Wolf Carbon Solutions hosts more meetings for proposed CO2 pipeline

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - Landowners and the public had the chance to have their questions answered about a possible carbon capture pipeline on Monday night.

The informational meeting at Hawkeye Downs in Cedar Rapids was the second of four hosted by Wolf Carbon Solutions. Wolf signed a letter of intent with Archer Daniels Midland Co., or ADM, back in January to build the pipeline.

The 350-mile pipeline would run through Linn, Cedar, Scott and Clinton counties. People filled up Hawkeye Downs Monday night, many of whom were against the pipeline being built.

Five meetings like this were held back in August and September of this year. But the Iowa Utilities board raised questions about landowners not being informed of those initial meetings per Iowa law.

Johnson County is no longer on the list of meetings. The company said that due to modifications, the pipeline will no longer go through that county.

Many landowners at Monday’s meeting weren’t happy about the possibility of the pipeline becoming a reality.

”We figured out what’s really at stake. We see what we love. We see our communities on the line. Our freedom. Our land. Our future and our lives. That’s why I believe we are strong enough to stand against this,” said one speaker.

The companies proposing the pipeline said it would be capable of transporting 12 million tons of carbon dioxide gas per year.

The emissions from ADM’s ethanol and co-generation facilities in Clinton and Cedar Rapids would run through the pipeline and be stored at ADM’s sequestration site in Decatur, Illinois.

”We expect there to be some criticism and some concerns. It goes with the territory. There have been no CO2 pipelines in the state of Iowa, so this is new territory for everyone. What we’re trying to do is portray our story and alleviate concerns so we can go out there next year and negotiate right away through voluntary easements,” said Nick Noppinger, Senior VP of Cooperate Development at Wolf Carbon Solutions.

Noppinger said the next step after these meetings is speaking with and starting negotiations with individual landowners.

If you missed either of the two meetings Monday, there are two on Tuesday as well. One at the Wild Rose Convention Center in Clinton at noon and one at the River Center in Davenport at 5:30.

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