Work to develop a possible pipeline to transport liquid carbon dioxide through the region, including through Cottonwood County, continues to be developed.
At Tuesday’s meeting, Cottonwood County Commissioners heard an update from Joe Caruso of Summit Carbon Solutions about progress to develop that pipeline.
The pipeline essentially would transport liquid carbon dioxide from 32 ethanol plants in Southwest Minnesota, Northwest Iowa and Eastern South Dakota to a storage basin in North Dakota, via a 2,000-mile pipeline.
Among the ethanol plants on board with using the pipeline are Highwater Ethanol of Lamberton and Heron Lake BioEnergy.
Caruso noted the $4.5 billion project would become the largest transportation and storage mechanism for liquid carbon dioxide in the world.
Caruso also addressed concerns over the project, noting that a pipeline has been shown to be the safest means of transporting the liquid. He added the project does not have the right to eminent domain, and that the route for the pipeline would need a permit from the Public Utilities Commission.
“We want to be as open and transparent about this project as possible,” Caruso said, adding that several public forums are scheduled for later this month.
Those include:
• Jackson: June 21, 11:30 a.m., at Santee Crossing.
• Windom: June 22, 7:30 a.m., at Windom Community Center.
• Lamberton: June 22, 11:30 a.m., at Lamberton American Legion.
