KEMMERER –– A proposed carbon sequestration project was given the green light to proceed after the Bureau of Land Management issued a record of decision and finding of no significant impact.

The decision allows Moxa Carbon Storage, LLC., to explore approximately 605,100 acres of federal subsurface pore space as a potential site for carbon storage in Lincoln, Sweetwater and Uinta counties. The approval doesn’t allow any surface-disturbing activities or surface occupancy on BLM land. The company’s next step is to seek Class VI underground injection control well permits from the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality. 

The BLM notes carbon sequestration aligns with President Donald Trump’s “Unleash American Energy” executive order. Carbon sequestration has also enjoyed support from Gov. Mark Gordon as a means of keeping Wyoming’s coal industry alive. Gordon launched the Decarbonizing the West initiative in 2023 while he was chair of the Western Governors’ Association. Gordon has received criticism for his support of carbon initiatives.

While carbon sequestration does enjoy some support, a prior project aimed for Sweetwater County suddenly died last year. Project Bison, which was spearheaded by CarbonCapture Inc., was killed when CarbonCapture suddenly announced it would back out its Project Bison and seek carbon capture opportunities elsewhere. The death of Project Bison came shortly after the company showed off a line of commercial carbon capture units in an event in California that was attended by local representatives.