Bipartisan Infrastructure Legislation Includes Portman’s Carbon Capture Improvement Act

Source: United States Senator for Ohio Rob Portman

August 3, 2021 | Press Releases

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-OH) announced that his bipartisan Carbon Capture Improvement Act has been included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the end result of bipartisan infrastructure negotiations he has helped lead over the past three months.

The Carbon Capture Improvement Act makes it easier for power plants and industrial facilities to finance the purchase and installation of carbon capture, utilization, and storage equipment, as well as direct air capture (DAC) projects through the use of private activity bonds (PABs).

Carbon capture removes carbon dioxide from an emissions stream at a power plant or industrial facility reducing emissions from energy-intensive industries. DAC is an innovative emerging technology that removes carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere. These technologies allow us to reduce emissions and protect the environment while continuing to use our natural resources, but first generation facilities can cost upwards of $1 billion. By authorizing private activity bond financing, this bill will encourage commercial deployment, which is essential for bringing costs down and developing these technologies to scale.

“Carbon capture and direct air capture are two common-sense technologies that will allow states like Ohio to continue to utilize our natural resources while protecting our environment at the same time,” said Portman. “This bipartisan agreement takes significant steps to help industry adopt these key technologies which will make our infrastructure more resilient and environmentally friendly.”

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