Congress Acts to Boost Carbon Capture and Removal in Year-End Spending Package

Carbon Capture Coalition Director Brad Crabtree released the following statement on the expected passage of the 2020 omnibus spending package, which includes the Energy Act of 2020 and a two-year extension of the 45Q tax credit:

“The 2020 omnibus spending package includes vitally important provisions that mark a critical next step toward a federal policy framework for economywide deployment of carbon capture and removal to put our nation on the path to achieving net-zero emissions to meet mid-century climate goals, while preserving and creating high-wage domestic energy, industrial and manufacturing jobs.

“This omnibus legislation features a sweeping update and expansion of federal research, development and demonstration programs for carbon capture, removal, use and storage through inclusion of the bipartisan Energy Act of 2020, along with enactment of a two-year extension of the 45Q tax credit, which are among the Carbon Capture Coalition’s top priorities in this Congress. While the Coalition’s other top priority of a direct pay option for 45Q did not make it into the final package, the measures included in the omnibus make this year-end legislation the most important accomplishment for carbon capture and removal since passage of the 2018 FUTURE Act that reformed and expanded the 45Q tax credit.

“The Coalition’s 80-plus companies, unions and NGOs express their sincere thanks to members of Congress and their staff for the significant effort over the past two years in crafting a wide range of important bipartisan carbon capture legislation. We also recognize and thank the majority and minority staff of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources, Senate Environment and Public Works, House Energy and Commerce, House Science, House Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committees, whose weeks-long effort to negotiate a final package successfully garnered bipartisan support.

“This robust package of measures for carbon capture and removal provide a strong foundation and growing momentum as we move into the new Congress and the administration of President-elect Biden. The Coalition looks forward to working with Congress and the incoming Biden Administration to build out a more comprehensive and ambitious policy portfolio for commercializing carbon capture and removal as part of broader COVID, infrastructure and climate legislation likely to be considered in the first few months of 2021.”

About the Carbon Capture Coalition

The Carbon Capture Coalition is a nonpartisan collaboration of more than 80 businesses and organizations building federal policy support for economywide deployment of carbon capture, removal, transport, use, and storage. Our mission is to reduce carbon emissions to meet midcentury climate goals, foster domestic energy and industrial production, and support a high-wage jobs base through the adoption of carbon capture technologies. Convened by the Great Plains Institute, Coalition membership includes industry, energy, and technology companies; energy and industrial labor unions; and conservation, environmental, and energy policy organizations.

Source: Carbon Capture Coalition, press release, 2020-12-21.