NEW ORLEANS - A new report released Nov. 3 by Earthjustice has intensified scrutiny of the proposal by Air Products for a $4.5 billion Louisiana Clean Energy Complex, a hydrogen and ammonia production project in Ascension Parish that would include a 38-mile carbon dioxide pipeline running to Lake Maurepas. The study warns that a pipeline rupture could expose nearby neighborhoods and Sorrento Primary School, located within half a mile of the proposed route, to dangerous concentrations of carbon dioxide within minutes.
The analysis comes as various stakeholders attempt to position Louisiana as a national hub for carbon management, a sector attracting new industrial investment along the Mississippi River corridor. Although branded as a “clean energy” initiative, Air Products' Louisiana Clean Energy Complex would rely on natural gas as its primary feedstock, making it a carbon-capture project tied to fossil-fuel production rather than a renewable energy venture.
During an Aug. 22 incident in Tangipahoa Parish in which an explosion and fire at Smitty’s Supply in Roseland triggered a one-mile radius evacuation, a nearby elementary school was also evacuated. The event draws attention to how quickly hazardous industrial releases can force school evacuations and renews concerns about siting high-pressure pipelines near populated areas.
According to modeling conducted by mechanical engineer Dr. John Gorman, who co-authored a peer-reviewed study of the 2020 Denbury CO2 pipeline rupture in Mississippi, a sudden leak could result in CO2 concentrations at the school reaching 50,000 parts per million for 10 minutes and 30,000 parts per million for 20 minutes. Those levels exceed federal occupational safety thresholds and could cause dizziness, shortness of breath, or loss of consciousness.
“Putting a CO2 pipeline this close to a primary school is like sending those kids on a plane ride every day with no oxygen masks,” said Dr. Kimberly Terrell, a research scientist with the Environmental Integrity Project. “In an emergency situation, the kids could struggle to breathe.”
The Louisiana Clean Energy Complex, announced in 2021, represents one of the state’s largest private industrial investments. Backed by an estimated $4.5 billion capital outlay, the project could generate 170 permanent jobs and more than 2,000 construction jobs, with Air Products positioned to qualify for federal tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act for carbon capture and storage. State officials have described the complex as a potential anchor for new hydrogen and carbon-management ventures across the River Parishes.
However, the new report, commissioned by Earthjustice and modeled using Air Products’ proposed route and operating assumptions, suggests the project also poses significant safety risks for local residents.
Community and Expert Reactions
Parents, educators and environmental advocates say the modeling underscores the dangers of locating a high-pressure CO2 pipeline near homes and schools.
“Carbon capture is a dangerous gamble no community should be forced to take,” said Kaitlyn Joshua, an Ascension Parish organizer with Earthworks. “This report should be a wake-up call to anyone who wasn’t already concerned about building a carbon dioxide pipeline so close to young children and neighborhoods.”
“This project is frightening for our children and our families,” added Estefania Aultman, a Sorrento parent. “No one should have to worry about having these chemicals on their kids’ playground.”
At high concentrations, carbon dioxide displaces oxygen and can stall vehicle engines, making evacuation and rescue difficult. A 2020 rupture in Satartia, Mississippi, hospitalized 45 people and forced more than 200 to evacuate.
“Our students at Sorrento Primary School and River Parishes Community College should never be exposed to this kind of danger,” said Sharon Lavigne, founder of RISE St. James. “The modeling shows how quickly a rupture could threaten their lives. The safety and health of our communities should not be for sale.”
“No parent should have to wonder if the air around their child’s school is safe to breathe,” added Robert Taylor, founder of Concerned Citizens of St. John. “This report confirms our fears that Air Products’ CO2 pipeline puts families, teachers, and children in harm’s way.”
Other Agencies Raise Broader Concerns
Beyond the Earthjustice report, several environmental and legislative bodies have questioned the pipeline’s safety and permitting process.
Healthy Gulf, an environmental advocacy organization, has filed a lawsuit against state agencies, alleging the project violates conservation agreements protecting parts of the Maurepas Swamp Wildlife Management Area. A Louisiana Senate task force has also held hearings on carbon capture and storage projects, citing unresolved questions about emergency preparedness and long-term monitoring.
“The existing system of transporting this highly corrosive material has a major leak every other year,” said Scott Eustis, community science director for Healthy Gulf. “We owe our children so much more than to place a high-pressure pipeline so close to where they learn and play.”
Project Status and Next Steps
The Air Products Louisiana Clean Energy Complex is currently in the permitting and planning phase. The company’s website lists an estimated start date of 2026, pending approval of air, water, and injection-well permits from the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Natural Resources.
A public hearing on Air Products’ Clean Water Act and Coastal Use permits was held on Nov. 4 in LaPlace with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Louisiana Department of Energy & Natural Resources (DENR) now accepting written comments through Nov. 14 before issuing decisions on the federal DA permit and Coastal Use Permit.
About the Earthjustice Report
The report, titled “CO2 Pipeline Rupture Near Sorrento Primary School,” was authored by Dr. John Gorman, an independent mechanical engineering consultant with more than 60 peer-reviewed publications. His simulation assumed a five-minute valve shutoff time, though federal regulations allow up to 30 minutes which could increase exposure levels in a real-world rupture.
Earthjustice, which commissioned the study, said Air Products has not released its own risk modeling or provided safety information to residents, schools, or local governments along the pipeline’s 38-mile route.
