The Environmental Protection Agency has approved Oxy Petroleum Corporation’s application to capture carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and inject it underground, marking Texas’s first such project. Located southwest of Odessa, the facility aims to store 500,000 tonnes of CO2 at a depth of 4,400 feet, highlighting the company’s commitment to developing infrastructure for U.S. energy security. However, the approach to carbon capture has sparked debate. While proponents argue it is essential for achieving climate goals, critics, including environmental policy experts, express skepticism about its effectiveness in significantly reducing pollution and advocate for a shift to alternative fuel sources.
The carbon capture method, known as Direct Air Capture (DAC), involves extracting CO2 from the atmosphere, compressing it, and then storing it underground. Oxy has committed to monitoring the storage process closely, but concerns have been raised about transparency in the permit details. Environmental watchdogs emphasize the need for public access to information about the geological layers involved in CO2 storage. Additionally, the Texas Railroad Commission seeks to obtain authority from the EPA to issue similar permits, which could potentially streamline approvals for other businesses in the state. The EPA is currently accepting public feedback on this initiative.
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