St. Paul, Minn. – On Thursday, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (Commission) approved the scope of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Summit Carbon’s Otter Tail to Wilkin Carbon Dioxide Pipeline Project.
The purpose of scoping is to establish a list of environmental issues that will be further analyzed in the EIS, subject to public review. The Minnesota Department of Commerce, Energy Environmental Review and Analysis unit conducts environmental review on behalf of the Commission for proposed energy projects, including carbon pipelines.
The following is a non-exhaustive list of issues that will be evaluated in the EIS:
- Property value impacts
- Environmental and human impacts
- Emergency preparedness
- Route alternatives
- Water resource impacts: quality, watersheds, wetlands, streams, rivers, water table
- Environmental justice and cultural impacts
- Alternative carbon capture technologies
Next steps
The Department will begin drafting the EIS. Once the draft is complete, the public will have a chance to review and provide comments. Environmental review must be completed before the Commission decides whether to issue a route permit.
Additional information found on the project website.
About the Commission
The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission regulates three cornerstone service industries in Minnesota's economy: electricity, natural gas, and telephone. The Commission’s mission is to create and maintain a regulatory environment that ensures safe, adequate, and efficient utility services at fair, reasonable rates consistent with State telecommunications and energy policies. It does so by providing independent, consistent, professional, and comprehensive oversight and regulation of utility service providers. Learn more at mn.gov/puc.
