After weeks of testimony and rebuttal witnesses, the main case for Navigator CO2’s application is complete.
With only a few weeks until PUC makes its final decision, all interested parties anxiously await the results.
Commissioners now face the task of reviewing all the evidence and testimony provided over almost three weeks of hearings.
Elizabeth Burns-Thompson is the Vice President of Government and Public Affairs for Navigator. She said the length of the hearing allowed Navigator to provide ample evidence.
“There’s a reason that hearing was nearly two-plus weeks long. There’s a lot of details to cover. A lot of things the PUC necessarily needed to dig into, and I think that looking back, we were able to provide a wealth of information in all of those key subject areas. That are necessary to ultimately do the permit review and process,” said Burns-Thompson.
Navigator’s goal was to prove that their application met the PUC’s rules and regulations so they can start building the pipeline through eastern South Dakota.
Applicant responsibility is stated in the PUC's information guide to siting pipelines.
Applicants have to comply with all laws and rules that apply, and they can not pose a treat to the environment, social, or economic conditions.
An applicant can not impair the health, safety or welfare of inhabitants and can not interfere with the development of the region.
Brian Jorde has been the legal counsel for landowners throughout the hearing. He said the only part of the hearing that surprised him was the application itself.
“I guess my surprise would be in the lack of evidence and lack of proof for what their claimed intended benefits are of the pipeline,” said Jorde.
Jorde also commented on a separate case involving Summit Carbon Solutions and their application denial in North Dakota.
“We believe our Navigator evidence came in even better than the Summit evidence did in North Dakota. And we think, based on both you know, companies, the way they’re presenting the project, where their at, the real purpose for the project, they just don’t make sense for South Dakota,” said Jorde.
PUC commissioners will meet again August 24th-25th to continue the final stages of the hearing.
