State regulators in North Dakota approved a pipeline route permit today (Friday) for the Summit Carbon Solutions proposed carbon capture pipeline.
The route approved by the North Dakota Public Service Commission is part of a 2,500 mile proposed project covering five states, including Iowa. Summit CEO Lee Blank says it’s an important step. “The fact that we’ve now got our permit approved here in the state is a very big deal for Summit Carbon Solutions, but just one more step in the process for the company, so we’ll continue to work on the other aspects of the business as we move forward,” he says.
The approval is important for Iowa as well, as construction in Iowa cannot begin until the project is fully approved in North and South Dakota. The Sierra Club of Iowa’s Jessica Mazour says pipeline opponents are disappointed in the permit decision but that the fight is far from over. “It’s not something people are willing to compromise on. They are in this to protect their future, their farms, their legacies, their families, their communities. There’s just too much at stake.”
Summit plans to reapply for a route permit in South Dakota on Tuesday (Nov. 19).
(By Rachel Cramer, Iowa Public Radio)