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Proposed Midwestern carbon dioxide pipeline raises concerns for some farmers

Farmers and landowners are skeptical about a proposed pipeline that would transport carbon dioxide from ethanol plants across the Midwest.

South-Central Nebraska farmer Larry Rauert tells Brownfield the Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline would cut his irrigated field potentially reducing yields. “I hate to be a stick in the mud to the rest of the mud to my fellow neighbors because this could be a huge difference in the price of their commodity.  Because of the price of the inptus we have, we’re going to need every cent we can get.”

The Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline would transport CO2 from 32 ethanol plants in Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, Minnesota and North Dakota to a sequestration site.

Landowner Gilbert Wheeler says he’s interested, but wants to be compensated fairly for lost yields. “The 2.93 acres that they’re giving us this easement on doesn’t cover the rest of the property if they come down during the growing season.”

Jake Ketzner, Vice President of Government and Public Affairs with Summit Carbon Solutions, says the rate is 240 percent of crop loss over 3 years. “When we get into the construction phase of this project, we’re going to disturb the soil.  We want to make sure we compensate the landowners for the disturbance while we do that construction.”

Summit Carbon Solutions says the proposed 2,000-mile pipeline is the biggest project in the U.S.

The group hosted an open house in Wood River, NE on Friday.