Iowa Landowners Call Out IUC Appointee and Recent Intervention Denials, Announce Property Rights Candidate Questionnaire

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 8, 2026

Iowa Landowners Call Out IUC Appointee and Recent Intervention Denials, Announce Property Rights Candidate Questionnaire

Des Moines, IA. — On Thursday morning, ahead of the Iowa Utilities Commission (IUC) Meeting, landowners held a press conference to address recent happenings at the IUC.

Over the past two weeks, the IUC issued orders denying Iowa landowners the ability to intervene in the permitting process and setting the hearing dates for proceedings in Ida and Floyd counties for February 23 and March 23, respectively. Currently, Summit has failed to obtain voluntary easements for nearly 77% of parcels on the Ida and Floyd routes.

Landowners argued that no hearing should be scheduled while Summit’s original permit is being appealed in District Court and the company has failed to commit to a specific end location or end use for the carbon dioxide.

Earlier this week, Governor Reynolds appointed former state representative Jon Dunwell to the IUC, a move landowners call one-sided and stacking the deck with pro-eminent domain people. As a legislator, Dunwell voted against a bill to remove the powers of eminent domain for carbon pipelines.

Landowners also shared that they have been conducting a Property Rights Survey with candidates running for office and will release the results next week. The survey includes answers from candidates running for Governor, US Senate, US House, State Legislature and County Supervisor.

This election is important. The Governor and legislature will have the opportunity to appoint two new IUC Commissioners and pass a bill to remove the powers of eminent domain for carbon pipelines. The consequences of this election will determine if we can save our land and property rights from greedy, for-profit corporations.

Watch the Property Rights Press Conference here:
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