Navigator CO2 is asking the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission to overrule local county pipeline ordinances.
That’s from the latest round of hearings on Navigator’s proposed carbon capture and sequestration pipeline.
If the PUC grants Navigator’s request, counties like Minnehaha and Moody could not control pipeline offset distances within their borders.
Navigator’s application hearing began with their counsel requesting their case be reopened so the company could submit mapping based on commission questions.
Landowner attorney Brain Jorde argued it should not be allowed.
“We think it is inappropriate and we think it is evidence of the fact that this application must be denied and returned. It’s an admission that they do not have enough in the case-in-chief which is closed,” said Jorde.
Commissioners unanimously voted to reopen the case, opening an opportunity to further question a Navigator witness on the newly provided mapping.
Monica Howard is the Vice President of Environmental and Regulatory for Navigator CO2. She testified on the validity of the mapping.
“How this was produced, is the LIDAR imagery that we flew, back in November of 21, is the background imagery you see. And then the center line of the route is in green on there. And then how that plume is created is an offset in either direction of that hazard level two distance, in every direction. That’s why you see it going kind of north at the end of the pipeline, as that 360 piece, then all the way through the whole system,” said Howard.
Navigator hopes the mapping will help convince the commission that pre-empting county ordinances is necessary for pipeline construction.
PUC commissioners continue to hear testimony and have not yet made a decision.
