Two U.S. Senators Introduce New Carbon Removal Legislation

May 23, 2023

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by Dimana Doneva (Carbon Herald) Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) introduced on May 12 the Carbon Removal and Emissions Storage Technologies (CREST) Act. The new legislation directs the Departments of Energy and Interior to put in place new research programs and evaluate the feasibility of CO2 removal and storage pathways, measure the net impact of CO2 removal solutions, and launch an innovative pilot reverse auction purchasing program to speed up the commercialization of the carbon removal market.

The CREST Act is supported by many organizations and companies focusing on reducing greenhouse emissions.

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Title I of the new legislation builds upon already authorized CO2 removal research and development programs to include carbon removal pathways for sequestration or utilization. The CREST act focuses on several key areas:

Biomass Carbon Removal. Expands the scope of the Department of Energy’s current CO2 capture research to include biological CO2 removal from terrestrial and water sources, including with algae cultivation, soil enhancement, enhanced photosynthesis and root growth. The legislation also introduces an initiative to develop new feed and fuel products from CO2.
Geological Carbon Removal. Aids research and pilot programs for CO2 mineralization, including field experiments to establish the removal potential of reactive minerals on soils and beaches, injecting reactive formulations in formations below the earth’s surface, and reusing industrial residue and mine tailings in manufacturing. Under the bill, the Interior Department is to conduct a national assessment of locations and suitable reactive minerals quantities.
Aquatic CO2 Removal. Encourages the Department of Energy to pursue ocean CO2 removal pathways such as blue CO2 management, which includes coastal and marine biomass, and direct ocean capture (DOC). The legislation would also introduce a program that researches and monitors the ecological impacts of DOC and other technologies.

Atmospheric CO2 Removal. Directs the Department of Energy to research, and develop manufacturing techniques for direct air capture (DAC).
CO2 Removal Quantification. Provides competitive funding to those seeking financial assistance to complete a life-cycle analysis of emissions.

The new bill builds on the Energy Act of 2020, which enabled the first comprehensive federal CO2 removal research and development program, and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) which allocated $3.6 billion for DAC. READ MORE

Carbon Dioxide Removal Bill Introduced Following Ominous IPCC Report (Carbon Herald)

Excerpt from Carbon Herald: New legislation was introduced to Congress as a response to the alarming IPCC climate report published recently by the UN. Scott Peters (CA-52) and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change Rep. Paul Tonko (NY-20) co-introduced a bill called Federal Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) Leadership Act on April 7th, 2022.

The legislation addresses specific recommendations made in the IPCC’s latest report and directs Congress to take bold climate actions. It points out that even though nothing can replace eliminating fossil fuels altogether, reducing the carbon dioxide emissions by investing in technology that takes it away from our atmosphere is part of the key effort.

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The Federal Carbon Dioxide Removal Leadership Act of 2022 consists of a CO2 removal quota via direct air capture or other methods to be completed by the Department of Energy (DOE).

It recommends setting a declining per-ton price ceiling to incentivize cost reductions over time and give flexibility to DOE to invest in nascent technologies with high carbon removal potential. It puts forward the need for ensuring best practices for monitoring, reporting, and verifying of carbon removals.

It also prioritizes domestic job creation, environmental justice, innovative technologies, and community benefits.

The bill highlights that one of the reasons for carbon removal solutions to remain nascent and expensive on the technology side is the lack of a long-term demand signal for this service. Such legislation aims to support the long-term market for direct air capture and addresses the problem of demand uncertainty going forward. READ MORE