South Dakota State Board to Decide on Hyperion Refinery Plant

     PIERRE, S.D. (AP) - A state environmental board is set to decide
whether to approve a Texas company's request to extend the deadline
for starting construction of a $10 billion oil refinery planned for
southeastern South Dakota.
     The Board of Minerals and Environment held a hearing on the
issue in July. It will make a decision Thursday after hearing
closing arguments from lawyers representing Hyperion Resources and
groups opposing the project.
     Hyperion's original permit called for construction to begin by
February of this year. The company wants the permit changed to give
it until 18 months from now to start construction.
     The refinery north of Elk Point would process 400,000 barrels of
Canadian tar sands crude oil each day into low-sulfur gasoline,
diesel, jet fuel and liquid petroleum gas.