By O. Kay Henderson (Radio Iowa)
The Iowa company planning to build a two-thousand mile carbon pipeline through five states has now been denied construction permits in both North and South Dakota.
This morning, South Dakota’s Public Utilities Commission unanimously rejected Summit Carbon Solutions application to extend its pipeline through their state. The South Dakota regulators say Summit failed to follow county ordinances the require buffer zones around city limits and homes. The commission rejected Navigator CO2’s pipeline application on similar grounds.
Summit executives say they will “refine” their proposed route through South Dakota and resubmit the application. The company’s statement says Summit Carbon Solutions “remains committed to South Dakota’s ethanol industry” as well as the 73% of landowners along the pipeline route in South Dakota who’ve signed contracts giving the company voluntary access to their property.
Summit Carbon Solutions has already redrawn its proposed pipeline route in North Dakota after regulators there raised concerns the pipeline was too close to North Dakota’s capital city. The Iowa Utilities Board started a hearing on the company ‘s proposed pipeline path in Iowa in August. The hearing resumes tomorrow in Fort Dodge at 8 a.m.