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First-of-its-kind agreement establishes significant collaborative initiatives for landowners, public safety and community investment.
Lincoln, Neb. -- April 9, 2024, -- Tallgrass, Bold Alliance, and multiple organizations across Nebraska announced a first-of-its-kind Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) associated with the Tallgrass Trailblazer carbon dioxide (CO2) project.
The agreement between Tallgrass and Bold Alliance received endorsements from 11 statewide organizations, including Renewable Fuels Nebraska, the Nebraska State Volunteer Firefighters Association, the Nebraska Farm Bureau, the Nebraska Corn Growers Association, the Nebraska Cattlemen, the Nebraska Farmers Union, the Nebraska Soybean Association, the Nebraska Sorghum Producers Association, the Nebraska State Dairy Association, the Nebraska Pork Producers Association and We Support AG.
This landmark agreement sets a new precedent for pipeline infrastructure by establishing a series of community initiatives as well as creating rigorous landowner rights protections throughout the pipeline’s life cycle, from early project development through easement negotiations, operations, and decommissioning.
Other near and long-term benefits provisioned by the CBA include:
The CBA additionally establishes a 10-year, two-part, shared-value program. By achieving operations on schedule, this program establishes provisions for landowners to receive an annual royalty payment and for a community foundation to receive an annual endowment — based on the total amount of CO2 the project sequesters. The annual royalty payment program for landowners applies not only to future easement negotiations, but also to landowners who have already signed easements for the CO2 pipeline.
“Bold believes that those who live in our rural towns and whose land is needed to develop American energy should receive direct financial and community benefits,” said Jane Kleeb, founder of Bold Alliance. “Tallgrass’s existing pipeline was initially built for natural gas delivery, and the conversion they are undertaking to transport carbon dioxide highlights the need for additional community benefits which are met under this agreement,” Kleeb continued. “Tallgrass is the first pipeline company we have encountered that has been willing to engage proactively, acknowledge the need for the landowner benefits that Bold fights to achieve, and genuinely commit itself to addressing those benefits by written agreement. The commitments between Bold and Tallgrass must set a standard for future energy infrastructure developers and for future regulatory reform that ensures stronger community and landowner benefits are enshrined in our state and federal laws.”
“We appreciate the time and effort that Bold Alliance and so many organizations across Nebraska have invested to achieve this milestone. Everyone involved worked hard to bridge the challenges of reaching a groundbreaking agreement like this one because of a common commitment to seeing Nebraska win. This project is a critical element of Nebraska’s bioeconomy — creating new markets and increased value for the biofuels industry, the family farms who supply them, and the communities they call home,” said Kyle Quackenbush, Segment President of Tallgrass. “At Tallgrass, our pipeline infrastructure has been safely powering Nebraska’s economic growth for decades. We are proud to have found common ground with so many key community organizations to keep Nebraska at the forefront of innovation and economic growth in the decades to come.”
Tallgrass is a leading energy infrastructure company focused on safely, reliably, and sustainably delivering the energy and services that fuel homes and businesses and enable our nation’s quality of life. For over a decade, Tallgrass has called Nebraska “home,” with over 100 of our Nebraskan employees operating more than 2,000 miles of pipelines in the state every day. Across the broader U.S., Tallgrass has over 1,000 employees operating more than 10,000 miles of infrastructure that stretches from Ohio to Oregon and North Dakota down to South Texas. Learn more at Tallgrass.com.
Bold Alliance builds unlikely alliances to protect the land and water. Bold works on issues including eminent domain, clean energy, water, and prioritizing family farms and ranches.
Tallgrass
Rachel Carmichael
+1 (720) 814-2851
Media.Relations@Tallgrass.com
Bold Alliance
Mark Hefflinger
323-972-5192
mark@boldalliance.org
Disclosures in this news release contain forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included in this news release that address activities, events or developments that management expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, forward-looking statements contained in this news release specifically include statements regarding the development and execution of the Trailblazer CO2 project and statements regarding the future implementation of the CBA, including the performance of the future commitments of the parties under the CBA and the expected benefits from such performance. Such statements are subject to several assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of Tallgrass, which may cause actual results to differ materially from those implied or expressed by the forward-looking statements, and other important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, including those set forth in reports and financial statements made available by Tallgrass. Any forward-looking statement applies only as of the date on which such statement is made, and Tallgrass does not intend to correct or update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.