One CO2 Pipeline Denied Permits, While Hearings Continue On Another

A section of a proposed CO2 pipeline was rejected this week.

The South Dakota Public Utilities Board unanimously voted to deny Navigator CO2 Venture’s application to construct a CO2 pipeline on the basis that it did not satisfy multiple criteria in the application process.

The proposed pipeline would have transported CO2 from five ethanol plants in South Dakota to be sequestered in Illinois. 

The South Dakota section represented around 10 percent of the 1300 miles for the proposed project. The company can reapply the South Dakota section of the project  to the Public Utilities Board.

Hearings for another CO2 pipeline continued in Iowa this week. The public events for the Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline entered their third week, and witnesses testified on plans to repair damages to drainage tile caused by construction of the pipeline.

Brian Jorde, Attorney for Opposing Landowners: “If tile is tile works being done, is the landowner able to be present and then. Oh, Mr. Ellingson, we need to do this. And then, sir, I noticed that Are they allowed to be part of the process or kind of be a watchdog, if you will? Yes. And if the landowner says, okay, this is how I want you to do that, do you take direction from the landowner or do you have to defer to Summit since that's your contract?”

Jeremy Ellingson, Ellingson Companies: “We work directly with the landowners? Our role in this project is to ensure that the landowners tile is put back to exactly the way it was or better from when it was broken by the pipeline company.”

Brian Jorde, Attorney for Opposing Landowners: “So do you. Okay. And so do you believe, therefore, that you have leeway to make modifications or changes or repairs based on what the landowner in the field is telling you without double checking that it's okay with Summit?”

Jeremy Ellingson, Ellingson Companies: “Within the scope of the project? Yes.”

The Summit pipeline will transfer CO2 from ethanol plants in five states to North Dakota for sequestration.

For Market to Market, I’m Peter Tubbs.