Iowa lawmakers weigh possible pipeline legislation in 2026

Iowa lawmakers are already signaling renewed debate in 2026 over the proposed Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline, with growing interest among House Republicans in responding to landowners opposed to the use of eminent domain.

House Majority Leader Bobby Kaufmann says many Republicans want to revisit the issue after Governor Kim Reynolds vetoed a bill earlier this year that would have placed tighter restrictions on the use of eminent domain for carbon pipelines and other utility projects.

“I certainly supported last year’s bill 100 percent,” Kaufmann said in a recent Radio Iowa interview. “But it was a big political target. I think you’ll see something very simple and very straightforward introduced early on.”

While Kaufmann did not predict what specific legislation may advance, he pointed to South Dakota’s new law, signed in March, which prohibits the use of eminent domain for carbon pipelines. Speaking personally, Kaufmann said he supports a similar approach in Iowa, though he emphasized he is still gauging support within the House Republican caucus and plans to meet with Governor Reynolds to discuss the issue.

Kaufmann reiterated his strong disagreement with the governor’s veto but said it would not prevent further discussions. He added that he remains open to working with Reynolds as lawmakers look for a path forward.

In the Iowa Senate, Republican Leader Mike Klimesh plans to introduce legislation that would establish a 10-mile corridor around proposed utility routes. Klimesh says the goal is to give developers more flexibility to adjust routes and avoid property owned by landowners who oppose the project, potentially reducing the need for eminent domain.

However, Republican Representative Steven Holt of Denison said the proposal does not guarantee that eminent domain would be prohibited along the expanded corridor. Holt, who has supported past efforts to regulate or block the Summit pipeline, said any acceptable compromise must include clear language banning eminent domain for carbon pipelines in Iowa.

House Democrats say they plan to be active participants in the discussion as the legislature looks for a solution. House Democratic Leader Brian Meyer told Radio Iowa that it is critical for lawmakers to pass a bill early in the 2026 session that both protects property rights and benefits Iowa farmers.

Meyer said flexibility in pipeline routing, an idea promoted by Senate Republicans, could be part of the solution, but only if lawmakers from both parties reach consensus. He stressed the issue is not partisan and requires cooperation from all sides.

Senate Democratic Leader Janice Weiner also declined to predict what a final compromise might look like, but emphasized that private property rights should not be violated for a private company’s gain. She said discussions are ongoing among various stakeholders and warned that unresolved divisions could slow progress on other legislative priorities.

Last spring, a bipartisan group of Senate Republicans joined Democrats to pass a pipeline bill that was later vetoed by Governor Reynolds. The measure passed the Iowa House by a wide margin, 85 to 10.