Midwestern carbon dioxide pipeline project gets approval in Iowa, but still has a long way to go
Iowa regulators have approved a controversial carbon dioxide pipeline for transporting emissions of the climate-warming greenhouse gas for storage underground
Iowa public utility regulators on Tuesday approved a controversial carbon dioxide pipeline for transporting emissions of the climate-warming greenhouse gas for storage underground in a win for Summit Carbon Solutions' project after setbacks in other states and opposition from landowners around the Midwest.
The company still has many hoops to jump through before it can begin building in Iowa, including gaining other states' approval.
The $5.5 billion, 2,500-mile (4,023.36 kilometers) pipeline network would carry planet-warming CO2 emissions, liquefied under pressure, from more than 50 ethanol plants in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota to be stored deep underground in central North Dakota.
Farmers and the ethanol industry see the pipeline as a way to qualify for federal tax breaks they see as key for growing a market for a cleaner-burning aviation fuel. Corn is among the top two crops in the Midwest, and Iowa is the leader in corn and ethanol production.
