A Sioux Falls City Council data center rezone vote in January drew a capacity crowd, a majority of whom opposed. (Joe Sneve / The Dakota Scout)

Talks of streamlining federal permitting are gaining traction on Capitol Hill, but eliminating bureaucratic red tape that often plagues plans to build bridges, power plants and transmission lines is offset by the general public’s increasing propensity to say no.

And unless that changes, South Dakota leaders say the state – and country – will continue to fall behind in the global technological arms race.

U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson says the stakes reach far beyond any single project.

VIEWPOINT | Amendment K would invest South Dakota unclaimed funds wisely

Guest column by Rep. Chris Kassin (R-17) and Rep. Erik Muckey (D-15)

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The Heart of Everything1 month ago

“In the last five years, China has sited more electrical generation than we have in total in this country,” . . . Last year they did 40,000 bridges. We did 4,000. And most of those bridges have been more than a decade in the making.”

Most of China’s electrical generation has focused on renewable energy. Dusty’s administration has blocked over 165 wind projects. Dusty’s administration has also blocked bridge projects like the Gordy Howe bridge. If you listen to Dusty and Thune, every project that’s been slowed or stopped in South Dakota is the result of unreasonable and excessive federal and state regulations—if that’s such a huge stumbling block, wouldn’t Governor Rhoden's economic development grants ($1.4 million and over $5.8 million for infrastructure projects) have been opposed locally? I don’t think that’s the case, because those projects support community development and local economic development, and they don’t fund projects South Dakotans oppose.

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