Two Covington County lawmakers have announced their opposition to a proposed carbon capture and underground injection project planned for the southern part of the county.
State Sen. Josh Carnley, R-Ino, and Rep. Matthew Hammett, R-Andalusia, said Tuesday they will work to block the Pine Hills Carbon Storage Hub, a project proposed by Reliant Carbon Capture & Storage. The company’s plan would require federal Environmental Protection Agency Class VI permits to inject captured carbon dioxide deep underground.
Hammett has prefiled House Bill 64, a local constitutional amendment that would prohibit EPA Class V and Class VI carbon storage sites in Covington County. Carnley plans to carry the measure in the Senate during the next legislative session.
Local officials and residents have expressed concerns about the project’s potential impacts on groundwater safety, property rights and long-term oversight. The project was recently presented to the Covington County Commission.
Carnley described the proposal as unproven technology that could pose environmental and economic risks to the area.
“We’re not going to allow this project to come to Covington County to be a testing ground for experimental carbon storage projects,” Carnley said in a statement. “We will not let this area be a dumping ground using unproven technology for out of state emissions—our communities depend on these forests, fields, and aquifers.”
Hammett said he shares those concerns and questioned whether the project would benefit the community.
“As far as we’re concerned, this project is a no-go in Covington County,” Hammett said. “We don’t need this kind of unproven Biden and Obama green New Deal project that won’t even create sustainable local jobs. They should pack it up and find a new place to pump their sludge underground.”
The two lawmakers said they have contacted the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, the State Oil and Gas Board and the Governor’s Office of Energy Policy to explore how the state might exercise oversight over carbon storage projects.
Carnley said after considering all the options, the lawmakers decided the local constitutional amendment referendum would give residents the best bet at preventing similar projects if they choose.
Both Carnley and Hammett said they plan to continue working with local leaders and residents on regulatory and legislative options to address the project. They also encouraged the public to attend upcoming informational meetings to share feedback.
