Please accept this comment in support of Summit Carbon Solutions' Midwest Carbon Express project, a critical investment in the region’s economic and energy future.

As we emerge from a global pandemic and economic downturn, this $4.5 billion investment in Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska will provide welcomed relief to the economic landscape in smaller and rural communities across the Midwest, while supporting good jobs for the local workforce. The construction phase alone is expected to create 14,000 to 17,000 jobs, many of these going to the dedicated members of Local 798 who depend on infrastructure projects to provide for their families.

My support for this project is also driven by the critical need for increased carbon capture and storage capacity. We need projects like Midwest Carbon Express to meet emission reduction goals and to ultimately set the stage for better environmental outcomes. There is no single solution to the dual challenge of rebuilding our economy and addressing the urgent threat of greenhouse gas emissions, but approving carbon capture and storage projects like Midwest Carbon Express is a meaningful step we can take today.

I support the Midwest Carbon Express Project for the following key reasons:

• Summit Carbon Solutions will partner with local businesses during both the construction and operational phase of the project, providing a meaningful, ongoing boost to the economies in communities across the Midwest;
• The project is expected to support 14,000 to 17,000 jobs during the construction phase and upwards of 460 permanent jobs, many going to Local 798 members;
• In order to reach our nation’s emission reduction goals, it necessary to substantially increase carbon capture and storage capacity. Once operational, the Midwest Carbon Express Project will be capable of capturing and permanently storing 12 million tons of carbon dioxide every year, which is the equivalent of taking 2.6 million cars off the road each and every year;
• Summit Carbon Solutions is partnering with 31 ethanol plants across the Midwest, working together to create new revenue streams for this industry so they can continue to deliver cleaner affordable and reliable fuel options to families and businesses across the country.

The Midwest Carbon Express Project is poised to create good-paying jobs for local craftsmen, generate critical economic activity, help meet rising demand for clean energy and bring the region and nation a substantial step closer to reaching environmental goals. This is why I support this important project and urge the Utilities Board and other decision makers to issue necessary approvals.

Signed,

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