Senate strips emergency clause to pass carbon pipeline 'compromise' legislation

Passage in House would pave way for pipeline in eastern South Dakota

PIERRE — Legislation that would create state setback ordinances for carbon pipelines, preempting existing county ordinances, is heading for a heated showdown in the House.

The Senate, the less carbon-pipeline skeptical of the two chambers, advanced House Bill 201 Wednesday by a vote of 23 to 11.

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That margin was one vote short of the two-thirds required to pass the bill with an emergency clause attached. But that ultimately didn’t slow down its passage, and the prime sponsor, Senate Majority Leader Casey Crabtree, immediately moved to strip the emergency clause out of the bill, allowing it to pass with a simple majority. It received the same vote as before.

In lieu of individual county setback ordinances, which have been passed in five counties, the bill lays out a new set of safety standards and setback regulations. Proponents argue that having one set of statewide standards provides regulatory certainty to businesses.

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