By Greg Bishop | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – A bipartisan effort is underway to eliminate the option of eminent domain for carbon dioxide pipelines in Illinois.

Carbon sequestration advocates say the process of storing carbon dioxide could benefit the environment and provide future energy options. Getting the industrial byproduct to storage locations requires pipelines. But, property rights advocates like Kathleen Campbell warn these are not like natural gas pipelines.

“So as people find out how dangerous these pipelines are, this is very different than gas and oil pipelines, they’re much more dangerous, and they don’t carry any energy,” Campbell told The Center Square. “It’s toxic hazardous waste.”

If a CO2 pipeline ruptures, she said there’s virtually no escape.

“Anything other than an all electric car won’t run because there won’t be enough oxygen. But even if your car did run, you had an all electric vehicle, for the concentrations of CO2 coming out at near distances, you’re going to be having seizures. You’re going to be losing your hearing. You’re going to be losing your vision. You’re going to be losing your cognitive function,” Campbell said. “So basically, you have no hope of escaping.”

Campbell is part of an effort to advance a bipartisan bill at the Illinois Statehouse.

“We just want to pass a simple bill. No eminent domain. Just like South Dakota, just like Iowa was trying to pass. Just like Minnesota. And that’s all we want,” Campbell said.

With bipartisan support, Illinois Senate Bill 2842 has been assigned to the Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee.

###