JTNWI Statement on DOE MachH2 Awards 11-20-24

In response to the Department of Energy (DOE)’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) awarding of up to $1 billion to the Midwest Hydrogen Hub led by the Midwest Alliance for Clean Hydrogen (MachH2), which covers Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Iowa, on Wednesday, Just Transition Northwest Indiana released the following statements:

“We were literally in a meeting with DOE and OCED minutes before the announcement was made, with no mention that the award was being dropped today. We are justifiably stunned to see it suddenly flash over our news feed. We are fed up with the continuous lack of transparency. We are left with mounting questions more than answers about what we see as a dangerous experiment being conducted without our consent.”

“The announcement states 12,000 direct jobs will result from this hub, yet that number is highly disputable with no demonstrated evidence to back up these numbers or show that these jobs will employ local community members, be nothing more than temporary, or ensure essential worker safeguards.”

“In addition, the BP project’s main purpose is to generate “blue hydrogen.” This means toxic carbon dioxide created through the hydrogen production process will be transported via hundreds of miles of pipelines over six Indiana counties, starting in Lake County. However, today, OCED detailed it is not funding CCS projects through MachH2, and therefore, BP’s proposed CO2 pipeline falls outside of the promised community benefits plans included in the hubs permitting application structure. This convoluted situation allows for a tremendous amount of finger-pointing between federal agencies while at-risk environmental justice communities’ safety continues to be toyed with.”

“This past weekend, we hosted a rally event in the MachH2-impacted community of East Chicago, Indiana, to denounce the BP project and the secretive rollout process. Residents and regional leaders poured their hearts out about what this hub could mean. We are sick and tired of being a checkbox for DOE. That is exactly how we feel today.”

###

Just Transition Northwest Indiana (JTNWI) is a grassroots environmental justice organization that serves the Northwest Indiana region. JTNWI’s mission is to educate and organize Northwest Indiana communities and workers, give voice to our shared stories, and support a just transition to a regenerative economy that protects the environment, climate, and future generations.