The FUTURE Act –Signed into Law this Morning – Will Extend & Expand Tax Credits Encouraging Investment & Innovation in CCUS—Reducing Carbon Emissions, Recognizing Need for Diverse Energy Mix
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp worked to build an unlikely coalition of allies—coal companies, environmental groups, oil and gas companies, labor organizations, and utilities— to back her FUTURE Act, which will encourage technological innovation in carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) while also reducing carbon emissions.
Heitkamp's bipartisan bill— which she worked on with U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and John Barrasso (R-WY)— passed today in the U.S. Congress and was signed into law by the president.
The wide coalition of companies, lawmakers, and organizations who have stated their support for Heitkamp’s FUTURE Act includes:
Coal
Cloud Peak Energy, Arch Coal, Lignite Energy Council, Peabody Energy, National Mining Association (NMA), EnergyBlue Project
Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage
Carbon Utilization Research Council (CURC), Lake Charles Methanol, Summit Power Group, Global CCS Institute, NET Power, LanzaTech, Air Liquide, Air Products, Conestoga Energy Partners, Energy Innovation Reform Project, Ion Engineering, Jupiter Oxygen, National Enhanced Oil Recovery Initiative (NEORI), Center for Carbon Removal, 8 Rivers Capital
Co-ops & Utilities
NRG Energy, Southern Company, Minnkota Power Cooperative, North Dakota Assoc. of Rural Electric Cooperatives (NDaREC), ALLETE, Basin Electric Power Cooperative, National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), Great River Energy (GRE), Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association Inc., Tenaska
Energy Research
Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC)
Environmental/Clean Energy NGOs
Great Plains Institute, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES), Clean Air Task Force, ClearPath Action, Thunderbolt Clean Energy LLC, American Carbon Registry, Jackson Hole Center for Global Affairs
Ethanol/Agriculture/Commodities
Archer Daniels Midland, EBR Development LLC, National Farmers Union, White Energy, Algae Biomass Organization (ABO)
Governors
Western Governors Association, Montana Governor Steve Bullock, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf, Kansas Governor Jeff Colyer, Wyoming Governor Matt Mead, Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin,
Labor
AFL-CIO, Utility Workers Union of America, SMART-TD (UTU), International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Utility Workers Union of America (UWUA), United Mine Workers of America, International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, United Steelworkers
Oil and Gas
Occidental Petroleum, Core Energy, Glenrock Petroleum, Praxair, Linde LLC, Baker Hughes— a GE Company, Impact Natural Resources LLC
State Government
Wyoming Infrastructure Authority, Louisiana Secretary of Natural Resources Thomas Harris, Southern States Energy Board
Steel
ArcelorMittal USA
Think Tanks
Bipartisan Policy Center Action, Third Way
Below are additional statements of support from energy, utilities, environmental, and labor leaders in support of Heitkamp’s Furthering carbon capture, Utilization Technology, Underground storage, and Reduced Emissions (FUTURE) Act.
“As co-founders of a coalition of industry, labor unions, and environmental groups supporting carbon capture use and storage technologies, we applaud Congress for extending and expanding the Section 45Q tax credit. Leaders from both parties have demonstrated a commitment to reducing carbon emissions while protecting and creating jobs and investing in new American industries.” – Bob Perciasepe, President, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES)
“Electric cooperatives appreciate Senator Heitkamp’s commitment and support for research on capturing and utilizing carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel combustive. The carbon capture tax credit represents a critical investment that will help ensure a diverse fuel supply and could lead to breakthrough technology innovations.” – Jim Matheson, Chief Executive Officer, National Rural Electric Cooperatives (NRECA)
“We see this as a meaningful step to incentivize U.S. technology leadership in meeting environmental goals, and also believe it can have the potential to expand markets for coal use over the long term.” – Glenn Kellow, President and Chief Executive Officer, Peabody
“This is a good day for the climate and a good day for American jobs. These provisions will advance the use of technologies that significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and will create high-paying jobs in the energy, construction and manufacturing sectors.” – Brad Markell, Executive Director, AFL-CIO Industrial Union Council
“We need CCS to combat climate change. This incentive is the first major step towards building up a much-needed CCS industry.” – Kurt Waltzer, Managing Director, Clean Air Task Force
“This bi-partisan amendment to the 45Q tax credit for Carbon Capture Utilization and Sequestration (CCUS) is a critical step towards the potential commercialization and deployment of technologies needed to address societal concerns about CO2 and the environment while ensuring that Americans continue to enjoy reliable and affordable energy. In today’s polarized political climate, the strong bipartisan support for this legislation is remarkable. We want to thank Senators Heitkamp and Barrasso for their leadership, Representative Conaway in the House, the strong support of the Wyoming and Montana Congressional delegations, as well as Governors Mead and Bullock, and many others who worked with a broad-based coalition of energy companies, utilities, clean energy groups, and environmental organizations. These include the Carbon Utilization Research Council, Clear Path, and the Great Plains Institute, think tanks such as the Third Way, several important labor unions, environmental organizations such as the Clean Air Task Force, and NRDC, as well as others. We hope this will spur utilities to play their part by using the tax credit to retro-fit carbon capture equipment to existing coal power plants and to begin design work on new coal plants with such technology.” – Colin Marshall, CEO, Cloud Peak Energy
“Adoption of 45Q is a major step in accelerating carbon capture and storage in power generation and industrial activities, with the potential for major environmental, economic and security benefits.” – Dan Reicher, Executive Director – Steyer-Taylor Center for Energy Policy and Finance, Stanford University
"This is not only a massively important win for U.S.-led clean and reliable energy but a product of tremendous bipartisan teamwork led by Senators Heitkamp, Capito, Whitehouse and Barrasso. Their bipartisan leadership provides a template both for the commercialization of game-changing technologies that could sequester hundreds of millions of tons of CO2 and future collaboration in Congress to continue to give the U.S. a much-needed technological edge over China." – Jay Faison, Founder & CEO, ClearPath
“Basin Electric thanks Senator Heitkamp for her efforts to improve the 45Q tax credit for carbon capture, utilization, and storage. We believe clean coal technology coupled with carbon capture projects holds the key to an energy future that involves all sources of energy. While domestic, abundant, and reliable, the coal industry is evolving and recognizes the need to lower carbon emissions. Through our efforts at Dakota Gasification Company’s Great Plains Synfuels Plant, we’ve captured more than 35 million tons of CO2 for enhanced oil recovery. We appreciate Senator Heitkamp and her colleagues for their work to expand the tax credit to better foster opportunities for private industry and government to work together, innovate, and advance further carbon capture projects. This country has accomplished great things when industry and human ingenuity are facilitated, encouraged, and unleashed. This is a pivotal time for our nation’s energy future, and this legislation represents an important step in the right direction.” – Dale Niezwaag, Basin Electric Power Cooperative
"The Southern States Energy Board, a compact organization of 16 southern states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, comprised of governors and state and territory legislative leaders from these jurisdictions, during its 57th Annual Meeting in Charleston, South Carolina, on September 25, 2017, unanimously passed a resolution in support of the FUTURE Act. In particular, the Board asserted its record in supporting federal legislation with additional tax credits for carbon dioxide capture and use in enhanced oil recovery through amendments to Section 45Q of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. The unanimous resolution was sponsored by Governor Phil Bryant of Mississippi, who is Chairman of the Southern States Energy Board." – Ken Nemmeth, Secretary and Executive Director, Southern States Energy Board
“Advancing carbon capture technologies is essential for utilities to manage emissions and preserve affordable, reliable electricity for consumers. Through our investment in the Wyoming Integrated Test Center, Tri-State supports the infrastructure platform for innovators to develop the next generation of carbon capture technologies. The carbon capture tax credit is critical as those innovators become entrepreneurs and bring affordable carbon solutions to market.” – Lee A. Boughey, Sr. Manager, Communications and Public Affairs, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc.
"This legislation helps to ensure domestic energy security and, at the same time, incentivizes the reduction of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions. Companies, like Occidental, that purchase carbon dioxide for use in some of their oil production will also benefit from the additional supply of carbon dioxide, which will subsequently be sequestered, reducing emissions and resulting in a lower carbon intensity of oil. I applaud the leadership of Representative Conaway, Senator Heitkamp and all members who supported this bipartisan legislation." -Vicki Hollub, President and Chief Executive Officer, Occidental Petroleum Corporation
“The commercial deployment of carbon capture solutions needs an array of incentives to get early projects off the ground. Today, Congress took an important step with the expansion of the 45Q tax credit, which will spur new investments in carbon management technologies. This provision will drive interest in the types of technologies that can be developed at the Wyoming Integrated Test Center which is the largest post-combustion, coal-flue gas testing site in the country, and find real-world solutions to capturing carbon emissions. 45Q is significant for Wyoming as the state continues its leadership role in the development of new energy technologies.” – Jason Begger, Executive Director, Wyoming Infrastructure Authority
“CURC applauds Senator Heitkamp for her leadership and fortitude in passing the FUTURE Act, and for her efforts in building an unprecedented bipartisan coalition of Senators and stakeholders to enact this important legislation. This bill demonstrates that carbon capture technologies are necessary to achieve our economic, environmental and energy security objectives while also safeguarding the environment and mitigating the impact of CO2 emissions on climate change. CURC believes this legislation is critical to help us achieve those goals, while also enabling the continued utilization of our valuable fossil fuel resources.” – Shannon Angielski, Executive Director, Carbon Utilization Research Council
“The International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers congratulate Senator Heitkamp for her leadership and persistence on passing the FUTURE Act to expand and improve the 45Q tax credit. The Boilermakers have long advocated for robust federal investments in the development and wide deployment of Carbon Capture, Use and Storage (CCUS) technologies as a necessary and common sense response to curbing carbon dioxide emissions, both in the U.S. and around the globe. The application of CCUS and the conversion of CO2 into useable products would provide immense construction and manufacturing opportunities, along with thousands of good-paying American jobs. We thank Senator Heitkamp and the bi-partisan coalition in both the Senate and House for their efforts to ensure the United States remains a leader in this important technological innovation.” – Cecile M. Conroy, Director, Government Affairs Department, International Brotherhood of Boilermakers
“The FUTURE Act represents one of the most significant energy and environmental accomplishments by Congress in recent memory. Passage of this legislation highlights the potential for carbon capture to marshal support across the political spectrum for a policy that will boost American energy production, reduce carbon emissions, protect and create high-wage jobs, and increase federal and state revenue.” – Brad Crabtree, Vice President of Fossil Energy, Great Plains Institute
“45Q will be a catalyst for projects like Lake Charles methanol to be financed and implemented. This incentive will create thousands of jobs and billions of dollars of investment while securing our clean energy future. We are thankful to congress for its foresight in extending this important clean energy tax credit.” – Hunter Johnston, Counsel, Lake Charles Methanol LLC
“The 45Q legislation is perhaps the last opportunity to preserve the field expertise in CO2 capture and injection for the sake of the environment and energy production. The expertise developed in the last 30 years is either retiring or migrating to the competition and excitement created by the horizontal drilling and hydrofracturing technologies.” – Steve Melzer, Melzer Consulting, Midland Texas
“Successfully developing carbon capture is key for America’s energy security and key to protecting the jobs of workers in the energy and transportation industries. On behalf of America’s railroad workers, we thank Senators Heitkamp, Whitehouse, Capito, and Barrasso, and the many other bipartisan supporters of 45Q for their hard work in accomplishing this milestone.” – John Risch, National Legislative Director, SMART-TD (UTU)
“Carbon capture is vital to meeting climate goals and represents a big opportunity for the U.S. to lead on energy innovation. The FUTURE Act will get more carbon capture projects deployed, reduce emissions, and help build domestic clean energy infrastructure. This is a big win in the climate fight at a time when we could really use some wins.” – Josh Freed, Vice President, Third Way
“Today, we applaud Congress’ action in providing support for carbon capture technology, a milestone event in our nation’s progress toward a clean energy future that includes a diverse mix of generation sources. As Utility Workers, we know there is a continuing place for the energy industries that built our nation, and that bringing carbon capture systems to scale will ensure the high-quality jobs in those facilities can continue to support working families and their communities across the country for the foreseeable future.” – Mike Langford, National President, Utility Workers Union of America, AFL-CIO
“Thank you Senator Heitkamp for your leadership on the FUTURE Act. Many power plants in North Dakota and around the nation are near oil fields that could use carbon dioxide for enhanced oil recovery. The enactment of the FUTURE Act could facilitate CO2 recovery from power plants, which would provide an environmental benefit to the electric power sector and would encourage more thorough recovery of the oil resource.” – Rick Lancaster, Vice President and Chief Generation Officer, Great River Energy
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