The Texas Railroad Commission approved ExxonMobil's Rose Carbon Capture and Storage project permit on Tuesday. Commissioner Wayne Christian cast the dissenting vote, saying he is not convinced the record proves the project will be safe over the long term and questioning whether taxpayer subsidies for carbon capture make sense. The commission regulates oil and gas in Texas and also oversees pipeline safety and related activities. Supporters of carbon capture see this permit as a step toward storing industrial CO2 underground in Texas. Critics, including Christian, point to unanswered questions about permanent storage liability and consumer costs. The approval clears an early regulatory hurdle, but the project still needs to demonstrate that it can operate safely and deliver real emissions reductions.
