The Hartley Sentinel-The Everly/Royal News - Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties

To the editor:

For the past several months, landowners who will be negatively impacted by hazardous CO2 pipelines have been appealing to the Iowa Legislature for help. At issue is a loophole in the state’s eminent domain law that allows the Iowa Utilities Board to waive the requirement for public use before granting permits. More specifically, landowners along the proposed route fear their property will be taken by eminent domain if they do not sign voluntary easements.

After months of skirting the issue, and even pulling an effective bill before it could pass the Commerce Committee, the...