Commission questions CO2 capture project – The Andalusia Star-News

Report on the Pine Hills Storage Hub Carbon Capture Initiative

Project Overview and Strategic Objectives

On October 28, a presentation was delivered to the County Commission by Bestor Ward of Reliant CCS LLC, detailing the proposed Pine Hills Storage Hub. This project is a carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) initiative developed in partnership with Rayonier, Inc. The primary objective is to mitigate carbon pollution from industrial processes, directly supporting global climate targets.

• Technology: The project will capture carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and inject them into deep underground geological formations for permanent storage.
• Partnership: This initiative represents a strategic partnership between Reliant CCS LLC and landowner Rayonier, Inc., aligning with SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) by leveraging corporate collaboration for sustainable development.
• Scale: While subsurface rights cover 74,000 acres, the surface infrastructure is designed for minimal impact, utilizing only 50-60 acres for 11 injection sites, each with four wells.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 13: Climate Action & SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

The core mission of the Pine Hills Storage Hub is to provide a critical infrastructure solution for decarbonization, which is fundamental to achieving SDG 13 (Climate Action). By capturing industrial CO2 emissions, the project aims to reduce the greenhouse gas effect and support the transition to a low-carbon economy. This technology contributes to making energy systems cleaner, a key target of SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy).

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth & SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

The project is positioned to deliver significant local economic benefits, directly contributing to SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).

1. Job Creation: The initiative is expected to generate both temporary construction jobs and permanent operational positions within Covington County.
2. Industrial Development: It introduces a new, innovative industry to the region, fostering economic diversification and resilience.
3. Infrastructure Investment: The development of CCS facilities represents a major investment in sustainable infrastructure, a cornerstone of SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure).

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation & SDG 15: Life on Land

Environmental stewardship is a central component of the project’s design and regulatory pathway, addressing key environmental SDGs.

• Water Protection (SDG 6): The project is mandated to secure a Class 6 permit from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the most stringent classification. This regulatory oversight ensures that the deep-well injection process does not compromise the safety or quality of underground drinking water reservoirs.
• Land Use (SDG 15): The project’s design minimizes its surface footprint to less than 0.5% of the total leased area. This approach allows the vast majority of the land to remain in use for timber production, hunting, and recreation, thereby supporting the sustainable management of terrestrial ecosystems.

Governance, Regulation, and Community Engagement

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

The project operates within a robust regulatory framework governed by the EPA, demonstrating the role of strong national institutions in overseeing complex environmental initiatives. However, the presentation highlighted a governance gap at the local level, as the County Commission lacks permitting or approval authority over the project. This raised concerns among citizens regarding local participation in the decision-making process, a key aspect of inclusive institutions under SDG 16.

SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

To foster a positive relationship with the local community and contribute to its long-term well-being, Reliant has proposed the establishment of a community benefits trust fund. This commitment aligns with the principles of SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) by ensuring that industrial development provides direct, tangible benefits to the host community, enhancing local sustainability and shared prosperity.

Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  The article’s central theme is the “Pine Hills Storage Hub project, a carbon capture effort” designed “to decrease carbon pollution,” which directly addresses the need to combat climate change and its impacts.

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

  The project aims to mitigate the environmental impact of energy production, specifically by capturing carbon “when burning coal to create energy.” This connects to making energy systems cleaner and more sustainable.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The project is presented as a source of economic benefit for Covington County, promising “an influx of both temporary and permanent jobs and introducing new industry to the community.”

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

  The carbon capture project represents an innovative industrial technology and infrastructure development aimed at making traditional industries more environmentally sustainable.

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

  A significant concern discussed is the project’s potential impact on water resources. The article notes that the EPA must “confirm that the development and existence of the wells will not disrupt or contaminate the county’s underground reservoir of drinking water.”

• SDG 15: Life on Land

  The article addresses the project’s land use, stating that while Reliant has rights to 74,000 acres, “only about 50 to 60 acres” will have above-ground facilities, and the “rest of the land will continue to support timber, hunting and recreation.”

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  The proposal includes a plan for “reinvesting in the county by setting up a community benefits trust fund,” which aims to enhance community well-being and sustainability.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The project is a multi-stakeholder effort involving private companies (“Reliant CCS LLC,” “Rayonier, Inc.”), and government regulatory bodies (“County Commission,” “Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)”), highlighting a public-private partnership model.

What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 13: Climate Action

   • Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning. The carbon capture project is a specific, localized measure aimed at climate change mitigation, reflecting the integration of climate action into industrial planning.

2. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • Target 8.2: Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation. The project introduces “new industry” and technology (carbon capture) to the community, aiming to boost the local economy.
   • Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all. The promise of bringing “an influx of both temporary and permanent jobs” directly relates to this target.

3. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

   • Target 9.4: By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable…and clean technologies and industrial processes. The project is a prime example of retrofitting the energy industry with technology to reduce its carbon footprint.

4. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

   • Target 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution…and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials. The requirement for a strict EPA permit to ensure the project does not “contaminate the county’s underground reservoir of drinking water” directly supports this target.

5. SDG 15: Life on Land

   • Target 15.2: By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally. The article states that the vast majority of the 74,000-acre land holding will “continue to support timber,” implying sustainable forest management alongside the industrial project.

6. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   • Target 11.a: Support positive economic, social and environmental links between urban, peri-urban and rural areas by strengthening national and regional development planning. The proposed “community benefits trust fund” is a mechanism to create positive economic and social links between the industrial project and the local rural community.

7. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships. The collaboration between Reliant, Rayonier, the EPA, and the County Commission exemplifies a public-private partnership for a sustainable development project.

Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator for SDG 8 (Jobs):

  The “influx of both temporary and permanent jobs” can be measured by the number of jobs created by the project in Covington County.

• Indicator for SDG 13 (Climate Action):

  The primary purpose of the project is to “decrease carbon pollution.” The amount of CO2 captured and permanently stored in the underground wells would be a direct indicator of progress.

• Indicator for SDG 6 (Water Quality):

  The issuance of a “Class 6 permit from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)” serves as a regulatory indicator. Ongoing monitoring data of the “underground reservoir of drinking water” to check for contamination would be a direct performance indicator.

• Indicator for SDG 15 (Land Use):

  The article provides a specific metric: “only about 50 to 60 acres – less than one-half of one percent – will have any above-ground facilities.” The percentage of land area converted for industrial use versus the area maintained for timber and recreation is a clear indicator.

• Indicator for SDG 11 (Community Investment):

  The establishment and the monetary value of the “community benefits trust fund” would be a direct indicator of the company’s reinvestment in the county.

Source: andalusiastarnews.com