The Coalition to Stop CO2 Pipelines, a group of Illinois environmental groups, landowners, and concerned citizens, took a victory lap over the official announcement that Navigator Heartland Greenway LLC has canceled its pipeline project. The pipeline would have transported high-pressure liquified carbon dioxide through 14 Illinois counties.
In a press release, Navigator called the process “challenging” and cited “the unpredictable nature of the regulatory and government processes involved, particularly in South Dakota and Iowa” as the reason for the decision.
In response to the cancellation, co-founder of the Coalition Pam Richart released a statement saying that the cancellation highlights Navigator’s failure to adequately address the widespread concerns from farmers, landowners, environmental advocates and elected officials from both sides of the aisle regarding basic protections for communities, land and water resources. The company’s move, she said, sends a clear message that stronger protections are needed at both the state and federal level.
While the coalition is celebrating the announcement, they also know its not the end of their fight.
“We also know that the tax incentives from the federal government for carbon capture, transport and storage likely mean another entity will pick up Navigator’s project or find a different route through Illinois,” the statement read.
Although Navigator’s announcement does give Illinois lawmakers and Governor JB Pritzker some breathing room to get critical protections in place for Illinois communities, the Coalition said there is still urgency to act swiftly.
“’Wolf Carbon Solutions’ proposal to build a CO2 pipeline through nine Illinois counties is still on the table, and other companies continue to see Illinois as a primary target to dump their carbon dioxide waste underground. Illinois remains woefully unprepared and unprotected from CCS projects and our state must act accordingly.”
According to an email from Richart announcing the cancellation, Illinois remains a key target for sequestration, and Navigator and its affiliates have sequestration sites under review by the US EPA in Christian, DeWitt, Logan, Macon and McLean counties.
“Where there is sequestration, there will be carbon pipelines,” she said.
The Coalition said it plans to expand its outreach to local governments in the coming months while they continue the fight to stop Wolf Carbon Solutions. The group also intends to work to pass legislation that protects communities, land and water resources from carbon capture, transport and storage.
Just this week, the Henry County Board passed a two year moratorium on the pipeline that would have hindered its construction through the county.
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