JEFFERSON COUNTY, Texas — People in western Jefferson County are raising concerns about a proposed carbon capture project.
They came together this evening at a church in Cheek to learn more about the technology. 12News has gone in-depth to look into the carbon capture and storage process, known as CCS.
It involves capturing CO2 from industrial facilities and turning the emissions into a liquid, then pumping them thousands of feet underground for permanent storage.
Earlier this year ExxonMobil announced the Rose CCS Project in western Jefferson County. ExxonMobil has already started drilling a test site, not far from the City of China.
Some people who live in the area of Lawhon Road near Green Pond Gully wonder why it's so close to their homes. ExxonMobil maintains the CCS technology is safe and says it's been used for decades around the world.
"I'm concerned about my home, about them putting CO2 into the ground, and the effect that it may have on the neighborhood, the community and our lives," said Cheek resident Nichole Davis.
In the coming days 12News will be looking into the technology and why ExxonMobil wants to use it in western Jefferson County.