LETTER | Pipeline spotlights corporate greed
Let's not talk about the pipeline.
I have farmed my entire life. I am in my sixties. Our five children are fully launched, one of which is farming with us. I have never written a letter to the editor in my life. This topic; however, is worthy of every landowner and home owner’s attention to listen up. Your property owner’s rights are at stake.
My grandparents and parents worked this land hard for decades to create a special legacy for our family. And now, one corporation in one fell swoop, is going to take our rights away. I believe it is my duty to protect the rights of my family and our farm.
Not only are property rights at stake, but local government authority is being questioned. If a township or a small town or a county passes an ordinance that has authority in South Dakota. It seems to me the companies backing these projects, some of which are foreign-backed and not a friend of the USA, want to run roughshod over local governments. They use intimidation and fear to get their way. And when I say “their way,” I mean get our government dollars for their private gain. If eminent domain is used to accomplish this, that’s wrong.
Let’s not talk about the pipeline, instead let’s talk about what that topic has revealed. It shows me there are people, entities and businesses that want to get control of just enough property rights to get what they want at an extremely low cost. If you don't sign an easement, they want to take your property rights by eminent domain. I firmly believe that no out-of-state company should have the power to take away the decision-making authority that rightfully belongs to local leaders. It's about empowering South Dakota communities and ensuring that critical decisions remain in the hands of the people who know our lands and values best.
Bruce Burkhart,
Rural Dell Rapids
Please rest assured, sir, that you, your family and all property owners who do not want to give up their land, voluntarily or by force via eminent domain, will have the CONTINUED SUPPORT of all of us who supported all of you during Round One in this battle are still here.
From what I heard, calls and letters of support of you farmers and ranchers came in from every corner of our state and I daresay that all of them are standing by, pens and phones at the ready, to reiterate our support.
Everyone should make your feelings on this issue known to all three of your state electeds in Pierre and and the PUC, and tell them you do not any legislation passed which will attempt to circumvent the true and constitutional definition of eminent domain in this issue..
With North Dakota's PUC denying a permit for the CO2 dumping ground near Bismark, Navigator got the message and quit the project. So where will Summit Carbon Solutions be dumping the collected CO2? What community will they attempt to coerce or buy off? They have FIVE BILLION REASONS to do so.
Two final things: Thank you to the North Dakota and South Dakota PUC members who supported the citizens by following our Constitution's verbiage of Eminent Domain. Summit Carbon Solutions is not a government entity and their pipeline is not for PUBLIC USE, but rather for corporate benefits.
Thank you Mr. Burkhart, your generations of family and to all ranchers and farmers who put food on our tables.
Bruce Burkhart is spot on with his comments ! Summit Carbon Solutions is trying to take the ethanol industry hostage .