The CREATE Act Is The First Comprehensive Carbon Dioxide Infrastructure Bill In The United States
Alaska sees the effects of carbon emissions easily – whether it’s coastal erosion or diminishing sea ice, it’s clear that the changing climate is impacting the Last Frontier. That’s one reason Alaska is taking a definitive step to support the CREATE Act, the United States’ first comprehensive carbon dioxide infrastructure bill. The bill is designed to support carbon capture and storage technology, methods that are crucial tools in pursuit for a cleaner environment.
The CREATE Act is a bipartisan bill that would ensure there is coordination across federal agencies on all carbon removal solutions. In Alaska, the effects of carbon pollution on the natural environment are noticeably increasing, and legislators from the state believe reducing emissions will be an essential component in mitigating the impacts of a changing climate. The state’s Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski is chair of the committee that introduced the act. It is co-sponsored by Kyrsten Sinema (D-Arizona), Shelley Moore Capito (R-West Virginia), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island).
“In Alaska, we see the effects of climate change on our natural environment firsthand and up-close,” Murkowksi explained. “Reducing our carbon emissions will be an essential component of mitigating the impacts of climate change. Fortunately, over the past few years, America has made significant progress in our understanding of carbon removal. New technologies are being developed that can remove carbon dioxide from the air and the oceans in ways we never imagined.”
Research shows that carbon dioxide removal can play a significant role in addressing excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Since such technology is early in its development, there is a true need for a new comprehensive federal research, development, and demonstration program.
Importantly, the CREATE Act would establish an executive committee at the National Science and Technology Council that would coordinate carbon removal research and development across numerous federal and state agencies, including the Departments of Energy, Agriculture, and Defense as well as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The act would also establish four working groups to pursue detailed carbon removal research, both by enhancing existing programs and establishing new ones. Additionally, the act would require that all working group focus on carbon removal in both the oceans and the atmosphere, using both natural and technological approaches.
“This act will provide support for the development of innovative carbon removal and negative emissions technologies,” Murkowski continued. “Better coordination and cooperation amongst our federal agencies to address carbon reduction will help lead to a healthier environment and a more robust economy.”Such innovation is required to help advance and coordinate numerous efforts. It will be a multi-year, multi-agency initiative designed to create tangible results. As the federal government continues to invest more and more in these types of projects, legislation like the CREATE Act will lead to a bullish rebound economy with many new jobs and a brighter future.
