(Radio Iowa) – The minority leader in the Iowa House says Democrats will be engaged in trying to resolve the long-running debate over the proposed Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline. House Democratic Leader Brian Meyer says it’s important to get a bill passed and signed by the governor in early 2026. “I believe that there is a way to get this done that will benefit every farmer in the state and also protect property rights,” Meyer said.

Meyer says PART of the solution could be an idea touted last week by the Senate’s Republican Leader that would give
developers more flexibility in changing a pipeline route — to go around landowners who don’t want the pipeline on their property. “You have to bring everybody to the table and unless you bring everybody the table and get consensus, it just is not going to work,” Meyer says. “There’s everybody all over the place on this thing. It’s not a partisan issue. Democrats, we’re happy to engage. We want a solution. We have friends on all sides of this. We want rural Iowa to succeed, but we want to protect landowners as well.”

Senate Democratic Leader Janice Weiner isn’t predicting what kind of a compromise package might emerge — but she says Iowan’s private property rights should never been infringed upon for a pipeline developer’s private gain.  “We’re busy talking to various parties to see what the lay of the land is — pun not intended — as well,” Weiner said. Weiner says if the disagreement among Republicans on the pipeline issue isn’t resolved quickly in 2026, she predicts it will be difficult for the legislature move on to other issues.

A dozen Senate Republicans forced a vote and joined Senate Democrats last spring to pass the pipeline bill that Governor Reynolds vetoed. The bill had easily passed the House on an 85 to 10 vote.