A group of Iowa Republican lawmakers, known as the Republican Legislative Intervenors for Justice, is planning to sue both federal and state courts to challenge the Iowa Utilities Commission's approval of the controversial Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline. 

The lawmakers argue that the decision prioritizes corporate tax incentives over Iowa residents' safety, property rights, and well-being. The proposed $8 billion carbon-capture pipeline, which aims to connect 57 ethanol plants, would run across Iowa and extend into Nebraska, Minnesota, South Dakota, and North Dakota. 

While the Iowa Utilities Commission approved the project in June, Summit Carbon Solutions had to meet regulatory requirements and secure insurance before receiving a construction permit in August. However, construction cannot begin in Iowa until the project is also approved in the Dakotas, where it faces opposition from landowners and lawmakers.

In response, the lawmakers are pursuing legal action and exploring legislative reforms, such as tightening eminent domain laws and adjusting the functions of the Iowa Utilities Commission to block the pipeline. 

The Iowa House has passed legislation to limit the use of eminent domain for carbon pipelines, though the state Senate has yet to take action. Rep. Charley Thomson emphasized the group's broader goal of protecting communities and constitutional rights from what they view as government and corporate overreach.