South Dakota voters overturned Referred Law 21 in November, rejecting a controversial pipeline bill passed earlier this year by state legislators.
The measure, dubbed the landowners bill of rights, aimed to regulate future pipeline projects, particularly carbon capture initiatives. Proponents argued it struck a balance between protecting property rights and supporting infrastructure development a majority of voters overwhelmingly disagreed.
Voters rejected the law by nearly 20%, citing concerns about safeguarding property rights and opposing what many see as an unnecessary, wasteful, and potentially hazardous endeavor.
Despite a victory at the polls, voters knew the issue would resurface, and it has.
Summit Carbon Solutions, the only company still pursuing a carbon dioxide pipeline in South Dakota, reapplied for a permit with the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) on Nov. 19. The company is seeking approval for a network primarily on the eastern side of the state.
In a statement, Summit described its project as a 2,500-mile pipeline, including 700 miles in South Dakota, designed to transport carbon dioxide from 57 ethanol plants across five states. Fourteen of these plants are in South Dakota, along with Gevos proposed SAF plant near Lake Preston. The company plans to store most of the CO2 in North Dakota using Class VI injection wells, with additional capacity available for uses such as water treatment, food processing, and dry ice production.
Summit claims the project will support next-generation fuels and drive economic growth in the region.
The companys initial permit application was denied by the PUC.
To gather public input on its reapplication, six meetings are scheduled along the proposed pipeline route from Jan. 1517, 2025. According to the PUC, an overview of the project will be given at each meeting, followed by an open session for comments and questions. Moody County itself is largely unaffected, but a number of local landowners in the region will see an impact should the project be approved.
A link to the route maps is in Appendix 5C of the application under Land Use Map Book.
Couple of the nearest Public Input Meeting Schedule are:
Sioux Falls: Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, 5 p.m. CT, HUB Auditorium, Southeast Technical College, 2001 N. Career Ave., Sioux Falls, S.D.
De Smet: Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, 11:30 a.m. CT, De Smet Event Center Theater, 705 Wilder Lane, De Smet, S.D.
Watertown: Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, 6 p.m. CT, Kampeska Hall, Ramkota Hotel and Watertown Event Center, 1901 Ninth Ave. SW, Watertown, S.D.
