A major proposed carbon dioxide pipeline project is being put on hold so the company can reevaluate the route.
Navigator CO2 Ventures has withdrawn its application for a permit in Illinois. The company said in a statement Tuesday it was putting all its permit applications on hold while it reassesses the project's route through South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota and Illinois.
The Illinois permit is crucial because that’s where the company planned to store the carbon dioxide.
The pipeline would take CO2 produced at ethanol plants across the Midwest and sequester it underground, which advocates say reduce emissions and removes pollutants from the air. Opponents have voiced concern about safety and effectiveness of the project.
Navigator faced a road block last month when the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission rejected its application to build in South Dakota.
But Navigator representatives say they’re not abandoning the project. They say they plan to reapply for permits where "appropriate" after completing an evaluation.
