The North Dakota Public Service Commission has approved a route permit for the proposed Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline, which will bring CO2 emissions from Midwestern ethanol plants to be sequestered in central North Dakota.
The permit is for the North Dakota portion of the pipeline. It had been denied earlier because the Commission didn’t think Summit had done enough work on some of the requirements. Summit asked for a re-hearing – and after months of public hearings, approved the route.
A crowd gathered in a state Capitol hearing room to hear the PSC decision. Many were against the pipeline – some of them worried about the company using eminent domain. PSC Chairman Randy Christmann then said he would talk about what was not in the order.
"We are not concluding that SCS is a common carrier, nor that they qualfy for the use of eminent domain," Christmann said. "Those are not in our jurisdictions, are are not part of the siting process."
Christmann said if SCS uses eminent domain, a courrt will make those determinations.
Summit CEO Lee Blank said the company is pleased with the decision.
"It's been a long process, and it's nice to see that process come to some closure.," Blank said. "So now we continue to work in some of the other states, like South Dakota and Iowa, and keep moving the project forward."
As to the use of eminent domain, Banks said the company is working toward 100 percent voluntary easements. Blank said in North Dakota, more than 82 percent of landowners along the route have voluntary easements.
"That's what we will be focused on, right up until the project is under construction," Blank said.
But some landowners who have not signed easements say they worry the company will use eminent domain for the route.
"What happened today is a terrible blow for all landowners in North Dakota, when a company can take land without it benefitting any people in North Dakota, except those who are building the pipeline," said Emmons County landowner Julia Straymer. She said there is a potential for further legal action to try and stop the pipeline.
