The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission is considering pushing back a hearing date for approval of a carbon capture pipeline, potentially delaying the development of the project.
The proposed pipeline is set to stretch through the northeast part of the state.
PUC staff suggested the months of April or May for the hearings. Summit Carbon Solutions, the company developing the pipeline, supported that timeframe.
But in their latest meeting, some commissioners suggested pushing back the hearing to September or even later due to concern from landowners.
A timeframe that late could jeopardize Summit’s hopes of starting construction in 2023.
In the meeting, Chairman Chris Nelson recognized the landowner's concerns about the proposed hearing time, but acknowledge that legally, they cannot hold back the process.
"There is nothing in the law that would support using those to push back the schedule," Nelson said.
The commission agreed to revisit the issue at their next meeting in January.
