Mike Rounds

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) - Sen. Mike Rounds was the lone Republican to oppose the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act in a procedural vote Nov. 10. The sweeping reform package would rework many of the nation’s permitting procedures for energy and transmission projects, such as controversial carbon dioxide pipelines. Supporters say the legislation would promote economic growth and curb energy costs for consumers by shortening the review process for projects, speeding the development of clean energy infrastructure. Opponents argue that the bill would weaken environmental and property rights protections and infringe on tribal sovereignty by making it easier for developers to build destructive projects on Native American lands. In a statement on social media, Rounds said he opposed the bill to preserve property rights. “In South Dakota, the siting of most transmission lines has always been resolved in a reasonable amount of time between landowners, developers and the Public Utilities Commission,” Rounds said. “This legislation would transfer contested cases to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission if not resolved within 12 months, giving a weighted advantage to the developer. South Dakota landowners deserve to negotiate with stakeholders at the state and local level before federal intervention is required.” Rounds voted against the measure along with 23 Democratic senators and independent U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Monday’s vote was a procedural step. The Senate still must vote on whether to pass the bill. See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it. Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.