Maryland Board of Public Works
| Submitted | Sept. 2, 2021 |
| Est. Completion | None |
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Communications
From: Climate Investigations Center
To Whom It May Concern:
This request focuses on the planning and safety of a nationwide high pressure carbon dioxide pipeline network spanning nearly every state.
We ask this question in light of the recently published HuffPost article “The Gassing Of Satartia” by Dan Zegart, which details an accident in Mississippi where a large CO2 pipeline ruptured in February 2020, flooding a small town with a dense cloud of CO2 and injuring dozens of people, some of whom were found unconscious, trapped in their cars while trying to escape. Most residents were unaware of the danger prior to the incident or how to respond.
The development of carbon capture and storage has been prioritized at the Federal level since the late 2000s. Funding for CO2 pipelines by 2021 is part of multiple bills before Congress.
Maps found within reports published by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) Carbon Capture Program, Princeton University and non-profit organizations like the Great Plains Institute, show a vast nationwide network of planned CO2 pipelines. Theoretically, the pipeline network would transport captured CO2 from existing pollution sources like power plants, oil and gas production and cement manufacturing, to sites in other states that have been identified for deep injection into geologic formations.
According to maps attached below the request, Maryland is identified as having existing CO2 pollution sources and/or planned CO2 pipelines and disposal sites. These modeling exercises and maps have been developed for use in national CCS programs, budgeting and planning.
Maps attached are copied from these specific documents:
Carbon Capture Coalition (Great Plains Institute), “Federal Policy Blueprint” February 2021, pg.16
Princeton University, “Net Zero America”, December 2020, page 243
Our FOIA/Public Records request in more detail:
Pursuant to the Maryland Public Information Act, I request copies of all communications, reports, notes, and discussions pertaining to the safety of carbon dioxide (CO2) pipelines that have been built or will be built within Maryland as part of a national carbon capture and storage (CCS) plan being developed by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) and it’s Carbon Capture Program.
Specifically, I request all communications about CO2 transport and disposal within the state of Maryland between agencies and communications between any agency of Maryland and any of the following Federal agencies or task forces, regarding CO2 transport and CO2 pipelines related to CCS
Interagency Task Force on Carbon Capture and Storage
Department of Energy
Office of Fossil Energy
Carbon Storage Program
Department of Interior
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM),
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and
U.S. Geological Survey (USGS,
Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC)
Department of Transportation (DOT)
Environmental Protection Agency
Ground Water Protection Council (GWPC)
I also request copies of any notes, communications, discussions including but not limited to the following topic areas:
Routing and Risks
Any specific CO2 pipeline routes discussed within Maryland
Consideration of potential risks to communities or environmental justice concerns during route planning process
Pipeline construction specifications - diameter, pressure, capacity of pipelines to be built
Risk of leaks from CO2 pipelines
Experiments or modeling of CO2 pipeline accidents
Potential risk contamination of CO2 waste stream, including hydrogen sulfide and water.
Safety protocols
Setbacks from populated areas - distance
Warning systems for nearby communities
Specialized CO2 training for first responders
Availability of self-contained breathing apparatus for first responders
Information and/or training for health care staff in treatment of hypercapnia (CO2 poisoning)
The time frame for this request is 2003 to the present.
CIC requests these records so that communities may have adequate information in order to protect themselves from the hazards posed by CO2 pipelines. The state’s Public Records/Open Records/FOIA law is designed to ensure transparency and for that reason, agencies are to liberally interpret the law in favor of disclosure and to process records in a timely manner.
Disclosure of these records, especially for proposed pipelines, cannot reasonably present a danger to public safety and instead would provide a powerful tool for community input prior to construction. Additionally, to the extent your search results contain information that is legally exempt from disclosure, non-exempt material must be separated from those records to the extent feasible and provided in response to this request.
Because CIC requests this information for the public benefit and has no commercial interest in the material, I also request a waiver of fees. Should you decide to charge fees for providing copies of records in response to my request, please notify me. If practicable, provide copies of records in their native format. I request that you provide records in electronic form using the email address listed below. Please reach out to me with any questions or issues regarding this request.
Thank you for your assistance.
Daniel Zegart
Senior Investigator
Climate Investigations Center
info@climateinvestigations.org
&
Kert Davies
Director
Climate Investigations Center
info@climateinvestigations.org
From: Maryland Board Of Public Works
Good afternoon,
This communication is being sent to you in response to your September 2,
2021 request for:
*"**Pursuant to the Maryland Public Information Act, I request copies of
all communications, reports, notes, and discussions pertaining to the
safety of carbon dioxide (CO2) pipelines that have been built or will be
built within Maryland as part of a national carbon capture and storage
(CCS) plan being developed by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National
Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) and it’s Carbon Capture Program.*
*Specifically, I request all communications about CO2 transport and
disposal within the state of Maryland between agencies and communications
between any agency of Maryland and any of the following Federal agencies or
task forces, regarding CO2 transport and CO2 pipelines related to CCS*
*Interagency Task Force on Carbon Capture and Storage*
*Department of Energy*
*Office of Fossil Energy*
*Carbon Storage Program*
*Department of Interior*
*Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM),*
*Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and*
*U.S. Geological Survey (USGS,*
*Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC)*
*Department of Transportation (DOT)*
*Environmental Protection Agency*
*Ground Water Protection Council (GWPC)*
*I also request copies of any notes, communications, discussions including
but not limited to the following topic areas:*
*Routing and Risks*
*Any specific CO2 pipeline routes discussed within Maryland*
*Consideration of potential risks to communities or environmental justice
concerns during route planning process*
*Pipeline construction specifications - diameter, pressure, capacity of
pipelines to be built*
*Risk of leaks from CO2 pipelines*
*Experiments or modeling of CO2 pipeline accidents*
*Potential risk contamination of CO2 waste stream, including hydrogen
sulfide and water.*
*Safety protocols*
*Setbacks from populated areas - distance*
*Warning systems for nearby communities*
*Specialized CO2 training for first responders*
*Availability of self-contained breathing apparatus for first responders*
*Information and/or training for health care staff in treatment of
hypercapnia (CO2 poisoning)*
*The time frame for this request is 2003 to the present.*
*CIC requests these records so that communities may have adequate
information in order to protect themselves from the hazards posed by CO2
pipelines. The state’s Public Records/Open Records/FOIA law is designed to
ensure transparency and for that reason, agencies are to liberally
interpret the law in favor of disclosure and to process records in a timely
manner.*
*Disclosure of these records, especially for proposed pipelines, cannot
reasonably present a danger to public safety and instead would provide a
powerful tool for community input prior to construction. Additionally, to
the extent your search results contain information that is legally exempt
from disclosure, non-exempt material must be separated from those records
to the extent feasible and provided in response to this request."*
We are preparing a response under the PIA and will get back to you.
Regards,
Lisa Johnson
*Records Manager*
80 Calvert Street, Room 117
Annapolis, MD 21401
410-260-7335 (office)
*“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.**”
--*John C. Maxwell
From: Maryland Board Of Public Works
Good afternoon,
Unfortunately after an extensive search of our database via your search
terms listed below, I was unsuccessful in finding anything responsive to
your MPIA request for:
*"**Pursuant to the Maryland Public Information Act, I request copies of
all communications, reports, notes, and discussions pertaining to the
safety of carbon dioxide (CO2) pipelines that have been built or will be
built within Maryland as part of a national carbon capture and storage
(CCS) plan being developed by the U.S. Department of Energy’s National
Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) and it’s Carbon Capture Program.*
*Specifically, I request all communications about CO2 transport and
disposal within the state of Maryland between agencies and communications
between any agency of Maryland and any of the following Federal agencies or
task forces, regarding CO2 transport and CO2 pipelines related to CCS*
*Interagency Task Force on Carbon Capture and Storage*
*Department of Energy*
*Office of Fossil Energy*
*Carbon Storage Program*
*Department of Interior*
*Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM),*
*Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and*
*U.S. Geological Survey (USGS,*
*Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC)*
*Department of Transportation (DOT)*
*Environmental Protection Agency*
*Ground Water Protection Council (GWPC)*
*I also request copies of any notes, communications, discussions including
but not limited to the following topic areas:*
*Routing and Risks*
*Any specific CO2 pipeline routes discussed within Maryland*
*Consideration of potential risks to communities or environmental justice
concerns during route planning process*
*Pipeline construction specifications - diameter, pressure, capacity of
pipelines to be built*
*Risk of leaks from CO2 pipelines*
*Experiments or modeling of CO2 pipeline accidents*
*Potential risk contamination of CO2 waste stream, including hydrogen
sulfide and water.*
*Safety protocols*
*Setbacks from populated areas - distance*
*Warning systems for nearby communities*
*Specialized CO2 training for first responders*
*Availability of self-contained breathing apparatus for first responders*
*Information and/or training for health care staff in treatment of
hypercapnia (CO2 poisoning)*
*The time frame for this request is 2003 to the present.*
*CIC requests these records so that communities may have adequate
information in order to protect themselves from the hazards posed by CO2
pipelines. The state’s Public Records/Open Records/FOIA law is designed to
ensure transparency and for that reason, agencies are to liberally
interpret the law in favor of disclosure and to process records in a timely
manner.*
*Disclosure of these records, especially for proposed pipelines, cannot
reasonably present a danger to public safety and instead would provide a
powerful tool for community input prior to construction. Additionally, to
the extent your search results contain information that is legally exempt
from disclosure, non-exempt material must be separated from those records
to the extent feasible and provided in response to this request."*
Please note that I am the custodian of records for the Board of Public
Works only and not "..* any agency of Maryland and any of the following
Federal agencies.." *With that said, my recommendation would be to reach
out to the Maryland Department of the Environment listed below:
Department of the Environment
Amanda R. Degen, Interdepartmental Information Liaison
1800 Washington Blvd,
Baltimore, MD 21230
(410) 537-4120
amanda.degen@maryland.gov
Regards,
Lisa Johnson
*Records Manager*
80 Calvert Street, Room 117
Annapolis, MD 21401
410-260-7335 (office)
*“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.**”
--*John C. Maxwell