California’s carbon offset program funds north carolina hog waste biogas projects amid local pollution concerns

In the small town of Turkey, North Carolina, an inconspicuous biogas facility consisting of four silver mounds sits beside a towering grain silo, representing a controversial intersection of climate policy and environmental justice. The Align RNG facility processes hog waste into biogas as part of California’s carbon offset program, which allows the Golden State to meet its transportation emission reduction goals by funding projects in other states.

Six North Carolina farms became the first in the state to receive funding through California’s offset program last year, converting hog waste into renewable natural gas. However, this cross-country climate solution has sparked significant local opposition. Civil rights complaints have already been filed against the permits for these biogas operations, with community members arguing that the facilities are contributing to pollution in their neighborhoods.

The controversy highlights a growing tension in environmental policy: while biogas from agricultural waste can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide renewable energy, local communities—often in rural, low-income areas—bear the burden of potential air and water quality impacts. Turkey sits in a landscape dominated by industrial hog and poultry farming infrastructure, where residents have long dealt with environmental challenges from large-scale agricultural operations.

This situation exemplifies the complex dynamics of carbon offset programs, where pollution reduction efforts in one state can create or exacerbate environmental justice issues in another, raising questions about whether such initiatives truly serve broader environmental and community health goals.