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Navigator CO2 cancels multi-state carbon capture pipeline project

Navigator CO2's Heartland Greenway in South Dakota
Navigator CO2 Ventures LLC
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Navigator CO2 Ventures LLC
Navigator CO2's Heartland Greenway in South Dakota

Navigator CO2 has canceled its proposed Heartland Greenway pipeline project.

Citing the unpredictable nature of regulation and government process, Navigator said the process was especially difficult in South Dakota and Iowa.

The project would have taken carbon dioxide produced by ethanol plants in several states and transported it to Illinois where it would have been sequestered underground. Supporters of the project said it would remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.

The pipeline faced resistance from landowners and other opponents who questioned the safety and efficacy of the project. Navigator faced particularly strong pushback against efforts to use eminent domain to force the hand of landowners along the pipeline route who refused to allow it to cross their land.

Last month, the project was dealt a significant blow when the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission denied Navigator's application to build the pipeline in the state.

“As good stewards of capital and responsible managers of people, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the Heartland Greenway project," said Navigator CO2 CEO Matt Vining. We are disappointed that we will not be able to provide services to our customers and thank them for their continued support."

Another company planning a similar pipeline, Summit Carbon Solutions, has said they are committed to moving forward with its own project after its initial application was rejected by the South Dakota PUC. Company officials recently said they are moving the project start date back two years to 2026.

Evan Walton is an SDPB reporter based in Sioux Falls. Evan holds a Master’s in English Literature from Southern New Hampshire University and was honorably discharged from the United States Army in 2015, where he served for five years as an infantryman.
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