Q: What exactly is this pipeline all about?
A: Summit Carbon solutions is seeking 4.5 billion dollars to capture and store emissions from 40 ethanol refineries across 5 Midwestern states. The injection and storage zone for the captured CO2 is located near Beulah, North Dakota. Developers hope to use clean energy credits to generate a profit within the carbon market of California.
Q: What is the current state of this project in North Dakota?
A: Land agents are approaching landowners along the route to lease right of ways for the pipeline. Permits for test wells have been approved in Mcclean county and the North Dakota Government has recently approved 3 million in grant funding to build the wells and collect data. The company has yet to file a permit application with the Public Service commission which is the first step in constructing the pipeline throughout North Dakota. They plan to do this in early 2022.
Q: What is the status of this project in the other 4 states?
A: Like North Dakota, Summit plans to file requests for permits in early 2022 in Nebraska, Minnesota, and South Dakota. The permitting process within Iowa is currently taking place with public meetings taking place across the state. The project within Iowa has faced immense backlash from landowners across the state.
Q: What environmental and health concerns does this pipeline pose?
A: The C02 within the pipeline will be liquified. If the pipeline were to rupture it would deplete the oxygen within the area. This would make cars and machines inoperable. In addition, if the pipeline were to rupture, animals and humans would not know anything was wrong until it was too late because CO2 is odorless. The result of breathing highly concentrated CO2 can kill you, animals, or at best cause lung damage that can persist for a long time.
This actually occurred in Mississippi after a CO2 pipeline ruptured: “The Gassing Of Satartia: A CO2 pipeline in Mississippi ruptured last year, sickening dozens of people. What does it forecast for the massive proposed buildout of pipelines across the U.S.?”
Q: What actions is the Dakota Resource Council taking to oppose this project?
A: We are currently working with landowners to discuss options to oppose this project. These options include asking the company to reroute the pipeline or negotiating better leasing agreements. We plan to connect landowners to legal representation and potentially create a class-action lawsuit to either work with the company or oppose the project all together. We are also working to make the prospect of eminent domain more difficult. DRC also has connections with organizations and landowners across the route that we could connect you all with to learn more about what might be coming to North Dakota surrounding this project.
Q: What should I do with my lease?
A: You should let the company know that you do not intend to sign the lease at this time. You should also connect with your neighbors to see if they have been asked to lease their land. In the long term, you should monitor the permitting process because unfortunately eminent domain is a possibility. Eminent domain would only be allowed to happen if enough landowners have leased and the state approves the permit for the pipeline.
Q: Who should I contact for more information?
A: You can contact Scott Skokos at (scott@drcinfo.com) or (701) 314-5933 . You can also contact Eliot Huggins at (eliot@drcinfo.com) or 701-997-5181.