Allen Parish police jurors are considering a measure to ban carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) projects near schools.

Police Juror Joe Perkins has asked the other police jurors to reconsider an ordinance that would prohibit the drilling of CO2 wells within a two-mile radius of any school. Currently, Louisiana law mandates carbon injection wellheads for carbon capture be at least 500 feet away from any school, healthcare facility, or inhabited residence.

A public hearing on this issue is scheduled for 6 p.m. during the police jury’s meeting on May 5.

Perkins said the police jury discussed the ordinance last year, but action was postponed due to the newness of CO2 drilling.

“We discussed this back in June or July about an ordinance to keep Class I through VI wells from being located anywhere close to a school,” Perkins said. “We are trying to get a two mile radius. Where it stands now they can be 500 feet away from a school as set by the state.”

Perkins believes the location of CO2 projects are dangerous regardless of location.

“A two mile radius is still dangerous but anything we can do to try to make it safe for our parish, especially for our kids in schools,” he said. “I wish it wasn’t here at all and that’s what we are fighting for, but if it does come we are trying to get some laws and bills in there to keep it away from our schools and residential areas….Two miles is really not far enough but every little thing will help.”

Perkins also mentioned a resolution sent to the governor and Department of Energy and Natural Resources, requesting that any Class V or Class VI well permits in the parish be postponed until after the legislative session is over.

“We didn’t want them to slip in on us and try to hurry up and get a permit signed,” he said. “So we made a resolution to send the governor and Department of Energy and Natural Resources to look at and sign, but we haven’t gotten a response yet. We’re not going to give up on them.”

Nearly two dozen carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) related bills have been filed for the upcoming legislative session, which begins April 14.

Perkins said this request is needed to allow the bills to get passed and implemented before any new permits are granted by the state.

“That’s the reason we sent that resolution asking them to hold off on any permits until we know what bills we have coming out of Baton Rouge,” he said. “We want to understand what bills get passed and implemented before any permits are given.”

The proposed bills cover various topics, including granting each parish the authority to decide whether to permit CCS projects within its boundaries and eliminating the use of eminent domain for all CCS pipelines.

Others deal with implementing taxes on CCS activities; enhancing the requirements and reporting standards for both CCS storage facilities and pipelines and mandating compensation for mineral rights owners.