South Dakota lawmakers eye special session to thwart pipeline plans

close

Video

Fox News Flash top headlines for July 17

Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com.

A group of South Dakota lawmakers has begun circulating a petition in hopes of forcing a special session to protect private property rights against the developers of a proposed carbon dioxide pipeline.

WISCONSIN NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBE ARGUE THAT OIL PIPELINE NEAR RESERVATION LAND SHOULD BE SHUT DOWN

But the petition drive faces an uphill climb, needing the signatures of at least two-thirds of the membership of both the South Dakota House and Senate to succeed. While Republican Gov. Kristi Noem could also call a special session on her own, she said last week that it would be "fruitless" unless lawmakers reach a consensus.

Some South Dakota lawmakers are pushing for a special session in hopes of re-evaluating eminent domain claims allowing a massive carbon dioxide pipeline proposal to proceed.

Landowners and farmers in South Dakota and other states have objected to Summit Carbon Solutions' plan to use the power of eminent domain to run pipelines across private land without the owners’ consent.

REPUBLICANS SECURE MASSIVE GAS PIPELINE APPROVAL IN DEBT CEILING DEAL

The company wants to build a $4.5 billion, 2,000-mile network of pipelines to transport carbon dioxide from Midwest ethanol plants to a deep underground permanent storage site in North Dakota to fight climate change. The company has said it needs to use eminent domain to build the project in a timely fashion. The project would span Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Cosponsors of the petition drive said in a statement Monday that they object to the use of eminent domain to strip property rights from landowners for the benefit of an out-of-state private company with foreign investors. Others have objected on safety grounds, and environmental groups are skeptical.