“Today, the Iowa Utilities Board will start the hearing for Summit Carbon Solutions’ carbon capture project. My name is Lee Blank, and I am proud to be the CEO of Summit Carbon Solutions. I was raised on a 600-acre farm near Garner, Iowa, and this is a project I truly believe in. It’s been more than two years since this project was announced, and 18 months since we filed our application. During this time, there has been much public debate about carbon capture, including its economic impact, landowner support, and pipeline safety. Today, I want to clarify some facts.
First, a majority of affected landowners support our project. Currently, more than 72% of the proposed pipeline route and about 90% of the proposed carbon dioxide storage area have signed voluntary agreements. This equals 1,260 miles of pipeline, 100 miles more than the Dakota Access pipeline, and covers 135,000 acres of the storage site. Impacted landowners support this project.
The strong support for our project is because landowners see carbon capture as vital for the future of ethanol and the wider agricultural economy. An Iowa Poll in 2021 found that about 85% of Iowans think ethanol is important to the state’s economy. This is because ethanol supports 50,000 jobs, contributes $6 billion to the state’s GDP, and buys 57% of the state’s corn. Carbon capture projects like ours ensure that ethanol producers can continue to bring these benefits. Without such projects, Iowa’s ethanol industry could lose $10 billion annually and farm income could drop by $43,000 for a typical 1,000-acre farm. That’s why so many farmers have signed agreements.”
Read more at The Des Moines Register.
