We need you to contact your County Farm Bureau
... Why?
It has become clear that, without setback guidelines, CO2 pipeline companies are routing their pipelines too close to occupied homes and businesses to be able to safely rescue people, should there be an accidental release of CO2. Navigator's aspirational setbacks would have exposed people to lethal concentrations of CO2, and One Earth Sequestration, LLC's proposal would do the same.
Since last December, we have learned that the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) does NOT address routing, and the Illinois Commerce Commission does NOT regulate setbacks. This is a HUGE regulatory gap, and one that can only be changed with state legislation!
While we are waiting for the State to negotiate a comprehensive carbon capture and sequestration bill (which includes CO2 pipelines), we need a CO2 pipeline moratorium. Last year, thanks to the important calls that you made, the Illinois Farm Bureau passed a resolution that supported a moratorium tied to PHMSA rulemaking (to improve safety and oversight of CO2 pipelines). This year, we need to expand that to safe setbacks.
What to say ...
The Illinois Farm Bureau already is gearing up for its annual meeting that will take place in December. We need you to call or write your farm bureau manager and president during the months of May and June, and convey the following:
Thank you for supporting a resolution last December that supports a moratorium tied to PHMSA's rule-making process. Since then, I have become aware that companies are proposing to route CO2 pipelines close enough to homes and other buildings that occupants could be exposed to concentrations of CO2 that have been determined by the CDC as immediately dangerous to life and health.
Today, I am calling (or writing) to ask you to support an expanded moratorium for CO2 pipelines that would be tied to:
-
- The competition of PHMSA's new rules; and
- Development of criteria by the State of Illinois for safe setbacks that would ensure people living or working along a CO2 pipeline route can be safely and successfully rescued in the event of an accidental CO2 release.
I am also asking that you contact your local Farm Bureau Director to ask that he or she work with this year's Farm Bureau Resolutions Committee to bring a modified CO2 pipeline moratorium proposal that addresses the need for safe setbacks to December's annual meeting.
Be sure to identify who you are, and whether or not you are a Farm Bureau member.
And that's it! The county farm bureaus will discuss these calls during their meetings and will, we hope, relay these concerns to the Resolutions Committee, and to Bloomington.
You can find the email address and phone number for both your county farm bureau manager and president by looking at this directory.
Feel free to contact us with questions: coalition@noillinoisco2pipelines.org.
Thank you for taking action!!
Contact Information
The following information is the latest obtained by the Coalition. We will provide updates when we have them.