(Red Oak, Iowa) – The Montgomery County Board of Supervisors were asked Tuesday morning, to get on with the business of writing and passing a hazardous pipeline ordinance. Jan Norris, a West Township resident, implored the Board to act, said the urgency to do so is because of next month’s Iowa Utilities Board meeting with Summit Carbon Solutions.

The proposed 706-mile long pipeline passes through 30 counties, including the western third of Montgomery County. In June, a representative for the pipeline told the Supervisors about 75% of the easements needed had been secured, or about 13.4-miles, and $4.6-million in easement payments had been issued.

Jan Norris said if the Board is set against passing an ordinance, whether their opinion is based on legal advice or not – they should communicate their intentions to the public.

Maggie McQuown, a 4th generation resident of Garfield Township, living on her family farm. She also serves on the Montgomery County Board of Adjustment. She said while the individual Board members are entitled to their opinion on the carbon pipeline, but it is more so important to do “everything in [their] power to prepare Montgomery County for the CO2 pipeline, for safety of the residents.

She told the Board “Don’t be bullied,” by the threat of a lawsuit from Summit Carbon Solutions, should the County enact an ordinance.

She said the ordinance guidelines can be adjusted to allow for variances to be granted, but a “life-threatening incident” can’t be undone. The Board thanked both women for their input, but because the matter was not on their agenda, no action was taken at this time.