Yesterday the EPA formally approved the request from the State of Louisiana to have primary enforcement responsibility (primacy) for Class VI wells which are used for CO2 injection.
There are already two states who have such primacy – North Dakota and Wyoming and Louisiana is set to become the third state to govern the approval process for these projects, which are primed for a role in the development of the carbon capture industry.
After its review the EPA has now moved forward the application to the Federal Register for public comments in the next 60 days. This will be followed by an in-person public hearing on June 15, 2023 in Baton Rouge.
Industrial organizations from five states recently signed an open letter saying that their investments in carbon capture infrastructure are hindered by the slow approval process by the EPA, essentially creating a bottleneck.
Relevant: Carbon Capture Delayed By EPA Say State Business Organizations
Three more states have submitted applications for primacy – Texas, Arizona and West Virginia.
Multiple companies have already established carbon capture operations in Louisiana, including Talos, Denbury and Occidental, with others like Milestone Carbon also evaluating potential sites.
There has been pushback to carbon capture development in the state. Rep. Robby Carter, D-Amite is opposed to CO2 pipeline operators using eminent domain to fast-forward their projects.
Read more: Louisiana Senator Wants To Stop Eminent Domain For CO2 Pipelines
