I'll be posting in a bit about South Dakota PUC public meetings in Sioux Falls and Mitchell about the Summit Carbon Solutions' ethanol carbon pipeline.
In the meantime, news from the Iowa Capital Dispatch about federal rulemaking for CO2 pipeline safety.
Federal regulators announce proposed rule for CO2 pipeline safety
by Cami KoonsThe Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, or PHMSA, announced Wednesday a notice of proposed rule making to strengthen guidelines for carbon dioxide pipelines.
The proposed rule would apply to carbon dioxide transported in a supercritical liquid state through pipelines and establishes, for the first time, guidelines for pipelines transporting gaseous CO2.
PHMSA, which is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, said in a press release the proposed rules are the result of “PHMSA’s largest public outreach campaign on record.”
The proposed rule, if adopted as is, would require CO2 pipeline operators to train emergency responders and ensure local first responders have the necessary detection equipment in the event of an emergency.
It also would require operators produce more detailed vapor dispersion analyses and implement “more robust requirements” for communicating with the public in the event of an emergency, like a pipeline rupture or leak.
According to the press release, these proposed rules address “lessons learned” from the administration’s multi-year investigation of a CO2 pipeline rupture in Satartia, Mississippi.
“I have learned first-hand from affected communities in Mississippi and across America why we need stronger CO2 pipeline safety standards,” PHMSA Deputy Administrator Tristan Brown said in the release. “These new requirements will be the strongest, most comprehensive standards for carbon dioxide transportation in the world and will set our nation on a safer path as we continue to address climate challenges.”
The proposal would also create new rules for transitioning an existing pipeline into a CO2 pipeline and would establish requirements for CO2 gas pipelines.
The department said the proposed rules respond to a “significant anticipated” need of what it estimates could be a 10-fold increase in carbon capture and storage infrastructure by 2050. According to the press release, currently the U.S. has more than 5,000 miles of carbon dioxide pipelines in operation.
The Summit Carbon Solutions proposed pipeline would have approximately 2,500-miles of pipe through Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota and Minnesota, transporting sequestered carbon dioxide from ethanol plants to underground storage in North Dakota.
A statement from Summit Carbon Solutions, said the company was “pleased” with the proposed rules for providing clear standards for project developers.
“As a company currently permitting a CO2 pipeline in the Midwest, Summit Carbon Solutions is committed to following these enhanced safety requirements and designing infrastructure that meets the highest standards of reliability and public safety,” the statement read.
Jimmy Powell, the chief operating officer for the company, said the updates underscore the importance of safety standards as the infrastructure for CO2 pipelines grows nationwide.
“Summit Carbon Solutions will ensure these standards are met as we move forward,” Powell said. “CO2 pipelines are essential for opening new opportunities for Midwest agriculture and supporting the success of American energy and economic goals.”
Jess Mazour, with the Iowa Chapter of the Sierra Club, an organization opposed to the Summit project, said the group was working to evaluate the rule as it would apply to the project in Iowa and surrounding states.
“We are very happy to see that PHMSA listened to the voices of everyday people threatened by proposed carbon pipelines,” Mazour said in a statement. “We hope the incoming administration continues to prioritize this rule and prioritize the needs of people, not pipeline companies and their investors.”
Tom Buis, the CEO of American Carbon Alliance, an Iowa-based advocate of carbon capture pipelines and ethanol production, reiterated the safety and efficiency of CO2 pipelines, in a statement about the proposed rules.
“Pipelines have a proven track record of safety and reliability, minimizing the risks associated with other forms of CO2 transportation,” Buis said. “These new rules will help us lead the world in safety and building infrastructure to meet global demand for American energy.”
A notice of proposed rule making is an announcement and explanation of an agency’s “plan to address a problem or accomplish a goal,” according to the Federal Register.
The proposed rules are open to public comment for 60 days, after which, the agency will use the comments it received and the proposed rules to issue its final rules.
Those interested in submitting comments can do so on the Regulations.gov website once the proposed rule making is published on the Federal Register.
This Iowa Capital Dispatch article is republished online under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0.
Map: One of the maps of the proposed Summit Carbon Solutions ethanol carbon pipeline network.
Related posts
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- Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline company formally asks SD regulator to recuse herself
- South Dakota Public Utilities Commissioner stays on new carbon pipeline case after prior recusal, with no explanation this time
- Punt! Lincoln County commissioners push back decision on ethanol carbon pipeline rules
- Summit Carbon Solutions in the news: landowners & counties appeal North Dakota pipeline permit; Summit tells Iowans to cease & desist; Pipeline Fighters Hub & CURE statements
- North Dakota Industrial Commission approves CO2 storage for Summit ethanol carbon pipeline
- Minnesota PUC granted a permit for Summit Carbon Solutions Otter Tail to Wilkin County pipeline
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- Iowa Supreme Court upholds land survey abilities of pipeline companies in Summit case
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- Referred Law 21 & carbon pipelines: A landowner bill of rights or an undermining of local control
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- Breaking crowded South Dakota ballot news: carbon pipeline law referendum validated
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