State-Level Permitting Primacy May Boost Carbon Capture and Storage

Texas and Louisiana are stepping up efforts to assume regulatory authority for an emerging wave of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) projects. Despite carbon sequestration being highly touted as a key tool to mitigate climate change, few commercial CCS projects have been permitted in the United States. Texas and Louisiana are moving towards regulating geological carbon sequestration by assuming “primacy” over wells built to sequester CO2. Louisiana’s primacy application is set for EPA review, while legislation in Texas recently simplified jurisdiction over carbon sequestration wells with an eye towards assuming regulatory control in the future. In State-Level Permitting Primacy May Boost Carbon Capture and Storage, colleague’s Anne Idsal Austin, Sheila McCafferty Harvey, Robert A. James, Jorge Medina, Alex Peyton explain.