Opponents of the proposed $10 billion dollar Hyperion oil refinery are asking the South Dakota Supreme Court to strike down a state permit that would allow the project to be built in Union County.

Lawyers for three groups opposing the Hyperion Energy Center say the air quality permit approved last year by the Board of Minerals and Environment was flawed because an environmental study was not thorough enough.

Attorneys for the state board say there was no need to prepare a full-blown environmental impact statement, and board members took into account all relevant environmental issues.

Both sides made arguments in front of the high court Wednesday in Sioux Falls.

Hyperion's proposed refinery north of Elk Point would process 400,000 barrels of Canadian tar sands crude each day. The company declined to renew several thousand acres in land options in Union County this past week.

Main content from Associated Press

THE STARS ADAPTIVE RIDING SCHOOL ON THE FAR NORTH END OF SIOUX CITY  HAS A SPECIAL EVENT PLANNED FOR SATURDAY NIGHT. SPOKESPERSON STACY PEDERSEN SAYS THE ANNUAL STARS-FEST CELEBRATION HAS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE:



PEDERSEN SAYS THE EVENT WILL HELP FUND OPERATIONS AT THE FACILITY, WHICH PROVIDES EQUINE AND CANINE THERAPY FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES WITH SPECIAL NEEDS OR DISABILITIES:



A BAR-B-Q PORK LOIN DINNER TAKES PLACE AT 6PM SATURDAY WITH MUSIC FROM BYRON KUEHL AT SEVEN.

LOOK FOR THE BIG RED STARS BARN OUT PAST MIKE'S SALOON ON HIGHWAY K-22

AUTHORITIES HAVE RELEASED THE NAME OF A SERGEANT BLUFF MAN WHO WAS KILLED TUESDAY MORNING IN A CRASH ALONG HIGHWAY 75.

36 YEAR OLD SCOTT CHARLES JACOBSEN WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE, JUST SOUTH OF THE NIPCO INTERSECTION IN PLYMOUTH COUNTY.

OFFICIALS SAY THE TOYOTA CAMRY WAS NORTHBOUND AND AS IT APPROACHED THE CURVE, JACOBSEN LOST CONTROL, ENTERED THE EAST DITCH AND ROLLED SEVERAL TIMES.

JACOBSEN'S BODY WAS TRANSPORTED TO FLOYD VALLEY HOSPITAL FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION.

THE INVESTIGATION INTO THE ACCIDENT CONTINUES.

WOODBURY COUNTY SUPERVISORS ARE IN DISAGREEMENT OVER THE PROCESS OF FORMING A COALITION OF COUNTIES TO PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR AREA RESIDENTS.

SUPERVISORS VOTED 3-2 TO APPROVE A LETTER OF INTENT TO HAVE WOODBURY COUNTY JOIN PLYMOUTH, SIOUX AND CHEROKEE COUNTIES IN FORMING A MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE REGION.

CHAIRWOMAN JACKIE SMITH SAYS IT'S A START TO COMPLY WITH STATE MANDATED CHANGES REQUIRING COUNTIES TO REGIONALIZE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES:



SUPERVISOR MARK MONSON OBJECTED TO THE LETTER, BECAUSE WOODBURY WAS ALREADY IN TALKS TO FORM AN 11 MEMBER COUNTY CONSORTIUM:



SUPERVISOR LARRY CLAUSEN SAYS AN 11 COUNTY CONSORTIUM WOULD BE UNWIELDY:



SUPERVISOR GEORGE BOYKIN SAYS THE COUNTY COULD START SMALL, AND COULD ALWAYS GROW THE CONSORTIUM LATER.

DAVID TRIPP JOINED MONSON IN VOTING AGAINST THE FOUR COUNTY PLAN.