Louisiana’s $600 Million Carbon Boondoggle at Caddo-Bossier Port

By Co2 Chronicles

Louisiana families work hard. We rebuild after hurricanes, fuel America’s energy, and feed our communities. But while citizens fight to make ends meet, Washington is gambling $600 million of our tax dollars on a project that makes little sense for Louisiana.

It’s called Project Cypress—a “Direct Air Capture” hub that promises to suck carbon dioxide out of the sky and bury it underground. Senator Bill Cassidy helped write the law that created this program. In 2023, he proudly announced that Louisiana would receive up to $600 million in federal money to make it happen.

So far, only $50 million has been released. The remaining $550 million is pending review by the Department of Energy. But even at that first tranche, Louisiana taxpayers are already losing.

A Terrible ROI

If the full $600 million is approved, Louisiana will get:

• 1,800 temporary construction jobs
  
  
• 220 permanent jobs statewide
  
  

That means nearly $3 million per permanent job.

Even with the initial $50 million, taxpayers are funding paperwork, permitting, and consulting—not lasting jobs.

$2.7 million per job. That’s the real math of Project Cypress.

Why Caddo-Bossier?

One anchor site will be the Port of Caddo-Bossier in northwest Louisiana. Heirloom Carbon, a California company, promises 1,000 construction jobs and “80+ permanent jobs” at the port.

But let’s be honest: compared to a $600 million price tag, those numbers are drops in the bucket. The port was chosen for its pipelines, rail, and barge access—convenient for corporations, but risky for residents who will live beside a massive CO₂ injection project.

And it’s not just the storage site itself. To move captured carbon, new CO₂ pipelines will cut through Caddo and Bossier communities, carrying a pressurized, asphyxiant gas that is far more dangerous than natural gas if ruptured. Residents will be forced to live with the constant risk of leaks, accidents, and emergency evacuation zones—all for a project they never asked for.

No Mandate, No Need

Here’s the kicker: no law requires carbon capture.

Under the Trump administration, Obama-era carbon rules were rolled back. Companies in Louisiana aren’t legally obligated to capture CO₂ at all.

So why are we spending hundreds of millions on a project nobody asked for and nobody needs?

Who Really Wins

The winners are not Louisiana citizens. They are:

• Foreign corporations like Climeworks (Switzerland) and Heirloom (California)
  
  
• Lobbyists and consultants who pocket federal grants
  
  
• Politicians bragging about “innovation” while Louisiana shoulders the risks
  
  

Meanwhile, Louisiana taxpayers foot the bill: $600 million for 220 jobs.

What Louisiana Really Needs

If Washington truly wanted to invest here, it would fund:

• Hurricane recovery and resilient infrastructure
  
  
• Roads and bridges we actually drive
  
  
• Clean water and coastal protection
  
  
• Long-term jobs that don’t vanish after ribbon cuttings
  
  

Instead, Project Cypress gives us temporary jobs, massive risks to our aquifers, CO₂ pipelines running past our homes, and a cost-per-job that defies common sense.

The Question for Louisiana

Why are we gambling $600 million of taxpayer money on a project no one asked for, no law requires, and no community voted on?

Why are we risking our land, water, and neighborhoods so that foreign corporations can cash in on subsidies?

Until Louisiana gets real answers, Project Cypress should be seen for what it is: a taxpayer-funded boondoggle with no return for the people.