Elk Point, South Dakota

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Elk Point, South Dakota
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settlement_type = City
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map_caption = Location in Union County and the state of South Dakota


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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = South Dakota
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Union
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area_total_km2 = 3.5
area_land_km2 = 3.5
area_water_km2 = 0
area_total_sq_mi = 1.3
area_land_sq_mi = 1.3
area_water_sq_mi = 0
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population_as_of = 2000
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population_total = 1714
population_density_km2 = 489.7
population_density_sq_mi = 1318.5
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timezone = Central (CST)
utc_offset = -6
timezone_DST = CDT
utc_offset_DST = -5
latd = 42 |latm = 41 |lats = 8 |latNS = N
longd = 96 |longm = 40 |longs = 54 |longEW = W
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 343
elevation_ft = 1125
postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 57025
area_code = 605
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 46-18620GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 1254905GR|3
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Elk Point is a city in Union County, South Dakota, United States. It is part of the Sioux City/Iowa/Nebraska/South Dakota Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,714 as of the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Union CountyGR|6.

Geography

Elk Point is located at coor dms|42|41|8|N|96|40|54|W|city (42.685512, -96.681789)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.3 square miles (3.5 km²), all of it land.

Elk Point has been assigned the ZIP code 57025 and the FIPS place code 18620.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 1,714 people, 682 households, and 459 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,276.0 people per square mile (493.9/km²). There were 750 housing units at an eaverage density of 216.1/km² (558.4/sq mi). The racial makeup of the city was 98.54% White, 0.18% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 0.18% from other races, and 0.53% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.93% of the population.

There were 682 households out of which 33.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.2% were married couples living together, 7.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.6% were non-families. 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the city the population was spread out with 26.7% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 15.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 93.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $41,157, and the median income for a family was $48,056. Males had a median income of $35,509 versus $22,885 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,153. About 5.5% of families and 7.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.1% of those under age 18 and 8.4% of those age 65 or over.

Gorilla Project

The Dallas-based energy firm [http://www.hyperionresources.com/ Hyperion Resources Inc.] announced on June 13, 2007 that area north of Elk Point was a finalist for a new oil refinery.cite news | title =Energy center decision to come in 2008: Hyperion announcement is first step in public process | work =Southern Union County Leader-Courier | page =1,10 | date =2007-06-21 | language =English ] The facility, which would process 400,000 barrels of oil a day and use 12 million gallons of water daily from the Missouri River, has caused significant controversy among concerned residents of Elk Point and the surrounding area. Prior to the announcement, the project was kept under considerable secrecy, and was known only as "Project Gorilla" while Hyperion made several purchase agreements on land north and east of Elk Point. Elk Point is the forerunner among three other out-of-state locations Hyperion is considering for construction of the massive, convert|2000|acre|km2|sing=on refinery.

Opponents are concerned about air, water, and noise pollution; environmental degradation of nearby food crops such as soy beans, corn, and alfalfa; negative effects on the ethanol fuel market and competition with local ethanol producing farmers; displacement of thousands of local residents and negative population resettling; potential industrial disasters including explosions, leaks, and spills, reminiscent of the recent explosion at a similar-capacity Texas City Oil Refinery that caused the deaths of 15 workers and injured over 100; contamination and overuse of important water resources from the Missouri River; potential threats of terrorism; and concerns of the sheer size of the facility, which will be over twice the area of Elk Point itself.

Supporters argue that the facility will bring a much-needed economic boost to the Union County area, and would create over 4,500 new construction jobs and employ 1,800 full-time workers once completed. Hyperion representatives have also promised that the corporation would "go the extra mile" to protect the environment.

References

External links

* [http://www.elkpoint.org// Elk Point, South Dakota Official City Website]
* [http://www.acsnet.com/~jkjar/elk_point.htm Elk Point History] from the [http://www.acsnet.com/~jkjar/ Union County Historical Society website]
* [http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070614/NEWS/706140319, Article from the Argus Leader newspaper of Sioux Falls, S.D., about the Gorilla Project and Hyperion Resources]
* [http://epj.k12.sd.us Elk Point Jefferson School Website]