JEFFERSON COUNTY, Ohio — A potential $1.1 billion investment in renewable energy could soon transform Jefferson County, as local commissioners consider a major carbon capture development.

The project, presented by Tenaska, aims to help area industries reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

“The project represents about a one$1.1 billion investment into the local economy, and that includes construction and operational jobs, so we very much look forward to being a part of the community,” said Ali Kairys, Tenaska’s senior director of project development. “Not only Jefferson County but the surrounding tri state area.”

Jefferson County Commissioners are cautiously optimistic, with plans to ensure specific measures are in place.

“We all kind of knew it was coming,” Commissioner Jake Kleineke said. “It’s sort of exploratory type of storage. They’re talking about starting to do some tests wells in 2028, which is a few years down the road. We want to make sure if we do this, we’re going to hold their feet to the fire for road-use maintenance agreements, which hasn’t happened in a lot of other counties.”

The project could begin with testing later this year, but much of the process remains before final plans are solidified.

“We’ll be working with the state for those class six permits,” Kairys said. “We’ll also be working at the state level for any road-use agreement, driveway permits, as well as at the local level townships or counties for the same permits if they have jurisdiction. And with ODNR and the local department of environmental protections.”

The county government acknowledges the project is still a few years from becoming a reality, with plans to take extra steps to better position themselves in the region.

“We need to look a little bit at other counties and other places that are doing this type of business and make sure the environmental impact won’t lose our water table and that they’re doing things correctly,” Kleineke said.