US carbon capture pipeline setbacks reflect challenges in climate fight

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🗞️ Driving the news: The recent permit rejections for Summit Carbon Solutions and Navigator CO2 Ventures’ carbon pipeline projects in the U.S. Midwest have raised questions about the viability and public acceptance of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology, which is seen as a key solution to climate change

🔭 The context: Companies have proposed extensive pipelines to transport carbon from Midwest ethanol plants to underground storage across states, representing a significant initiative in CCS 
• However, safety and environmental concerns from landowners have led to substantial delays and rejections in multiple states

🌎 Why does it matter for the planet: The realization of CCS projects is crucial for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and is a central component of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, a goal embraced by the Biden administration

⏭️ What's next: The future of these projects depends on whether the companies can address the concerns of the landowners and state officials and gain the necessary permits
• The ongoing opposition underscores the need for transparency, community engagement, and education regarding the benefits and risks associated with CCS projects

💬 One quote: "The problems on the ground associated with getting the permits and the local buy-in have proven to be a lot more complicated than many of us expected" (Sasha Mackler, executive director of the energy program at the Bipartisan Policy Center)

📈 One stat: Currently, there are 15 operational commercial CCS projects in the U.S., with the collective capacity to store about 21 million tons of carbon, approximating about 0.34% of the nation's emissions, according to the Global CCS Institute

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