Governor Appoints New State Regulators to Decide Pipeline Permits

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds has appointed a couple new state regulators to decide on the carbon pipeline permits – that means two of the three Iowa Utilities Board members who will decide whether three proposed carbon pipelines get state construction permits will be new to the job. 

Last week, Governor Kim Reynolds announced she was appointing Erik Helland, a former Republican member of the Iowa House, to take over as Iowa Utilities Board chairman in May. 

Current board chairwoman Geri Huser’s term on the board extended until 2027, but a spokesman for the governor says Huser is stepping down at the end of the month. Governor Reynolds is appointing Sarah Martz to fill that slot. Martz is currently the director of engineering for utilities on Iowa State University’s campus. She previously worked for Alliant Energy. 

Both new members of the Iowa Utilities Board must be confirmed by the Iowa Senate. Republicans hold 34 seats in the senate, the number of votes necessary to win confirmation.  

One of the pipelines – the Navigator CO2 Heartland Greenway project – is proposed to come through Delaware and Buchanan counties before heading west through the state.

story contribution from Radio Iowa