map provided by Summit.

Riley Gibson, a spokesperson for Summit from Turnkey Logistics, presented the update to the board on Tuesday — the first update since February of this year.

Currently, the anticipated pipeline route covers 30.86 miles in Webster County.

According to Gibson, about 23 miles of voluntary easements have been acquired from property owners along the route and Summit has issued $7.2 million in voluntary easement payments.

As for the remainder of the pipeline’s route across Iowa, more than 1,133 landowners have signed voluntary easements that cover more than 472 miles.

If the remaining landowners impacted by the proposed pipeline’s route do not enter into voluntary easement agreements with Summit, Summit will have to ask the Iowa Utilities Board to grant eminent domain, which allows the government to take private property for public use.

Summit’s pipeline construction permit hearing with the IUB is scheduled for this fall and if approved, the company plans to begin construction in the first quarter of 2024.

If built, the Summit pipeline will snake along the eastern side of Webster County, entering south of Vincent, running northwest of Duncombe, south to Lehigh and then southwest between Harcourt and Dayton, before crossing into Boone County.