USGS Says Catalog of Nation's Capacity to "Bottle" Carbon Emissions Greatly Needed

Press Release

USGS Says Catalog of Nation's Capacity to "Bottle" Carbon Emissions Greatly Needed

In testimony before a House Committee today, a representative from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) heartily endorsed legislation introduced by House Science and Technology Committee Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN) that would produce a comprehensive inventory of the nation's ability to store carbon dioxide in geologic features and other natural basins.

"This bill is a critical step in the process to mitigating carbon emissions and addressing global climate change," said Chairman Gordon. "I am pleased that the USGS agrees, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to move this legislation."

H.R. 1267, the National Carbon Dioxide Storage Capacity Assessment Act of 2007, was introduced earlier this year by Chairman Gordon in the U.S. House and Senators Ken Salazar (D-CO), Jim Webb (D-VA), Jim Bunning (R-KY) and Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) in the U.S. Senate.

"I have joined in sponsoring this important legislation because it will put us on the path to large-scale carbon capture and sequestration by directing the USGS to conduct a national assessment of our country's sequestration capacity," said Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-KY), the lead House Republican co-sponsor of the bill. "I am hopeful that the USGS's support of this legislation will help move it through Congress and onto the president's desk for his signature."

The bill authorizes the USGS, in cooperation with the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency, to establish this inventory which would provide data on storage locations, estimates for the volume of carbon dioxide storage capabilities and other factors.

Patrick Leahy, Associate Director of the USGS testified today at a joint hearing of two subcommittees of the House Natural Resources Committee. He was asked by the Chairman of the full committee whether he had reviewed H.R .1267 and its Senate counterpart. Mr. Leahy responded that he had and that the USGS was very supportive of the legislation and believed that a national assessment of this kind was needed.

The House and Senate carbon sequestration bills will also require the USGS to develop a rigorous methodology for the assessment based on sound science. When finished, this methodology will be reviewed by a panel of experts and the public, to ensure its accuracy.

The bills authorize the federal government to spend up to $20 million on the inventory process.

The House and Senate versions of the legislation have been endorsed by the National Mining Association, Edison Electric Institute, American Public Power Association and several environmental interests, among others.

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