Jon Dunwell, a former Iowa state representative, attended his first Iowa Utilities Commission meeting after Governor Kim Reynolds appointed him to fill a vacancy. Landowners fighting Summit Carbon's pipeline plans say his voting record raises concerns, specifically his no vote on a bill that would have eliminated eminent domain for carbon oxide pipelines. Critics like Floyd County landowner Kathy Carter note Dunwell has voted both directions on related bills over five years. Dunwell did not address the pipeline proposal at the meeting, and the commission declined to comment. The appointment matters because the commission will play a central role in deciding whether Summit Carbon's pipeline moves forward and how landowners are treated in the process.
