Carbon pipelines have become a hotly debated issue across the Midwest, and South Dakota is no different. One poll, discussed this week, shows wide opposition to installation when eminent domain is involved.
The poll was conducted by Embold Research and surveyed registered voters across six Midwest states. Its findings showed 81 percent opposition to the use of eminent domain for privately-owned pipeline projects.
Emma Schmidt is organizing director of the Bold Alliance, an anti-pipeline organization. She said this poll suggests deep opposition.
"It crosses partisan and demographic lines," Schmitt said. "We did find voters with the highest level of awareness of eminent domain also showed the strongest level of opposition toward eminent domain abuse for private use.”
Three bills were passed during the last state legislative session seeking to regulate carbon pipelines in South Dakota. However, one bill, SB201, known as the “landowners bill of rights,” hasn’t escaped criticism from pipeline opponents. That includes Chase Jensen from Dakota Rural Action.
“65 percent of South Dakotans were found to oppose a new law, passed by our legislature, and successfully referred to the ballot in November by a group opposed to these projects," Jensen said. "This bill was intentionally mistitled as a landowner’s bill of rights, although we know it’s truly a Summit Pipeline bill of rights.”
Proponents of the law argue it doesn’t make significant changes to eminent domain regulations, while opponents contend the bill doesn’t protect landowners.
Jensen said he’s confident the bill won’t survive the upcoming vote.
“The fact we have the bill on the ballot now and 65 percent of South Dakotans opposed to what it will do speaks volumes to how the vote will go in November,” Jensen said.
That bill is now listed as Referred Law 21.