Rounds meets Hyperion foes
Governor: Benefits of refinery outweigh fears
By Dave Dreeszen Journal business editor | Posted: Tuesday, May 20, 2008
ELK POINT, S.D. -- Gov. Mike Rounds reached out Monday to opponents of the proposed Hyperion Energy Center in Union County. The governor also offered to help local governments pay for infrastructure related to growth relating to the controversial project.
During an informal visit to Elk Point, Rounds pulled aside two rural Elk Point area couples -- Dale and Carolyn Harkness and Burdette and Gladys Hansen -- who live in the shadow of the proposed 400,000-barrel-per day refinery.
Both the Harknesses and Hansens are leaders of local group, Save Union County, working to defeat a June 3 referendum over the rezoning of 3,226 acres of farmland Hyperion controls.
"If I was in their position, I might very well express my concerns and say, 'You know, I'd just as soon not make changes in the zoning that is this close to my home,'" Rounds told the Journal in an interview. "We have to understand that 'not in my backyard' is a concern for these folks."
But the Republican governor, an early and enthusiastic supporter of Hyperion's "green" refinery, said the overall benefits to the state and county from Hyperion's $10 billion investment far outweighs such individual fears.
"I'm convinced that the damage will not be as great as some of these folks believe it will be," Rounds said. "But I have to respect their concerns, and I have to try to work through that so that, long-term, this community can heal, once this decision is made, either way."
Carolyn Harkness said Monday's meeting with Rounds did nothing to ease her and her husband's fears about the refinery, which would be built just across the road from their farmstead.
"It was the same old thing," Harkness said. "He said we weren't even going to notice living next to this refinery."
Among other things, the couple pointed out the buffer around the Hyperion site is too small, and the construction could create drainage problems.
Other area families living near the Hyperion site also should have had the same opportunity to directly speak with the governor, she said.
A small crowd of anti-Hyperion forces gathered outside City Hall in Elk Point waiting for the governor, while he met with local elected officials.
The massive Hyperion project is widely expected to bring more residents, businesses and traffic to the county, putting increased demands on local roads, utilities and other infrastructure.
Mayor Isabel Trobaugh said Rounds promised that state loan funds would be available to help replace Elk Point's downtown water and sewer lines, some of which are estimated to be at least 50 years old.
"With the growth of our city, we're putting more stress on our infrastructure all the time," Trobaugh said. "We're pushing more and more water through older cast iron pipes." The increased pressure, she said, causes the pipes to flake off, resulting in some discolored water.
In 2010, the state is scheduled to resurface the city's main street, which is also the main access road to Interstate 29. Trobaugh said the city hopes to replace the street's aging utilities at the same time.
Besides Elk Point, Rounds also visited the Union County cities of Alcester and Beresford, and toured the Hyperion site, located just east of Interstate 29 near the small town of Spink.
Add comments to interactive map: http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/multimedia/unioncounty.php
ELK POINT, S.D. -- Early on, Gov. Mike Rounds said Hyperion Resources officials, at his suggestion, considered sites in western South Dakota for the proposed oil refinery and power plant.
The Dallas, Texas-based energy firm concluded that the less populated western part of the state did not have a large enough work force or sufficient infrastructure, including access to large volumes of water, rail and pipelines.
"I wanted them to know that we might have several locations in South Dakota that might qualify," Rounds told the Journal during a visit to Elk Point. "They chose this as being their best site."
Hyperion has options on thousands of acres of farmland in Union County. County voters will decide June 3 whether to rezone a 3,226-acre site for the 400,000-barrel-per-day refinery.
-- Dave Dreeszen
During an informal visit to Elk Point, Rounds pulled aside two rural Elk Point area couples -- Dale and Carolyn Harkness and Burdette and Gladys Hansen -- who live in the shadow of the proposed 400,000-barrel-per day refinery.
Both the Harknesses and Hansens are leaders of local group, Save Union County, working to defeat a June 3 referendum over the rezoning of 3,226 acres of farmland Hyperion controls.
"If I was in their position, I might very well express my concerns and say, 'You know, I'd just as soon not make changes in the zoning that is this close to my home,'" Rounds told the Journal in an interview. "We have to understand that 'not in my backyard' is a concern for these folks."
But the Republican governor, an early and enthusiastic supporter of Hyperion's "green" refinery, said the overall benefits to the state and county from Hyperion's $10 billion investment far outweighs such individual fears.
"I'm convinced that the damage will not be as great as some of these folks believe it will be," Rounds said. "But I have to respect their concerns, and I have to try to work through that so that, long-term, this community can heal, once this decision is made, either way."
Carolyn Harkness said Monday's meeting with Rounds did nothing to ease her and her husband's fears about the refinery, which would be built just across the road from their farmstead.
"It was the same old thing," Harkness said. "He said we weren't even going to notice living next to this refinery."
Among other things, the couple pointed out the buffer around the Hyperion site is too small, and the construction could create drainage problems.
Other area families living near the Hyperion site also should have had the same opportunity to directly speak with the governor, she said.
A small crowd of anti-Hyperion forces gathered outside City Hall in Elk Point waiting for the governor, while he met with local elected officials.
The massive Hyperion project is widely expected to bring more residents, businesses and traffic to the county, putting increased demands on local roads, utilities and other infrastructure.
Mayor Isabel Trobaugh said Rounds promised that state loan funds would be available to help replace Elk Point's downtown water and sewer lines, some of which are estimated to be at least 50 years old.
"With the growth of our city, we're putting more stress on our infrastructure all the time," Trobaugh said. "We're pushing more and more water through older cast iron pipes." The increased pressure, she said, causes the pipes to flake off, resulting in some discolored water.
In 2010, the state is scheduled to resurface the city's main street, which is also the main access road to Interstate 29. Trobaugh said the city hopes to replace the street's aging utilities at the same time.
Besides Elk Point, Rounds also visited the Union County cities of Alcester and Beresford, and toured the Hyperion site, located just east of Interstate 29 near the small town of Spink.
Add comments to interactive map: http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/multimedia/unioncounty.php
ELK POINT, S.D. -- Early on, Gov. Mike Rounds said Hyperion Resources officials, at his suggestion, considered sites in western South Dakota for the proposed oil refinery and power plant.
The Dallas, Texas-based energy firm concluded that the less populated western part of the state did not have a large enough work force or sufficient infrastructure, including access to large volumes of water, rail and pipelines.
"I wanted them to know that we might have several locations in South Dakota that might qualify," Rounds told the Journal during a visit to Elk Point. "They chose this as being their best site."
Hyperion has options on thousands of acres of farmland in Union County. County voters will decide June 3 whether to rezone a 3,226-acre site for the 400,000-barrel-per-day refinery.
-- Dave Dreeszen
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AnnieO wrote on May 21, 2008 7:57 PM:
Disgusted wrote on May 21, 2008 7:46 PM:
Money talks and The Gov apparently doesn't care whether the people involved have a history that indicates they are ethical and can be trusted. The Gov shows no interest in delving into the facts instead of just believing what the money grabbers tell him.
If this referendum passes, I hope Rounds is around when the problems begin. I doubt he will be in politics by then though. Anybody that opts to campaign for Texas oilmen doesn't have a future in South Dakota. "
Roger wrote on May 21, 2008 4:26 PM:
StopHype wrote on May 21, 2008 1:26 PM:
"
AnnieO wrote on May 21, 2008 12:12 PM:
'WHAT'...Please say the grammar you used in your comment was for effect. If it wasn't, go back to school dearie. "