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South Dakota panel rejects permit for an $8.9 billion carbon capture Midwest pipeline

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South Dakota panel rejects permit for an $8.9 billion carbon capture Midwest pipeline
News

News

South Dakota panel rejects permit for an $8.9 billion carbon capture Midwest pipeline

2025-04-23 05:49 Last Updated At:05:51

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — The massive carbon capture pipeline in the Midwest was thrown into uncertainty Tuesday after South Dakota’s Public Utility Commission denied its route permit application.

The commission voted 2-1 to deny the application by Iowa-based Summit Carbon Solutions, with Commissioner Kristie Fiegen saying it was “not ready to go forward” and lacked “the form and content required.”

“The PUC’s duty is to make a decision based on a route — one route,” said Fiegen, who initiated the motion to deny. “The current route, in my view, is not viable.”

South Dakota lawmakers passed an eminent domain ban for carbon capture pipelines in March that made Summit’s planned route difficult, commissioners agreed. After Tuesday's decision, Summit said it will refile its application with a reduced route in South Dakota to satisfy landowners and ethanol plant partners.

“While we are disappointed in today’s decision, we remain committed to South Dakota as without it the ethanol industry, farmers, and land values in the state will all suffer,” the company said in a statement.

South Dakota is a crucial part of the 2,500-mile pipeline, estimated to cost $8.9 billion. The pipeline would transport carbon emissions from ethanol plants in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota to be stored underground permanently in North Dakota. The project already has approvals in Iowa, Minnesota and North Dakota, and Summit has invested more than $150 million into its route in South Dakota.

Landowners rejoiced over the Tuesday decision.

“Today is a victory for South Dakota landowners and local control," Dakota Rural Action board member Ed Fischbach said in a statement. "We are grateful the PUC has made this common sense decision and freed landowners to get on with their lives and businesses.”

Summit had previously requested a timeline extension on its permit application to rework its route in a way that would satisfy landowners.

Questions about the pipeline arose after South Dakota lawmakers approved a ban on eminent domain for carbon capture projects, in which the government can seize private property with compensation. Without that power, Summit would need to secure voluntary agreements with landowners along the South Dakota route.

In its filing for an extension, Summit said it would work with landowners and the state in “good faith” rather than challenge the eminent domain ban. That statement convinced commissioners that there was no path forward for Summit given the amount of landowner opposition along the current route.

Instead of pursuing legal action against the state, Summit said in its filing that additional time would allow it to “roll out new offers to landowners” and identify which branches to ethanol plants it can eliminate that face significant landowner opposition.

The ethanol industry is concentrated in the Midwest, with nearly 40% of the nation’s corn used to brew ethanol. By sequestering carbon in North Dakota, Summit’s pipeline promises to lower the carbon intensity of ethanol and make it more competitive as a sustainable product.

A wagon covered in signs protesting the installation of a Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline stands on a farm in Lake County, S.D., on Monday, March 10, 2025, in one of the counties that the pipeline would cut through. (AP Photo/Nicole Neri)

A wagon covered in signs protesting the installation of a Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline stands on a farm in Lake County, S.D., on Monday, March 10, 2025, in one of the counties that the pipeline would cut through. (AP Photo/Nicole Neri)

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 2, 2025--

Heidrick & Struggles (Nasdaq: HSII ), a premier provider of executive search, global leadership advisory and on-demand talent solutions, has appointed Kati Najipoor-Smith as Regional Co-Managing Partner, CEO & Board Practice, for Europe and Africa. Based at the Firm’s office in Frankfurt, Germany, Kati brings decades of global executive search and consulting experience to the Heidrick & Struggles team to support boards and CEOs in navigating complex leadership challenges.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250501269229/en/

Kati began her executive search career at Egon Zehnder in 1999, where she led Global Automotive and later the Global CEO Practice over several years. She advises chairs and CEOs of publicly traded, family-owned, and private-equity-backed companies across sectors and regions, focusing on building effective and strong boards and senior leadership teams. With a global network and extensive experience in CEO transitions, including many visible placements, Kati collaborates closely with boards to ensure robust, objective, and confidential succession processes, including the development of future CEOs.

Speaking about her appointment with Heidrick & Struggles,Kati Najipoor-Smith said: “In this era of unprecedented uncertainty and complexity, business leaders are under immense pressure and the quality of leadership – at both board and C-Suite levels – is being tested like never before. With that in mind, I am excited to join Heidrick & Struggles and to work alongside a highly qualified and diverse consulting team, combining human-centric insight with fact-based, analytical rigour to support our clients’ most critical leadership decisions.”

Jenni Hibbert, Heidrick & Struggles’ Global Managing Partner Go-To-Market and Regional Leader, Europe & Africa, added: “We are very pleased to welcome Kati to Heidrick & Struggles, where I look forward to working with her as she brings her unique talent and experience to bear to make a meaningful impact on our clients across the region.”

Kati spent several years in management consultancies including Roland Berger and at FEV Group, a leading engineering services firm. She holds a PhD in mechanical engineering from the University of Aachen in Germany, an MSc in mechanical engineering from the University of California, and a BSc in mechanical engineering from the University of Portland.

Kati is a frequent speaker and panel guest on leadership topics and is often invited to provide global perspectives on leadership. She also co-founded a private network of senior female executives 10 years ago to support female leaders’ advancement.

About Heidrick & Struggles

Heidrick & Struggles (Nasdaq: HSII) is the world's foremost advisor on executive leadership, driving superior client performance through premier human capital leadership advisory services. For more than 70 years, we've delivered value for our clients by leveraging unrivaled expertise to help organizations discover and enable outstanding leaders and teams. Learn more at www.heidrick.com.

Kati Najipoor-Smith has been appointed Heidrick & Struggles' Regional Co-Managing Partner, CEO & Board Practice, for Europe and Africa

Kati Najipoor-Smith has been appointed Heidrick & Struggles' Regional Co-Managing Partner, CEO & Board Practice, for Europe and Africa

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