ENERGY: Requests that the Board of Regents provide for a rigorous, peer-reviewed study on the potential effects of mixing streams of carbon captured from industrial sites and the air on the water supply and ecological environment and submit reports to the House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Chuck Owen

The bill directs a peer-reviewed Board of Regents study to evaluate how mixing captured carbon streams with ambient air could affect Louisiana’s water supply and ecosystems.

Taken by the Clerk of the House and presented to the Secretary of State in accordance with the Rules of the House.

Summary of HR 144 (Session 2026) – Louisiana

Purpose and intent

The bill seeks to obtain a rigorous, peer-reviewed study conducted by the Board of Regents.

The study would examine the potential effects of mixing streams of carbon captured from industrial sites with ambient air on Louisiana’s water supply and ecological environment.

The study findings would be reported to the Louisiana House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment.

Key provisions

Directs the Board of Regents to design and oversee a rigorous, peer-reviewed study.

Focus areas of the study:

Potential hydrological impacts on the water supply (availability, quality, and safety implications) from mixing captured carbon streams with air.
Potential ecological and environmental effects resulting from the proposed mixing, including impacts on ecosystems, wildlife, and environmental health.

Requires documentation of methodology:

Peer-review standards and processes.
Data sources, modeling approaches, and risk assessment frameworks.

Reporting requirements:

The Board of Regents must submit study findings and accompanying reports to the Louisiana House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment.
Likely to include executive summary, methodology, results, risk assessments, and policy implications (though the exact structure is not specified in the summary).

Who/what would be affected

State higher education and research governance:

Board of Regents would oversee the study, manage funding (within the scope of the bill), and ensure peer-reviewed standards.

Environmental and water stakeholders:

State agencies involved in water resources and environmental protection could be affected through study conclusions and potential policy or regulatory implications.
Industries involved in carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects may be stakeholders due to potential regulatory considerations and environmental risk assessments.

Legislative oversight:

The Louisiana House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment would receive the study findings and use them to inform future policy decisions.

Procedural and timeline considerations

Status: Reported favorably by the committee (12-4) on May 19, 2026.

Prior action: Read by title and lay over under the rules on April 14, 2026.

Implications:

If enacted, the Board of Regents would initiate and complete a peer-reviewed study, with results delivered to the designated legislative committee.
The bill emphasizes an evidence-based approach to evaluating environmental and water resource implications before policy actions related to carbon capture and air–water interactions are advanced.

Potential impact and considerations

Environmental policy: The bill prioritizes rigorous scientific evaluation of a novel approach to carbon capture and its interaction with the environment, potentially informing or delaying regulatory decisions pending study outcomes.

Risk assessment: Emphasizes peer-reviewed methodology, which could lend credibility and reproducibility to findings used in legislative or regulatory debates.

Climate and energy policy: Signals ongoing interest in carbon capture technologies and their broader environmental effects within Louisiana, guiding future research funding and oversight.

Note: The summary reflects the information available in the bill description and action history. If the final enacted text includes additional sections (e.g., funding provisions, timelines, or specific reporting formats), those details would refine the scope and timelines of the study.