(Des Moines)– A temporary moratorium on the use of eminent domain to seize property along carbon pipeline routes passed the Iowa House in March, but died after never being considered in the Senate. The plan would have prevented pipeline developers from filing an application with the Iowa Utilities Board before February 1st, in order to acquire land where property owners are refusing to grant access.
Representative Bruce Hunter, a Democrat from Des Moines, says lawmakers have played a shell game with Iowans who wanted some assurances their land won’t be seized against their wishes. Republican Representative Bobby Kaufmann of Wilton says the threat of a moratorium got pipeline developers to assure him they won’t seek eminent domain authority until next March.
