Push for CO2 pipeline moratorium in Springfield
SPRINGFIELD (25News Now) - Applications to build CO2 sequestration pipelines in Central Illinois have come and gone, and now a state bill looks to prevent more projects until federal regulations come down.
Martha Ross, former Peoria Public Schools Board president and current president of Southside Community United for Change, joined other environmental advocates and lawmakers in Springfield to push for two bills on CO2 pipelines.
There have been multiple CO2 sequestration pipeline projects proposed for Illinois. In Central Illinois, Wolf Carbon Solutions (WCS) planned to deliver liquified CO2 from an ethanol plant in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to the Mt Simon aquifer in Decatur.
One of the original WCS routes included a path underneath Peoria’s Southside.
“The last thing my neighbors need to do is teach my children to use a breathing apparatus in the event of a pipeline rupture,” Ross said at a news conference in Springfield.
WCS withdrew its application following a critical assessment from Illinois Commerce Commission staff, though the company will resubmit that application later.
The reason for that critical assessment from state staffers for WCS and others looking to build pipelines hinges on federal regulations from the federal Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. Those regulations have been in the works for more than a year and are estimated to come out later in 2024.
Chicago Democrat Representative Ann Williams advocated for two pieces of legislation; one would impose a moratorium on CO2 pipelines until those new federal rules come out. The other creates state regulations focused on mitigating risks of CO2 capture, transport, and sequestration.
Much of the concern revolves around safety and emergency preparedness in the event of a pipeline rupture. Companies that plan to build pipelines in Illinois must create an emergency plan with first responders in the affected area.
Both bills are in their early stages. Neither has been passed from either the House or Senate.
You can watch 25News - any newscast, anywhere - streaming LIVE on 25NewsNow.com, our 25News mobile app, and on our WEEK 25News SmartTV streaming app. Learn more about how you can get connected to 25News streaming live news here.
Copyright 2024 WEEK. All rights reserved.
