The American Carbon Alliance has formally requested that the Iowa Utilities Commission schedule a hearing on the pending Summit Carbon Solutions dockets.
Iowa farmers and ethanol producers need clarity. With input costs high and markets shifting toward low-carbon fuels like sustainable aviation fuel, timely regulatory action matters.
Below is the letter we submitted to the Commission urging them to move the process forward.
Iowa Utilities Commission
1375 E. Court Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50319
Re: Request to Schedule Hearing – Summit Carbon Solutions Dockets
Dear Commissioners,
On behalf of the American Carbon Alliance and the farmers, ethanol producers, and rural stakeholders we represent, I respectfully urge the Iowa Utilities Commission to set a hearing on the pending Summit Carbon Solutions dockets listed below.
Iowa agriculture is navigating a period of real economic strain. Input costs remain elevated, commodity prices are volatile, and rural communities are feeling the pressure. At the same time, global energy markets are evolving rapidly. Carbon capture and transportation infrastructure plays a critical role in ensuring Iowa’s ethanol industry remains competitive in this changing landscape.
Access to reliable carbon solutions supports ethanol plants’ ability to reach new and expanding markets, including sustainable aviation fuel and other low-carbon fuel opportunities. These markets are not theoretical, they represent tangible demand growth that protects corn utilization, strengthens local tax bases, sustains plant jobs, and reinforces the economic foundation of dozens of Iowa communities.
Farmers and ethanol producers are making long-term business decisions today based on expectations of regulatory clarity and a functioning process. Continued delay creates uncertainty that affects investment, market confidence, and economic planning across the state.
For these reasons, I respectfully request that the Commission schedule a hearing for the following dockets so this matter may proceed in an orderly and timely fashion:
HLP-2021-0001
HLP-2023-0004
HLP-2024-0001
HLP-2024-0002
HLP-2024-0003
HLP-2024-0004
HLP-2024-0005
HLP-2024-0006
HLP-2024-0007
HLP-2024-0008
HLP-2024-0009
HLP-2024-0010
HLP-2024-0011
HLP-2024-0012
HLP-2024-0013
HLP-2024-0014
Timely action will provide needed certainty to Iowa’s agricultural economy and ensure stakeholders have a clear path forward.
Thank you for your consideration.
Respectfully,
Tom Buis
Chief Executive Officer
American Carbon Alliance
