“Carbon capture and sequestration” sounds like a solution to the climate crisis, but don’t be fooled. It’s really a permission slip for continuing to burn fossil gas for energy — the very thing that got us in trouble in the first place — and worse. It does nothing to reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide. It only removes it from emissions from gas-powered plants.
Industry wants to pipe CO2 from all over our region and beyond, to store it in porous rock in central Illinois, a seismically active area, with pipes running right under the state’s biggest aquifer, the only source of water for one million Illinoisans. What could possibly go wrong? Everything.
We know that pipes can break. Escaping CO2 is toxic, polluting, combustible and explosive. Just ask the residents of Sartartia, Mississippi, what happened when a CO2 pipe burst there in 2020.
The benefits? Any job creation would be in temporary pipeline construction work, with no guarantee that local union workers would be priority hires. Tax benefits for local and state governments would be minimal and in no way cover the costs of safety protections and monitoring or emergency responses. Every Illinois taxpayer would bear those costs, not to mention legal liability. So even if you live in Chicago, this concerns you.
Let Gov. J.B. Pritzker and your legislators know that you support a moratorium on CO2 pipeline development in Illinois until we have appropriate protections, and you want them to pass legislation that ensures protections — for our health and safety, the health of our environment and public finances. For more information: noillinoisco2pipelines.org.
Wendy Greenhouse, Oak Park
Pam Tate, Oak Park
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Thankful for public servants
Please join me in honoring the invaluable contributions of our nation’s public servants. Every day, public servants carry out critical work that allows our society to function. We rely on public servants for our daily safety for emergency services and the prevention of crime and terrorism; to ensure we build and maintain the physical infrastructure allowing us to move from place to place; to communicate across long distances; to power our homes or drink clean water; to educate our children; to administer critical social programs like Social Security and Medicare; and much more.
Too often, their work goes unnoticed until something goes wrong. Yet, public servants work every day to provide a stable foundation for all of us to enjoy our lives and freedom. We should thank them more often — or at least once a year.
That’s why, since 1985, the first week of May has been designated Public Service Recognition Week. I hope you will join me in expressing your appreciation.
Angelo Sturino, O’Hare
Give him a break, Bears
So the billionaire sports team owners want to further spoil the people’s lakefront with a monstrosity and expect the citizens to pay for it. Gimme a break. That our so-called Mayor Johnson cannot see the folly in this action is beyond stupid. Put me down as opposed and vehemently so.
Ronald H. Rodriguez, North Center
