(Radio Iowa) – A House-passed bill to set new guidelines for development of carbon pipelines has been tabled in the Senate, but Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver says the conversation isn’t over. “We’re hearing a lot from both sides and we’ll continue to take that feedback and see if there’s consensus in the Caucus,” Whitver says. “Right now there isn’t.” Whitver is the leader of the 34 member Republican Caucus in the Senate.

“There are just a lot of different opinions and if you look at the different people who are working and interested in this bill, it’s very unique to have Farm Bureau and Sierra Club and Iowa (Citizens for Community Improvement) and Food and Water Watch on one side versus the entire ag industry on the other side,” Whitver says. “There’s just as many opinions as there are (senators) at this point.”

The House voted 73 to 20 in favor of a bill that would have required developers to get voluntary access to 90 percent of the properties along the pipeline routes before eminent domain authority could be used to force the other landowners to grant access to their property. While that bill was not considered in the senate, Whitver suggests lawmakers will continue to discuss how and whether to intervene.

“It is a hot issue, but it’s hot on both sides,” Whitver says. “There’s definitely people that want to see the pipeline happen. They think it’s going to be good for the ag industry. There are people that are very concerned about property rights and so it’s definitely it’s an issue that will continue to come up over the next few years.”

It’s possible the Iowa Utilities Board review of the three proposed pipeline projects will not be completed before the 2024 legislature reconvenes. A recent Des Moines Register Iowa Poll found nearly eight out of 10 Iowans surveyed oppose the use of government’s eminent domain authority to compel reluctant landowners to sign over property along the pipeline routes.