A “voter veto” of a state law regulating carbon dioxide pipelines is on the general election ballot in South Dakota and residents of Sonoma County, in California’s wine country, will decide on Nov. 5 whether to ban large-scale livestock farms. The handful of state and local referendums across the nation that involve agriculture also include a vote whether to ban slaughterhouses in Denver.
Colorado, which voted in 2020 to bring back the gray wolf, will decide a proposed ban on trophy hunting of mountain lions, bobcats, and lynx. Floridians will vote on whether to create a state constitutional right to hunting and fishing.
The South Dakota referendum could carry a regional impact since it affects the proposed 2,000-mile Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline. It would carry carbon dioxide from 57 corn ethanol plants in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota to an injection site in western North Dakota. Summit says it would be the world’s largest carbon capture and storage project in the world, with the capacity to store up to 18 million tons of carbon dioxide deep underground annually.
At issue is Senate Bill 201, enacted earlier this year by the legislature, and South Dakotans will vote on whether to repeal or uphold it. The law set regulations, including setbacks and the minimum depth for the pipeline. It also pre-empts local regulations of carbon pipelines and bars adoption of new regulations. Counties are allowed to levy a $1-per-foot surcharge on the pipeline and use part of the revenue to reduce property taxes for landowners affected by the pipeline.
Summit says the pipeline is an essential step toward reducing the carbon intensity of ethanol and opens the door to low-carbon fuel markets, such as California. “Being able to access these markets will enhance the long-term viability of the ethanol industry and ensure corn growers across the Midwest continue to have a strong market for their crops,” Summit said.
Opponents say SB 201 sidelines county commissioners and reduces the bargaining power of landowners. “They called it a landowner’s Bill of Rights, but we believe that can’t be any further from the truth. A landowner’s Bill of Rights — it’s a Summit’s Bill of Rights if anything,” said Jim Eschenbaum in a Ballotpedia summary of the referendum.
In Sonoma County, ballot Measure J would limit the size of and set a three-year deadline to phase out concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) above the ceiling of 700 dairy cows and 82,000 dairy cows, for example. Proponents have a list of 21 farms that would be affected, including dairy, egg, broiler chicken, and duck farms. Opponents say more farms could be impacted.
Proposition 127 in Colorado would ban trophy hunting of mountain lions, bobcats. and lynxes, defined as “intentionally killing, wounding, pursuing, or entrapping” the animals or discharging a deadly weapon at them. There would be exceptions for defending human life and using non-lethal means to defend livestock and property. California is the only state at present to ban hunting of mountain lions, also known as cougars and pumas. One opponent calls the referendum “ballot box biology.” Proponents say there is no reason to hunt the animals.
A 60-percent majority is needed in Florida to pass the proposed constitutional amendment creating a right to hunt and fish. Amendment 2 would not interfere with the powers of the state Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. At present, 23 other states have constitutional language on hunting and fishing. Vermont was the first, in 1777.
In Denver, the referendum against slaughterhouses would force the closure of one of the few U.S. plants handling sheep. The grassroots group Pro-Animal Future says slaughterhouses “are inhumane to workers, animals, and the surrounding community.” Pro-Animal Future also supports passage of a citywide referendum to ban fur sales in Denver.