by Jared Strong Iowa Capitol Dispatch
One of three carbon dioxide pipeline companies that have sought to build in Iowa announced on Friday that it’s canceling its proposal amid the “unpredictable nature of the regulatory and government processes” of Iowa and South Dakota.
Navigator CO2 had proposed to build a more than 1,300-mile pipeline system to transport captured carbon dioxide from ethanol plants and other facilities in five states to Illinois for underground sequestration or other commercial purposes. The bulk of that system was planned for Iowa.
In September, the company suffered a setback in South Dakota when the state’s Public Utilities Commission denied it a permit, partly because its route did not conform with county ordinances that restrict the placement of such pipelines.
Navigator then asked state utility regulators in Iowa to suspend its permit process while it awaited a decision from Illinois regulators. Less than two weeks ago, it asked to pull its permit application in Illinois.
“As good stewards of capital and responsible managers of people, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the Heartland Greenway project,” Navigator’s chief executive, Matt Vining, said in a project update posted to the company’s website on Friday. “We are disappointed that we will not be able to provide services to our customers and thank them for their continued support.”
Pipeline regulations vary from state to state and by type of pipeline, which was challenging to maneuver, said Elizabeth Burns-Thompson, a spokesperson for the company.
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