Louisiana Freezes New Carbon Capture Applications

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry this week signed an Executive Order declaring a moratorium on review of new permit applications for Class VI underground injection wells in the state and directing prioritized review of several pending applications seeking to construct Class VI wells in connection with proposed carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) facilities across the state to proceed.

The order directs the Louisiana Department of Energy and Natural Resources (LDENR) to suspend review of any new applications to construct a Class VI well submitted after its effective date and to spend the next 45 days reevaluating the status of the approximately 33 pending permit applications already received. The order prioritizes review of five specified applications for CCS projects in Point Coupee, Vernon, Calcasieu, Cameron, Caldwell and Ascension parishes.