As pointed out in Owen’s earlier articles, the most interesting “people stories” are about those I had the opportunity to work with. Many folks I worked with would be so interesting, it’s not easy to select just one.
Owen mentioned Rita (she spoke at our Legion Memorial Service) who went on to become an ordained minister. And there is Stacy who has worn out his click rule (tactile measuring device) doing carpentry work (he has measured and cut more lumber than most of us will in a lifetime). And Leighton, like many, became a close lifelong friend (who hunted turkey, deer and elk with me over many years).
Rodney Woodrum //photo by Marty Luebke
Interestingly, although I know many folks who are blind, I don’t know anyone in Garretson who uses a white cane. So I’m writing about someone outside Garretson.
Rodney was one of the first persons from Redfield State School and Hospital that I worked with. Back in the 50-60’s (and earlier), many individuals were institutionalized rather than mainstreamed into society. Some I worked with from Redfield had been institutionalized for 50+ years and made amazingly successful adjustments. Rodney was not in Redfield 50 years but his story is rather unique and hope you will find it interesting and perhaps helpful.
Rodney was born in Rapid City. Shortly after Rodney’s birth, his biological father abandoned his mother and siblings. Rodney said “my mother had more than she could handle and was having difficulty controlling me.
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SIOUX FALLS – A rural Baltic man hoping to turn a 15-acre property into a six-home development was denied a rezoning permit for his land at the Tuesday, Aug. 1, Minnehaha County Commission meeting.
Paul Bendorf of 25349 478th Ave, Baltic, wanted to have his 15-acres of land rezoned from A1 agriculture to RR rural residential so he could make six lots of approximately two acres each.
This would have been the first step before Bendorf could formulate a more detailed sub-division plan for his development.
Last month the Minnehaha Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously to deny his application, which automatically brought the matter before the county commission to see if the planning commission action would be upheld.
Although no one showed up to complain about Bendorf’s plans at this meeting, it was said that several people were at the planning commission meeting to speak against the rezoning.
Bendorf explained what his early plans were for the water system and geo-thermal energy to avoid the use of propane or natural gas.
He also said how the development would increase the tax base, as six properties would be taxed at a higher rate than his currently zoned ag land.
He also pointed out that one of the main comments against his proposal before the planning commission was that this new plan would “interfere with agriculture,” but Bendorf scuttled that argument when he explained that none of his 15 acres are being used for agriculture now.
He referred to the county’s 2035 plan for development and explained how his ideas fit with that plan, but in the end current zoning regulations are what hurt Bendorf.
While all of the commissioners present thought highly of Bendorf’s plans, they unanimously voted to uphold the planning commission’s denial of the project.
But they felt that right now, they needed to go with the 40-year-old 1983 zoning ordinance, which prohibited that kind of zoning.
However, they did say they thought that ordinance had to be updated to allow for the previous 2035 plan.
In the end, Bendorf must have felt some hope for the future of his development, as, after being denied, he made it a point to thank the commissioners for hearing him out on his plans.
Money for the Link
The commission did approve a three year $400,000 per year expenditure in funds for the Link (Sioux Empire Triage Center) to help people battling different forms of addiction, among other problems.
The Link “provides mid-level alternatives for non-violent people with drug and alcohol abuse and mental health issues.”
Concerning the funds, some of the money would come from grant money received to fight opioid addiction.
Commissioner Dean Karsky said that money not spent here would eventually go into the county’s “sobering system.”
The next county commission meeting will be at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 15, on the third floor of the Minnehaha County Administration Building at 6th and Minnesota in Sioux Falls.
The Garretson City Council met in a special session on Monday, July 31 to study the initial budget proposal. During that time, Garretson City Finance Officer Paetyn Dreckman was on hand to answer any questions the council had about the proposed budget, which showed that the city's finances are healthy. Overall, sales tax income is up year over year, and last winter's snow removal costs didn't go over budget as much as initially feared.
However, as the council considers some large projects that are on the horizon, such as a complete renovation of 4th and 5th Streets and a new city hall, they had questions about proposed 2024 expenditures. Mainly, costs for police patrol and fire support were debated, especially for the proposed increase that was budgeted to go towards the Minnehaha County Sheriff's Department.
Dreckman was up front about letting the council know property tax income forecasts were based off a 3% increase, and not actual numbers, as she had not received the requested forecast from the county as of that meeting. However, the average cost of property taxes in Garretson city limits went up 18% this year, which may impact the actuals.
In 2022, the city received $377,675 in property taxes, and had $389,543 forecasted. The 2023 budget has $408,538 projected and as of July 21, the city had received $237,359.44. With the 3% increase, Dreckman forecast a budget of $420,794 for 2024.
Not only is property tax revenue projected to be up, but sales tax revenue is, as well. Garretson's sales tax revenue doubled from 2021 to 2022 (from $250,701.92 to $572,093.92), and as of July 21, the city had received $301,347.95 when $277,250 had been projected for the full year.
"We've already gone past my estimated budget for this current year," Dreckman said. Even if revenues fall slightly during the second half of the year, the city is still on track to hit or bypass 2022's actual received sales tax revenue. Due to this, Dreckman felt confident in raising the projected revenue for 2024 sales tax. However, she asserted later in the meeting that she had kept revenue projections conservative to hopefully help with a positive cash flow for 2024, helping to ensure the larger projects would have necessary funding available.
Moving on to expenditures, Dreckman stated there wasn’t much different from the 2023 budget. The 5th Street bridge and water main placement on Dows were the two large projects undertaken by the city for 2023, though the bridge work will be reimbursed for up to 80% of the total costs thanks to a grant from the state.
The big project for 2024 will be water and sewer line replacement, along with street, curb and gutter, and sidewalk replacement on the first portion of 4th Street.
It was proposed earlier this year to have the full 4th Street project, which includes all of 4th to Oak Drive, all side streets to 5th Street, and 5th Street itself, broken into three project years to help spread out costs. The 2024 portion is projected to begin a half block east of Main and finish at Rose Avenue.
Currently, the city has applications out for grants and subsidies for the first portion of 4th Street and will be putting the project out for bid, but no word has been received yet as to their status, which means the project is not currently in the proposed budget.
The pool, which came under the full auspices of the city this year, was a newer budget item that appears to have balanced within $10,000 between income and expenses. Income from pool fees was $50,191.75 as of July 21, and expenditures were $41,237.49. Budgeted 2024 income has been set at $18,000 while budgeted expenditures have been set at $67,215. Dreckman did not address this, except to say that it was a newer line item that had done well so far this year and that she had broken out concessions income to help track it.
When asked later in the meeting if the pool was in good shape, reports from around the room said that it was, which meant no large expenditures are expected for 2024.
Snow removal for the 2022-23 winter season was over budget, as expected after the record amounts of snow seen from November through March. However, it was not over budget by as much as initially feared, ending at $4300 over budget for 2022 and as of July, just shy of $1000 over budget. While it is likely that those actuals will increase by the end of December 2023, surrounding communities found themselves far more over budget than Garretson.
After ensuring that expenditures and revenue were balanced, councilor Dave Bonte asked to address public safety. A big sticking point for Bonte has historically been the quality of perceived service from the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Department. He noted they had increased their costs again for the same number of hours, an increase of over $4,000 from 2023, and $10,000 from 2022. The city contracts the department to patrol for 187 hours per month (approximately 43-46 hours per week), but Bonte pointed out that they don’t seem to have much of a presence in the community.
“My question is, are we going to just continue to write these people a check when they don’t really do anything?” he asked. “I never see them at a meeting, I never see any reports.”
Councilor Greg Franka agreed, noting that they don’t appear to have taken the council’s advice and recommendations in the past.
“I’m very frustrated with that,” Bonte said. “I don’t know, is that costing a thousand dollars for the 90 tickets they gave out? To me, it just seems ridiculous because they have to serve the community anyway, they have to come when we call… I think it’s too much.”
Councilor Tom Godbey concurred, pointing out the officers once upon a time would patrol on foot, and now it was difficult to get them out of their cruisers. Franka and Bonte lodged further complaints about the service received and the lack of congeniality from the officers, despite repeated requests from the council in past meetings to the department to increase both stop sign patrol and foot patrol.
Councilor Bill Hoskins asked if the council had asked the Sheriff’s Department to any meetings in the past year or so. Dreckman stated that request had not occurred since she began in the position over a year ago. He requested a formal invite be sent to the department to attend the meeting scheduled for August 13.
Mayor Greg Beaner stated he had recently had a conversation with the head of the department, which was the first he’d had in 2023. He reported that he had requested the patrols ensure they were visible at all times while in town.
Councilor Jackie Rotert confirmed the presence of an officer at the school during nine months of the year. “So, if we didn’t renew a contract with them we wouldn’t have them patrolling around town, but the school would have one around?” she asked, wondering if there was a different contract that could be available to the city.
While there was a quick mention of going back to having a city cop, the council was reminded by Dreckman that those costs would be far more than $93k per year, and wasn’t likely an avenue the council would want to pursue.
“We need some indication that we’re getting our money’s worth out of them,” said Hoskins.
The next line item in Public Safety was the Garretson Fire Department. Dreckman stated the department had requested $50,000, but had budgeted $40,000 at the request of Mayor Beaner. The ambulance had requested $60,000 and also had $40,000 budgeted.
“We have significant expenses coming up in the next year,” Mayor Beaner said, mentioning both the street projects and the city hall build as the reasoning for the budgeted amounts.
“I would much rather give extra money to our fire department and the ambulance than the city cops,” Bonte said.
Further discussion ensued about potentially reducing the number of contracted hours for the Sheriff’s Department, though the council opted to wait until after meeting with the department to make any further suggestions.
After further discussion about future economic development board and Commercial Club board plans, the council adjourned. The second reading of the budget, and the next regular meeting of the Garretson City Council, will be held next Monday, August 14 at 6:30 p.m. at the Legion.
For more than a decade, beekeepers in South Dakota and around the country have been fighting against historically high annual colony loss rates of more than 30%.
The continued loss of colonies has the potential to affect roughly 100 different agricultural crops across the country and could raise food prices while decreasing food availability, according to an article from the University of Florida Extension.
The state’s beekeepers brought in more than $18.6 million from the sale of honey from roughly 185,000 colonies in 2022, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. South Dakota ranked sixth in the nation in terms of honey production that year.
Beekeepers often make agreements with local landowners to place hives in hayfields or pastures. These hives were placed in a hayfield that saw a massive bloom of sweet clover, a prime bee food source that results in the mild, light-colored honey that South Dakota is renowned for producing. (Photo: South Dakota News Watch)
But declining numbers of bees, both domestic and wild, threatens yields on crops ranging from almonds and apples on the West Coast to cotton and cranberries in the East.
In 2022-23, the nation’s beekeepers experienced a 48.2% annual loss rate of managed honey bee colonies, a 9.2% increase from the 2021-2022 season. However, 2020-21 reached a 50.8% colony loss rate, the highest annual loss rate on record, according to data gathered by the non-profit honey bee research group Bee Informed Partnership.
Wild bee populations have also suffered.
In 2017, the rusty patched bumble bee became the first native bee species in the lower 48 states to be placed on the federal endangered species list by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. That same year, several non-governmental conservation groups said roughly 347 other species of native bees also are threatened.
In all, bees account for up to $18 billion in added value to the country’s agriculture industry annually, according to the USDA.
Without pollination from bees, many of which are trucked around the country from their summer home in South Dakota to provide pollination services, experts worry the price of common food items such as strawberries and apples could rise.
Bee industry suffers commercial losses
Some commercial beekeepers have said official data undercount the loss of commercial bee colonies.
Bret Adee, a co-owner of Adee Honey Farms, which is based in Bruce, South Dakota, and one of the largest beekeeping operations in the world, said some commercial keepers lost 70% or more of their bees in the 2018-19 winter.
Adee said his company lost so many bees at the time that the business was forced to shutter its beekeeping operation in Nebraska and lay off employees. Prior to 2018, the business kept bees in the state for 60 years, he said.
“We didn’t have enough bees in our boxes,” Adee said.
Honey produced from South Dakota’s sweet clover, alfalfa and wildflowers is highly prized for its mild flavor and light color. Unfortunately, per-hive production has fallen about 50% over the past 15 to 20 years, said Kelvin Adee, Bret Adee’s brother and business partner.
From 2019 to 2022, honey production in South Dakota fell from 19.44 million pounds to about 7.5 million pounds, according to USDA data.
As annual honeybee colony loss rates continue to rise and honey production falls, the federal government has at times pulled back its honeybee monitoring efforts.
In July 2019, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service announced it would indefinitely suspend its quarterly honeybee colony survival survey. In December 2018, the service suspended its annual cost of pollination survey. According to USDA news releases, both surveys were cut due to budget reductions. However, the USDA resumed the colony survival survey in October 2019 and the pollination survey in 2022.
News of the colony loss survey being cut was a blow to the industry, Bret Adee said.
Many beekeepers worry that the information might be lost for good and with it more targeted research funding. Better research will be needed to help reverse the tide of honeybee colony deaths, Bret Adee said.
Varroa destructor, a mite, is one of the deadliest honey bee parasites. The Varroa mite, shown microscopically attached to a dead bee, acts like a tick by latching onto bees and bee larvae, weakening the bee and potentially spreading disease. (Photo: Courtesy U.S. Department of Agriculture)
Tough time to be a bee
High colony loss rates aren’t new to the industry.
Over the last 12 years, the U.S. has averaged a 39.6% annual colony loss rate among its domestic bees, according to the Bee Informed Partnership.
The losses have beekeepers worried about the future of their industry.
“Any business that has a 30% annual loss rate, that’s getting to be unsustainable,” said John Stolle, a beekeeper near Sturgis.
Jay Fatland, a lifelong beekeeper from Kimball who provided honey as a flavoring for “The Original Kimball Popcorn Ball,” had wound down his beekeeping efforts over the several years prior to 2019.
Losing so many bees each year just got to be too hard to handle, he said.
“It’s just a struggle to keep the bees alive anymore,” Fatland said.
In 2019, Fatland was down to about 200 hives and had mostly retired from the business that was his sole source of income for more than 30 years.
The Adees pegged colony losses at closer to 60% or 70% in 2019.
“They died faster than we can breed them,” Brett Adee said.
With steep annual losses, Bret Adee said, beekeepers won’t be able to keep up.
According to Bee Informed, the U.S. lost an estimated 37.7% of managed honey colonies from October 2018 to April 2019, making it “the highest level of winter losses reported since the survey began in 2006-2007.”
Wild bee populations see downward trend
Wild bees are showing marked declines.
Until the late 1990s, the rusty patched bumble bee was a fairly common visitor to backyard tomato gardens and wildflowers in South Dakota and most other upper Midwestern and Eastern states. Since 2000, the bee has only been reported in 13 states plus one Canadian province, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
There isn’t much historical population data on the more than 4,000 native bee species in North America.
Amanda Bachmann, an urban entomology field specialist for the South Dakota State University Extension service, shows off a collection of pollinators found in the state in this 2019 file photo. Included are more than a dozen types of bees, wasps and several butterflies. (Photo: South Dakota News Watch)
The Center for Biological Diversity published one of the few comprehensive reports on the continent’s native bee population in 2017. The report found that there was sufficient data to assess the population of about 1,400 bee species. Roughly half those species were declining and 347 of them were determined to be threatened, the report said.
Declining native bee populations also pose a big problem to anyone who buys food.
While domestic honey bees are pretty good at pollinating some crops such as almonds and canola, they aren’t so great with such things as squash. Squashes tend to bloom early in the morning when domestic honey bees aren’t very active, said Amanda Bachmann, an urban entomology field specialist with the South Dakota State University Extension Service.
Instead, native squash bees handle most of the squash pollination duties.
“If you’re growing zucchini here, you can go out in the morning and if you see a bee flitting about, it’s probably a squash bee,” Bachmann said.
Wild bees and a host of other native pollinators, such as monarch butterflies, also are responsible for pollinating in far greater numbers than domestic bees. All of that pollination work helps provide food for everything from pheasants to cattle and even people.
“These are the things doing the heavy lifting in terms of pollination,” Bachmann said of wild pollinators.
Several factors raise bee mortality
No one has been able to pinpoint a single cause for the widespread devastation of honeybees or native bees. Instead, a combination of factors is at play in the beehives themselves and in the fields where the bees look for pollen and nectar.
“The whole environment has changed,” Kelvin Adee said.
One of the biggest problems facing bees in South Dakota is a change in how the state’s farmers operate.
Flowering plants such as milkweed have been virtually eliminated from the fields growing the state’s top two crops, corn and soybeans. Those grains, which have seen their acreage greatly expanded in South Dakota over the past two decades, can spell harm for bees.
Tim Hollmann, a beekeeper from Dante, South Dakota, said the problem with corn and soybeans is two-fold.
First, the fields tend to be devoid of any plant life other than corn or soybeans, thanks to the use of glyphosate herbicides such as Roundup.
Bees need flowers from which to draw the pollen and nectar they eat and use to make honey. A 2018 study by a group of researchers at the University of Texas also showed that glyphosates may be harming gut bacteria in bees and making the insects more susceptible to disease.
Pesticides harm the bees
The second problem with corn and soybean fields is pesticides.
Neonicotinoids are one of the most popular pesticides and are named for their chemical makeup that is similar to nicotine. When bees get hit with stray spray from a farm field, they die. Neonicotinoids are used all over the world and on various food crops because compared with other chemical pesticides, they’re considered relatively safe for humans.
Pesticides also help boost crop yields and keep food prices down, said Bachmann, who also works as a pesticide educator. Taking an effective tool for controlling pests away from farmers could cause as much harm as good, she said.
Bees can even be indirectly exposed to pesticides.
A lot of seeds are sold coated with neonicotinoids, which are then absorbed into the growing plant. A bee can pick up a non-lethal dose by landing on such plants and then can carry the chemicals back to the colony and expose other bees which are weakened.
Fungicides are another man-made threat to bees.
The insects evolved to work with certain fungi in their pollen stores, Bret Adee said. The fungi help break down pollen so it’s easier to digest and gives the bees better nutrition. Fungicides sprayed on crops to increase yields are then picked up by foraging bees and carried back to hives, where they can kill the helpful fungi.
Using powdered sugar to fight a mite
Ultimately, a parasite acts as one of the biggest threats facing bees.
Varroa destructor, better known as the varroa mite, has been ravaging North American bee hives for decades. The mite first was found in the U.S. in 1987. South Dakota, as a top honey producing state, was infested with the mites soon after.
Varroa destructor is native to Asia and acts similar to a tick. The mite attaches to a bee and feeds on its fat body tissue, which is similar to a mammal’s liver, weakening the host and making it more susceptible to disease and starvation when food runs low, according to research from the University of Maryland. Varroa mites also happen to be insects.
“That’s been really difficult, you’re trying to kill a bug that lives on a bug,” Stolle said.
There isn’t a very effective treatment for mite infestations, which by themselves are not necessarily fatal to bees, he said. Some beekeepers coat their bees with powdered sugar to try to loosen the varroa mite’s hold, but that only goes so far, Stolle said.
Varroa mites also carry diseases such as deformed wing virus that can kill bees and infect whole colonies. Diseases have long been a killer of domestic bees and are easily spread because honey bees are social creatures. Often, honey bees interact with both wild bees and domestic bees from other colonies while out foraging up to three miles from their hive.
Despite setbacks, all is not lost for beekeepers
Even with all the doom and gloom surrounding the beekeeping industry, domestic honey bees are in no immediate danger of extinction. The people who harvest bees for pollination and sell honey could be the ones in trouble.
“We’re not at a tipping point yet, but we’re getting there,” Stolle said.
Luckily, most farmers and ranchers seem to be concerned about bees and the landscape they live on, Bret Adee said. There is a strong movement in South Dakota to diversify crops and focus on soil health as a way to boost farm incomes. What’s good for soil is generally good for bees too, he said.
“Every time I meet someone who is doing that, I get excited,” he said.
There’s some good news for native bees too, Bachmann said.
More people are becoming aware of the issues facing pollinators and are interested in helping out where they can.
One of the big things people can do is use pesticides only as designed, Bachmann said. Every pesticide, whether it is intended for agricultural use or for the backyard, comes with a label that tells the user how to use it legally and safely while minimizing harm to beneficial bugs such as bees and butterflies.
“A lot of home pesticides tell you not to apply them to flowering plants,” Bachmann said.
For Stolle, there’s real hope in the interest more people seem to be taking in bees.
He said he sometimes is approached by curious people at gas stations while transporting his bees.
Not too long ago, most everybody gave him dirty looks and kept their distance, Stolle said. Yet one person told him the story of a relative who had been injured in the blitz of London during World War II and would have lost a leg if not for doctors using honey to help treat an infected wound.
“I think more people are starting to think, ‘Where does my food come from?’” Stolle said.
— This article was produced by South Dakota News Watch, a non-profit journalism organization located online at sdnewswatch.org.
Company statement indicates it might file another application
By Jared Strong, South Dakota Searchlight
Summit Carbon Solutions has failed to minimize the negative impacts of its proposed carbon dioxide pipeline in North Dakota and will not be permitted to construct it, state regulators decided on Friday.
The state is a key part of the company’s $5 billion project, which would span more than 2,000 miles in five states, including South Dakota. The company’s plan is to transport captured carbon dioxide from ethanol plants to North Dakota for underground sequestration.
That state’s three-person Public Service Commission unanimously denied the company a route permit.
“The commission finds that (Summit Carbon Solutions) has not provided sufficient evidence to demonstrate that the location, construction, operation and maintenance of the project will produce minimum adverse impacts upon the welfare of the citizens of North Dakota,” the commission wrote in its Friday order.
Summit can appeal the decision in state court but indicated on Friday that it will file a new application with a revised proposal.
“We’re committed to understanding and incorporating the considerations outlined in the decision,” said Sabrina Zenor, a Summit spokesperson. “We are confident that our project supports state policies designed to boost key economic sectors: agriculture, ethanol, and energy.”
Zenor did not say when that new application would be submitted. The application that was denied was submitted in October 2022, and the process took about 10 months, according to state records.
Summit has a permit hearing in South Dakota scheduled for Sept. 11-22; another company seeking to build a separate carbon pipeline, Navigator CO2, is currently in the midst of a multi-day hearing before the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission.
A map of Summit Carbon Solution’s proposed carbon-capture pipeline. (Courtesy of Summit Carbon Solutions)
Opposing viewpoints
The project is meant to capitalize on generous federal tax incentives that reward the ethanol plants for sequestering carbon dioxide they would otherwise emit into the atmosphere or for producing low-carbon fuels. It would also allow the plants to sell their ethanol in low-carbon-fuel markets at potentially higher prices.
A study commissioned by the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association — a lobbying group that supports Summit’s proposal — concluded that ethanol plants could more than triple their profits by connecting to a pipeline like Summit’s.
Federal officials have said the pipelines are necessary for helping the country achieve its goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but opponents of the projects say they will prolong the use of fossil fuels and delay a transition to electric vehicles that can be powered by wind and solar energy.
There is also growing public outcry over property rights of landowners in the path of the projects. Summit has filed dozens of eminent domain cases in South Dakota, seeking to gain access to land from landowners who’ve so far refused to grant it.
The company said recently about 950 parcels of land in Iowa might be subject to eminent domain at its Iowa Utilities Board hearing that starts Aug. 22. That hearing could go on for weeks or months.
South Dakota lawmakers considered a bill last winter that would have prohibited the use of eminent domain for carbon pipelines, but the bill was rejected.
North Dakota deficiencies
About 320 miles of Summit’s route is planned for North Dakota. Its end point is northwest of Bismarck, where it would be pumped deep into the ground.
But the North Dakota commissioners found that Summit’s proposal doesn’t minimize its impact on the environment and residents or didn’t have sufficient proof that it does.
Among the deficiencies the commissioners noted were:
Summit did not fully allay the concerns of the State Historical Society of North Dakota about its route’s effects on cultural sites.
The pipeline’s effects on property values was not thoroughly shown to be minimized.
Summit did not show it had fully considered alternative routes to avoid public wildlife areas and to address “legitimate impacts expressed by landowners.”
The company did not address how it would build and operate its pipeline in more than a dozen areas that have potential geologic instability.
The commission noted that its decision did not hinge on eminent domain or safety concerns, which it deemed outside of its purview.
Pipeline opponents said the commission’s decision is a significant win for them.
“I think it’s precedent setting,” said Jess Mazour, of the Sierra Club of Iowa. “It shows us that organized people who are willing to work together for a common cause can beat big money, like Summit’s pipeline. … It also shows us that Iowa needs to slow down.”
Summit’s project was initially estimated to cost about $4.5 billion, but the company’s chief operating officer testified to the North Dakota commissioners that it would be about $5.5 billion. Summit has paid hundreds of millions of dollars to landowners up front for easements and will not recoup that money if the pipeline isn’t built.
“We applaud the Public Service Commission for their courage and thoughtfulness in denying Summit’s application and encourage the other states to follow suit,” said Brian Jorde, an Omaha, Nebraska, attorney who represents dozens of landowners in several states who oppose the pipeline projects.
This story was originally published by Iowa Capital Dispatch, which like South Dakota Searchlight is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Iowa Capital Dispatch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Kathie Obradovich for questions: . Follow Iowa Capital Dispatch on Facebook and Twitter.
Landowners urged the state Public Utilities Commission on Tuesday, August 1 to help them prevent a liquid carbon dioxide pipeline from crossing their land.
It was the fifth day of a hearing at the Casey Tibbs Rodeo Center in Fort Pierre on Navigator CO2’s application for a permit to construct the Heartland Greenway pipeline. It was also the first day of landowner testimony, after prior days of testimony from company officials, experts and representatives of pipeline construction workers.
One of the testifying landowners was state Rep. Karla Lems, R-Canton. She introduced an unsuccessful bill during last winter’s legislative session that would have barred carbon pipelines from using eminent domain. That’s a legal process for gaining access to land when a landowner won’t grant it.
Lems’ property near Canton, which is south of Sioux Falls, would be crossed not just by the Heartland Greenway pipeline, but also by another carbon pipeline proposed by Summit Carbon Solutions, which will have its permit hearing in September.
Lems said she has invested “hundreds of hours” into learning about and fighting against the projects. She said carbon pipelines provide “private gain for a private company, not for public use.”
“Basically, what it comes down to is risk versus reward,” Lems said. “The landowners have the risk, and the company has the reward.”
Lems is particularly concerned about the potential impacts on the value of property her family intends to sell for development south of Sioux Falls, the state’s fastest-growing region.
“It would prohibit us from building structures, those kinds of things that would be needed,” Lems said. “It will obviously, definitely affect the economic development.”
Rep. Karla Lems, R-Canton, sifts through papers regarding the carbon capture pipeline projects proposed to cross her land. (Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight)
Reading from prepared remarks, Lems added, “Please search your heart, and do right by the citizens who elected you to represent them and their best interests, which is to deny this application.”
The proposed 1,300-mile, approximately $3 billion Heartland Greenway pipeline would link 21 ethanol plants (including three in South Dakota) and several fertilizer plants across five states. The project would include about 112 miles of pipeline in eastern South Dakota, in Brookings, Moody, Minnehaha, Lincoln and Turner counties.
The pipeline would capture carbon dioxide emitted by the plants and transport it in liquefied form for underground storage in Illinois, or for commercial and industrial uses. The project would be eligible for up to $1.3 billion in annual federal tax credits, which are intended to help fight climate change by incentivizing the removal of heat-trapping carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
The company says it has offered landowners an average of $24,000 per acre in negotiations for easements to cross private land. Navigator has easements with about 30% of affected landowners. The company has not yet used eminent domain.
Cross-examination
William Taylor, the attorney representing union workers who would construct the pipeline, said multiple pipelines already cross Lems’ land, and those projects had the authority to use eminent domain.
Lems testified that she allowed those pipelines to cross her land without the need for eminent domain. She said that’s because other pipelines carry products such as propane, natural gas and oil — “all things the public will use.”
She distinguishes those uses from liquid carbon dioxide, which would either be injected underground or sold to commercial or industrial customers to be used for things like oil extraction or dry ice.
Public Utilities Commissioner Chris Nelson referenced the one-time easement payment available to affected landowners and the greater potential demand for corn created by the pipeline. “Am I to infer there are things more important to you than dollars and cents?” Nelson asked.
“It’s called freedom,” Lems replied. “We should be able to say we want to be part of a project or say ‘no thank you.’”
More landowner testimony
Rick Bonander and other impacted landowners expressed similar concerns. Bonander lives near Valley Springs, 15 minutes from Sioux Falls. He asked the commission, “Who is going to want to live next to a CO2 pipeline?”
Some of the pipeline’s opponents are concerned about toxic carbon dioxide plumes from potential leaks. In 2020, a leak in a carbon pipeline in Mississippi caused the evacuation of about 200 people and sent 45 to the hospital. In response, federal regulators are reviewing the safety standards for carbon pipelines.
Bonander talked about carbon dioxide’s uses in the livestock industry and said “it’s a very effective way of euthanizing animals,” but not something people want to live near.
“I live in the United States of America and should be able to say no,” Bonander said.
Miles Lacey is a farmer from Valley Springs with land that would be impacted by the pipeline. He testified that the proposed route is too close to his home and livestock operation for his comfort.
“We could show up one morning and everything is dead,” Lacey said.
Moody County landowner Connie Beyer-Lalonde testified that if the pipeline is authorized and constructed on some of her family’s land, “I could not, in good conscience, continue to rent that out.”
The hearings were scheduled to continue through Saturday.
South Dakota Searchlight is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. South Dakota Searchlight maintains editorial independence.
Opposing sides debated the safety of the proposed Heartland Greenway pipeline Wednesday during the sixth day of a permit hearing at the Casey Tibbs Rodeo Center in Fort Pierre.
Navigator CO2’s application to construct a pipeline carrying compressed carbon dioxide has some people worried about a leak.
The project includes “a laundry list of techniques” to ensure safety, according to William Byrd, president of RCP Inc., a pipeline consulting firm with a focus on federal regulations. And while Navigator CO2 has been late responding to some requests from regulators and has not yet completed all of its safety analyses, Byrd said it’s not “surprising to me that those things are going to continue to evolve.”
The point was echoed by other witnesses, including State Geologist Tim Cowman, with the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources. He is aware of no “geologic concerns” after reviewing the project, he testified.
South Dakota is the first state to hold permit hearings on the 1,300-mile, five-state pipeline proposal. The company says that’s a sign it still has plenty of time to complete all necessary safety measures.
Byrd said the state’s three elected public utilities commissioners, who will ultimately vote on the permit, are really deciding on whether or not they “trust the operator” and trust the federal regulations that are already in place.
Brian Jorde, representing landowners along the proposed pipeline route, argued the answer to those questions is “no.” He said the company has never built a carbon pipeline, and federal regulators are currently reviewing their pipeline safety rules – a development that caused California to put a pause on the construction of carbon pipelines in that state.
The federal review follows a 2020 leak and carbon dioxide plume from a pipeline in Mississippi that led to the evacuation of approximately 200 residents and the hospitalization of 45.
The planned $3 billion pipeline would capture carbon dioxide emissions from 21 ethanol and several fertilizer plants. The gas would be liquefied and transported for underground storage in Illinois or for industrial uses such as oil extraction or dry ice. The project is eligible for up to $1.3 billion in federal tax credits annually, for removing carbon from the atmosphere that would otherwise trap heat and contribute to climate change. The pipeline route would run through 112 miles of eastern South Dakota, in Brookings, Moody, Minnehaha, Lincoln and Turner counties.
Company spokespeople earlier testified that federal regulators are aware of the project and have not reached out with concerns. The company found the annual likelihood of a leak or rupture to be 1% per 1,000 miles, based on federal data over the last 20 years.
Navigator CO2 has negotiated easements with about 30% of affected landowners and has offered an average of $24,000 per acre for rights to cross private land. The company has not yet used eminent domain, a legal process for obtaining access to land when landowners won’t grant it.
The hearing is scheduled to continue through Saturday, and a decision by the Public Utilities Commission is due by Sept. 26.
Public utilities commissioners denied a motion to withhold a permit for a liquid carbon dioxide pipeline Thursday, but they acknowledged lacking some useful information from the company applying to build it.
It was the seventh day of a hearing at the Casey Tibbs Rodeo Center in Fort Pierre, with more days to come.
Public Utilities Commission Chairwoman Kristie Fiegen – one of the three elected commissioners tasked with deciding on a permit for the project – asked why the commission is expected to make such a consequential decision, “yet there are errors, we’re missing stuff.” She was referring to a number of incomplete safety, cultural and environmental surveys, and errors that have appeared in some of the information given to the commission.
An attorney for the commission, Kristen Edwards, asked the company, “Why didn’t Navigator wait to file for a permit until more surveying was completed?”
Representatives of the company said they have ample time for more surveys, thorough analyses, and communication with impacted communities. South Dakota is the first state to hold hearings on the five-state proposal.
The projected $3 billion project would capture emissions from 21 ethanol and multiple fertilizer plants, and compress the gas into a liquid form for transport. It would then be injected underground or used for industrial and commercial purposes, such as in oil extraction or as dry ice. The project would be eligible for $1.3 billion annually in federal tax credits for combating climate change by reducing atmospheric carbon. It would span 112 miles in five South Dakota counties: Brookings, Moody, Minnehaha, Lincoln and Turner.
Brian Sterner, an environmental consultant and soil biologist, testified Thursday that he and a colleague “share the concern” that permitting the project prior to the completion of all the environmental analyses may be premature.
Brian Jorde, a lawyer representing impacted landowners, cited those issues and the company’s earlier failure to provide timely notice to 204 affected South Dakotans along the would-be-route. He moved to deny the permit.
The three commissioners rejected the motion.
“There are still things we need to learn,” said Commissioner Chris Nelson. “We need all the facts on the table.”
Negotiations have produced easements with 30% of affected landowners, with the company offering an average of $24,000 per acre, according to company officials. Navigator has not yet used eminent domain, a legal process for gaining access to land when a landowner won’t grant it.
Carbon pipeline regulations are currently under federal review in response to a 2020 Mississippi pipeline leak and carbon dioxide plume that hospitalized 45 people. That triggered California to halt the construction of new CO2 pipelines in that state until the federal review is complete. Navigator CO2 has testified that federal regulators are aware of the project and haven’t voiced concerns.
The company’s analysis shows an annual 1% risk of a leak or rupture per 1,000 miles.
Hearings are scheduled to continue through Saturday, and the commissioners’ decision is due by Sept. 26.
Another multi-state carbon pipeline that would cross parts of eastern South Dakota, proposed by Summit Carbon Solutions, is scheduled to have its permit hearing Sept. 11-22.
South Dakota Searchlight is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. South Dakota Searchlight maintains editorial independence.
Farmers expressed concerns Friday about the potential for accidental damages to a proposed liquid carbon dioxide pipeline.
It was the eighth day of a permit hearing in Fort Pierre before the state Public Utilities Commission for the Heartland Greenway project proposed by Navigator CO2. Commissioners said the hearing will continue Saturday and probably also next week.
Public Utilities Commissioner Chris Nelson participates in a hearing July 25, 2023, in Fort Pierre on a permit application for the proposed Heartland Greenway carbon dioxide pipeline. (Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight)
As South Dakota regulators were conducting the hearing Friday, their counterparts in North Dakota rejected a permit for a separate carbon pipeline, proposed by Summit Carbon Solutions, that would also enter South Dakota. Officials for that company indicated they might file a revised application in North Dakota.
At the Navigator CO2 hearing in South Dakota, Denis Anderson, who has farmland near Brandon and Valley Springs, said carbon pipelines are “one of the worst things for a community.”
Anderson and others worry that heavy farm machinery might disturb Navigator CO2’s proposed 1,300-mile, five-state pipeline. They also fear its installation could harm their drain tile, which is perforated pipe installed beneath cropland to manage water levels.
The planned $3 billion project would capture carbon dioxide emissions from 21 ethanol and several fertilizer plants, converting the gas into a liquid for transport. The carbon could then be deposited underground in Illinois or utilized for industrial and commercial applications, including oil extraction or dry ice production.
The pipeline could qualify for $1.3 billion annually in federal tax credits for atmospheric carbon reduction, to help fight climate change. It would stretch across 112 miles in five South Dakota counties: Brookings, Moody, Minnehaha, Lincoln and Turner. South Dakota is the initial state to host hearings for the project.
The scrutiny of carbon pipeline regulations has intensified at the federal level following a 2020 Mississippi pipeline leak, which resulted in a carbon dioxide plume that hospitalized 45 people. California has subsequently paused new CO2 pipeline construction pending a federal review of regulations. Navigator CO2 has said federal regulators are aware of the project and have not raised concerns.
Navigator’s analysis estimates an annual 1% risk of a leak or rupture every 1,000 miles. Some farmers are concerned about potential liability should they accidentally damage the pipeline. Jeffrey L. Pray, a property insurance agent at Fischer Rounds & Associates, said such mishaps would typically be covered by insurance.
“The policy will cover that,” Pray said, “It’s an accident.” Though, he distinguished between damage to a pipeline and “damage caused by the release of a pollutant,” which he said may not be covered.
Pray noted that each policy varies and would not necessarily prevent farmers from getting sued by the company.
So far, the company has secured easements from 30% of impacted landowners, offering an average of $24,000 per acre, company officials have said. Navigator has not yet exercised eminent domain, which is a legal process for gaining access to land when an agreement can’t be reached with a landowner.
The hearing is scheduled to conclude Saturday, but commissioners said it’s likely to continue on Tuesday. A decision is expected by Sept. 26.
The other carbon pipeline proposed in South Dakota, by Summit Carbon Solutions, which has used eminent domain, is scheduled to have its permit hearing Sept. 11-22.
Local 4-H members worked hard in the preparations, planning and production of the 2023 Moody County Achievement Days. The event began on Monday night, July 17 with fairgrounds set up, family meal and pool party. On Wednesday evening the 19th 4-H and Open classes brought their static projects to be judged and placed on display, kicking off the rest of the week for livestock shows and other fun activities. The parade was a hit on Thursday night followed by a Pork Loin Feed and Kids Pedal Pull. Friday Fun included a night of Bingo, Pie Auction, an Old Fashioned Truck and Tractor Show, and Mud Volleyball.
The Tractor Show had 8 really nice entries from Dell Rapids, Trent and Flandreau area. The winner of the Best of Show Trophy went to Lloyd Rave, showing his Minneapolis Moline 5 Star. The People’s Choice award went to Dwight Merry with his 450 2MH and a ’57 Corn Picker. Another very popular tractor was the Farmall 560 with an antique plow attached, brought by Larry Jorgenson. No Truck Entries this year. Either the pick-up drivers are too shy or their truck wouldn’t start.
Jesse James 4H Club. Top row: Secretary Logan Bly, Aubrey Sikkink, Vice President Blair Ellefson, President Lane Ellefson. Bottom: Drew Ellefson and Treasurer Cooper Danforth.
The Jesse James 4-H Club of Garretson worked hard this winter painting two new photo boards featuring two fun country scenes. The younger kids at the fair could hardly wait to put their little faces in the scene for a fun photo opportunity! It was a nice edition to the Achievement days.
The Moody County Achievement Days concluded on Saturday with the Hog and Beef Show and the top exhibitors strutting their stuff in the Showmanship Round Robin. Grand Champion Showman went to Chloe Olivier and Reserve Champion to Elijah Winterton.
Good luck to all 4-H members as they move on to the South Dakota State Fair in Huron at the end of August.
Jesse James 4-H Club Show Results: Lane Ellefson: Home Environment – 2 purples, 2 blues. Electricity- 1 Best of Show, purple. Child Development-1 purple. Blair Ellefson: Home Environment 2 purples. Food and Nutrition – 1 purple. Child Development- 1 Purple. Drew Ellefson: Home Environment-1 purple, 1 blue. Food and Nutrition- 1 purple. Child Development -1 purple. Clothing and Textiles-1 purple.
Jesse James Club Static Booth: Lane Ellefson, Blair Ellefson, Aubrey SikkinkLane Ellefson Best of Show in Senior ElectricityShowmanship champs, Elijah Winterton & Chloe Olivier
