By Dar Danielson (Radio Iowa)

Summit Carbon Solutions is partnering with a company that operates 17 ethanol plants in Iowa and South Dakota.

Summit says it is partnering with POET and its 12 facilities in Iowa and five in South Dakota to capture, transport, and store 4.7 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually. A statement from Summit says this partnership with the largest bioethanol producer in the world will lead to new market opportunities for producers.

The announcement comes as Summit awaits a decision by the Iowa Utilities Board on a permit for a proposed 688-mile carbon pipeline that runs through Iowa. A statement from the Sierra Club says the IUB needs to halt its deliberations and assess the implications of this new partnership between Summit and POET.