CO2 Pipeline Rupture

April 4, 2024

Sulphur, Louisiana, CO2 Pipeline Rupture

Yesterday, residents in and around Sulphur, Louisiana, were asked to shelter in place after the Denbury carbon pipeline leaked nearby.  Sierra Club Iowa Chapter is extremely concerned for the residents around Sulphur, Louisiana and others across the country who are threatened with dangerous carbon pipelines.

Carbon pipelines are dangerous.  CO2 is odorless and colorless, it is heavier than air and displaces oxygen.  Currently there are no adequate protections in place at the Federal, State and Local levels to protect people, our communities and our natural resources.

Due to a lack of protections, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) is currently writing safety rules for carbon pipelines.  The Department of Transportation, submitted a proposed Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for pre-publication review. 

At the local level, counties in Iowa have taken it upon themselves to pass zoning ordinances with setback distances. The Summit and Wolf Carbon Pipelines in Iowa are proposed to be as close as a few hundred feet from peoples' homes, towns and schools. 

Based on the carbon pipeline rupture in 2020 in Mississippi, where the plume traveled a mile to the town of Satartia and sickened dozens, we believe carbon pipelines are too dangerous to be near our homes, communities and natural resources.

We will keep you updated as we learn more.

Learn More:

 
Carbon dioxide pipeline activists at the Iowa Capitol