Wright County pledges $500 toward amicus brief in Summit Carbon local-control case

Wright County supervisors voted to contribute $500 toward an amicus brief in litigation tied to Summit Carbon, the board said Oct. 27 during its regular meeting.

The motion to contribute $500 — presented after a webinar and letter from the Iowa State Association of Counties (ISAC) — passed unanimously. The board discussed the brief as an issue of local control rather than a single pipeline project and directed payment from the county's LATCF funds.

Supervisor Dean (identified in the meeting as the member presenting the item) said the brief's estimated cost is about $25,000 and that wider county participation would help cover that expense. A resident during public comment earlier had urged the board to join the filing, calling the issue a property‑rights and local‑control matter.

The board president confirmed staff will obtain and process an invoice and that the $500 contribution will be paid immediately from the identified fund. No dissenting votes were recorded in the meeting transcript.

Background: ISAC circulated a letter and hosted a webinar urging counties to consider joining the brief to protect local ordinances and resolutions from preemption in litigation. The supervisors framed the cost as a modest investment in preserving county authority.