(Radio Iowa) – Senator Mike Klimesh — the new Iowa Senate Majority Leader — says the proposed Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline was front and center in conversations he had with his fellow Senate Republicans before they elected him as leader two weeks ago.

“We have moved forward on a whole level of other issues — education, taxation — and we’ve done that as a team,” Klimesh said. “This is a disagreement that we had, but I really believe that continuing the conversation is of the utmost importance to finding a solution.” In May, 13 of the 34 Republicans in the Iowa Senate joined with Democrats in voting for new restrictions for carbon pipelines and other utility projects, but Governor Reynolds vetoed the bill in June.

Senator Mike Klemish (R-Spilleville) is the sponsor of Senate Study Bill 1137. (official photo)

“The issue’s not going away, obviously,” Klimesh said. Klimesh says the key is setting the rift aside and finding some sort of common ground. “Remembering how successful we’ve been when we’re together,” Klimesh said, “and to rebuild that internally.” Klimesh says he honed conflict resolution skills while serving as Spillville’s mayor — off and on — for a total of 20 years.