State Representative Shane Mack is no stranger to the carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) debate.
Mack, a member of the state's Natural Resources and Environment Committee on the house side, experienced the marathon days at the legislature this past session discussing the positives and negatives of CCS, as well as potential legislation.
The former parish councilman from the Albany area elected to sign on to a letter, addressed to President Donald Trump, from State Representative Rodney Schamerhorn of District 24 which asked the president to 'oppose the continuation or expansion of the Section 45Q tax credit for (CCS), as well as any federal mandates or incentives pushing for zero emissions by 2050. '
The letter goes on to cite that the 45Q credit offers up to $85 per ton of CO2 captured.
Mack's signature was joined by fellow Representative Kim Coates, of Tangipahoa. Coates was recently present at a public gathering at the Livingston Parish Council Chambers to discuss the newest project from Oxy. The CCS infrastructure would require a pipeline from a facility in Ascension to the eventual storage site north of Holden.
At that meeting, which came before this letter was penned, a resident seemed to set the stage for the correspondence with the president.
"There is little we can do as long as the federal tax credit exists," said Bobette Larkey, referring to the 45Q tax credit that incentivizes carbon capture projects. "Why are we still operating under Biden policies?"
However, Coates informed the group in the council chambers that a coalition of Louisiana representatives visited Washington D.C. over the summer in an attempt to meet with the president, or someone on his staff, to discuss CCS. Coates said that the colatition did secure some meetings, but were told their requests would be 'passed along to the president's office.'
Occidental's project is still in the early stages. The meeting at the parish council chambers came after area landowners began receiving certified letters requesting permission for survey activities related to the Pelican Sequestration Hub, a joint venture between 1PointFive (an Occidental subsidiary) and Enbridge Inc., which was announced in September. The project is anchored by a 25-year agreement to handle approximately 2.3 million metric tons of CO2 annually from CF Industries' planned low-carbon ammonia facility in Ascension Parish.
Their project still requires permitting, which would then lead to right-of-way acquisition. The location of the pipeline has yet to be determined.
The companies are currently seeking permission from landowners to conduct civil, environmental, and cultural surveys to evaluate potential pipeline routes.
A source of frustration for local officials was the lack of advance notice about the survey letters being sent to residents. Parish council members and other elected officials learned about the outreach efforts after residents began receiving the certified letters requesting property access for preliminary surveys.
At the meeting in the parish council chambers, State Senator Valarie Hodges took a strong stance against the project, stating: "I support the rights of property owners under the US Constitution and the state constitution." She emphasized there would be "no benefit to Livingston Parish" from the pipeline.
Hodges noted that 25 bills aimed at stopping carbon sequestration projects were introduced in the last legislative session, with only two passing. She encouraged residents to voice their concerns to federal officials, including President Trump.
Safety dominated public comments, with residents pressing officials about notification systems in case of pipeline emergencies. Chris Anderson, the director of Livingston Parish Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, stated that his office is already conducting preliminary work to evaluate the risks and develop the necessary emergency response plans if the proposed pipeline is constructed.
Unlike the Air Products project under Lake Maurepas, Occidental's proposal is completely private - meaning there is no revenue share for local governments. Carbon capture sequestration projects will typically generate $6 million to $12 million in local property taxes during the first five years of operation and $30 million over 20 years, according to a study done by the Center Emerging Energies cited by LABI.
The Army Corps of Engineers is holding a permit review for the Air Products project on November 4 in LaPlace - 1929 West Airline Highway, LaPlace, Louisiana 70068, New Wine Christian Fellowship. The meeting starts at 5 p.m.
Air Products' proposal, $4.5 billion project, includes a low-carbon hydrogen and ammonia facility in Ascension Parish, that would then use pipeline to sequester CO2 underneath Lake Maurepas.
