‘First of many’ attempts to stifle proposed carbon pipeline blocked in House

Utility companies express concerns about unintended consequences of bill

Surveying equipment from Summit Carbon Solutions digs on land in Brown County. (Submitted)

PIERRE – Legislation triggered by a dispute between a northeastern South Dakota landowner and carbon pipeline company Summit Carbon Solutions failed to earn the support of a House committee Friday morning.

The House’s Commerce and Energy Committee defeated HB 1079 by an eight to four vote, the first of what landowner rights activists say will be one of several attempts to suffocate Summit’s plans to build hundreds of miles of carbon pipeline across eastern South Dakota this session. 

The bill – carried by freshman lawmaker Scott Moore of Ipswich – would have required companies doing surveying work to gain the permission of the property owner and the tenant, or to have a permit from the Public Utilities Commission (PUC). 

“If you don’t have a voluntary easement, you must wait until the project gets approved by the PUC,” Moore explained. 

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