The House advances a bill impacting carbon pipelines after a long and charged debate.
HB 1133 aims to define what a commodity is considered in the state. The bill could sink plans made by Summit Carbon Solutions and Navigator CO2 to build a carbon pipeline in portions of the state.
Proponents for the bill said the developers’ intent to store CO2 underground in a different state makes CO2 worthless - therefore, not a commodity.
Opponents said that CO2 is in fact a commodity and used almost daily by everyone in the state.
Keeping CO2 a commodity is vital to the pipeline developers plans. Pipelines hauling commodities qualify for exercising eminent domain. The developers would likely need eminent domain if they can't agree to terms with all landowners along their pipelines' routes.
HB 1133 now heads to the Senate for consideration.
