Witnesses for Summit Carbon Pipeline Testify at Iowa Utilities Board [VIDEO]

Executives from Summit Carbon Solutions have begun to take the witness stand before the Iowa Utilities Board along with other expert witnesses testifying in favor of the company’s proposed hazardous CO2 pipeline project currently seeking a permit and eminent domain authority to seize Iowa farmers’ land. Bold Alliance is capturing video recordings of the proceedings, which are streamed live but not archived by the Iowa Utilities Board.

Last week, Summit Chief Operating Officer Jimmy Powell testified for several hours. Also taking the stand last week were Summit CCO James Pirolli; Erik Schovanec, Summit’s Director of Pipeline & Facilities; and Micah Rorie, Summit’s VP of Land & Right-of-Way.

Along with executives from the company, Summit also called expert witnesses including Andrew Phillips, who testified on an economic study of the benefits of the pipeline Summit commissioned from Ernst & Young; James Broghammer, CEO of Summit-partnered ethanol plant Pine Lake Corn Processors; Jeremy Ellingson, COO of drainage tile contractor Ellingson Companies; and Aaron Dejoia, of Soil and Ecological Solutions.

This week, testimony from Summit executives and witnesses continued with additional testimony from Summit’s Micah Rorie; Dr. Jon Schmidt, VP, Environmental and Regulatory Services, EXP Energy Services, who testified on Summit’s efforts to acquire environmental permits; Bryan Loque, VP, Asset Integrity & Corrosion, Audubon Companies, who testified on plume modeling; and Dr. Michael Lumpkin, a toxicologist called by Summit to downplay the risks of CO2 exposure to humans.

Yet this week, Summit is expected to call witnesses including Kent Muhlbauer, Rod Dillon, Brigham A. McCown, and John Godfrey.

You can keep up with the IUB hearings on the Summit CO2 pipeline permit by visiting or subscribing to the Bold Nebraska YouTube channel.