What Illinois Taught Us About Carbon Capture and Public Trust

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is often discussed in terms of engineering, policy, and emissions reduction—but the success of any project also depends on something less technical and just as critical: public trust.

In my work with Visage Energy on the Illinois Basin West Project, I helped develop a stakeholder engagement analysis focused on the questions, concerns, and pressure points most likely to shape how communities respond to CCS development, from safety and groundwater protection to land use, transparency, and long-term stewardship.

The slide deck below captures that work in more detail: a scan of more than a dozen CCS projects across Illinois, a narrowing to representative cases, and a deeper dive into public comments, media coverage, and meeting materials to identify recurring lessons for future engagement.

That analysis was part of the Illinois Basin West Project before federal funding was ultimately pulled, making the work both timely and revealing about the challenges CCS projects can face long before they reach construction.