(Red Oak, Iowa) – A rural Montgomery County woman, today (Tuesday), provided an update for the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors, with regard to efforts by Summit Carbon Solutions to obtain a route for a carbon capture pipeline through the County. Jan Norris from West township read the following statement to the Board:

“Summit has filed 14 new Phase II dockets routes using a different LLC name, SCS Carbon Transport.The new 30 mile Adams/Montgomery county docket number is HLP-2024-0006. A couple years ago, the county filed an objection to eminent domain on the original Summit docket. If you are still opposed to eminent domain, please file an objection to this new docket number.

“This afternoon (Tuesday), the Senate Ways & Means subcommittee will be holding a hearing on a bill that would create a declaratory order and also, importantly, help for appeal bonds. I certainly hope our senator, who appears to have land in the new corridor, will support the bill. PHMSA’s new draft regulations are now open to public comments. Anyone wanting to participate can sign up to share their concerns. On May 7, the IUB will be holding a public hearing on Restoration of Agricultural Lands During & After Pipeline Construction. I would assume our inspector Snyder & Associates will be in attendance.

“In an April 1 article about CO2 pipelines, North Dakota Dept of Mineral Resources Director, said, “We’ve got to overcome this (Not in my backyard) attitude. We are going to need everything we can get, from… any place that will send it, if we want that extra 10 billion barrels of oil,” Does that sound like sequestration to you?

“Summit will be required to hold public information meetings for the new routes. If they follow the spring schedule, that the IUB denied, we might expect our local meeting to be as early as the first week of June. But some of you might know better. I found it notable that on March 28 Bremer County filed a letter giving notice to Summit of their hazardous liquid pipeline ordinance. THEY are not backing down.

“Once again, I urge you hold discussion on the pipeline issue. All 5 members of this body should be allowed to participate, and including public input would be even better. I apologize for having to be here so often, but there are potentially 154 homes in Montgomery Co who don’t get to pass. We deserve better.”

(Elk Horn, Iowa) – The Danish Windmill,a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organizations, is continuing its “It Takes A Village” fundraiser, on Sunday April 14. All tour admissions generated on Sunday will be donated to local daycare facility, Kids in the Village. General admission is $5.00 / person ages 13 and up. Tour the windmill for a good cause. View our new exhibits and see the windmill in action.

Windmill Manager Shaun Sayres says “We’ve partnered with local businesses to ensure food options for each Sunday. This Sunday will feature Norse Horse Tavern, open 11-2 serving breakfast sandwiches and Danish hotdogs. Come enjoy a Spring day in the Danish Villages and help support a vital organization.

We will have additional fundraising days on Sunday April 21, and Sunday April 28.” Additional details are forthcoming.

DES MOINES — U.S. Representative Zach Nunn (IA-03) introduced bipartisan legislation to incentivize the adoption of siblings. The Fight for Siblings Act, which is co-led by U.S. Representative Don Davis (NC-01), will double the federal adoption tax credit for families that adopt siblings.

“Family is everything to Iowans, and I want to make sure that I’m doing everything in my power to help Iowans who are willing to open their home to disadvantaged children,” said Rep. Nunn. “When we began fostering and ultimately adopted Jayna and Aliya, we knew it was incredibly important to keep them together as sisters. Now, I’m fighting to ensure every sibling in the foster system or awaiting adoption can stay together forever.”

Nothing is more important than providing children with a safe, loving environment to grow and learn. In April 2023, Rep. Nunn and his wife adopted two sisters into their family. His firsthand experience with the shortcomings of the foster and adoption process is the foundation for his passion to help other children find their forever homes. According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services, there are 4,144 Iowa children in foster care and 1,004 Iowa children awaiting adoption.

“It’s important to ensure that low- and middle-income parents have the same opportunities as others when it comes to adopting children,” said Rep. Davis. “Our legislation aims to level the playing field and guarantee equal access to adoption for all families willing to provide caring and loving homes to children.”

Under federal law, foster care agencies are required to strive to find temporary placements in the same home for foster siblings. When placed together, siblings are ultimately provided with a sense of stability that positively impacts their transition and long-term well-being. “A family should not be discouraged to foster and adopt because of cost,” said Mary Beth O’Neill, President and CEO of Four Oaks. “This legislation will allow more siblings to stay together through the adoption process. This, in turn, will provide consistency and stability for not just the children and families supported by Four Oaks in Iowa, but foster and adoptive families all across the country. We are grateful for Representative Nunn’s Fight for Siblings Act. His advocacy efforts will drive positive outcomes for children throughout the nation.”

Adoption fees and related expenses are high which makes it difficult to adopt more than one child at a time. According to the HHS, independent adoptions as of June, 2023 range from $25,000 to $45,000. Adoptions from a private agency range from $30,000 to $60,000. These costs can be prohibitive to families seeking to adopt siblings, unintentionally forcing the separation of siblings.

“When most people think about adoption from foster care, they often envision heartwarming pictures of families proudly standing outside a courthouse with a sign that reads, ‘After X days in foster care, I’ve joined my forever family.’ While these moments are certainly worth celebrating, it’s important to acknowledge that adoption from foster care can also be a bittersweet experience, marked by the loss and trauma that these children have experienced,” said Traci Schermerhorn, President and CEO of Foster Squad. “The Foster SQUAD is committed to supporting foster families as they navigate the next phase of their journey, and we’re excited to get behind the Fight for Siblings Act, which aims to alleviate some of the financial burden on these families so they can focus on providing the love and care that these children need.”

The bipartisan Fight for Siblings Act would double the federal adoption tax credit for families who adopt two or more siblings within the same fiscal year.

Rep. Nunn introduced the bipartisan bill at a press conference in Ankeny on Tuesday with representatives from Four Oaks and the Foster Squad. Text of the bill can be found here.

(Radio Iowa) – A House panel has voted to set aside a quarter of a million dollars for projects that make Iowa’s state  parks more accessible to visitors with disabilities. Republican Representative Norlin Mommsen of  DeWitt says it’s a first installment for needed improvements.) “The DNR’s been running a survey, evaluating their parks and stuff,” Mommsen says. “I’m hoping they have a list and I would think they’d prioritize most important and start there.”

The proposed funding boost is included in a budget plan for the Department of Natural Resources that is supported by Republicans and Democrats on a House subcommittee. Representative Sami Scheetz is a Democrat from Cedar Rapids. “State parks need to be accessible to everybody in our state, so this is a good start,” Scheetz said.

Most historic structures in Iowa’s 69 state parks are not required to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, however any park facility built or updated in the past 12 years must comply with the A-D-A’s accessibility standards.

(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – The Board of Supervisors in Pottawattamie County, today (Tuesday), approved a funding request from Main Street Avoca, in the amount of $3,000. The funds will be used for general operations of the non-profit, volunteer-driven organization, which is focused on community engagement, historic preservation and economic development.

Avoca Main Street spokesperson Amber Mohr was asked about the organization’s economic impact on the community. She said their efforts to date have produced over $4.2-million dollars worth of investment in downtown projects and acquisitions.

Avoca Main Street has been in operation for 10-years. In other business, the Pott. County Supervisors held public hearings on, and passed resolutions for:

Pottawattamie County BOS meeting, 4-9-2024

• The reallocation of certain unspent proceeds of the General Obligation Capital Loan Notes, Series 2020A, in the amount of $4.610-million.
• The reallocation of certain unspent proceeds of the General Obligation Capital Loan Notes, Series 2021A, in the amount of $1.905-million.
• And, a resolution for the reallocation of certain unspent proceeds of the General Obligation Capital Loan Notes, Series 2022, in the amount of $1.745-million.

They also approved an amendment to the FY 2023/24 Pott. County Budget, and the appropriation of funds from the amendment for FY 2023/24.