Pierre Pipeline Protest

Opponents of plans to build carbon pipelines through eastern South Dakota rallied Monday at the state capitol, just one day before the start of the legislative session.

All together, a few dozen people braved winter weather conditions to listen as anti-pipeline activist, and policy makers laid out their plans to further stifle plans by Iowa-based Summit Carbon Solutions – who has plans to build hundreds of miles of pipeline connecting ethanol plants in the state to a carbon storage site in North Dakota. 

Though efforts by pro-landowner groups last legislative session to slow pipeline construction fell short in the state senate, activists opposed to the project have seen a series of victories since then. Most specifically, the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission denied permit applications to Summit Carbon Solutions and another company – Navigator CO2 – looking to construct a pipeline in South Dakota. 

That denial, along with other factors, ultimately led Navigator to give up on its pipeline plans altogether. Summit, who is fighting similar battles in North Dakota and Iowa, intends to eventually have another hearing before the PUC.

This session – lawmakers will see at least a handful of bills related to regulating, or completely halting, the carbon pipeline project.