Activists Slam Louisiana Carbon Permits, Explore Legal Options

Environmental groups are railing against the EPA’s decision to grant Louisiana authority over carbon capture projects, causing regulators to brace for an expected wave of lawsuits.

Starting Feb. 5, the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources will be responsible for reviewing 22 carbon capture and storage project proposals that are currently in the Environmental Protection Agency’s purview. That’s the largest queue of any state that the EPA oversees, according to permit data updated this month.

Louisiana regulators are expecting lawsuits as soon as they approve the first permit, said Patrick Courreges, a spokesperson for the state’s natural resources ...