During the past four years, I’ve penned many letters-to-the-editor in protest of Summit Carbon Solutions’ plans for a 2500-mile CO2 pipeline and its intent to take our property through eminent domain. My most recent LTE expressed frustration with the Iowa Legislature where eminent domain reform bills passed out of the House the past four sessions only to die in the Senate Commerce Committee.
Recently, I received a reply from a reader in Dickinson County asking me to “think about” the possibility that Governor Reynolds has been complicit in the actions of the legislature and the unfair treatment of landowners on Summit Carbon Solutions CO2 pipeline route. I have given this some thought, and interesting facts support the possibility.
The writer mentions the fact that Gov. Reynolds is a “protégé of former Gov. (Terry) Branstad.” This is true. Coincidentally, Branstad is now employed by Summit Carbon Solutions as Senior Policy Advisor. In fact, he isn’t the only Summit executive with previous connections to the Governor’s office. Summit’s VP of Government Affairs, Jake Ketzner, previously served as Chief of Staff to Governor Kim Reynolds. Ketzner was also an administrative legislative liaison for both (former Governor) Branstad and (then Lt. Governor) Reynolds.
The connection between Governor Reynolds and Bruce Rastetter, owner of Summit Carbon Solutions, is also mentioned. Facts support this assertion. Public records show that Rastetter has contributed over $150,000 to Reynolds’ campaigns over the years. Furthermore, a FOIA request filed by Bold Nebraska (2019-2020) and Food and Water Watch (2022-2023) show that Governor Reynolds and Bruce Rastetter exchanged eight hundred emails which often included plans for lunch. A more recent FOIA request by Bold Nebraska (2024) was returned with more than 20,000 possible documents.
In contrast, Governor Kim Reynolds has refused to meet with landowners for four years despite our letters, phone calls, emails, and in-person requests made to her staff and to her personally. Reynold’s response is always the same: She “opposes eminent domain,” but “there is a process,” and “they [landowners] will be compensated.”
Yes, I’ve thought about the assertion that Governor Kim Reynolds uses the weight of the Governor’s office to tip the scales in favor of Summit Carbon Solutions. I think her record speaks for itself.
Respectfully,
Bonnie Ewoldt
Milford IA, and Crawford County landowner
