Pipeline company sues fourth county for zoning ordinance

Summit Carbon Solutions has filed a federal lawsuit against Kossuth County for its new ordinance that restricts where the company’s proposed carbon dioxide pipeline system can be located.

It is the fourth lawsuit the company has brought against Iowa counties that have sought to impose new restrictions on the project. Summit argues that those provisions are beyond the authority of the counties because federal regulators are charged with governing the safety aspects of such pipelines and the Iowa Utilities Board approves their routes.

Summit seeks to built a pipeline network that would span more than 2,000 miles in five states to transport captured carbon dioxide from ethanol plants to North Dakota for underground storage. It would traverse about 30 counties in Iowa.

The company’s permit process with the IUB — which has been ongoing for more than two years — is in its final throes. Summit says its project would be a boon to ethanol…