North Dakota denies Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline permit; company says it will try again

via AgWeek
by Jeff Beach
August 04, 2023

North Dakota regulators have denied a route permit for the controversial carbon capture pipeline project planned by Iowa-based Summit Carbon Solutions, but the company says it will try again.

Summit needs a route through North Dakota to take greenhouse gases from ethanol plants in five states to an underground carbon storage site west of Bismarck and complete what it calls the world's largest carbon capture project.

The three-member Public Service Commission voted unanimously on Friday, Aug. 4, to deny the permit application.

Summit responded with this statement: "Summit Carbon Solutions respects the decision by the North Dakota Public Service Commission, and we will revisit our proposal and reapply for our permit. We're committed to understanding and incorporating the considerations outlined in the decision. We are confident that our project supports state policies designed to boost key economic sectors: agriculture, ethanol, and energy."

Meeting in Bismarck, the commission outlined several areas where Summit’s permit application was deficient:

• Summit did not sufficiently explore an alternate route south of Bismarck instead of east and north of the city.

• Summit did not adequately explore route alternatives for some landowners along the route.

• Summit did not adequately mitigate impacts of some waterfowl protection areas along the route.

• The application did not adequately address impacts on cultural resources.