Indiana Senate narrowly passes bill to allow companies to store CO2
Posted March 2, 2022 at 8:27 am EST
A bill passed in the state Senate on Tuesday allowing polluting companies to capture their carbon emissions and store them underground. & # XD;
Senator Sue Glick (R-LaGrange), who sponsors HB 1209, called carbon capture and storage the “most logical solution” to tackling greenhouse gas emissions and said it would benefit everyone. & # xD;
But several lawmakers have expressed concern about property rights. Among other things, the bill would require companies to obtain permission from owners of 70% of the land and compensate those who do not consent. & # XD;
READ MORE: CO2 Storage Bill Would Make Indiana Responsible For Long-Term Risks & # xD;
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Such owners would not be allowed to sue for punitive damages as long as the company respects its permission. & # XD;
Senator Rick Niemeyer (R-Lowell) said carbon capture and storage is not a proven technology in Indiana. & # XD;
“Farmers own a lot of land and these are people who deal with it every day and are really worried about property rights – how far this carbon will go,” he said. & # XD;
After nearly three years, the state pilot project with Wabash Valley Resources LLC in Terre Haute has not yet progressed. & # XD;
Some environmental advocates argue that underground carbon storage does not address the source of CO2 and has the potential to contaminate drinking water or cause earthquakes. & # XD;
After the underground storage facility closes, the state would take responsibility for CO2, something the Indiana Department of Natural Resources and some lawmakers are not comfortable with.
Contact reporter Rebecca at rthiele@iu.edu or follow her on Twitter at @beckythiele. & # XD;
Indiana environmental reporting is supported by the Environmental Resilience Institute, a University of Indiana Grand Challenge project that develops Indiana-specific projections and informed responses to environmental change problems. & # xD;
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