| June 2023 |
By Joyce Blumenshine
While the Wolf Carbon Solutions US (WCSUS) LLC filing to the Illinois Commerce Commission did not contain a pipeline into the city of Peoria, the company can clearly adjust their route and make changes. The city of Peoria still needs to be very concerned about this project. Peoria, Bartonville, Pekin, and other towns along the route need to get as much information as possible about the actual pipeline location and details. Wolf has filed another ‘thin line’ corridor map. They have not provided any county specific maps. Discerning the 200-foot right-of-way is still very difficult and their application states on page 3:
“However, to provide additional flexibility to respond to contingencies in development of the route and project route width, WCSUS will contact landowners within a broader corridor than 200 feet, up to one-half mile or more on either side of the proposed centerline (the “Notification Corridor”), along the proposed route in Illinois to obtain permission to conduct surveys on landowners’ properties. The proposed centerline route and 200- foot project route width may be refined based on additional planned survey activities and discussions with landowners, but the final route and project route width will be within the Notification Corridor.”
Our question is: How do people really know where Wolf LLC is going? It is clear they don’t know, or are not telling at this time. There are now eleven months from June 16, 2023, until the state permit for construction of the Wolf LLC pipeline must be decided by the ICC, and a decision could be made sooner. Wolf LLC will be in charge of the pipeline design, construction and operation. The CO2 is expected to be piped to the Decatur area. ADM/Archer Daniels Midland, will be in charge of the deep well carbon dioxide sequestration.
Tazewell County must be concerned about sections of the pipeline that will be over the Mahomet Aquifer. Peoria County has a lot of rural residential areas with enough houses to have a mass casualty event if a pipeline rupture happened. Stark County should worry if its emergency responders can get to rural residents in time to save them if a CO2 pipeline rupture would occur and gas or diesel vehicles don’t run.
If you know of individuals who have been approached by a company regarding leasing ground for a carbon pipeline, please contact hoi@illinois.sierraclub.org.
