Map of main trunklines proposed by Navigator CO₂ Ventures. Map: Navigator CO₂ Ventures

By Joyce Blumenshine

Thirteen counties in Illinois will be impacted including Knox, Fulton, McDonough, Schuyler, and Hancock in HOI Group area. Meetings Begin January 11th.

Hundreds of miles of CO₂ pipelines could cross Illinois counties, according to a plan by a Texas venture capital company.  Navigator CO₂ Ventures, LLC, wants to pipe liquified CO₂ from South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, and Iowa, ending in Illinois at a Christian County location where the CO₂ will be pumped deep underground at high pressure for carbon sequestration into the Mt. Simon sandstone. CO₂ pipelines carry risks to the public and environmental health and safety. A CO₂ pipeline break in February, 2020, in Sartartia, Mississippi, resulted in evacuation of over 300 people and 45 needing emergency room assistance.

Breathing a high concentrations of CO₂ reduces the amount of oxygen that can be transported in the blood stream to critical organs like the heart and brain. Dizziness, confusion, nausea, foaming at the mouth, unconsciousness and death can occur if levels are high enough.

Lengthy CO₂ pipelines are new for Illinois. The thirteen Illinois counties currently on the Navigator route are: Hancock, Adams, McDonough, Henry, Knox, Fulton, Schuyler, Brown, Pike, Scott, Morgan, Sangamon, and Christian. Maps for each county route are available on the Navigator Heartland Greenway LLC website. Informational meetings will be held by the company beginning on January 11th. A complete listing is on the Navigator Heartland Greenway LLC website. A virtual meeting is being offered January 14th by registration only.

HOI Group area county meetings are as follows:

January 11th - Henry and Knox Counties pipeline, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the Knoxville American Legion, 749 Henderson Rd., Knoxville
January 11th - Fulton and Mcdonough Counties pipeline at 6-7:30 p.m. at the Spoon River Outreach Center, 2500 East Jackson, Macomb
January 12th - Hancock County at 10-11:30 a.m. at the University of Illinois Extension Center, 550 N. Madison, Carthage
January 12th - Brown, Schuyler, and Adams Counties at 6–7:30 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus, Rt. 24 West, Mt. Sterling

Other county meetings are:

January 13th - Pike, Scott, and Morgan Counties at 10-11:30 a.m. at Hamilton’s, 110 N. East St., Jacksonville
January 13th - Sangamon and Christian counties, 6-7:30 p.m., Edgewood Gold Club, 16497 Kennedy Rd., Auburn

CO₂ pipelines and Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) could enable continuing use of fossil fuels for generating electric power and other large industrial processes. Numerous articles are available discussing the merits and issues with CCS. It is hoped the Navigator Heartland CO₂ pipeline meetings will provide open discussion about construction procedures, materials used, inspection procedures and frequency, emergency response management, and many other topics.

PLEASE NOTE: If your town is on one of the Navigator pipeline routes, contact Joyce Blumenshine, 309-688-0950, as the maps provided by Navigator do not clearly show residential areas impacted by the CO₂ pipeline route. There are increased concerns for CO₂ pipelines going through or near any residential areas.