LEE COUNTY – According to a notification sent to Lee County officials, Navigator Pipelines is postponing all activity regarding its proposed CO2 pipeline project throughout Iowa.
The pipeline, called the Heartland Greenway, proposed by Navigator CO2 Ventures, was to run diagonally across the state from northwest to southeast picking up ethanol plant carbon dioxide that is a byproduct of the ethanol and fertilizer production.
The pipeline would have hooked up with Big River Resources in West Burlington and the Iowa Fertilizer Co. in Wever before being piped across the Mississippi River into Illinois where it was to be sequestered deep in the earth.
An email to Lee County from Percheron, an acquisition and permitting contractor for Navigator, Friday indicated the project is being postponed temporarily.
Christina Kibel, a regulatory agent with Percheron, wrote “Navigator has postponed all acquisitions and permits in Iowa until further notice”.
“Navigator has NOT officially “shut down” the entire project, but elected to pause various aspects until a later date. We have been assured that Navigator still intends to build the line at some point in the future,” Kibel wrote.
“With that said, our office has been closed effective Wednesday. All agents have been assigned to other projects. When Navigator resumes permitting, there will be another agent contacting your office.”
The pipeline faced staunch resistance from states across the Midwest, including opposition from the Lee County Board of Supervisors. The use of eminent domain was the major hurdle as the majority of owners of property the pipeline would be constructed on, didn’t want the project on their land and rebuffed efforts to acquire voluntary easements.
Lee County Supervisor Garry Seyb cautioned residents to stay vigilant.
"Don't turn a deaf ear. Even they are saying this isn't done, but it shows that people's voices are being heard," Seyb said.
Some counties instituted stricter guidelines for pipeline construction around public property and some owners launched lawsuits against construction on private property.
Ted Stein and his wife Carrelle have traveled the state to stand up against the pipeline that was originally planned to cross their property. Stein said he hadn’t heard about the Navigator decision, but said Friday he was happy with the news.
“That’s very interesting to me and I had been thinking that something like that had been in the works,” Stein said.
“I honestly am kind of wondering if NuStar might be looking at a temporary injunction, as well.”
NuStar is currently working on constructing an anhydrous ammonia pipeline in Lee County on a path similar to the Hwy. 61 bypass easements.
That project is also facing stiff opposition from a couple Lee County property owners, including the group Hayes Menke 9, which has filed for a temporary injunction saying NuStar did not adequately inform the IUB of aspects of their project.
A Sioux Falls Argus article today said Navigator has also stopped activities in South Dakota. The state denied the company’s permit applications on the first day of hearings earlier this summer.
Stein said he believes the decision from Navigator is a good step, even if temporary.
“They’re getting bad decisions in South and North Dakota being denied permits, and I think Navigator is looking at that and have decided to wait until people are less aggressive,” Stein said.
“I haven’t heard a word from them directly, but I did get a registered letter announcing when they were going to begin surveying and we didn’t accept that letter and told them they weren’t allowed on our property without a court order,” Stein said.
“I think this is a win, and I think it’s a win for everybody, not just me, frankly.”
Attempts to get comment from Navigator were unsuccessful early Friday morning.
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