For the past year, several private companies have worked together to gain approval to build a carbon capture pipeline across five Midwest states, including Iowa, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, and Minnesota. The stated purpose of the 1,300-mile-long pipeline is to capture carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and bury it into the ground as a means to combat climate change. Thousands of acres of Midwest farmland are in the targeted path of the pipeline.
To acquire a right of way for the pipeline, corporations, including Summit Carbon Solutions and Navigator CO2 Ventures, have been pressuring landowners to voluntarily sign easements to allow the companies to use their land. However, the corporations are also pressuring state governments to grant them the power of eminent domain to take the land of those not signing the easements. Property rights protection has become threatened. The main issue has become private companies demanding the right to take private property for a private enterprise.
CFACT National Grassroots Coordinator Tom DeWeese has visited several affected states to speak in opposition to the land grab and to help organize local property owners to stand up and speak out to protect their land rights. Grassroots pushback began to grow as farmers and local citizens packed public meetings sponsored by the corporations. A few county governments in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Iowa actually did pass measures to counter the strong-arm tactics of pipeline proponents, even despite threats of legal action against them.
In July, the battle took a major turn as Summit sent “surveyors” to the property of South Dakota farmer Jared Bossly. An outspoken opponent to the pipeline, Bossly had refused to sign an easement granting the company access to his land. Not content to let a common farmer stand in their way, Summit employees showed up on his property unannounced (accompanied by armed guards and heavy equipment). Then they proceeded to dig up 200-foot holes in his soil – thus damaging his soybean and corn crops.
Many local activists speculate the purpose of Summit’s action was to intimidate not just Bossly, but other farmers who openly opposed the pipeline. However, the action has had the opposite impact. Hundreds of farmers and local activists soon gathered at the South Dakota Statehouse, delivering petitions with several thousand signatures, and demanding the state legislature take action to protect the property owners from such an involuntary invasion of their farms.
This fueled opposition in other states. In particular, North Dakota PSC regulators have just denied Summit Carbon Solutions a route permit for the pipeline across their state. They reason that the company didn’t take sufficient measures for waterfowl or find alternative routes around the city of Bismark. Of course, Summit isn’t taking this lying down and is even now working to get this action reversed. Now is the time for local activists to step up their opposition to ensure more state legislatures stand up for their citizen’s property rights. CFACT, as it has always done, will help them organize for the next go-round.