Iowa counties await decision on pipeline ordinances amid legal battles

Several Iowa counties face legal challenges over ordinances restricting carbon dioxide pipelines, with outcomes hinging on federal appeals.

Jared Strong reports for Iowa Capital Dispatch.

In short:

Shelby and Story counties' pipeline restrictions were overruled by a federal judge, sparking appeals.
Summit Carbon Solutions sued five counties for imposing pipeline restrictions, citing disruption to their $8 billion pipeline project.
The legal battles reflect local concerns about pipeline safety and environmental impacts.

Key quote:

"The challenged restrictions impose severe limitations that will lead to a situation where the (Iowa Utilities Board) may grant a permit to construct a pipeline and Summit is unable to do so."

— Chief Judge Stephanie Rose

Why this matters:

This legal conflict underscores the tension between local environmental safety concerns and large-scale industrial projects. The outcome could set a precedent for how local and federal authorities balance environmental protection with industrial development.

Source of pride and pollution: Balancing energy needs and community health.

iowacapitaldispatch.com

Iowa counties await decision on pipeline ordinances amid legal battles

Plant-based foods in healthcare sustainability policy

Bonn Climate Conference 2026: Health groups urged tripling climate adaptation finance

How can health systems withstand a changing climate?

Confronting salty problems in the coastal plain

UC San Diego Health receives national awards for sustainability

Rural Nevada counties especially vulnerable to Hoover Dam hydropower decline

A remarkable microbe could help farmers survive rising seas

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Pennsylvania health advocates say Trump’s first 100 days in office have caused “100 harms” to local communities

“They're terrorizing these scientists because they want to keep them silent.”

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.