Mississippi Code Title 53. Oil, Gas, and Other Minerals § 53-11-3

(a) The geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide will benefit the citizens of the state and the state's environment.

(b) Carbon dioxide is a valuable commodity to the citizens of the state.

(c) Geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide may allow for orderly withdrawal as appropriate or necessary, thereby allowing carbon dioxide to be available for commercial, industrial, or other uses, including the use of carbon dioxide for enhanced recovery of oil and gas.

(d) The state has substantial and valuable oil and gas reserves not producible by traditional recovery techniques, but which may be producible by enhanced recovery methods.

(e) The enhanced recovery of oil and gas by the injection of carbon dioxide into oil and gas reservoirs is a proven enhanced recovery method which results in additional production of oil and gas in the State of Mississippi and the sequestration of carbon dioxide.

(f) It is for the public benefit and in the public interest that the maximum amount of the state's oil and gas reserves be produced to the extent that it is economically and technologically feasible.

(g) It is for the public benefit and in the public interest that, to the extent that it is economically and technologically feasible, carbon dioxide be injected into and stored in oil and gas reservoirs and other geologic formations in a manner protective of waters of the state as defined in Section 49-17-5(f).

(h) Providing at the election of the operator for a current or former enhanced oil or gas recovery project to qualify as a geologic sequestration project for the incidental storage of carbon dioxide will encourage enhanced oil or gas recovery projects and geologic sequestration projects and will be beneficial to the citizens of this state and will serve the public interest.

(i) Geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide is an emerging industry that has the potential to provide jobs, investment, and other economic opportunities for the people of Mississippi, and is a valuable incentive for Mississippi to attract new industry.

(j) It is the public policy of Mississippi and the purpose of this chapter to provide for a coordinated statewide program related to the geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide in reservoirs defined in this chapter; to provide procedures, in a manner fair to all interests, for the cooperative management of surface and subsurface property interests to ensure the maximum use of natural resources; and to also fulfill the state's primary responsibility for assuring compliance with the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, including any amendments thereto related to the underground injection of carbon dioxide for geologic sequestration.

(k) It is for the public benefit and in the public interest to promote projects for the secure geologic storage of carbon dioxide.