SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Comments and filings in the Summit Carbon Solutions and Navigator permit applications for carbon dioxide pipelines on the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission could be passionate and intense as the permit process happened.
An exchange between Republican Sen. Lee Schoenbeck and acting PUC commissioner Josh Haeder, who is also the state treasurer, shows how upset Schoenbeck was with the PUC’s handling of the SCS permit applications. The snapshot of the comments, legally required to be reported by a sitting member of the PUC when discussing an open docket, can be viewed below.
In short, Schoenbeck said Haeder was anti-ethanol and should not be in public office as anti-ethanol people are bad for South Dakota.
Schoenbeck didn’t respond to an email and phone message left by KELOLAND News. Haeder’s office referred KELOLAND News to the PUC’s Leah Mohr who could not comment on the exchange.
Here’s the bulk of the exchange:
Schoenbeck asked how long Haeder had been anti-ethanol, to which Haeder replied, “What?”
Schoenbeck said Haeder should not send him “goofy” email responses.
Haeder said he wasn’t following Schoenbeck’s question. Schoenbeck asked “R u that stupid?” Haeder replied, “I have zero idea what you are talking about.”
“U r that stupid then,” Schoenbeck said. Haeder said “What email response?”
After Schoenbeck said Haeder should not be in office, Haeder replied that he thought Schoenbeck was “above name calling. I guess I was wrong unfortunately. Apparently you didn’t listen to my comments? Which doesn’t appear to matter based on your messages. Thanks for sharing your opinion.”
Schoenbeck said Haeder was making excuses and objected when Haeder said “No excuses my friend.” Schoenbeck said Haeder should not call him friend and that his friends have spines.
The text exchange between the two on Sept. 14 is part of the public comment record for the Summit Carbon Solutions PUC docket.
The PUC denied the applications from Summit and Navigator. Summit has said it will re-apply to the state. Navigator said last week it had canceled its CO2 pipeline project.
