Former Representative Alan Morrison and former Senator Jon Ford have both made recent headlines, as Governor Mike Braun granted them new appointments. Alan Morrison was recently appointed as the new head of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Jon Ford was just announced as the new head of the Office of Energy Development (OED).  Each of these appointments has connections with a Pilot Project in Vigo and Vermillion Counties. 

Wabash Valley Resources made its first appearance in the Wabash Valley in 2016. Backed by former Wall Street traders and out of state investors, they purchased the former gasification plant on the Wabash River. They claimed they would provide cheap fertilizer for Indiana farmers using Petcoke as their feedstock. There is more to this company than just fertilizer, as documentation has shown they are involved with both hydrogen and carbon capture (CCS) which are all part of the new legislative “energy transition.” 

Wabash Valley Resources (aka Wabash Carbon Services) became known to the public, when community members received notification from the EPA that a carbon sequestration injection project was already well underway. Hundreds of community members filled the EPA meeting, many were asking the same questions. How did this company come into their community without their knowledge? How can a private company use eminent domain to take private land? How can they be allowed to store  waste under homes without consent?

Citizens then raised concerns about Wabash Valley Resources’ relationship with the statehouse, Alan Morrison and Jon Ford. Wabash Valley Resources, their associates, investors, and investors’ spouses have given over 1.06 million dollars to lobbyists and campaign donations to secure legislation that was favorable to the WVR.

Indiana’s Senate Majority PAC was given over $62,000 to be dispersed to majority party members, while other legislators received campaign money directly. These direct payments include donations to newly elected governor Mike Braun who received over $57,000, Representative Alan Morrison who received $5,000, and Senator Jon Ford who received $35,000. 

While these are just a few of the legislators who received money from the company, this connection presents some big questions and broad implications about Braun’s new appointments of Ford and Morrison. 

During their time as legislators both legislators were in discussions with the for-profit, privately owned company Wabash Valley Resources. Each had authored/supported legislation that maneuvered the company into a position to use eminent domain, acquire broad liability protection, and gain the right to use private property in Vigo and Vermillion Counties to store carbon. 

This legislation placed the DNR, now headed by Morrison, as the managing and rule-making authority over Wabash Valley Resources and other CCS projects. These projects are also part of the push for “clean energy” at the federal and state level which also puts them in the purview of the OED, now headed by Jon Ford. 

During his time as senator, Ford was author and/or sponsor of three bills that favored Wabash Valley Resources, a player in the energy industry. Two of the bills mentioned the company specifically. In the face of community pushback against these bills, Senator Ford abruptly resigned his seat to “pursue new professional endeavors.” Ford became the leader of a lobbying association, Reliable Energy, promoting the coal and fossil fuel industries in Indiana. 

Alan Morrison who sponsored/supported those bills, followed a similar track. Around the time the bills were being passed at the statehouse, Morrison also formed a non-profit LLC called the National Coal Community Center (NCCC). The LLC’s website states that the NCCC was formed to “help policymakers navigate the complex world of energy transition.” 

This goal parallels Morrison’s former committee position during his time at the statehouse which focused on promoting legislation “ranging from coal and natural gas … to carbon sequestration and beyond.” Although Morrison holds degrees in Sports Management, according to the NCCC website, he claims to be “one of the foremost experts on the future of the energy industry in the Midwest.” x w

In his new role as the head of DNR, Alan Morrison is in position to work closely with his political and energy industry contacts, as he will oversee rule-making to “wisely use” natural resources for Indiana’s citizens. Similarly, in his new role as head of the OED, Ford will be tasked with changing the way Indiana produces, distributes, and consumes energy. 

In short, Braun’s new appointments put two individuals directly linked to Wabash Valley Resources pilot project in positions that will have direct impact on the rule-making and oversight of this and other energy and CCS projects across the state.

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