• PIERRE, S.D. (AP) -- South Dakota residents looking for information related to the continuing drought have a new website to visit.
• Gov. Dennis Daugaard's Drought Task Force has set up the site at drought.sd.gov with drought-related news releases, designation information, recommended feed-finder sites and other drought-related links.
• U.S. Agriculture Tom Secretary Vilsack on Monday opened some Conservation Reserve Program acres for emergency haying and grazing to aid drought-stricken ranchers. Ranchers interested in emergency haying and grazing of CRP must con

tact their local FSA offices to obtain approval.
• The Drought Task Force will meet again Monday in Pierre.
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• BELLE FOURCHE, S.D. (AP) -- A Texas-based pipeline manufacturer is expanding its operations to South Dakota.
• Pipeline Plastics is adding a plant in Belle Fourche that is expected to create 25 to 40 full-time jobs to the area. The plant is expected to open next year and provide high-density polyethylene pipe to the Bakken Formation in North Dakota and Montana. The company already produces the pipe at a plant in Decatur, Texas.
• Belle Fourche Mayor Gary Hendrickson says in a news release that he is excited to see the economic benefit the plant will bring to the area.
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• BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) -- North Dakota wildlife officials are hoping low water levels on the James River will help kill an Asian carp species famous for leaping out of the water.
• Silver carp are a highly invasive species that can outcompete native fish species for food. Officials say the fish was first discovered in the James in North Dakota last year. Officials say the carp have migrated upstream through South Dakota in recent years.
• Low water levels in the James River this year was blamed for hundreds of dead fish in the James River this year, many of them large northern pike. But officials say no dead silver carp have been discovered.
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