An administrative law judge report recommends that Minnesota approve a small portion of the massive Summit Carbon Solutions project, which would run through states like South Dakota and store millions of tons of carbon dioxide underground in North Dakota.
A final decision from the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission could come as soon as Dec. 12, an agency spokesperson said in an email.
The 45-mile segment in Otter Tail and Wilkin counties would connect the Green Plains ethanol plant in Fergus Falls in northwestern Minnesota to about 2,500 miles of pipeline planned by Summit Carbon Solutions. If built, the five-state pipeline network would transport carbon emissions from ethanol plants to a permanent underground repository northwest of Bismarck.
The report filed last week by an administrative law judge said an environmental impact statement is sufficient and that the project is unlikely to pollute Minnesota’s natural resources.
CURE, a Minnesota environmental group that opposes the project, said the report “fails to address the many concerns that have affected landowners and that hundreds of community members have raised in written comments and public hearings.”
The group said the commission “will set a dangerously low bar for the environmental review of Summit’s current project and the other pipelines it plans to build in the state.”
In an emailed statement, Summit said that “this report reflects the hard work and dedication of everyone involved in ensuring the project meets rigorous standards.”
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Summit says it has secured 89% of the 28-mile route through voluntary easements. In Minnesota, Summit does not have the ability to use eminent domain to gain priority access to the pipeline. Eminent domain is a point of contention with landowners in other states.
Summit did not say when it expects to apply for a route permit for the bulk of its project in west-central and southern Minnesota.
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Summit is awaiting rulings in North Dakota on permit applications for the pipeline route and underground storage.
Iowa has granted Summit a permit, and the company says it plans to reapply for a permit in South Dakota on Nov. 19. The project also includes Nebraska, which has no state agency responsible for licensing CO2 pipelines. Summit plans to begin construction in Minnesota in the third quarter of 2025, according to the report.
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This article originally appeared in St. Cloud Times: Minnesota Public Utilities to make a decision on the pipeline in December
