Concerned legislators and landowners discussed eminent domain at this year's State Fair.
They said it is not just carbon pipelines that landowners should be worried about.
The Farmer’s Union panel discussion on eminent domain focused on how it applies to any large project in the state.
Leroy Bron is a concerned landowner.
“Well, it’s preventing us from expanding because it’s coming right across our farm is along the Jim River and they are crossing just west of us, so we are not going to be able to expand our farm at all. You know, the cattle feeding part it cuz it’s all right there and it is extremely dangerous to be that close,” said Bron.
Pipelines are just the beginning, according to the landowner’s legal counsel. Brain Jorde represents them in eminent domain cases.
“Correction there, it is much worse. They are secretly filing at the DANR request to permit to pump 21, 25, 26 million gallons a year at every ethanol plant because they need the water to cool the CO2 down to 120 degrees so it’s not too hot to get to the pipeline so the whole pipeline doesn’t fail,” said Jorde.
Landowners should be aware of how big corporations operate, according to state Representative Marty Overweg (R).
“But there’s one thing that is really, really, clear with corporate America. They do not care about you. They don’t care about your family, they don’t care about your history, they don’t care about your future. If you have something you want, they are gonna get it. And here’s the reason why, they got money,” said Overweg.
Navigator CO2’s application for a pipeline is under consideration by the PUC. Summit Carbon Solutions application hearing with the PUC begins September 11th.
