EPW Committee highlights support for carbon utilization, direct air capture research bill

The Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee recently highlighted support from various stakeholders for the Utilizing Significant Emissions with Innovative Technologies (USE IT) Act, which would support carbon utilization and direct air capture research.

The legislation would also support federal, state and non-governmental collaboration on the construction and development of carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration (CCUS) facilities and carbon dioxide (CO2) pipelines.

Supporters include public officials, academics, environmental organizations, and industry representatives have expressed their support for the legislation. The supporters highlighted included the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives, Third Way, Wyoming Governor Matt Mead, the Algae Biomass Association, the Clean Air Task Force, Bio-Thermal-Energy, Inc., the Bipartisan Policy Center Action, and the Carbon Capture Coalition, among others.

“Direct air capture is a cutting edge technology that could prove vital in protecting our planet and we appreciate that this bill would support further development,” Josh Freed, vice president for Clean Energy at Third Way, said. “We also appreciate that this bill would provide necessary federal support for the growing carbon use industry. While there are dozens of carbon use projects globally, the United States is home to more than any other single country. We should support and cultivate this industry, which has the potential to establish new opportunities to beneficially use and store carbon dioxide.”

U.S. Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY), chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), an EPW committee member, sponsored the legislation. It was cosponsored by Sens. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND). This group of senators also sponsored the Furthering Carbon Capture, Utilization, Technology, Underground Storage, and Reduced Emissions (FUTURE) Act, which expanded and extended the tax credit for CCUS.

“After passing bipartisan legislation to encourage investing in carbon capture and utilization, we have a chance to advance these technologies even further,” Whitehouse said. “This bipartisan bill will help innovators around the country, including a growing number of businesses in Rhode Island, to come up with new ways to take carbon pollution out of the air and either stow it permanently underground or turn it into usable products. That’s a win for our climate, a win for innovative bioalgae and other utilization companies in Rhode Island, and a win for the economy overall.”