Summit Carbon Solutions is suing Kossuth County in federal court over a new ordinance that restricts where carbon pipelines may be built. Kossuth County 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 route and set safety standards. Summit has sued three other counties with similar ordinances. 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.
