South Dakota’s Public Utilities Commission race heats up

Public Utilities Commissioner race in South Dakota is starting to heat up. Former state legislature, Don Haggar, of Sioux Falls put his hat into the ring. His background is in real estate, banking and insurance. State Senate Majority Leader Jim Mehlhaff, a former staffer for the Public Utilities Commission, has yet to file paperwork to become a candidate, but says he intends to pursue it. Mehlahaff is considered to be an ally of pipeline sequestration companies. Still undecided on joining the race is Mitchell area farmer and motivational speaker Amanda Radke who’s been a highly vocal opponent to the pipelines. That Public Utilities Commission race appears likely to reinvigorate the debate over carbon capture pipelines.