LEESVILLE, La.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CapturePoint Solutions LLC (CPS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) today in a local ceremony with the Vernon Parish School District and the United Association of Journeyman and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada (the “United Association”) and key local affiliates to formally launch the Vernon Parish School Board “Capturing Better Futures” Initiative. The project will create a Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathway with training in specialized trade skills for jobs in the pipeline, plumbing and steamfitting industries. The training program will be open to students from all 9 high schools in Vernon Parish, Louisiana, with the first 30 students (15 juniors and 15 seniors) beginning classes as the new school year starts on August 21, 2023.
In the first year of the project, CPS and the United Association and affiliates have committed to providing over $310,000 in funding and services to update a dedicated classroom at Leesville High School, build out and fully equip a training workshop, and provide instructional staffing, student transportation and other support services. The MOU also includes commitments to sustain the program for an initial 3-year pilot, and future expansion is anticipated to provide training for additional student cohorts. In addition, the Louisiana Armed Forces Alliance is exploring possibilities for using the program workspace and instruction to provide a transitional pathway to civilian employment for military members completing tours of duty at nearby Fort Johnson (formerly named Fort Polk).
“The outstanding geology of the region provided a unique opportunity for CapturePoint Solutions to develop the Central Louisiana Regional Carbon Storage Hub to safely secure millions of tons of carbon dioxide annually deep underground,” noted Tracy Evans, the Chief Executive Officer of CPS. “The CENLA Hub sites will help achieve critical national environmental goals and support the continued economic success of regional industries, and we want to make sure that our local community partners also have a chance to participate in the benefits as well. This exciting initiative to create job opportunities and a CTE pathway for local students will build a ‘next generation’ success story in central Louisiana.”
As CPS and its partners introduced the CENLA Hub to regional communities, local leaders identified that one of their key priorities is to create opportunities for students to develop careers without leaving the area. “Our graduates are some of the very best in Louisiana,” said Vernon Parish School Superintendent James Williams, “and we want them to have every chance to thrive right here in our community. That’s what the ‘Capturing Better Futures’ Initiative is all about and why we are so enthusiastic that this partnership will create new investments in the futures of our students who participate.”
The United Association and its local union affiliates that serve Louisiana are providing vital and indispensable assistance to guarantee the success of the initiative. In addition to offering instructors and the curriculum at Leesville High School, the union is providing the opportunity for students who successfully complete the training program to enter the union’s respected Registered Apprenticeship Program, which includes ongoing training and a high-level benefits program including comprehensive health insurance and retirement plans.
Michael P. Mulvaney, Executive Vice President of the United Association, attended the MOU ceremony, where Mr. Larry D. George, Business Manager of Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 247 and Trustee of the Alexandria (Louisiana) Pipe Traders J.A.T.F., and Mr. Daniel C. Hendrix, Business Manager of Pipeliners Local 798, both signed the document on behalf of the United Association and the key local affiliates supporting the partnership. “For over 130 years, the hardworking men and women of the United Association have built and maintained the backbone of American infrastructure with the highest standards of excellence, safety, and productivity,” commented Mr. Mulvaney. “We are thrilled to partner with CapturePoint Solutions and the Vernon Parish School Board to introduce these students to our trades, and to provide the opportunity to continue our proud tradition and build the emerging carbon sequestration industry into another American economic triumph.”
The first CPS application for a CENLA Hub injection well was submitted last year, meeting the rigorous public health and safety standards required by the EPA for Class VI (CCUS) wells. Studies and agreements are underway to capture CO2 emissions from natural gas processing in Louisiana for transport to storage in the CENLA Hub. And in the near future, CPS expects to file an application with the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council making the CENLA Hub the first carbon sequestration project in the nation submitted for fast-tracking.
“I want to thank our team at CapturePoint Solutions for their industry-leading efforts to create the Central Louisiana Regional Carbon Storage Hub,” added Mr. Evans. “As we sign this MOU to support the students of Vernon Parish, we are also adding to the exceptional lineup of partners associated with building the CENLA Hub into our nation’s premier onshore deep underground carbon storage site. I especially commend the commitment and dedication of the United Association and its affiliates; Vernon Travis, Jr., our liaison on the Vernon Parish School Board; and Lisa Lohman, the school district’s Director of Curriculum and Instruction.”
CapturePoint Solutions LLC (CPS) is a privately held company based in Allen, Texas providing integrated carbon capture, transport and sequestration services. CPS focuses on CCUS projects capturing high volume CO2 emissions that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere from industrial facilities and permanently securing the carbon dioxide deep underground. In addition to the CENLA Hub, CPS has projects under consideration or development in Colorado, Kansas, Mississippi, New Mexico and Oklahoma, and is evaluating potential ventures in several other states.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release may include certain statements concerning expectations for the future that are forward-looking statements as defined by federal law. Such forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond management’s control. In addition to the risks and uncertainties previously stated, the Partnership has also been, or may in the future be, impacted by new or heightened risks related to the COVID-19 pandemic and other external economic forces, and we cannot predict the length and ultimate impact of those risks. The firm undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect new information or events, nor to update the status of federal or state permits or approvals or other external factors that may affect potential future operations.
The information contained in this press release is available on our website at www.capturepointllc.com.
