Iowa Senate Bill SCR6

Iowa 2023-2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 5/3/23
• Refer: 5/3/23

Caption

A concurrent resolution urging the Iowa Utilities Board to deny the use of eminent domain in relation to carbon capture pipeline projects.

Impact

SCR6 seeks to protect agricultural land and the rights of farmers by addressing the potential disruptions that carbon capture pipelines may cause. The resolution points out that these pipelines could compromise land productivity, damage existing drainage systems, and threaten the soil conditions necessary for optimal crop growth. By restricting the use of eminent domain, the bill aims to prevent governmental overreach that could lead to significant negative impacts on rural communities and agriculture in Iowa.

Summary

Senate Concurrent Resolution 6 (SCR6) urges the Iowa Utilities Board to deny the use of eminent domain for carbon capture pipeline projects. It argues that such projects do not meet the constitutional standards for public use as outlined in the Fifth Amendment and Iowa state law, since they primarily benefit private, for-profit companies rather than the general public. The resolution highlights concerns surrounding property rights, asserting that landowners' rights should be preserved against corporate interests that seek to profit through public policy mechanisms like eminent domain.

Conclusion

Ultimately, SCR6 reflects the tension between advancing environmental initiatives and safeguarding private property rights. As discussions continue around carbon capture technologies and their role in mitigating climate change, this resolution reinforces the need to balance economic interests with the rights of individual landowners, especially in the agricultural sector.

Contention

Notably, the bill raises questions about the scientific basis for carbon capture as a necessary tool for addressing climate change. The resolution critiques claims that carbon capture pipelines aid in reducing carbon emissions by labeling them as speculative, and it emphasizes that public policy decisions should be based on well-established science rather than contentious or debated theories. This position places SCR6 at the crossroads of property rights advocacy and climate change policy, making it a controversial piece of legislation within the broader context of environmental regulations.