Summit Carbon Solutions is suing Kossuth County in federal court over a new ordinance that restricts where carbon pipelines may be built.
The Kossuth County Board of Supervisors approved an ordinance last month that would require the carbon pipelines to be at least two and a half miles outside of city limits and at least one and a half miles from any home, hospital, nursing home, church, livestock confinement or public park in Kossuth County. The Iowa Capital Dispatch was first to report on Summit’s lawsuit. The company argues state and federal officials have sole authority to approve its pipeline rout and set safety standards.
Kossuth County’s ordinance says a hazardous liquid pipeline would be a threat to public health. The ordinance directly mentions pipeline plans from two companies, Summit and Navigator, but Navigator’s project has been cancelled due to what the company called regulatory hurdles.
Summit has also filed lawsuits against three other counties. A federal judge granted the company permanent injunctions against Shelby and Story counties that bar them from enforcing their ordinances. Those counties recently appealed the judge’s decisions, according to federal records.
Another lawsuit against Emmet County is pending.