Carbon Capture and Storage: An Expensive and Dangerous Proposition for Louisiana Communities

This policy brief by the Center for International Environmental Law argues that carbon capture and storage (CCS) is an unviable climate solution that poses significant economic, environmental, and safety risks, particularly for communities in Louisiana.

• CCS is described as an expensive and energy-intensive technology that fails to reduce atmospheric carbon and instead prolongs the use of fossil fuels. The document notes that nearly 80% of captured carbon is utilized for the production of additional oil.
• Louisiana is viewed as a primary target for CCS development due to its existing petrochemical and oil and gas infrastructure. The document claims that a 2009 regulatory program shifted oversight to the Department of Natural Resources, which it describes as an agency that protects rather than regulates the industry.
• The implementation of CCS would likely impose high costs on local ratepayers and threaten Louisiana's wetlands through the construction of wells and pipelines, which would conflict with the state's Coastal Master Plan. The infrastructure would be situated near existing emitting sites, further impacting Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities already burdened by pollution.
• CO2 pipelines present severe safety hazards, including the risk of corrosive leaks, ruptures, and explosive decompression. Released CO2 can drop temperatures to -80°F and act as a toxic gas that restricts breathing, a risk compounded by contaminants like hydrogen sulfide (H2S).
• The document cites a 2020 incident in Yazoo County, Mississippi, where a Denbury Enterprises CO2 pipeline rupture led to the evacuation of 300 people and the hospitalization of 45 individuals.

APA

Bonacini, C. (2021). Carbon Capture and Storage: An Expensive and Dangerous Proposition for Louisiana Communities. Center for International Environmental Law. https://www.ciel.org/carbon-capture-and-storage-an-expensive-and-dangerous-proposition-for-louisiana-communities/

Chicago

Bonacini, Cate. Carbon Capture and Storage: An Expensive and Dangerous Proposition for Louisiana Communities. Center for International Environmental Law, 2021. https://www.ciel.org/carbon-capture-and-storage-an-expensive-and-dangerous-proposition-for-louisiana-communities/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Bonacini |first1=Cate |title=Carbon Capture and Storage: An Expensive and Dangerous Proposition for Louisiana Communities |publisher=Center for International Environmental Law |date=25 June 2021 |url=https://www.ciel.org/carbon-capture-and-storage-an-expensive-and-dangerous-proposition-for-louisiana-communities/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{bonacini2021carbon, author = {Bonacini, Cate}, title = {{Carbon Capture and Storage: An Expensive and Dangerous Proposition for Louisiana Communities}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2021}, month = jun, url = {https://www.ciel.org/carbon-capture-and-storage-an-expensive-and-dangerous-proposition-for-louisiana-communities/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }