US EPA Tentatively Approves First Carbon Sequestration Project in Kansas Public Comment DEADLINE February 1, 2026

December 23, 2025

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by Siri Hedreen (S&P Global) PureField to bury 1.8 mil metric tons of CO2 over 12 years; Would capture CO2 from PureField's Russell biofuels plant -- The Trump administration has tentatively approved ethanol producer PureField Ingredients' plan to bury its CO2 emissions in central Kansas, advancing what would become the first carbon sequestration project in the state.

The US Environmental Protection Agency drafted a permit that would enable PureField Carbon Capture LLC to permanently store up to 1.8 million metric tons of CO2 beneath Russell County, Kansas. The emissions would be injected into a Class VI well -- drilled to a depth of about 3,500 feet -- over the course of 12 years.

Members of the public have until Feb. 1, 2026, to comment on the proposal, according to a Dec. 18 notice from the EPA.

If the plan is approved, PureField would capture the CO2 from its Russell biofuels plant, about 5 miles by pipeline from the planned well site. The emissions-reduction project is intended to grant PureField access to low-carbon fuel markets on the West Coast, according to the company's permit application. The US government supports such projects through its Section 45Q tax credit for carbon capture and Section 45Z credit for low-carbon fuels production.

The draft approval represents the EPA's determination that the project does not threaten any underground sources of drinking water. According to the EPA, the CO2 would be separated from the nearest aquifer by "approximately 3,000 feet of rock, including multiple zones of shales, tight limestones, and thick anhydrite and salt layers."

PureField has also proposed to capture CO2 from other sources and inject it into a different layer of the subsurface, though the project expansion would require an additional approval from the EPA.

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State and federal incentives notwithstanding, industry watchers say ethanol production is one of the cheapest applications of carbon capture technology as the process already emits an almost pure stream of CO2. READ MORE

Related articles

Conestoga Energy applies for Class VI CCS storage well in Kansas (Carbon Capture Journal)
Region 7 is preparing to make a permitting decision on the Class VI application submitted by PureField Carbon Capture, LLC. (Environmental Protection Agency)
Kansas Steps Onto Carbon Capture Map With EPA Nod For Ethanol Project (Carbon Herald)
Conestoga Energy Files Class VI CCS Permit In EPA Region 7 (Carbon Herald)
From Corn To CO2: How The Midwest Is Powering The Carbon Capture Drive (Carbon Herald; includes VIDEO)

Excerpt from Carbon Capture Journal: The well is designed to store up to 800,000 metric tons of CO2 annually, including 150,000MT from Conestoga's ethanol production and up to 650,000MT from third party emitters.

The company has submitted its full Class VI permit application to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its CCUS project. This submission marks the first Class VI permit application filed in EPA Region 7 in conjunction with a successfully completed well site. The strategic location in EPA Region 7 which encompasses Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska, positions Conestoga as a regional pioneer in permanent carbon storage technology.

The application follows the successful completion of drilling operations of its full Class VI Carbon Capture & Sequestration well announced in May and leverages extensive geologic, seismic, and environmental data collected from the Company's well site near its Bonanza BioEnergy facility in Garden City, Kansas.

"Submitting our Class VI permit application demonstrates Conestoga's regional leadership in commercial carbon capture technology," said Tom Willis, CEO of Conestoga Energy. "This represents the natural evolution of our decade-plus experience in CO2 management and positions us to capitalize on the growing demand for permanent carbon storage solutions across the agricultural corridor."

Once permitted, the facility will create significant opportunities to serve third-party CO2 emitters throughout the region. This commercial CCUS model allows the Company to generate additional revenue streams through carbon credit sales and storage services for external CO2 sources.

The strategic location, five miles from Conestoga's existing enhanced oil recovery (EOR) operations, provides dual-purpose flexibility. Captured CO2 can be directed either to permanent sequestration or EOR applications depending on market conditions and commercial opportunities, thereby enhancing the company’s potential economic returns.

Conestoga's submission in EPA Region 7 has the potential to accelerate the broader adoption of carbon sequestration technology across the Midwest's extensive ethanol production network. By combining proven EOR experience with permanent storage capabilities the Company offers a scalable and replicable model for the industry.

The application includes comprehensive subsurface analysis demonstrating the site's exceptional geology for safe, long-term carbon storage more than a mile underground. The EPA's rigorous review process will include public consultation opportunities, demonstrating the Company's commitment to transparency and community engagement.

In addition to reducing emissions, the project materially improves the carbon intensity profile of Conestoga's bioethanol, unlocking access to premium low-carbon fuel markets both in the US and abroad.

Importantly, Conestoga retains 100% ownership of all carbon capture infrastructure and storage rights, ensuring full operational control and maximum commercial flexibility as the CCUS market continues to evolve. READ MORE

Excerpt from Carbon Herald: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has taken a significant step toward bringing carbon capture and storage to Kansas, tentatively approving a plan by ethanol producer PureField Ingredients to permanently store carbon dioxide beneath the state’s central plains.

The draft permit would allow a PureField subsidiary to inject up to 1.8 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into deep rock formations in Russell County over a 12-year period. The emissions would come from the company’s nearby ethanol facility and be transported by pipeline to a Class VI injection well drilled roughly 3,500 feet underground.

If finalized, the permit would mark the first approval of its kind in Kansas, signaling growing federal support for carbon sequestration projects tied to biofuels. The EPA’s review found that the targeted storage zone is separated from drinking water supplies by thousands of feet of dense rock layers, reducing the risk of contamination.

The California connection

For PureField, the project is designed to lower the carbon intensity of its fuel, a key requirement for selling into premium markets such as California’s low-carbon fuel program. Federal tax incentives, including credits for carbon capture and clean fuel production, have become central to the economics of such projects.

Kansas is not alone in exploring underground carbon storage. The EPA is reviewing additional applications from ethanol producers in the state, reflecting a broader Midwest push to pair agriculture-based fuels with climate technology. Ethanol plants are considered particularly attractive candidates for carbon capture because fermentation produces a relatively pure stream of carbon dioxide, keeping costs lower than in other industrial settings.

Nationally, carbon capture has gained renewed attention as policymakers look for ways to cut emissions without shutting down existing industries. Projects are already operating in Illinois and North Dakota, while new pipeline networks are emerging to move carbon dioxide across state lines for storage or enhanced oil recovery.

The Kansas proposal fits into a wider U.S. effort to scale carbon sequestration, an approach many energy analysts view as essential for meeting long-term climate goals while sustaining domestic fuel production. READ MORE

Excerpt from Carbon Herald: As the urgency to reduce carbon emissions intensifies, the Midwest is becoming a critical hub for carbon capture and storage (CCS), with ethanol plants, fertilizer facilities, and manufacturing operations stepping up as unlikely climate allies.

From cornfields to carbon pipelines, we are seeing how the industrial heartland is leveraging its infrastructure, geology, and grit to carve out a central role in the fight against climate change.

“While the recent withdrawal of US Department of Energy funding presents real challenges to long-term project development across heavy industry and power, the Midwest’s unique combination of concentrated emissions, existing infrastructure, and geologic suitability makes it a critical region for advancing carbon capture and storage at scale,” says Ryan Kammer, Carbon Management Research Manager at the Great Plains Institute.

Regional advantages

The Midwest has two prime aspects that have the potential of positioning it as a leader in the CCS industry: ethanol production and opportunities for geological storage.

The region produces over 70% of US ethanol, with facilities concentrated in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Nebraska, and South Dakota. Unlike flue gas from power plants or factories, ethanol fermentation emits nearly pure CO2, making it significantly easier and cheaper to capture.

This high concentration reduces the need for expensive capture technology, giving ethanol producers a relatively low-cost entry point into the CCS space.

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Furthermore, beneath the farmland and prairie lie deep saline aquifers and porous rock formations capable of storing vast amounts of CO2 securely and permanently.

States like Illinois sit atop the Illinois Basin, one of the most studied and storage-ready formations in the country. North Dakota, meanwhile, offers the Williston Basin – well-suited for Class VI injection wells. These geologies provide the physical backbone for long-term sequestration.

Existing infrastructure & CO2 pipelines

The Midwest is already home to dense transportation networks—both road and rail—that support its agricultural exports. These logistical pathways are now being repurposed and paralleled by planned CO2 pipelines.

Furthermore, many ethanol and fertilizer plants are co-located with utilities or industrial facilities, providing anchor points for carbon hub development and shared infrastructure models.

However, CO2 pipeline projects have faced significant—in some cases even impossible—hurdles and setbacks.

Summit Carbon Solutions is now the last of three major CO2 pipeline developers willing to tackle the challenge of connecting Midwest ethanol plants to underground storage.

Its ambitious project—the Midwest Carbon Express—would span roughly 2,000–2,500 miles across five states and carry CO2 from over 50 ethanol facilities to sequestration sites in North Dakota. However, Summit’s effort has turned into a regulatory battleground with numerous lawsuits, landowner pushback and denied permit applications.

The proposed pipeline project was met with strong opposition, as landowners in South Dakota sued the company over unwanted surveying and instrumentalized local sentiment to pass moratoriums and block eminent domain—a momentum that led to the state banning eminent domain for CO2 pipelines in March 2025

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Rory Jacobson, Head of Policy at Carbon Direct, echoes the notion of the Midwest being primed for CCS deployment, but recognizes the CO2 transport as still being a major hurdle.

“Restrictive state legislation around eminent domain makes it incredibly challenging to build the pipeline networks these projects need. Without CO2 pipelines, the economics of CCS in the Midwest become far more difficult, as transporting by truck or rail is costly, less efficient, and not what investors or developers planned for,” Jacobson told the Carbon Herald.

Political landscape

In a seismic shift on May 30, 2025, the US Department of Energy (DOE) canceled ~$3.7 billion in previously announced carbon capture and clean energy demonstration funding, including multiple CCS awards. DOE Secretary Chris Wright defended the decision, citing concerns over economic viability and prioritization of taxpayer dollars.

Critics—including the Carbon Capture Coalition, Sierra Club, and American Council for an Energy‑Efficient Economy—warn that the pause is a “major step backward” that undermines US climate leadership and regional investments.

Great Plains’ Ryan Kammer emphasizes that “Continued federal investment and policy certainty will be essential to build on this momentum and realize the region’s full potential.”

Despite this setback, however, some industry players are confident they will be able to move their projects forward nevertheless. Biofuels manufacturer Conestoga Energy, which was among the companies hit by the DOE’s funding cut, is betting on the region’s agriculture sector playing a special role in ‘broader decarbonization efforts’.

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CEO Tom Willis told the Carbon Herald that CCS “bridges the gap between traditional farming and the clean energy economy by enhancing profitability and unlocking new revenue streams while reducing emissions, and this has been enabled, on a bipartisan basis, by federal incentives like the 45Q tax credit as well as state-level low carbon fuel standards (LCFS).”

“By integrating CCS as a core element of ethanol production, Conestoga has created a scalable, replicable model that is reflective of our identity as an agriculture-based company.”

However, while the 45Q tax credit is undeniably a fundamental support for the budding CCS industry, its standing is not written in stone.

In June 2025, over 100 local officials from the Midwest and West urged Congress to scrap the 45Q tax credit for carbon capture and oppose federal efforts to override local control of CO2 pipeline projects.

Citing safety risks, fraud concerns, and federal overreach, they demand a shift toward local authority and fiscal responsibility. Meanwhile, Congress appears poised to retain but narrow 45Q eligibility in upcoming legislation.

A further regulatory hurdle facing CCS deployment in the Midwest is the permitting of Class VI wells, which are specifically designed for long-term CO2 sequestration under EPA’s Underground Injection Control (UIC) program. Without state primacy over this process, developers must apply directly through the federal EPA, often facing delays of two years or more.

To speed up projects, several Midwestern states have sought and, in some cases, secured primacy, giving them the authority to permit and regulate Class VI wells themselves. North Dakota was the first to receive primacy in 2018, followed by Wyoming. Illinois, Nebraska, and others are actively pursuing it.

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Meanwhile, the fierce opposition to Summit’s project underscores that CCS infrastructure is not just a technical or economic issue—it’s a social and political one. Building trust will be just as important as building pipelines.

Still, CCS is one of the few scalable solutions available today to decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors like cement, steel, and agriculture. For the Midwest, it also represents a rare opportunity to lead in the energy transition—not by abandoning its industrial legacy, but by transforming it.

The corn-to-carbon promise remains compelling, but only if policy and partnership align to unlock it. READ MORE