Governors will hear Hyperion briefing
Tri-state leaders will meet in South Sioux City
By Dave Dreeszen, Journal business editor | Posted: Monday, August 20, 2007
An $8 billion to $10 billion oil refinery that might be built in Union County, S.D., will be up for discussion at this week's Tri-State Governor's Conference.
An $8 billion to $10 billion oil refinery that might be built in Union County, S.D., will be up for discussion at this week's Tri-State Governor's Conference.
J.L. "Corky" Frank, project manager for the Hyperion Energy Center, is scheduled to make a public presentation to South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds, Iowa Gov. Chet Culver and Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman. The three neighboring governors are scheduled to gather Tuesday in South Sioux City for a biennial joint meeting.
Hyperion announced in June that a rural site just north of Elk Point is a leading candidate for its "green energy" center, which would be the first new U.S. refinery built in 30 years. The Texas-based energy firm, which is also considering at least two sites in other states, has secured options on as many as 10,000 acres in Union County.
The Siouxland Chamber of Commerce, coordinator of the tri-state governor's conference, invited Frank to speak at the event and to write a position paper. The Siouxland Initiative, the chamber's economic development arm, is "extremely supportive" of Hyperion's project, Initiative president Debi Durham said.
"We obviously see the economic value in the project," Durham said. "We have confidence in the principals behind the project. We have confidence they can build and operate a green refinery."
The position paper presented to the governors mentions that internal polling conducted by Hyperion has shown "overwhelming public support" for the project, not only in the immediate vicinity of the Union County site but also throughout the entire tri-state region. Eric Williams, a spokesman for the Hyperion Energy Center project, said last Friday he could not immediately provide additional details of the polling.
Rounds, who helped recruit Hyperion to South Dakota, has described the refinery as a "major technological breakthrough." Heineman also has voiced support for the initiative, which would require as many as 10,000 construction workers to build and would create 1,800 permanent jobs, according to Hyperion. Culver has not publicly commented on the project, which has drawn opposition from some local landowners and environmental groups.
Highway construction, technology transfer and law enforcement issues also are on the agenda.
The conference, held every other year, started in 1988 as a way to help foster cooperation among the three neighboring states on economic issues facing the metro area.
At this week's conference, the governors will also be asked to:
-- Support increased federal funding for three major transportation projects -- the redesign of Interstate 29 through Sioux City and the widening to four lanes of U.S. Highway 20 in western Iowa and Highway 35 in northeast Nebraska.
In a related request, local leaders will ask the governors, by executive order, to dedicate a new source of increased sales tax revenue to such major transportation corridors as Highways 20 and 35. At issue is revenue the states would collect from what's known as the "streamlined sales and use tax agreement." The nationwide initiative is intended to equalize sales tax collection among the 50 states.
-- Help restore federal funding for Sioux City's National Training Center. The center, which has focused on training officers nationwide to combat methamphetamine trafficking, was forced to close this summer after its funding ran out.
-- Encourage the transfer of research developed at the state universities to the metro area to help foster business and job growth. Joseph Wright, the Siouxland Initiative's new vice president of technology transfer, is scheduled to address the governors Tuesday.
Journal business editor Dave Dreeszen can be reached at (712) 293-4211 or davedreeszen@siouxcityjournal.com
If you go
What: The 11th Tri-state Governor's Conference
When: 1 to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday
Where: Marina Inn in South Sioux City.
Who: Open to the public.
An $8 billion to $10 billion oil refinery that might be built in Union County, S.D., will be up for discussion at this week's Tri-State Governor's Conference.
J.L. "Corky" Frank, project manager for the Hyperion Energy Center, is scheduled to make a public presentation to South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds, Iowa Gov. Chet Culver and Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman. The three neighboring governors are scheduled to gather Tuesday in South Sioux City for a biennial joint meeting.
Hyperion announced in June that a rural site just north of Elk Point is a leading candidate for its "green energy" center, which would be the first new U.S. refinery built in 30 years. The Texas-based energy firm, which is also considering at least two sites in other states, has secured options on as many as 10,000 acres in Union County.
The Siouxland Chamber of Commerce, coordinator of the tri-state governor's conference, invited Frank to speak at the event and to write a position paper. The Siouxland Initiative, the chamber's economic development arm, is "extremely supportive" of Hyperion's project, Initiative president Debi Durham said.
"We obviously see the economic value in the project," Durham said. "We have confidence in the principals behind the project. We have confidence they can build and operate a green refinery."
The position paper presented to the governors mentions that internal polling conducted by Hyperion has shown "overwhelming public support" for the project, not only in the immediate vicinity of the Union County site but also throughout the entire tri-state region. Eric Williams, a spokesman for the Hyperion Energy Center project, said last Friday he could not immediately provide additional details of the polling.
Rounds, who helped recruit Hyperion to South Dakota, has described the refinery as a "major technological breakthrough." Heineman also has voiced support for the initiative, which would require as many as 10,000 construction workers to build and would create 1,800 permanent jobs, according to Hyperion. Culver has not publicly commented on the project, which has drawn opposition from some local landowners and environmental groups.
Highway construction, technology transfer and law enforcement issues also are on the agenda.
The conference, held every other year, started in 1988 as a way to help foster cooperation among the three neighboring states on economic issues facing the metro area.
At this week's conference, the governors will also be asked to:
-- Support increased federal funding for three major transportation projects -- the redesign of Interstate 29 through Sioux City and the widening to four lanes of U.S. Highway 20 in western Iowa and Highway 35 in northeast Nebraska.
In a related request, local leaders will ask the governors, by executive order, to dedicate a new source of increased sales tax revenue to such major transportation corridors as Highways 20 and 35. At issue is revenue the states would collect from what's known as the "streamlined sales and use tax agreement." The nationwide initiative is intended to equalize sales tax collection among the 50 states.
-- Help restore federal funding for Sioux City's National Training Center. The center, which has focused on training officers nationwide to combat methamphetamine trafficking, was forced to close this summer after its funding ran out.
-- Encourage the transfer of research developed at the state universities to the metro area to help foster business and job growth. Joseph Wright, the Siouxland Initiative's new vice president of technology transfer, is scheduled to address the governors Tuesday.
Journal business editor Dave Dreeszen can be reached at (712) 293-4211 or davedreeszen@siouxcityjournal.com
If you go
What: The 11th Tri-state Governor's Conference
When: 1 to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday
Where: Marina Inn in South Sioux City.
Who: Open to the public.
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Refining Union County wrote on Aug 27, 2007 5:33 PM:
Joe wrote on Aug 27, 2007 6:48 AM:
Refining Union County wrote on Aug 26, 2007 11:40 AM:
reno wrote on Aug 25, 2007 9:43 AM:
Joe wrote on Aug 24, 2007 5:49 PM: