NEW POLL SHOWS MOST SOUTH DAKOTANS ARE OPPOSED TO CO2 PIPELINE

SOUTH DAKOTA Undated (Kathleen Shannon / Greater Dakota News Service) – A new poll shows most South Dakotans don’t approve of legislation that restricts local control on carbon pipelines.

South Dakotans this November will vote on a referendum that would provide new regulations for linear transmission facilities, like Summit Carbon Solutions and its proposed $8 billion multistate pipeline, that could curb greenhouse gas emissions.

The project would transport ethanol plant emissions underground to long-term storage, traveling through 18 eastern South Dakota counties and impacting about 1,000 private landowners along the way – according to DominaLaw Group.

The law would allow counties a $1 per-foot surcharge on pipelines, but Chase Jensen – senior organizer with Dakota Rural Action – said if voters pass the bill, companies will have more power on private land.

“Among some softball benefits to landowners,” said Jensen, “this bill stripped county authority and majorly reduced their ability to regulate these projects.”

Jensen said the law’s language around creating a “landowner bill of rights” is a misnomer.

According to a recent poll from Embold research, 65% of South Dakotans disapprove of the law.

In a statement, Summit said its goal is to secure “100% voluntary easement agreements” – but it did not rule out using eminent domain, or the taking of private property for public use.

In an opinion filed last month, South Dakota’s Supreme Court remanded a case involving Summit, and is asking a lower court whether carbon transported through a pipeline is a commodity.

If it is, then it’s easier for Summit to invoke eminent domain. Jensen said that’s a problem.

“If you think even of just like your own garbage service, you’re not retaining ownership of the garbage when it’s picked up and brought to the dump,” said Jensen. “You can’t go to the dump and say, ‘that’s my garbage,’ right? That’s effectively what they’re doing. ”

Last year, the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission denied permit applications from both Summit Carbon Solutions and Navigator CO2.

There are also concerns about public and environmental safety.

 

JUDGE RULES THAT LIBERTARIAN CANDIDATES WILL STAY OFF THE NOVEMBER BALLOT IN IOWA

DES MOINES, IA – A Polk County judge has ruled that three Libertarian congressional candidates will not appear on the ballot.

In late August, a partisan State Objection Panel removed Nicholas Gluba, a candidate in eastern Iowa’s 1st Congressional District, Charles Aldrich in western Iowa’s 4th Congressional District, and Marco Battaglia, a candidate in central Iowa’s 3rd Congressional District.

The panel found that the Libertarian Party of Iowa held precinct caucuses and county conventions on the same day, which is against state law, meaning their candidacies weren’t legally nominated.

During court arguments Thursday, Libertarians argued that the objectors didn’t have standing to file an objection because they aren’t Libertarians and thus weren’t harmed by the party’s error.

Saturday, Polk County District Court Judge Michael Huppert ruled that the objectors were qualified to bring a challenge under state law.

Huppert also ruled that the State Objection Panel had the authority to hear and rule on the objections and properly interpreted the law. Huppert also found that the process utilized by the objectors and the panel did not unconstitutionally infringe upon the rights of either the Libertarian Party or voters.

Previously, the three candidates said they’d continue to run as write in candidates if they’re removed from the ballot.

Huppert also removed an injunction blocking Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate’s office from certifying the November ballot. Now that the injunction is lifted, Pate can certify ballots and counties can begin printing them.

The Libertarian Party of Iowa has filed an appeal of the decision and oral arguments are scheduled for Tuesday at 10:00 a.m.

 

RAPID CITY SCHOOLS PLACED ON SECURE STATUS IN RESPONSE TO ONLINE MESSAGES

RAPID CITY, S.D. – Law enforcement in Rapid City say a social media message circulating among students depicting a firearm led to a secure status at several area schools Thursday.

The Pennington County Sheriff’s Office says the message was received shortly after 11:00 Thursday morning.

Dustin Morrison is Captain of Investigations with the Pennington County Sheriff’s Office. He says the secure status began at Stevens High School where the embedded School Resource Officer immediately placed the school on secure status. Shortly after, West Middle School was also put on secure status as a precaution. As an added precaution, other Rapid City Area School schools placed themselves on secure status at their own discretion.

He says by 2:00 p.m., all secure status was lifted and law enforcement reported an individual had been detained. “At this point in time, we’ve identified some people whose names that have come to us,” said Morrison. “And we do have these people detained right now.”

Morrison says threats on social media pose challenges to law enforcement, especially where they originated. “We’re not going to assume that it came from somewhere else,” Morrison said. “And if it happened there, they’re probably doing the same thing, and we’ve got to look at that information as well.”

During a secure status, no one is allowed to enter or leave the building and there is increased law enforcement presence.

Rapid City Area Schools says all students and staff are safe and an investigation into the incident was ongoing.