Three Republicans running for governor said they support banning the use of eminent domain for carbon capture pipelines and shared their views on property rights at an anti-eminent domain rally in Shelby County on Sunday.
The rally, organized as a fundraiser for Republican Rep. Steven Holt of Denison, was billed as the kickoff event for a “No eminent domain for private gain” tour across the state.
Speakers at the rally railed against Summit Carbon Solutions’ plan to capture carbon dioxide emissions from ethanol plants and transport the CO2 to North Dakota to be buried underground, a project Summit says will open new markets for corn and ethanol.
Summit received conditional approval from the Iowa Utilities Commission to use eminent domain powers to build its pipeline across the land of unwilling landowners. Opponents of that decision say the carbon pipeline is not a public use project that would qualify for eminent domain under the Iowa Constitution, and that the project would trample on private property rights.
The issue has sharply divided Republicans in Iowa, and that came into full view in May during a contentious Senate debate on a bill aimed at limiting the use of eminent domain for pipelines. That bill passed with bipartisan support, but Gov. Kim Reynolds vetoed it.
Rep. Eddie Andrews, who is running for governor, said that was “like throwing a middle finger to the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of these United States.”
He said people can’t be on both sides of this issue.
“You cannot straddle this fence,” Andrews said. “You can’t say, ‘I support property rights, but I support the governor’s veto.’ No, it’s one or the other.”
Brad Sherman, a pastor and former state lawmaker running for governor, said using eminent domain for a carbon capture pipeline is “plain old socialism.”
“There are people out there who are socialists who think that government really owns your property, you just get to rent it,” he said.
Republican candidate Adam Steen previously worked for Reynolds as director of the Iowa Department of Administrative Services. Asked by an audience member how he felt about Reynolds’ veto, Steen said he supported her decisions as her employee.
“I was shocked and surprised at that veto,” he said. “And as a candidate now out of her administration, I will protect property rights day one.”
Steen said he wants the Legislature to pass a “simple, clean” bill that bans the use of eminent domain for carbon capture pipelines.
Sherman and Andrews said they would support that policy.
Steen also called out 4th District Rep. Randy Feenstra, who is considering a run for governor, for not being at the event. He said Feenstra won’t fight for property rights.
“He’s hiding in D.C., he’s hiding in his basement, he’s not answering questions, and he’s going to come out with millions of dollars in his campaign,” Steen said. “Where do you think those millions of dollars came from?”
Feenstra’s campaign did not respond to a request for comment Monday.
Holt said he invited Feenstra and Sen. Mike Bousselot, who is also considering a run for governor, to the event. He said they did not tell him why they were not in attendance.
“I think it’s very telling for the people that are here today that Adam Steen and Brad Sherman and Eddie Andrews came and said very clearly that they oppose the use of eminent domain for private economic development projects such as the CO2 pipeline, and the absence of others speaks volumes,” Holt said.
The rally was held at a farm owned by Steve Kenkel, who was sued by Summit for voting as a member of the Shelby County Board of Supervisors to enact an ordinance establishing setbacks and permitting requirements for pipelines.
He urged Iowans to challenge lawmakers who voted against eminent domain limits to change course.
“When you go to the polls this next year and following years, you do your homework and you find out who the protectors are for property rights,” Kenkel said. “Because from what I see in this last four years, it’s in our Constitution, it’s in Iowa law, it’s in our Republican Party platform. If you can’t be a protector as a Republican … there’s a lot of other things that we’re probably missing the boat on.”
Iowa’s primary elections, in which five Republicans could be competing to be the party’s nominee for governor, are scheduled for next June.
