On a public affairs program in October, 2021, sponsored by the Mason City Globe Gazette, Nathan Kontz and Jarod McNett ask Senator Chuck Grassley about the CO2 pipeline proposed by Summit Carbon Solutions. That conversation can be heard HERE and runs from the 1:40-3:20 minute mark.
Some impressions of the interview:
FIRST, even though eminent domain is a function of state government (as Grassley notes), Iowans deserve to know whether it’s right to use eminent domain to benefit a private corporation. As the state’s highest-ranking senior Republican elected official, if Grassley were to speak out against using eminent domain for anything but a genuine public purpose, that would carry a lot of weight.
SECOND, Grassley says he supports carbon capture and adds, “I assume that transporting by pipeline is safer than doing it above ground.” He didn’t come right out and say it, but it’s obvious that Grassley supports CO2 pipelines. Presumably, one reason is that the infrastructure bill before Congress is loaded with carbon capture subsidies. As Justine Calma wrote in The Verge this summer, “Congress’ new bipartisan infrastructure plan would invest billions of dollars into [building CO2 pipelines], committing the US to ambitious carbon capture and removal schemes that have never been attempted at this large scale.”
THIRD, Grassley understands that global warming is a problem. He talks about the need to “hit at global warming” and indicates his support for crop-based carbon sequestration, which makes a lot more sense than transporting new emissions via pipeline.
CALL TO ACTION: If Senator Grassley holds an event near you, try to get there and ask him to take a stand on eminent domain for pipelines. We deserve to know whether he thinks it’s ok to let Summit Carbon Solutions take farmland from landowners who don’t want a private company running a pipeline across their property. If possible, capture video of the exchange and send it to [email protected].