A HUGE thank you to Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), John Barrasso (R-WY), Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND), and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) for introducing the USE IT Act (The Utilizing Significant Emissions with Innovative Technologies Act). Great name, by the way.
This legislation, combined with those 45Q tax credits for carbon capture (the FUTURE Act), would really help CCUS projects take off. If passed, the USE IT Act would support carbon capture research, speed up the review and approval process for CCUS projects and CO2 pipeline building (which is VERY important), allow for greater collaboration among government and non-government players, and establish task forces that would help improve CCUS laws over time.
Basically, this bill starts building the infrastructure necessary for CCUS to become a mainstream technology.
What’s even better is how carbon capture and utilization brings together both sides of the aisle to pass bipartisan legislation that actually helps the country. John Barrasso is a major advocate for the use of fossil fuels and Sheldon Whitehouse is one of DC’s biggest champions of fighting climate change. Both of these senators found common ground and have come together over CCUS by ensuring it has the support it needs to succeed.