WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) issued the following statement on the completion of an environmental review and release of a Record of Decision for the Wyoming Pipeline Corridor Initiative (WPCI). Completion of the environmental review will facilitate the development of a carbon dioxide pipeline network across Wyoming. This is critical step to allow carbon capture facilities to be built in Wyoming. Barrasso has long supported measures to streamline environmental reviews and promotes the importance of climate innovation, particularly carbon capture technologies. The environmental review was completed by the Trump administration. 

“The completion of this environmental review is an important step towards building carbon capture facilities in Wyoming,” said Barrasso. “This pipeline infrastructure will create good-paying jobs in the state and help make our energy development more sustainable. Carbon capture technologies will promote the long term use of Wyoming’s natural resources and keep America on the path to energy dominance, all while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.” 

Background Information:

The WPCI aims to establish over 2,000 miles of pipeline corridors across Federal, State, and private land across Wyoming. The proposed pipeline network will transport carbon dioxide associated with carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) and enhanced oil recovery (EOR). WPCI was first proposed in 2012 by then-Governor Matt Mead. 

On Sept. 13, 2017, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, which Barrasso chaired at the time, heard testimony from Matt Fry, policy advisor to Wyoming Governor Matt Mead. Fry was testifying before the committee at a hearing titled “Expanding and Accelerating the Deployment and Use of Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Sequestration (CCUS).” The hearing focused on ways to streamline the deployment and use of CCUS technologies.

On Dec. 28, 2020, President Trump signed Barrasso’s bipartisan legislation, the Utilizing Significant Emissions with Innovative Technologies (USE IT) Act into law. The USE IT Act supports carbon utilization and direct air capture research. This type of research is already taking place at research facilities like the Integrated Test Center outside of Gillette, Wyoming. The bill also supports federal, state, and non-governmental collaboration in the construction and development of carbon capture, utilization, and sequestration (CCUS) facilities and carbon dioxide (CO2) pipelines.

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