Brigham McCown, a senior fellow and director of the Initiative on American Energy Security at the Hudson Institute and a professor at Miami University, set the record straight regarding the safety of carbon capture and storage projects in an op-ed in the Pierre Capital Journal.

McCown previously led the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, the government agency charged with protecting “people and the environment by advancing the safe transportation of energy and other hazardous materials that are essential to our daily lives.”

An excerpt from his op-ed is below:

“Based on my own firsthand experience running PHMSA, I can say with certainty that pipelines are the safest way to transport large amounts of gas and liquid products because of the federal government’s extensive and comprehensive regulations that are in place. Residents and communities across the Midwest and beyond should be confident carbon dioxide (CO2) pipeline projects will operate safely. This is important as we move forward in deploying technologies aimed at reducing pollution and carbon emissions.

“For decades, PHMSA’s team of professional civil servants has utilized science and data to regulate all safety and environmental aspects of pipeline transportation. This science-based approach includes working in close collaboration with state agencies, safety advocates, and other stakeholders. These safety regulations address pipeline design, construction, operations, maintenance, integrity management, public awareness, emergency response, and more.”

Click here to read the complete op-ed.