November 21, 2023 – Plans for a pipeline that would have transported carbon dioxide from Iowa for eventual storage in Macon County are off the table – for now.
Wolf Carbon Solutions, the company behind the proposed project, filed a motion with state regulators on Monday to withdraw its application, although Wolf’s president said the company intends to file a new application in the future.
“We have made the decision to withdraw our current application, with the intent to refile in early 2024, to address the questions and concerns raised by ICC staff in their recommendation.” Wolf President Dean Ferguson said in a Monday evening statement.
Ferguson also noted that the company “remains committed” to the project and that it will continue going through regulatory processes in Iowa and with the Army Corps of Engineers.
While portions of the pipeline’s plan have yet to be finalized, it was generally proposed to run from two ethanol production facilities owned by Archer Daniels Midland in Iowa and terminate near Decatur, home to ADM’s North American headquarters.
According to the initial plan filed with the ICC, the pipeline would have run southeast from the Iowa border through Rock Island, Henry, Stark, Peoria, Tazewell, Logan, DeWitt and Macon counties.
Wolf’s withdrawal comes a few weeks after staff at the Illinois Commerce Commission, the agency responsible for overseeing such projects, recommended the state reject the project application.
Brett Seagle, an engineer in the ICC’s safety and reliability division, said in written testimony that Wolf had not yet identified a specific enough location for the pipeline, had not finalized its business arrangement with ADM, nor had it filed appropriate paperwork with federal authorities.
“The proposed project is not a benefit to the citizens of Illinois, nor is it in the public interest,” he wrote.
Seagle further urged the commission to consider the “overwhelmingly negative public sentiment” toward the project.
That sentiment is being driven, in part, by the work of activists who have engaged in a months-long campaign against the pipeline.
Joyce Harant, president of advocacy group Citizens Against Predatory Pipelines, said that safety was a top concern for herself and residents along Wolf’s proposed route.
“While they (Wolf) scramble to come up with ways to paint this pipeline as safe, we will continue our work to ensure communities across Illinois are aware of the dangers of this project and are prepared to fight back,” Harant said in a Tuesday news release.
While Harant said that her group is gearing up to oppose the pipeline if Wolf returns and files a new application in the new year, she’s worried about the potential costs of an entirely new proceeding.
“They know they’ve got the financial backing and we’re the regular old citizens,” Harant said in an interview. “We can’t get the legal fees back that we’ve had to pay.”
The proposed project, called the Mt. Simon Hub, was named for the unique geology in central and southern Illinois that facilitates underground carbon dioxide storage.
Carbon capture and storage have become hot button issues. Some view carbon storage as a promising way to mitigate climate harm, while others view it as a dangerous technology that promises more than it can deliver.
Ferguson, in his Monday statement, said that the project would employ “the latest technology and union construction to ensure its safe and efficient operation.” ICC filings on behalf of the company also stressed that the project would meet or exceed federal safety requirements.
By ANDREW ADAMS
Capitol News Illinois
aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com
