05.10.19

Hoeven Cosponsors Bipartisan Legislation to Bolster Development of CCS Facilities & CO2 Pipelines

Legislation Would Help Advance Efforts like Project Tundra, Red Trail Energy’s CCS Project at Richardton Ethanol Plant

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven, a member of the Senate Energy Committee and the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Committee, this week cosponsored the Utilizing Significant Emissions with Innovative Technologies (USE IT) Act, bipartisan legislation introduced by Senators John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) to promote the research and development of carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technology. The bill would incentivize collaboration between federal, state and private entities to develop facilities for CCS and direct air capture as well as pipelines to transport captured CO2.

“North Dakota is leading the way in the development of CCS technologies, which holds real promise for both traditional and renewable energy sources,” Hoeven said. “The USE IT Act would advance the work of the EERC and their partners, including Minnkota Power, BNI Coal and Red Trail Energy, by authorizing funding for carbon capture facilities and research, while also providing regulatory certainty for CCS projects and the infrastructure they need, like pipelines. This is part of ensuring we can continue to rely on all of our abundant energy resources.” 

Specifically, the USE IT Act would:

  • Authorize $50 million for technical and financial assistance to CO2 utilization projects.
  • Provide greater permitting certainty for CO2 pipelines, which are needed by Project Tundra and other CCS projects, by classifying them as “covered projects” under the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, similar to electricity transmission, surface transportation, aviation and water resource projects.
  • Establish permitting guidance for developers and operators of CCS projects, enabling them to better evaluate project costs.
  • Authorize $35 million for a competitive grant under the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for direct air capture research.

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