Opening Statement

 

“I’d like to welcome everyone here today and thank the witnesses for testifying.  Our hearing this morning is on two bills, S. 699 and S. 757.  These two bills both focus on important aspects of carbon capture and storage that Senator Barrasso and I have been working on together in this and the previous Congress.  S. 699 focuses on creating a long-term liability program that would incentivize large-scale early-mover deployment of integrated geologic carbon capture and storage.  S. 757 is a bill that focuses on creating a technology prize for the successful demonstration of carbon dioxide capture from dilute sources, such as the air. 

 

“The topic of reducing greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide emissions, is of great concern to me and to other members of this Committee.  Carbon capture and geologic storage holds promise as a measure that can be used to mitigate a changing global climate, while still allowing the use of fossil fuels at electricity-generating plants and industrial facilities, such as steel manufacturing and cement plants.  With discussion centered on coal use in a carbon-constrained world, integrated carbon capture and storage systems may present the most immediate solution for continued use of coal and other carbon intensive fuels while not contributing further to carbon dioxide emissions and global warming. 

 

“These two bills were introduced in the 111^th Congress.  We successfully passed out of committee on a strong, bipartisan vote.  We are here today to receive testimony and update the record in the 112^th Congress. 

 

“I’d like to welcome our panel of experts.  Before hearing testimony, let me turn to Senator Barrasso for any comments he might have.”

 

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