Ranking Members Waxman and Rush Call for Hearing on Carbon Capture and Sequestration Developments

The full text of the letter is below and is also available online here.

June 4, 2012

The Honorable Fred Upton
Chairman
Committee on Energy and Commerce
2125 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515

The Honorable Ed Whitfield
Chairman
Subcommittee on Energy and Power
Committee on Energy and Commerce
2125 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Chairman Upton and Chairman Whitfield:

            Over the past few Congresses, the Committee has held numerous hearings on technology to capture and sequester carbon pollution from power plants.  A reason for focus on this clean energy technology is that many have seen it as an essential technology for retaining the use of coal as a fuel in the future, while preventing catastrophic climate change.  Recent developments on carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) have implications for its viability and expansion, yet the Committee has held neither briefings nor hearings on these developments.  Therefore, we are writing to request that you hold a hearing on this issue.

            The Department of Energy recently released its new North American Carbon Storage Atlas, detailing the geography and suitability of large areas of potential storage sites.  The report was written by the National Energy Technology Laboratory and found that there is more than 500 years of carbon dioxide storage capacity throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.[1]

            The Obama Administration has supported the development of this clean energy technology through incentives and policy development.  That support includes more than $1 billion in assistance for carbon capture projects, like FutureGen 2.0 in Illinois, NRG’s demonstration project in Thompsons, Texas, and Summit’s Texas Clean Energy Project near Midland-Odessa.[2]  The President also convened a CCS task force, led by the Department of Energy and EPA, that reported on ways to facilitate the deployment of this technology in August 2010.[3]

            In addition, there is also increasing awareness that carbon captured from power plants can be put to valuable use in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) projects.  For example, the Texas Clean Energy Project aims to capture 90% of the carbon dioxide its coal turbines emit and use that gas to enhance production in nearby oil fields.[4]  NRG’s carbon capture project in Texas also plans to use its captured carbon dioxide in nearby EOR operations.

            We believe the Committee should hear from experts about this new information on the potential for carbon sequestration at scale and the increasing interest in its role in oil production.  We hope you will schedule a hearing at your earliest convenience.

Sincerely

Related Documents: 

Letter to Chairmen Fred Upton and Ed Whitfield from Reps. Henry Waxman and Bobby Rush (June 4, 2012).