Iowa District Court seeks decision from utilities commission if Summit can reroute its pipeline

In Iowa, the Des Moines Register reports Iowa District Court for Polk County has sent back a decision to the Iowa Utilities Commission regarding the Summit Carbon Solutions’ pipeline’s proposed rerouting in light of South Dakota’s banning of eminent domain for pipelines. The ruling has paused a case against the project by opponenents because a conditional use permit, that required approval by all other states in order for the pipeline construction to go ahead, allowed for eminent domain. In September, SCS asked the IUC to adjust its permit to allow it to find another route to its carbon sequestration site in North Dakota without passing through South Dakota. The judge said the IUC had to decide whether or not to allow this change before he could rule on the case regarding eminent domain.