"Like Carbon Dioxide, This Louisiana Task Force’s Work Is Deep Underground"

"A report due in February still hasn’t been submitted after a series of public meetings; leaders of the carbon capture and sequestration study are mum"

"A special legislative task force assigned with exploring the impacts of carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) in Louisiana still hasn’t submitted a report of its findings —  five months after it was due. And its chairman and the lawmaker who created the group won’t say why.

Louisiana is ground zero for CCS, with more than two dozen projects aiming to remove industrially produced carbon dioxide and storing it permanently underground to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

More than $20 billion in private investment in CCS has been planned, according to the state’s economic development agency. Louisiana Economic Development says the state’s 50,000 miles of pipelines, its deep layers of shale, clay and sand and minimal seismic activity make Louisiana a good location for CCS.

But since the inauguration in January of GOP Gov. Jeff Landry, the task force — like the technology it was directed to explore — appears to be deep underground. And questions remain about the safety and effectiveness of CCS, which is a cornerstone of U.S. efforts to combat climate change."

Terry L. Jones reports for Floodlight July 23, 2024.

 

Source: Floodlight, 07/24/2024