LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Posted June 15, 2022
Dear Editor:
My invitation came in October 2021 and was unexpected. A Landowner Open House was planned for Thursday November 04 at Taylorville High School facilities. The subject was carbon dioxide (CO2) pipeline and carbon storage project, heading for Central Illinois! No kidding, another exotic industry is developing to remove excess CO2 from Earth’s atmosphere. I had to check this out. After walking the room and viewing information and posters, I talked to a few associates. Why this CO2 project I asked; they told me “climate change”.
Quite an ambitious project but not very surprised since each generation has to leave a legacy. The idea that a Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) industry can save the planet Earth is about as arrogant as possible. Here is why; those awful and terrible elements Carbon and Carbon Dioxide are destined to destroy our planet and if you believe it then you have until 2031 AD to fix the atmosphere! How audacious! CO2 exists on our planet deliberately by Creation. It is in our atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere, you know the globe we call Earth. We breathe CO2 and exhale more of it. Check a chemistry book (pre-1960s) and learn that we humans are composed of over 50% Carbon!
So why vacuum Carbon & CO2 out of industrial chimneys, produce an unnatural and dangerous composition of liquefied CO2, pump it through exotic pipelines through three States, drill through private properties a mile or so deep to pump the adventure recipe and hope the hay it stays there a couple generations? Remember the answer was “climate change”. Actually the climate changes four times every year and used to be called seasons. CO2 is a unique gas and has many normal uses plus it keeps the plant kingdom busy producing oxygen.
CO2 is so unique that it only exists as a gas and solid. CO2 is a refrigerant and propulsive vapor. Remember dry-ice, that is frozen CO2. It does NOT exist as a liquid like water does. Only through scientific industry can a liquefied CO2 by temporarily produced, by 75 psi bare minimum pressure and special temperatures. Makes you wonder what happens when a CO2 pipeline or storage well leaks. The good news is CO2 is NOT flammable, no kaboom and fire. In fact CO2 is an efficient fire suppressor.
By now readers may even wonder what is gained by all the haste to push another expensive and exotic dream upon American Citizens and taxpayers. Perhaps the real green benefit of CCS is paper legal tender! Agriculture may take another economical hit but the rural American Citizens will for sure. No CO2 Wells out here, please and thank you!
Sincerely Two Rural Citizens
Ernie & Ruth Poani
Edinburg, IL 62531
