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Senate committee advances bill giving counties a formal say over out‑of‑county carbon storage
Summary
The Senate Environmental Affairs committee voted 7–3 to advance Senate Bill 7, a measure that would require notice to and approval by county legislative bodies when carbon sequestration projects bring CO2 storage into a county from elsewhere. Supporters cited local control and safety concerns; industry and state officials warned added local veto power could deter investment and duplicate federal and state permitting.
The Senate Environmental Affairs committee advanced Senate Bill 7 after a day of divided testimony that pitted county officials and environmental advocates against industry representatives and state economic advisers.
Chair of the committee, speaking as sponsor of the bill, opened the hearing by describing the measure’s purpose and history and said the bill is narrowly aimed at projects that would bring carbon storage into a county from outside. The chair said the bill does not affect on‑site projects or federal pipeline authority and is intended to preserve local land‑use control where storage wells would be sited.
The bill’s proponents emphasized local voice and property‑use concerns. William Peebles, Vermillion County commissioner, read a statement from his county board in support: "Senate Bill 7 impacts or respects local control and ensures decisions are made with community input," he told the committee. Kerwin Olsen of the Citizens Action Coalition likewise urged hearings in each county that a pipeline or storage project may…
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