KTIV NewsChannel 4 Sioux City IA: News, Weather and SportsGroup performs independent air quality test in Union County, SD

Group performs independent air quality test in Union County, SD

NEAR ELK POINT, S.D. (KTIV) - A group that opposes Hyperions $10-billion oil refinery slated for Union County, South Dakota is doing its own air quality tests. In a field about one mile south of where Hyperion is proposing their main refining operations, the group Save Union County is starting their research.

"So we have developed our own testing which has been EPA approved," said Ed Cable with Save Union County.

The 'bucket brigade' test is done by loading a sampling bag into a bucket, and then a vacuum is created by using a pump.

 "And that drew the ambient air from outside into the bag. Essentially the air that we were breathing," said Denny Larson who trained the group how to do the test.

The bag will then be shipped to a lab, and the air will be tested for various toxins. Ones the group says the state isn't testing for.

"Well some of the major ones include carbon disulfide and various toxins that are known to escape in the refining process," said Larson.

The group expects the tests at this point to show the air is clean. They say if the refinery does come they'll test again. If that tests comes back with toxins.

"We think this will be a great testimate to the quality of life, that we prefer not to give up," said Cable.

There are other factors as well.

"There's always something in the air from vehicle traffic to other sort of activity," said Larson.

The state of South Dakota is already conducting Ambient Air Quality tests as required by the EPA. The state has several test sites. They test for toxins such as nitrogen dioxide, lead, and carbon dioxide. They've also conducted water tests as a 'beginning' bench mark if the refinery comes.

Hyperion has claimed from the beginning, their refinery is quote "the greenest and cleanest" you'll find in the country.