Carbon dioxide pipeline company Summit Carbon Solutions has resubmitted its permit application to South Dakota regulators after a previous rejection. The company claims to have made “significant reroutes” to the pipeline’s proposed path.
South Dakota’s Public Utilities Commission denied the initial application over a year ago, citing non-compliance with county laws regarding pipeline distances from existing structures. While a new route map wasn’t immediately available, it was later released alongside hundreds of application documents.
In a letter to regulators, Summit‘s lawyer, Brett Koenecke, acknowledged that the original route violated county ordinances, potentially hindering or delaying the project.
The company argues that the new route, spanning 700 miles across South Dakota, would connect 14 ethanol plants and a proposed sustainable aviation fuel plant.
The $9 billion pipeline project would ultimately stretch 2,500 miles across five states, connecting to 57 ethanol plants. Summit already has permits in Iowa and North Dakota, with a pending decision in Minnesota and no state permitting process in Nebraska.
The pipeline aims to capture carbon dioxide from ethanol production, liquefy it, and transport it to North Dakota for underground storage. This process could qualify the company for billions in federal tax credits designed to incentivize carbon capture.
Summit also suggests potential uses for the captured carbon, including green methanol, water treatment, food processing, and dry ice production. However, critics have raised concerns about the possibility of using the carbon dioxide for enhanced oil recovery in North Dakota’s oilfields, a practice that Summit denies.
Relevant: North Dakota Approves Summit Carbon Pipeline Project
The project has faced significant opposition from South Dakota landowners and environmental groups, who worry about potential pipeline leaks and the use of eminent domain to acquire land.
Summit claims to have incorporated feedback from landowners and local officials in the new route, but critics remain skeptical.
The political climate in South Dakota has shifted against the pipeline, with several lawmakers who supported the project losing their primary elections. Voters also rejected a state law that would have eased the pipeline’s approval process.
“This project represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to strengthen South Dakota’s agricultural future while advancing energy innovation,” said Lee Blank, Summit’s CEO, in a statement.
Read more: South Dakota Court Upholds Rejection Of Summit Carbon Capture Pipeline
