(Radio Iowa) – The Iowa Utilities Commission heard public testimony Tuesday on proposed changes to its rules on hazardous liquid pipeline. Several of the people who commented were involved in the process for the Summit Carbon Solution’s carbon dioxide pipeline permit that was ultimately awarded despite their opposition. Sheri Webb, a landowner in Shelby County, says holding hearings during the harvest leaves people out of the process. “If they’re 24-7 and a lot of those combines are going 24-7, they just switch operators or they’ve got chores to do they didn’t make it to those meetings,” she says. “that is so wrong those people were left out in the dark in many instances.”

Webb also said many older landowners don’t use computers and trying to file things online was not easy. “I even hesitated the first time I was getting on the I-U-B site, which now is our utilities commission. I didn’t know what I was doing,” Webb says. “The website’s not super friendly. And now it’s I think it’s even worse now. But I guess the point is, is when you’ve got senior citizens that either don’t have a computer or don’t have the skills, they are left in the dark and that is wrong.” She says posting public notices in newspapers is not a good way to get information out, as many people no longer take the paper. “Most counties now have a website and a lot of them have a Facebook presence so I would suggest that they also be asked to put notifications in those areas,” Carter says.

Kathy Carter of Rockford also talked about using the Iowa Utilities Commission website. “One of the first things that I would like to bring to the attention of the commission is how very hard and frustrating it was to try to find on the I-U-B website the revised rules that showed not only the red lining but additions,” she says.

The hearing is part of the Governor’s executive order requiring all state agencies to review administrative code and an update and streamline rules and regulations. The I-U-C will consider any changes to the rules and then will host public hearings before the rules are adopted.