LA Legislative leaders skeptical of bills providing local control of CO2 capture projects

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BATON ROUGE—State Senate President Cameron Henry and House Speaker Phillip DeVillier both expressed concern Monday about a spate of bills that might give communities veto power over carbon capture projects in their areas.

The push for a local option follows growing concerns of residents, landowners and environmentalists in Louisiana about the possible health implications of having the carbon capture and storage projects nearby.

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DeVillier, R-Eunice, said more than 20 bills have been filed in the House that he would consider “anti-carbon capture.” DeVillier said he wants to ensure that the new technology is handled safely but also in accordance with guidance from the Supreme Court, “that says states nor local governments should interfere with interstate commerce. I mean, that is exactly what local option is,” he said.

Henry, R-Metairie, said that “when you’re talking about an industry that’s going to come in and change not only a parish but could possibly change the face of Louisiana, I think having a group of five people go in and say, ‘Under no circumstances will I ever allow this here,’ that’s not practical,” Henry said.

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Henry and DeVillier emphasized the importance of carbon capture as a growing industry necessary to help bolster the state in global competition and attract new industry.

“Everybody in Louisiana supports change, they just don’t want anything to be different,” said Henry. “Something has to be different than what you were doing last year or the year before, and if you don’t support the difference part, then don’t ask for the change because you have to have both.”

Companies have proposed at least 65 carbon capture and storage projects in select parishes in Louisiana, which is the most of any other state, according to a report from the Environmental Integrity Project. Most of the more than 20 bills in the House propose some degree of local control over the development of these projects.

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There is ‘a lot of the new industry that we’re trying to attract into Louisiana,’” he said, and “carbon capture is a part of that.”

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