Summit Hearing Resumed Tuesday

(Radio Iowa) The hearing for the Summit carbon pipeline got underway again Tuesday with landowners discussing their concerns about the pipeline coming through their property. Dennis Graham testified he is concerned about whether there is insurance to cover any damages.

“We need to be co-insured on a property damage policy and we need to be co-insured on a certificate of liability,” he says. Graham says they require anyone doing work for them to have liability insurance. He says his own policy wouldn’t work.

“We’re pretty confident that we’re not covered under that. We’re covered under normal farm operations, that’s it,” he says. “And the pipeline, compressed C-O-2 hazardous, supercritical carbon dioxide going through it, is not something they insure under our policy.” Marjorie Swan and her sister own land in Wright County that is in the path of the pipeline. Swan says they were not happy that they only got a text message offer on their land and refused to sign for requests to survey their property. Swan says surveyors still came.

“The last time they came it was August, we told him that we’d hired Domino Law Group. It was three agents. Why did we need three agents to try to talk to us?,” Swan asked. “We’re both widows. I don’t if they felt more people we would roll over. No, that just made us more determined that we don’t care for Summit.” The Iowa Utilities Board has landowners listed to testify through Thursday, and the Summit hearing could then wrap up.