Carbon Capture Pipeline Opponents Want Permits Paused Until New Safety Regulations Are Done

Opponents of three carbon emission pipelines proposed in Iowa and neighboring states are demanding that federal regulators halt construction, saying current safety measures are not enough to protect people living near the projects.

About three dozen local, community and tribal groups on Monday asked the U.S. Gas Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to delay action on state carbon capture permits until the agency issues new safety regulations.

There was no response from the agency. In May, the company said it would seek new regulations for its carbon dioxide pipeline following the February 2020 explosion at the Tartia, Mississippi pipeline that left 45 people hospitalized.

The agency fined pipeline owners nearly $4 million for violating safety regulations. Regulators are also required to conduct safety studies and build a network of carbon capture pipelines to transport liquid carbon dioxide emissions to deep wells.

"Any CO2 pipeline permit issued before this gap is filled will jeopardize public safety and the environment," the group said in a letter to the Office of Gas Pipeline Safety and Hazardous Materials. “We know that the upcoming regulatory review will impact housing and therefore the risk/safety of the community.”

Groups including Food and Water Watch, the Environment and Health Science Network and the Iowa chapter of the Sierra Club said California has banned carbon capture pipes until new safety measures are in place by federal agencies.

Read more : Builders promise safer CO2 pipes Worried Iowans have pointed to a scam in Mississippi.

Carolyn Raffensperger, executive director of the Environmental Science and Health Network, said the permit suspension was appropriate.

“We understand that the PHMSA considers the current rules to be inadequate,” Raffensperger said on Monday. “However, before these security measures were in place, we urgently launched three pipelines to roll out the project.”

The carbon capture pipeline proposed by Summit Carbon Solutions, Navigator CO2 Ventures and Wolf Carbon Solutions will run through dozens of Iowa counties. The company wants to capture carbon dioxide emissions from ethanol producers and other industrial farms in Iowa and funnel it to facilities in Illinois and North Dakota.

Summit, Navigator and Wolf have pledged that the project is safe and that in many cases their building specifications exceed federal requirements.

Many Iowans have expressed concerns about safety and property rights.

The proposal was controversial, with Iowans expressing concerns about the pipeline's safety and the company's use of eminent domain to force landowners to sell them access to the project.

Like a short breath, carbon dioxide is heavier than air. A colorless, odorless gas is released into the atmosphere, removing oxygen. Depending on the level of concentration, exposure can cause headaches and drowsiness to the point of confusion and death.

The Biden administration has introduced carbon sequestration measures that it says will help halve greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. The Depreciation Act this year increased by 70% the tax credits that companies receive and deduct from their carbon emissions.

Read More : Stricter carbon capture pipeline rules spark legal action from Ames

A rich tax credit could net an Iowa pipeline developer about $40 billion over 12 years.

“It is ridiculous to allow pipeline companies who want to cash in on this gold rush through federal subsidies to brutally crack down on the public,” Jim Walsh, director of policy in Washington, D.C., said according to a Food and Water Watch report on Monday.

“A proactive approach to the carbon pipeline is very important to us,” Walsh said. "PHMSA should suspend this permit" until the agency fully understands the loopholes in pipeline safety regulations.

The groups identified several areas where they felt federal regulation was lacking. Among them: there is no need to add odors to carbon dioxide to detect leaks, and there is no special safety distance between pipes and places where people use them, such as schools, homes and businesses. They noted that there is currently no plume propagation model to help identify areas of potential damage along the carbon capture pipeline corridor.

Storey and Shelby counties passed laws requiring more space along the pipeline, but Summit filed a lawsuit, saying the local government is illegally trying to circumvent federal and state regulation.

Opponents say the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Authority's review could take two years, with the necessary investigation requiring the agency to hold public meetings on the project with landowners, emergency responders and others. .

The company mentions "layered protection" and promises to go beyond current regulations.

Summit and Navigator have applied for hazardous fluid piping permits to the Iowa Public Utilities Board.

Summit communications director Jesse Harris said the Gas and Hazardous Materials Safety Authority "has a long history of strict and comprehensive CO2 pipeline regulations, including the current 5,000 miles." Iowa is not.

“Over this period, these rules have provided many layers of protection to property owners, communities and businesses, and in the process have helped prevent any loss of life with this system,” Harris said in an email.

Navigator and Wolf said they were ready to comply with any federal requirements.

"Wolf is committed to safe operations and will fully comply with any changes or modifications to existing PHMSA regulations," said Pat Braley, Wolf's vice president of engineering.

"Navigator consults regularly with PHMSA to provide updates on the progress of the project and is actively implementing many design, construction and operational improvements that are outside of current regulations," Navigator said in an email.

This article originally appeared on the Des Moines list: Group calls for ban on carbon capture permits in Iowa.

Meetings were held in the regional Duma on the issue of “attacks on gas stations”.