The South Dakota Board of Minerals and Environment has set hearing dates to continue taking testimony on Hyperion Resources' application for an air quality permit.

The board could not hear the testimony from all participants during last month's hearing, so it scheduled more testimony for July 15-16 in Pierre.

The state Department of Environment and Natural Resources has recommended an air quality permit for Hyperion's proposed $10 billion crude oil refinery proposed for 3,800 acres of farm land near Elk Point. The board will decide whether to approve a permit after considering whether the project meets federal air quality standards and uses the best available technology.

The refinery would process 400,000 barrels of Canadian tar sands crude oil each day into low-sulfur gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and liquid petroleum gas.

If the air quality permit is issued, the next step would be a water permit.