The Iowa Utilities Commission has denied a request from Summit Carbon Solutions to consolidate pending regulatory cases involving the company’s proposed second-phase carbon dioxide pipeline project.
The commission established separate hearing dates for proposed pipeline segments in Ida and Floyd counties. The Ida County hearing is scheduled for February 23, 2027, while the Floyd County hearing is set for March 23, 2027. Both hearings will take place in Des Moines.
Summit had requested that the cases be combined and that hearings be scheduled for mid-December 2026. The company argued that delays in the regulatory process affect its project, ethanol producers seeking access to low-carbon fuel markets, farmers and landowners who want their concerns considered.
The commission denied the request to consolidate the two cases but did not issue a decision on whether other pending cases involving the project’s second phase could be combined later.
Summit’s second-phase proposal would add pipeline connections to additional biorefineries. The company previously received approval in 2024 for its initial pipeline permit, which included more than 600 miles of proposed pipeline in Iowa. That permit has been challenged in court by landowners, environmental groups and several counties.
The commission’s consideration of the second-phase proposals comes as legal proceedings involving the original permit continue.
Landowners Raise Concerns
Landowners opposed to the project have questioned the proposed pipeline routes, the scope of participation in upcoming hearings and the commission’s handling of the proceedings.
Some landowners said they were denied requests to intervene because they do not own property in the counties where the proposed pipeline segments are located, despite living near the planned routes.
The pipeline has also been a subject of debate over property rights and the use of eminent domain, which allows certain property to be acquired for approved public uses under applicable law.
During public comments at the commission’s October 8 meeting, some landowners raised concerns about the appointment of new commissioner Jon Dunwell, a former Iowa state representative. Dunwell previously voted on legislation concerning carbon pipelines and eminent domain while serving in the Legislature.
Dunwell was appointed to the commission by Gov. Kim Reynolds on October 5. His appointment requires approval by the Iowa Senate.
The debate over Summit’s proposed pipeline continues as regulators consider the company’s applications, legal challenges proceed and landowners and project supporters present their positions.
