Global Community Monitor has been working with residents to stop the proposed 400,000 barrel a day new refinery from being built in the rich farming zone of southeast South Dakota.

In 2009, GCM worked with Save Union County to launch its first Bucket Brigade to document the clean air in this rural farming community and to establish a baseline to compare with dirtier air in communities where oil refineries have already been built.

This proposed facility is tied into the wave of refinery expansions and proposals across the US as a result of the increased use of dirtier crude oil, like the Canadian tar sands.