Twice in these pages, I have offered up commentary and concern over the issue of Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS).  In the first editorial back in February of 2024, I spoke of the need for Louisiana having a discussion both over the usefulness of and need for a dialog on this process.   You can find my point and concerns about the topic at this link (OWEN: Time For a Public Discussion About Carbon Capture And Sequestration).

A few months later, as concern in my home parish and in my district began to swell, offered up another treatise on why this process is a bad idea (OWEN: Carbon Capture and Sequestration is a Fraud Being Perpetrated on the United States of America and ESPECIALLY the People of Louisiana).

To date, I have not heard one word in response to my articles.    I have not met ONE citizen in my home parish (Vernon) or in the adjacent parish I represent (Beauregard) who is in support of this activity.   I have spoken privately to people in the oil business who have admitted to me they would NOT be doing this if it were not for the massive tax credits the federal government created for companies who undertake this activity/pollution.

To date, I have not met a single political leader who has taken a substantive stance that supports the utility of capturing exhaust from an oil or gas well, combining it with liquids and thus turning it into a toxic pollutant and shoving it under the ground.   I have heard one or two say privately that they’d love for their parishes to be the ones “chosen” for things called Carbon Capture and Sequestration.   For the record:  Maybe they can talk some of the companies involved in this process to steer their pipelines to THEIR parishes.

To anyone reading this who thinks CCS is a good thing, consider this a public invitation to come to Vernon or Beauregard Parish for a debate on the need for, usefulness of, or long-term benefits of this process.   Come when you can, let’s have a reasoned debate and let’s talk about this.    I’d like to invite scientists, absent landowners, environmentalists, oil and gas company personnel or anyone else who wants to have this debate.

I am in opposition to this activity as a rule and am completely in opposition to this going on in Vernon or Beauregard Parish for a number of reasons—-but the main one is our people do NOT want this.