By Rick Morain
Jefferson Herald
The Greene County board of supervisors, last week, discussed the proposed carbon capture and storage project for carbon dioxide from ethanol plants with representatives of Summit Carbon Solutions (SCS). Quinn Slaven and Rod Dillon gave a short presentation and answered questions about the project.
SCS, founded in 2020, is headquartered in Ames. Its proposed project would capture and store carbon dioxide from 31 ethanol plants, 12 of which are in Iowa, including the Louis Dreyfus plan north of Grand Junction. Five states are involved: Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska.
Slaven estimated that the project could capture up to 12 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually, with an estimated 14,000 to 17,000 jobs generated during the project’s construction phase and 350 to 450 permanent jobs when operational. The captured carbon dioxide would be stored deeply underground in North Dakota.
The goal of the project, Slaven said, is to reduce the carbon footprint of ethanol production and provide sustainability for ethanol and other ag-related industries. Compensation to landowners for crop losses from the pipeline construction would be 100 percent for the first year, 80 percent for the second year and 60 percent for the third year, all to paid in a lump sum.
The project is scheduled to begin in 2023 and become operational in 2024.
The supervisors asked whether easements are transferable, what permanent jobs would be created, and whether the product could be used for dry ice.
After Slaven and Dillon signed off the electronic meeting, the board discussed interviewing companies for inspection services needed once construction begins. ISG has already contacted and visited with the board.
County attorney Thomas Laehn clarified that the county itself will not be able to stop the project, except on a temporary basis, should something go wrong. The Iowa Utility Board has ultimate power to shut down a project.
County engineer Wade Weiss discussed a conversation he had with Janet Holmes on some of the problems involved in the Dakota Pipeline construction in the Algona area, for which ISG served as inspectors and engineers for counties involved. He discussed work performed in conditions not conducive to pipeline construction, and noted that the Iowa Code requirements have been improved since that time.
In other action, the supervisors voted to retain the current county voting precinct boundaries that are determined by the board.
The city of Jefferson sets its own precinct boundaries.
The current precincts outside Jefferson are Central, East, North and West. Central precinct includes six townships in the central and south part of the county, not including Jefferson itself: Bristol, Hardin, Grant, Franklin, Greenbrier and Jackson. East precinct includes Junction and Washington Townships and the cities of Dana, Grand Junction and Rippey.
North precinct includes Cedar, Highland, Dawson and Paton Townships and the cities of Churdan and Paton. West precinct includes Kendrick, Scranton and Willow Townships, the city of Scranton, and the portion of Ralston that lies in Greene County.
The board’s action followed the recommendation of Greene County auditor Jane Heun, who further noted that no change would be made to the Greene County election precinct ordinance.
The Jefferson city council is in process of reducing the number of Jefferson voting precincts from three to two, with Highway 4 as the dividing line.
Chuck Wenthold reported that National Grid Renewables will host an open house Dec. 15 in Grand Junction or the proposed Grand Junction solar project. The meeting will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Grand Junction city hall. It is intended for local government units and neighboring landowners in and around the project’s footprint south of Grand Junction.
County conservation director Tanner Scheuermann said his office will soon move from the courthouse to Spring Lake. He also discussed plans for setting up bicycle displays near Totem Acres and Cooper.
