California county's plan to utilize federal funds for carbon capture raises concerns
Kern County, California, aims to harness federal tax credits to build facilities that produce and store carbon dioxide, a move critics view as counterproductive to tackling climate change.
Aaron Cantú reports for Capital & Main.
In short:
- Kern County proposes building facilities to create and bury carbon dioxide using federal tax incentives.
- Critics argue that this plan paradoxically leads to more carbon production, with oil companies benefiting financially.
- The primary goal is to sustain the local economy as oil production declines.
Key quote:
Kern’s carbon park has "no purpose except to keep the oil and gas companies in business."
— Mark Jacobson, Stanford University engineering professor
Why this matters:
The plan's focus on producing more carbon to utilize sequestration tax credits challenges traditional approaches to reducing greenhouse gases. How do you think local economies dependent on fossil fuels should transition to sustainable practices without compromising their financial stability?
Californians living within miles of oil and gas wells have toxic air
