Conversations about the pros and cons of carbon capture pipelines and other carbon technologies are very much ongoing, and many of those conversations have a lot of emotion involved. Joe Heinrich, executive director of the Smart Carbon Network, said there are basically three camps involved: those who are big supporters, those who are completely against it, and those in the vast middle ground who just want to learn more.
One of the most active and heated conversations on carbon pipelines took place in South Dakota recently and lead to the state denying the building permit for the Navigator pipeline. Heinrich said a lot of the resistance came from the county level.
Heinrich said much of the issues in South Dakota pertained to property rights, but the conversation in Iowa usually revolves around land reclamation.
As with any land changes, carbon pipelines come with inherent risks. But Heinrich said there are systems in place to help farmers adapt and reclaim some of the land value they might’ve initially lost.
For all of the valid concerns about carbon pipelines, Heinrich said it’s important to consider the benefits as well.
For more information, visit smartcarbonnetwork.com.
