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State representative offers to introduce bill opposing carbon‑sequestration pilot after local safety concerns
Summary
State Representative Tim told Vermillion County residents at an Aug. 14 meeting that he would consider drafting legislation aimed at undercutting a state‑approved carbon sequestration pilot project after residents raised safety and oversight concerns.
State Representative Tim told Vermillion County residents at an Aug. 14 meeting that he would consider drafting legislation aimed at undercutting a state-approved carbon sequestration pilot project after residents raised safety and oversight concerns.
The representative said he would “try to keep 1 slot open for something to do with c o 2” and asked residents to send documents and suggested language so his office’s legal staff could draft a bill. He cautioned, however, that the chance of passing such legislation was “very small.”
Residents at the meeting pressed for more detail about who would regulate the pilot and how the project would be monitored. One attendee said the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) would oversee the project and named Alan Morrison in that context. Attendees also raised emergency‑response concerns, saying first responders had told them they did not know how to “neutralize” or dilute the gas if there were an incident.
The representative said he had researched federal and state funding for sequestration projects, discussed the change in market incentives, and had advisers with chemistry expertise reviewing technical material. He repeatedly asked residents to text or deliver documents to his office so his legislative assistant could research rule language or draft proposals.
Board members and residents noted that the Indiana Natural Resources Commission gave final approval to a set of permanent rules for carbon‑sequestration projects on July 15, 2025; meeting participants discussed that those rules were to be implemented by the DNR and might take effect later in 2025. The representative said he would review any draft rules or guidance the county could supply and consider presenting a bill; he said bill filing was imminent locally and that legislators are limited in how many bills they can submit.
No formal action was taken by the county at the meeting; the representative described next steps as information‑gathering and an offer to accept legislative language from residents and county officials.
For now, residents asked for greater transparency about monitoring plans, emergency‑response procedures and long‑term liability; they also asked the representative to report back after his office reviews state rules and any draft legislation.
