CO2 route to go from Fergus Falls to Minnesota-North Dakota border

Contributed photo
The CO2 route, if approved, would go from Fergus Falls to the Minnesota-North Dakota border, south of Breckenridge.

By Tom Hintgen

Otter Tail County Correspondent

County commissioners, on April 25, heard from Iowa-based Summit Carbon Solutions about the proposed transport of captured carbon dioxide (CO2) from the Green Plains Ethanol Plant west of Fergus Falls. The route, if approved, would go from Fergus Falls to the Minnesota-North Dakota border, south of Breckenridge.

Summit has filed a pipeline routing permit application with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission to construct approximately 28.1 miles of 4.5-inch outside diameter carbon steel pipeline and associated facilities.

The pipeline would continue from south of Breckenridge into North Dakota where the CO2 would be sequestered underground in permitted saline formations using injection wells. 

The proposed project also includes a pipeline inspection tool launcher located at the Green Plains Ethanol Plant, four mainline valves and a protection system within the pipeline permanent right-of-way.

Public meetings are scheduled for Tuesday, May 2, in Breckenridge and Wednesday, May 3, in Fergus Falls. Tuesday’s gathering in Breckenridge is 6 p.m. at the high school. Meeting times Wednesday in Fergus Falls, at the Bigwood Event Center, are 1 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Once the draft of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is complete, it will be issued for public review and comment. This will include additional public meetings and a written comment period.

The EIS is a government document that outlines the impact of a proposed project on its surrounding environment. These statements are mandated by federal law for certain projects. 

More about CO2

route proposal

Representatives of Iowa-based Summit Carbon Solutions, speaking to county board members on Tuesday morning, April 25, emphasized that public hearings May 2 in Breckenridge (6 p.m. at the high school) and May 3 in Fergus Falls (two meetings at 1 p.m. and another at 6 p.m.) will emphasize the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).

Speakers will also review plans to transport captured carbon dioxide (CO2) from the Green Plains Ethanol Plant west of Fergus Falls to a location south of Breckenridge.

  The representatives of Summit Carbon Solutions told the five county commissioners that the goal of this project, similar to other projects tied to more than 40 ethanol plants in several states, is to preserve the economic vitality of corn production and to generate tax revenues for local communities.

Area farmers are being assured that there will only be voluntary easements, with no eminent domain. Also, there will be lifetime warranties on tile repairs on individual farm sites when needs arise. Land restoration is also assured as a continuing obligation of Iowa-based Summit Carbon Solutions.

The Summit Carbon representatives emphasize that saline storage of CO2 is a proven practice, including CO2 from ethanol plants.

Other ethanol CO2 routes may eventually come from plants near Willmar on the southwest side of the state and west of Faribault in the far section of southern Minnesota. Partner facilities may also benefit from future CO2 projects.