A petition needs backing from a supermajority of the Legislature and Gov.
A group of South Dakota politicians has started passing around a petition hoping to force a special session to protect private property rights against the creators of a planned carbon dioxide pipeline.
But it will be hard to get enough people to sign the petition, which needs the support of at least two-thirds of both the South Dakota House and Senate. Republican Gov. Kristi Noem could also call a special session on her own, but she said last week that it would be “fruitless” if lawmakers can’t agree on something.
Landowners and farmers in South Dakota and other states are against Summit Carbon Solutions’ plan to use eminent domain to run pipes across private land without the owners’ permission.
To fight climate change, the company wants to build a $4.5 billion, 2,000-mile network of pipes to move carbon dioxide from ethanol plants in the Midwest to a deep underground storage spot in North Dakota. The company needs to use eminent domain to build the project on time. The project would cover parts of Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Nebraska.
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Cosponsors of the petition said in a statement Monday that they disagree with using eminent domain to take landlords’ property rights for the benefit of a private company with foreign investors based out of state. Others have said no because they are worried about safety, and environmental groups aren’t sure.
