CLARION, Iowa — For property owners in Wright County, four years of inaction on eminent domain use for carbon pipelines felt like forever.

“It smells like what we’re spreading on our fields that comes out of the back end of chickens,” said Dean Kluss, Wright County Supervisor for District 3.

But after the Iowa Senate took action early last week on a bill that would make it more difficult to use eminent domain for carbon pipelines; a new surge of hope has spread over the community.

“Absolutely overjoyed that it was passed,” said Kluss. He mentioned that he was watching the live feed in the Iowa Senate last Monday night when lawmakers were debating the bill.

“It’s an excellent bill,” said Robert Ritter, a property owner in Wright county. “…and it’s just amazing. Really kind of shows you what an ordinary person can do if you get involved. I don’t care if you’re a republican or a democrat.”

Ritter has been down to the statehouse over the last several years, to stand with the group of eminent domain protestors who were there every single day.

And while Kluss and Ritter say that they wish the bill had a little more teeth and was an outright ban on eminent domain for carbon pipelines, progress is progress.

But the final hurdle remains, with Governor Kim Reynolds needing to sign the bill into law. The group of landowners in Wright County remain hopeful.

“It is my hope that the governor will take a deep consideration of what this means for not just today and for the pipeline,” said Betty Ellis, Wright County Supervisor for District 5 and a property owner in Wright County. “But for any future legislation, any other company that comes through about land rights. If this goes through, it sets a precedent for any future company that wants to do something with private landowners.”

Governor Reynolds has until June 15 to sign the bill into law, and if not it will be considered a pocket veto. Her office told WHO 13 News last week that they are currently reviewing the legislation.

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