Deep South Center for Environmental Justice Commends New Orleans City Council for Prohibiting Carbon Capture and Storage

Jun 9, 2022

Deep South Center for Environmental Justice Commends New Orleans City Council for Prohibiting Carbon Capture and Storage  

June 9, 2022
NEW ORLEANS -  Today, the New Orleans City Council passed Resolution NO. R-22-219 after passing through committee unanimously. Brought forward by Councilmember Helena Moreno, this resolution urges the prohibition of underground storage of carbon dioxide and facilities for this purpose. 
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VIDEO OF DR. WRIGHT'S PRESENTATION

​​​​​​​The Deep South Center for Environmental Justice (DSCEJ) commends the city’s leaders for taking action to protect Louisiana and New Orleans from the risks of carbon capture and storage (CCS) and related technology. 

The DSCEJ has been pushing local and federal leaders to consider the potential consequences of CCS on Black communities around the Gulf Coast who have dealt with the consequences of the oil and gas industry’s careless pollution on their health and livelihood for decades.

“I am proud of New Orleans for being a trailblazer in policies that protect local communities from CCS technologies,” said Dr. Beverly Wright, Executive Director of the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice.
“As I said when Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm visited recently, supporting CCS will encourage the growth of fossil fuel industries and continue the injustice of putting profits over communities of color. Instead, we need to develop and implement an energy plan for Louisiana that cleans our air and powers our homes and vehicles while prioritizing equitable investments in communities and invests in people to get the necessary training for clean energy jobs of the future. We encourage other local municipalities around the country to follow New Orleans’ lead to prohibit CCS technology.”

There is evidence that shows that carbon capture could lead to significant environmental, health, and safety risks, including:

• Unregulated collection of carbon dioxide at industrial facilities, which can mix in other toxic chemicals; 
• New pipelines to transport corrosive carbon streams that will cause leaks over time; and
• Underground disposal, which can break down wells, move through abandoned wells, contaminate groundwater, and potentially cause earthquakes. 

As the federal government considers a massive investment into carbon capture and storage, DSCEJ calls on Congress to fund an impact analysis on carbon capture and storage to be conducted by EPA, DOE and other relevant agencies. 
 
Contact:
Ginger LeBlanc
Deep South Center for Environmental Justice
gingerl@dscej.org
‪(504) 298-9878‬