Tonight, people who live in Illinois near the proposed route of a carbon dioxide pipeline can learn more about it. The Coalition to Stop CO2 Pipelines will host a free webinar which will focus on the Wolf Carbon Solutions project which is affiliated with ADM.
Bill Davies, from Moline, is concerned about safety and leaks because the carbon dioxide would be highly pressurized. It would be pumped from Cedar Rapids, through Rock Island, Henry, and Knox counties to Decatur.
"Natural gas dissipates if it leaks, but not CO2. It would create a colorless, odorless cloud of gas close to the ground and would move to lower areas. People, livestock, and pets would suffocate."
He cites a case from February, 2020 when a Denbury CO2 pipeline burst in the State of Mississippi. Nearly 50 people were taken to a hospital for treatment.
Davies also says carbon capture and storage techniques have not been studied extensively, and he thinks they are underregulated.
Wolf's proposed pipeline would cross the Mississippi River north of the Quad Cities, south of Princeton, Iowa and Cordova, Illinois.
The coalition says the webinar will cover the possible effects of the Wolf proposal on landowners, farms, and residents. It will address safety concerns and provide information about getting involved.
Tonight's webinar runs from 6:30 to 8, and registration is available HERE.
The Coalition to Stop CO2 Pipelines is opposed what it calls the Wolf ADM pipeline proposal. Members of the group are worried that one segment of the pipeline would be located near low income and industrial neighborhoods on the south side of Peoria. The pipeline would serve the BioUrja ethanol plant on the Illinois River. But the coalition says that area "already bears the burden of pollution and safety issues associated with the nearby refinery."
Once the carbon dioxide arrives at the Mount Simon hub in Decatur, Wolf plans to pump it underground for storage.
The coalition is also opposed to another proposed carbon dioxide pipeline. Heartland Greenway is a proposal by Navigator CO2 to capture, transport, and store emissions from facilities in five states, including a Big River Resources ethanol plant in Galva, Illinois. It would cross the Mississippi River north of Keokuk, Iowa.
Recently, Navigator CO2 voluntarily withdrew its Illinois Commerce Commission application to construct the pipeline through 13 Illinois counties, including Henry and Knox. The company says next month, it plans to file a new application with the agency, including plans for an additional route.
Pamela Richert co-founded the Coalition to Stop CO2 Pipelines. She says Navigator was forced to withdraw its application after failing to secure land agreements for a sequestration site. But Navigator says its revised permit application reflects the "expanded scope" of the project. And the company plans to "accelerate the development of additional permanent storage locations" in central Illinois. That would allow partnerships with more companies.