Key GOP lawmaker has ‘high expectations’ of Iowa House pipeline vote, but unsure of Senate fate

By Jared Strong, Iowa Capital Dispatch

The leading legislative advocate for a bill that would impose new restrictions on proposed carbon dioxide pipelines is optimistic that the Iowa House will vote on it before an upcoming deadline, but he is reticent about its future beyond that.

“I have high expectations that this legislation will come to the floor of the House before our funnel deadline,” said Rep. Steven Holt, R-Denison, who has shepherded the bill through subcommittee and committee votes.

Holt’s comments were part of an Iowa Press discussion that was aired Friday night and this past weekend on Iowa PBS.

The main feature of the bill is a requirement that the pipeline companies obtain voluntary easement agreements for 90% of their routes before they are eligible to use eminent domain to force easements for the rest. It would also give broad authority to county governments to restrict those routes and would delay permits for the pipelines until new federal safety guidelines are finalized next year.

Holt said it’s “very possible” the bill will be amended when it finally reaches the House floor. Holt and more than 20 others introduced the bill about a month ago. It was approved by the House Judiciary Committee by a 12-7 vote in late February.

Rep. Norlin Mommsen, R-DeWitt, has proposed an amendment to it that would gut most of the new restrictions but would allow landowners to be better compensated for damage caused by pipeline construction.

Holt said he has not talked extensively with senators about whether there is sufficient support for the bill if it clears the House, and that he doesn’t know whether Gov. Kim Reynolds supports it.

A spokesperson for Reynolds did not immediately respond to a request to comment for this article, but in an October debate Reynolds indicated support for the current laws that regulate pipelines.

Rep. Lindsay James, a Dubuque Democrat who is the House minority whip and appeared on Iowa Press with Holt, holds a dim view of the bill’s future.

“My understanding is that this is dead on arrival in the Senate and that the governor will not sign this into law,” she said.

To survive a March 31 legislative deadline, the bill must be approved by the House and a Senate committee. It’s unclear when the House might vote on it.

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