Mills County officials heard the latest regarding a proposed carbon dioxide pipeline that would cut through a rural portion of the county's northwest corner.

At its regular meeting Tuesday morning, the Mills County Board of Supervisors heard a presentation from Snyder and Associates regarding the agricultural land inspection for Tallgrass's Trailblazer CO2 pipeline. Based on plans from Tallgrass, Snyder's Kristina Paradise says the company is planning to construct 2.43 miles of eight-inch pipeline and .61 miles of 24-inch pipeline in Mills County, running from the SIRE ethanol plant in Council Bluffs southwest to the Nebraska-Iowa border, where it would cross under the Missouri River into Nebraska. The product would then be transported to a sequestration site in Wyoming. Paradise says the proposed route would cross three county roads in Mills County with an additional facility constructed near the state border.

"This is according to the pipeline and their records, and it will cross Bunge, Allis, and the Levee Access Road," said Paradise. "According to their Exhibit C, Trailblazer will construct a launcher and receiver station at the capture facility at the SIRE plant, and then a second launcher and receiver facility will be constructed in Mills County along with the mainline valve station and metering station. They're going to do that where the 24-inch and the eight-inch meet just before the river crossing."

Paradise says Iowa Code requires the county to hire an inspector to ensure the project's agricultural mitigation plan is followed, with the pipeline company reimbursing the county for the expenses. While noting they are not inspecting the pipeline construction itself, Paradise says they would review a wide variety of aspects related to agricultural land restoration before, during, and after construction.

"Things like construction in wet conditions, site dewatering activities, right of way staking, activities related to clearing, and that includes fencing and tree removal, topsoil removal and stockpiling, tile marking, which tile, I know you guys don't have a lot of drainage tile, but any erosion control structure would fall into that category," said Paradise. "Then other things like permanent tile repair, which would be permanent erosion control structure repair, backfilling, de-contraction, cleanup, restoration, and re-vegetation."

However, she notes that items such as county road crossings would be the responsibility of the county engineer, while the Pipeline Hazardous Materials and Safety Administration would regulate and inspect the pipeline itself. The board also met with Montgomery County resident Jan Norris, who discussed the Iowa Utilities Commission hearing on the project earlier this month. Based on recommendations from the Office of Consumer Advocate, Norris says any permit issued by the IUC will likely come with stipulations.

"At least one commissioner was very concerned about water usage, but (Tallgrass) was unable to give specifics saying designs weren't complete yet," said Norris. "Landowner royalties are estimated at $3,300 annually, but prorated per landowner. They will be paid at 10 cents per metric ton for 10 years while the CO2 is being transported. They anticipate it will take 25 years to fill the capacity in Wyoming for their six sequestration permits."

When Tallgrass officials were asked about annual emergency response training, Norris says they plan to hold a joint training session with local responders and establish a local emergency planning committee, with local grants offered for equipment. County resident Dan Stanley also discussed carbon dioxide pipelines during public comment. In addition to taking a stance on eminent domain and advocating for state-level legislation, Stanley urged the board to consider a local ordinance governing carbon pipelines.

"Pass the strongest possible CO2 pipeline ordinance with large setbacks from homes, schools, and businesses, frequent shutoff valves, and requirements for financial assurance, emergency response funding, and clear liability for CO2 pipeline projects," said Stanley. 'If this ordinance is drafted, draft the ordinance with the emergency management coordinator and representation from the fire departments that would respond."

Tallgrass officials had not requested the use of eminent domain from the IUC because they had secured enough land through voluntary easements. Regarding payment for the agricultural land inspection, Paradise says invoices from Snyder and Associates and payments from the pipeline company would pass through the county. Plans call for the Tallgrass pipeline design to be completed in January 2026, with construction commencing shortly thereafter, so long as they receive the necessary permits. The board is expected to consider hiring an agricultural land inspector within the next few weeks.

Source - https://www.kmaland.com