Wednesday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued permits that allow Wabash Carbon Services LLC to construct two wells for the eventual injection and permanent storage of carbon dioxide underground, one at a site in Vermillion County and another in Vigo County.
“Following extensive review and public engagement, EPA determined that the wells meet all requirements for initial approval, including stringent safety measures,” according to a news release from EPA.
“Once the wells are constructed, the applicant will require separate approval from EPA before underground injection of carbon dioxide can begin, and the agency will maintain robust oversight.
“These underground injection wells will be used to store carbon dioxide from nearby fertilizer production that has been captured prior to release to the atmosphere, reducing emissions that contribute to climate change,” the release said. Greg Zoeller, WVR vice president for external affairs, said, “It’s an exciting day for Wabash Valley Resources,” the parent company of Wabash Carbon Services. “It validates all the work that’s been done.”
The company now must finalize financing before construction will begin, he said.
Officials hope to be online by the end of 2026 producing anhydrous ammonia, Zoeller said. “That’s still the optimistic plan.”
Last week, Zoeller said the proposed project, “is an environmental benefit. Changing from smoke stacks to carbon capture and sequestration is a big environmental benefit.”
He also emphasizes the project creates an anhydrous ammonia fertilizer plant that “will be a huge benefit to farmers in Indiana and the eastern cornbelt.
The proposed project has drawn strong objections from residents of northwest Vigo County as well as Vermillion County. In August, more than 150 people attended an EPA meeting and hearing on draft permits. Concerned citizens have attended other hearings and local government meetings to raise objections to the project. “We are really, really disappointed, but we’re not surprised,” said Kerwin Olson, executive director of the Citizen Action Coalition.
“The community showed up in force at the EPA hearing requesting they didn’t want this stuff,” he said.
Citizens have continued to organize and work hard and raise issues with local and state officials “and received little to no meaningful response,” Olson said.
The community has concerns related to their health and safety and the quality of their drinking water and water sources, he said. There are concerns about the seismic risk as well as the potential for pipeline ruptures and leaks.
“We’ll take a hard look at these permits and comments and consider what next steps may be,” Olson said.
He also emphasized “there is a long way to go before there is any carbon dioxide going into pipelines and being injected underground in Vigo and Vermillion counties. We’ll remain diligent in our review and analysis and see what the opportunities are.”
According to EPA, after a thorough technical review and engagement with the public, including consideration of over 1,000 public comments, “EPA has determined that the two proposed wells meet public health and safety requirements to move forward,” said EPA Region 5 Administrator Debra Shore.
“Today’s action will help reduce industrial carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to climate change while protecting nearby communities and essential groundwater resources in Vermillion and Vigo counties. We look forward to continued engagement with these communities as construction proceeds,” the release stated.
The process of storing carbon underground to reduce emissions into the atmosphere is known as “carbon sequestration.”
If and when EPA authorizes the start of injection, Wabash Carbon Services plans to inject up to 1.67 million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year into the wells over an injection period of 12 years.
Wabash is required to continuously monitor and fulfill reporting requirements — during the 12 years of proposed carbon dioxide injection and 10 years thereafter — to ensure that the injection wells work properly, the carbon dioxide does not move from its injected location and drinking water sources are protected, the EPA release stated.