South Dakota Underground Pipeline Task Force

The South Dakota Underground Pipeline Task Force Final Report was submitted to then-Governor Mike Rounds by the December 1, 2008 deadline. Below are links to the 224-page final report. Because of its size, it can be downloaded in its entirety or by section.

Background on Task Force

During the 2008 South Dakota Legislative Session Senate Bill 190, An Act to provide for regulatory oversight of oil pipelines and to create a task force was passed into law taking effect July 1, 2008. Section 10 of the Act, now found in South Dakota Codified Law Chapter 34A-18-10, establishes the South Dakota Underground Pipeline Task Force.

The Task Force is made up of seven members appointed by the Governor who are to be knowledgeable of existing federal statutes and regulations and state statutes and rules which govern underground pipeline facilities for the transmission and distribution of water, natural gas, crude oil, ethanol, and refined petroleum products. The appointed members of the Task Force include:

     1. Gary Hanson, Commissioner, Public Utilities Commission

     2. Dennis Davis, Director, Association of Rural Water Systems

     3. Gordon Woods, Vice President and COO, South Dakota Intrastate Pipeline Company

     4. Daniel Holli, Environmental and Regulatory Specialist, Plains Pipeline L.P.

     5. Pete Bullene, Environmental Health and Safety Director, Glacial Lakes Energy

     6. Troy Styer, Pipeline Safety Coordinator, NuStar Energy and President, South Dakota Pipeline Association

     7. Mark Anderson, President, South Dakota State Federation of Labor AFL-CIO

Based on SDCL 34A-18-10, the Task Force has two objectives:

     1) Review the status of existing and proposed pipelines in South Dakota and

     2) assess the adequacy of state laws and regulations relating to pipelines in South Dakota.

In addition, the Task Force is to report its findings to the Governor no later than December 1, 2008.

Public notices, the Task Force's final report, and other important documents related to the South Dakota Underground Pipeline Task Force will be linked from this page. Meeting agendas and minutes can be found on the department's Environmental Citizen Boards Meeting Calendar. For more information about the Task Force or to be placed on an e-mail mailing list, please contact Brian Walsh with the DENR at (605) 773-3296 or by e-mail.