Communities Question Energy Projects, Landfill Expansion

Carbon capture and storage proposals in Alberta, Texas and Alabama are drawing questions from nearby residents and communities about environmental and health risks, public consultation and oversight. In Alberta, the Pathways project would carry and permanently store millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, but residents say they need more information and an independent environmental assessment; some First Nations also raise concerns about water, wildlife, health and Treaty rights. A Texas project poised to become one of the state’s first operating carbon-storage sites is promoted by the oil and gas industry as a way to reduce emissions, while a nearby Black community is questioning its risks. In Alabama, residents near a proposed natural-gas power plant and carbon-capture facility say they received incomplete or unclear information and worry about environmental effects and increased traffic.