LIVINGSTON — With a packed house Thursday evening, the Livingston Parish Council unanimously approved a resolution to oppose the permitting and establishment of “Class VI” injection wells and pipelines in the parish. The resolution will be brought to the governor, the Louisiana Department of Conservation and Energy, the EPA administrator, and all relevant state and federal legislatures.
Class VI injection wells are a specific type of well used for storing carbon dioxide long-term.
By passing the resolution, the council affirmed its overall opposition to the wells being used in the parish.
Parish District 8 Councilman Dean Coates, with Councilwoman Erin Sandefur and others, shaped the resolution that went before the parish council. The approved resolution, which Coates read to the council, states that the carbon capture and storage technology along with its infrastructure present many possible risks to the people and environment of Livingston Parish, “including seismicity and geological instability and long-term storage uncertainty of financial and liability risk.” In addition, the projects could have a negative impact on property values and future economic development.
At the meeting, more than 75 parish residents signed up to speak on the subject, but due to timing issues and a common opinion, most decided to defer their speaking time to others. Their concerns addressed these same risks and impacts from the resolution.
Bill Whittington, a Springfield resident and president of the Lake Maurepas Preservation Society, kept his comments short but firm: “We all know the hazards. We’ve been doing this for about three or four years. Y’all have all been to the meetings. Y’all know what it is. Y’all are representatives of the people. I’m going to go out and say there’s not one person in this room that wants this.”
Another resident, Chris Gaunthier spoke on the matter, saying he was missing his granddaughter’s volleyball game because of the lasting importance of the issue: “I served on city council when I was living in Oklahoma. Resolutions are good, quick fixes. We need an ordinance. We need a law after this…this is a good first step, but it’s weak. We need to stand strong and say, No, absolutely not.”
After the council voted to approve the resolution, Parish President Randy Delatte spoke on the issue, saying he has fought against carbon capture projects in the area and spoken to Gov. Jeff Landry on the concern, as well.
“If we let the governor do his job, I believe he will give us the tools where we can do these things. But preaching to us is like preaching to the choir,” Delatte said.
He added: “Work with the Governor as hard as we can to get the tools to where it takes a vote of the people, or the vote of local politicians to let (those projects) here. Our first primary concern, as one of the speakers got up here said, is the safety and welfare of our people. That’s the first primary concern.”
Concerns over a proposed carbon capture project
The resolution comes after Livingston Parish landowners received letters in September about a proposed carbon capture project, sparking concern among the community.
On Sept. 10, 1PointFive and Enbridge Inc. announced the formation of a joint venture to develop the Pelican Sequestration Hub and transportation infrastructure in Louisiana. 1PointFive is responsible for developing the facilities that will store carbon dioxide underground, and Enbridge will build and operate pipelines from customer facilities to this hub, according to a press release.
Coates met with an Enbridge company representative on Sept. 24, before holding a public meeting the same day. He invited company representatives to speak at the public meeting, but they declined, he told UWK.
Earlier in October, Coates said he’s talked with people all across Livingston Parish about the carbon capture sequestration projects and their potential effects.
“There’s a big contingency of people against this, and we just have to bond together to make a difference,” Coates said.
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