BROOKINGS Two residents were named as the public members of the Brookings County C02 Advisory Committee at Tuesdays county commission meeting.
On voice votes, commissioners gave the go-ahead to adding Stephanie Mason of Brookings and Shon Morris of rural Volga to the committee, which has a total of 15 members. Mason is the vice president of economic development at Brookings Economic Development Corp. while Morris is a self-employed contractor.
The panel is the countys response to Summit Carbon Solutions proposed CO2 pipeline in South Dakota, of which a branch would serve the Valero Renewables plant in Aurora.
The proposed pipeline would have significant safety, economic, environmental and property rights ramifications, Morris wrote in his application. These ramifications are important enough, individually and collectively, to warrant participation and input from impacted parties. My wife, neighbors and I would all be impacted by this proposed project.
Mason indicated in her application that the CO2 pipelines overall significant impact, including economic development, were driving forces behind her decision to apply.
As we navigate the balance between infrastructure development, environmental considerations and business sustainability, it is essential to ensure that our approach supports long-term economic growth while maintaining Brookings Countys vitality as a place where businesses can thrive, Mason wrote.
In addition to the two citizen appointments, commissioners named two of their own to the committee as well: Kelly VanderWal and Doug Post.
Whether the pipeline will even be built is uncertain at this point in time.
South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden recently signed a bill into law that forbids the use of eminent domain the taking of land from private parties for public-interest projects with appropriate compensation for endeavors such as Summits CO2 pipeline proposal. The company has since called for the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission to pause its application for a permit as it explores its options.
The PUC would have to rule in companys favor for the pipeline to begin construction.
Fire concerns
The continued dry conditions in the county conditions not helped any when a storm system that was predicted to pass through the area skirted it instead this past weekend also caught the attention of commissioners.
I just ask that people in our county keep in mind that if youre going to have a controlled burn, be cognizant of the weather two and three days ahead of time, VanderWal said. Once a burn pile gets going and then the wind switches out (to another) direction, things can change rapidly.
He added, Were going to hope and pray for some more rain here this week we kind of missed out on the last one. I just ask that our citizens just remember that its a tool to use, but lets be very careful about fires in the days ahead.
In other business Tuesday, commissioners:
- Learned that Assistant Sheriff Scott Sebring will be retiring from the sheriffs office, effective June 6, and on a voice vote approved filling the position. Sebring has been a part of the office since Sheriff Marty Stanwick was first elected in the late 1990s.
- On a 5-0 vote, agreed to provide $1,500 toward the Uncle Sam Jam Fourth of July event at the Dacotah Bank Center.
- Approved the Brookings County portion of a southeast South Dakota road striping project, priced at $117,439.25, on a 5-0 vote, to Sir Lines A Lot.
- On a voice vote, OKd the countys 2025 chip seal project to low-bid winner The Road Guy Construction Co. Inc. of Yankton. The companys bid was $213,037.75.
- Agreed, on a voice vote, to award Timmons Construction Inc. of Brookings its low bid of $93,395 for work on the county courthouses southeast parking lot and sidewalks.
Contact Mondell Keck at [email protected].
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