Decision on carbon pipeline conditional use permit continued until Oct. 5

The saga of Summit Carbon Solutions and its quest for a conditional use permit for a carbon pipeline, proposed to cross the northern tier of Antelope County will continue.

At least for now.

Following a public hearing, held Sept. 14, in Neligh, and after discussion amongst county planning and zoning commission members, a decision will wait until Oct. 5, when the group is scheduled to reconvene at 3 p.m.

The proposed pipeline would transport CO2 emissions from ethanol plants in a five-state area through a 2,000-mile pipeline to North Dakota, where it would be sequestered underground.

Brent Niese, project manager for the Ames, Iowa-based company, told planning and zoning board members that two additional ethanol plants have added to the $5.5 billion project and currently, 88% of landowners along the route in the county have signed an easement.

The project would result in $767,000 in tax dollars for the county, according to Niese.

Antelope County is one of three Nebraska counties that require a conditional use permit hearing, per local zoning regulations. Both Stanton and Dakota county officials tabled a decision, hoping for additional information to become available..

Niese proposed that Antelope County could put conditions on the CUP, noting that the pipeline isn't approved unless it's approved in other states.

"There needs to be guardrails going in. If Iowa has gone through this process, multiple weeks of hearings and deposition, if you get an Iowa IUB permit, you can go through with it," Niese said.

The company is awaiting legal decisions in North Dakota, where the state's Public Service Commission granted reconsideration for the project after rejecting it earlier, due to safety concerns.

South Dakota's Public Utilities Commission denied a permit for the pipeline on Sept. 11.

And in Iowa, a decision isn't expected until 2024

Approximately 10 individuals spoke in opposition to the proposed line, with reasons ranging from the need for carbon, safety concerns and the threat of eminent domain.

Art Tanderup, of Neligh, suggested the board wait to see "how the situation washes out."

"This is a difficult problem. As farmers, we love ethanol," Tanderup said. "I think what's happened here is we have a problem and we've been given one solution. We need to look at other solutions."

Two area residents spoke in favor of the pipeline, noting the impact of ethanol on the agriculture industry.

Ron Stec, of Osmond, said, "This will benefit farming. This will benefit agriculture. This will benefit our small communities."

Additionally, two letters of support, along with eight letters voicing opposition, were entered into record by county zoning administrator Megan Wingate.

Following the hearing, Bob Krutz made a motion to table a decision. Commission member Matt Klabenes said he would not support tabling the motion.

"If we table it, there's no resolution," Klabenes said. "Just saying we don't want to talk about it is turning a blind eye."

Krutz asked what regulations are in place to the company complies with the use permit.

According to Klabenes, the zoning board could reject the CUP if the company fails to follow any conditions listed.

"I'm just saying let's talk about it," Klabenes reiterated.

Chairman Greg Wortman agreed that discussion should take place to "have an idea so when we do come back to this meeting, we don't start over."

Board member Ron Rice said the board should consider adding a condition dependent on a decision in Iowa.

"They've been having hearings on this forever ... Let them battle it legally and go through all the hoops and numbers. If Iowa can work out details to make it functional, I like that idea," he said. "The one thing I hate is eminent domain."

Following approximately 20 minutes of additional discussion, commission members agreed they needed time to review all information presented.

A motion to continue the meeting to Oct. 5, at 3 p.m., at the commissioners' meeting room was approved.