Lincoln County Commissioners establish a county advisory committee focused on carbon pipelines.
This comes amid ongoing opposition from many county landowners against a proposed CO2 pipeline.
The nine-person CO2 Transport and Storage Advisory Committee list was unanimously approved by Lincoln County Commissioners in a meeting Tuesday.
One voice notably absent from the committee – the company hoping to build a carbon pipeline through the county.
Aaron Eldridge is a Project Manager for Summit Carbon Solutions. He said a position on the committee should be left for a pipeline representative.
“We would love to be able to be a partisan non-voting member, share our experience with pipeline experience. But also, I am in the county. I am here all the time," Eldridge said. "I would love to be a resource to any of the commissioners, and to any members on planning and zoning, anyone in the audience that would appreciate some additional information. I would be more than happy to offer that."
Eldridge said based on previous committee concern, Summit Carbon Solutions now has multiple team members that reside in Lincoln County.
Lincoln County Commissioner Jim Schmidt offered an alternative to Eldridge.
“Your comments did not fall on deaf ears. I would imagine that if that committee wants to have input, that they will be surely extending you an invitation. I think you will have ample time to present your position, or any questions that can be answered. Thank you for your comments,” said Schmidt.
The commission’s vote excludes Summit Carbon Solutions from being directly represented in the committee.
Commissioner James Jibben will be the newly formed advisory committee’s chair. There is no official schedule published for the first meeting.
