Removing Emissions to Mend Our Vulnerable Earth Act of 2022 or the REMOVE Act of 2022
This bill establishes the Committee on Large-Scale Carbon Management within the Department of Energy to plan and oversee efforts to (1) remove carbon dioxide from the air or ocean, and (2) store such carbon.
[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8013 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
117th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8013
To establish the Committee on Large-Scale Carbon Management in the
Department of Energy and a Federal Carbon Removal Initiative, and for
other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 9, 2022
Ms. Kuster (for herself and Mr. Gonzalez of Ohio) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space,
and Technology, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and
Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the
jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish the Committee on Large-Scale Carbon Management in the
Department of Energy and a Federal Carbon Removal Initiative, and for
other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Removing Emissions to Mend Our
Vulnerable Earth Act of 2022'' or the ``REMOVE Act of 2022''.
SEC. 2. COMMITTEE ON LARGE-SCALE CARBON MANAGEMENT AND FEDERAL CARBON
REMOVAL INITIATIVE.
(a) Definition of Carbon Dioxide Removal.--In this section, the
term ``carbon dioxide removal'' means the capture of carbon dioxide
directly from ambient air or, in dissolved form, from seawater,
combined with the sequestration of such carbon dioxide, including
through--
(1) direct air capture and sequestration;
(2) enhanced carbon mineralization;
(3) bioenergy with carbon capture and sequestration;
(4) forest restoration;
(5) soil carbon management;
(6) ocean-based carbon removal; and
(7) any other approaches or methods identified by the
Committee.
(b) Committee on Large-Scale Carbon Management.--
(1) Establishment.--
(A) In general.--There is established in the
Department of Energy, Office of Undersecretary for
Science and Energy a committee on matters relating to
large-scale carbon management.
(B) Designation.--The committee established by
subparagraph (A) shall be known as the ``Committee on
Large-Scale Carbon Management'' (in this section
referred to as the ``Committee'').
(C) Membership.--
(i) Composition.--The Committee shall be
composed of the members of the executive
committee established under subsection (c)(1)
and such other members as the executive
committee considers appropriate.
(ii) Cochairpersons.--The members of the
executive committee established by subsection
(c)(1) shall be cochairpersons of the
Committee.
(2) Duties of the committee.--The duties of the Committee
shall be as follows:
(A) Developing a strategic plan for Federal
experimenting, prototyping, and production of
technological carbon dioxide removal (CDR) and
sequestration.
(B) Overseeing working groups established under
subsection (d).
(C) Coordinating budget planning with the Federal
agencies and budget review with the Office of
Management and Budget for matters relating to
experimenting, prototyping, and production described in
subparagraph (A).
(D) Identifying cost-effective carbon dioxide
removal technologies that are suitable for large-scale
production.
(E) Evaluating carbon dioxide removal monitoring
activities, data collection on carbon emissions and
sinks, and long-term storage protocols for carbon
dioxide removal strategies.
(F) Overseeing independent evaluations of
performance of the working groups established under
subsection (d).
(G) Monitoring the long-term carbon and
environmental impacts of carbon dioxide removal.
(H) Evaluating socio-economic and community impacts
resulting from the application of carbon dioxide
removal technologies and developing protocols for
effective community engagement, with an emphasis on
outreach to distressed and unrepresented groups.
(c) Executive Committee.--
(1) Establishment.--There is established in the Committee
an executive committee.
(2) Membership.--The executive committee shall be composed
of the following:
(A) The Associate Director for Science of the
Office of Science and Technology Policy.
(B) One senior official of the Department of Energy
selected by the Secretary of Energy.
(C) One senior official of the Department of
Agriculture selected by the Secretary of Agriculture.
(D) One senior official of the Department of
Defense selected by the Secretary of Defense.
(E) One senior official of the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration selected by the
Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration.
(F) One senior official of the Environmental
Protection Agency selected by the Administrator of the
Environmental Protection Agency.
(d) Working Groups and Carbon Removal Initiative.--
(1) Establishment.--
(A) In general.--The Committee shall establish
working groups which shall carry out an initiative on
technological and detailed experimenting, prototyping,
and production of carbon dioxide removal technology.
(B) Designation of initiative.--The initiative
carried out under subparagraph (A) shall be known as
the ``Carbon Removal Initiative''.
(2) Working group foci.--The working groups established
under paragraph (1) are as follows:
(A) Oceans.--
(i) In general.--One working group to focus
on matters relating to carbon dioxide removal
from the oceans and coastal regions.
(ii) Membership.--The working group
described in clause (i) shall be composed of 9
members as follows:
(I) One individual selected by the
Administrator of the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration from
among employees of the National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration.
(II) One individual selected by the
Administrator of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration
from among employees of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration.
(III) One individual selected by
the Secretary of Defense from among
employees of the Department of Defense.
(IV) One individual selected by the
Director of the National Science
Foundation from among employees of the
National Science Foundation.
(V) Two individuals selected by the
Secretary of the Interior from among
employees of the Department of the
Interior.
(VI) One individual selected by the
Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency from among employees
of the Environmental Protection Agency.
(VII) One individual selected by
the Secretary of Energy from among
employees of the Department of Energy.
(VIII) One individual selected by
the Chair of the Council on
Environmental Quality from among
employees on the Council on
Environmental Quality.
(iii) Cochairpersons.--The individuals
selected under subclauses (I) and (IV) of
clause (ii) shall serve as cochairpersons of
the working group established under clause (i).
(B) Terrestrial.--
(i) In general.--One working group to focus
on terrestrial and biological matters relating
to carbon dioxide removal.
(ii) Membership.--The working group
described in clause (i) shall be composed of 7
members as follows:
(I) Two individuals, one of whom
shall be selected by the Secretary of
Agriculture from among employees of the
Department of Agriculture and one of
whom shall be selected by chief of the
Forest Service from among employees of
the Forest Service.
(II) One individual selected by the
Secretary of Energy from among
employees of the Department of Energy.
(III) One individual selected by
the Secretary of the Interior from
among employees of the Department of
the Interior.
(IV) One individual selected by the
Director of the National Science
Foundation from among employees of the
National Science Foundation.
(V) One individual selected by the
Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency from among employees
of the Environmental Protection Agency.
(VI) One individual selected by the
Chair of the Council on Environmental
Quality from among employees of the
Council on Environmental Quality.
(iii) Cochairpersons.--The individuals
selected under subclauses (I) and (II) of
clause (ii) shall serve as cochairpersons of
the working group established under clause (i).
(C) Geological.--
(i) In general.--One working group to focus
on geological matters relating to carbon
dioxide removal and storage.
(ii) Membership.--The working group
described in clause (i) shall be composed of 6
members as follows:
(I) One individual selected by the
Secretary of Energy from among
employees of the Department of Energy.
(II) Two individuals selected by
the Secretary of the Interior, one from
among the employees of the United
States Geological Survey and one from
among the employees of the Bureau of
Ocean Energy and Management.
(III) One individual selected by
the Director of the National Science
Foundation from among employees of the
National Science Foundation.
(IV) One individual selected by the
Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency from among employees
of the Environmental Protection Agency.
(V) One individual selected by the
Chair of the Council on Environmental
Quality from among employees of the
Council on Environmental Quality.
(iii) Cochairpersons.--The individuals
selected under subclauses (I) and (II) of
clause (ii) shall serve as cochairpersons of
the working group established under clause (i).
(D) Technological.--
(i) In general.--One working group to focus
on technological matters relating to carbon
dioxide removal.
(ii) Membership.--The working group
described in clause (i) shall be composed of 8
members as follows:
(I) One individual selected by the
Secretary of Energy from among
employees of the Department of Energy.
(II) One individual selected by the
Secretary of Defense from among
employees of the Department of Defense.
(III) One individual selected by
the Administrator of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration
from among employees of the National
Aeronautics and Space Administration.
(IV) One individual selected by the
Director of the National Science
Foundation from among employees of the
National Science Foundation.
(V) One individual selected by the
Secretary of Commerce from among
employees of the National Institute of
Standards and Technology.
(VI) One individual selected by the
Administrator of the Environmental
Protection Agency from among employees
of the Environmental Protection Agency.
(VII) One individual selected by
the Secretary of Transportation from
among employees of the Department of
Transportation.
(VIII) One individual selected by
the Chair of the Council on
Environmental Quality from among
employees of the Council on
Environmental Quality.
(iii) Cochairpersons.--The individuals
selected under subclauses (I) and (III) of
clause (ii) shall serve as cochairpersons of
the working group established under clause (i).
(e) Annual Budget Crosscut Review.--
(1) In general.--Not less frequently than once each year,
the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall
assist in the coordination of the initiative carried out under
subsection (d)(1)(A) by conducting a budget crosscut review--
(A) to ensure that budget proposals from members of
the working groups established under such subsection
are integrated with the overall budget for each Federal
department and agency participating in such working
groups; and
(B) to ensure that the various staff of the Office
of Management and Budget review and act on Federal
department and agency budget proposals for
experimenting, prototyping, and production of carbon
dioxide removal technology in a holistic fashion.
(2) Technical assistance.--The committee shall provide such
technical assistance and advice on research priorities to the
Director of the Office of Budget and Management as requested.
(3) Submittal to congress.--Along with each submission of
the President pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, United
States Code, the Director of the Office of Management and
Budget shall submit to Congress a report on the findings of the
Director with respect to the most recently completed budget
crosscut review under paragraph (1).
(f) Coordination.--In carrying out this Act, the Committee shall--
(1) coordinate and seek to avoid duplication with other
programs of the Department of Energy and other Federal agencies
on the Committee;
(2) coordinate and collaborate with the Carbon Dioxide
Removal Task Force and U.S. Global Change Research Program; and
(3) to the maximum extent practicable, leverage existing
resources and programs of the Department of Energy and other
Federal agencies on the Committee.
(g) Administrative Support.--The Department of Energy, Office of
the Undersecretary for Science and Energy, shall provide such
administrative support for the Committee as required.
(h) Carbon Accounting Coordination Working Group and Data Plan.--
(1) Findings.--Congress finds that--
(A) multiple Federal agencies and programs collect
data on carbon emissions and sinks related to carbon
dioxide removal;
(B) Federal carbon emissions and sinks data
collection efforts are siloed, with different
methodological approaches to collection, multiple data
warehouse locations, potential redundancies in data
collected, and gaps in coverage; and
(C) improved coordination of carbon measurement,
monitoring, and data aggregation related to carbon
dioxide removal is needed to support the development
and deployment of carbon dioxide removal methods and
strategies at scale.
(2) Objective.--The objective of this subsection is to
establish a comprehensive, multi-agency plan for the collection
and management of data on carbon emissions and sinks related to
carbon dioxide removal that--
(A) enables comprehensive reporting on carbon
dioxide removal based on full and consistent
integration with existing relevant data collection
efforts across the Federal Government; and
(B) provides policymakers with information on the
effectiveness of carbon dioxide removal and carbon
sequestration activities.
(3) Establishment.--The executive committee shall establish
a working group on carbon dioxide removal-related data
collection and management.
(4) Data plan elements.--The working group established in
paragraph (3) shall develop a data plan that includes--
(A) an inventory of existing Federal data sources
on carbon emissions and sinks related to carbon dioxide
removal;
(B) a description of the scope of activities for
which new data on emissions and sinks related to carbon
dioxide removal should be collected;
(C) methodologies for collection of carbon dioxide
removal-related data;
(D) the roles of the respective Federal agencies in
collection and management of carbon dioxide removal-
related data in meeting agency-specific mission
requirements in coordination with governmentwide
comprehensive carbon accounting objectives; and
(E) data collection and management protocols and
practices to facilitate integration of data on
emissions and sinks related to carbon dioxide removal
into comprehensive reports on carbon removal and
accounting on a nationwide scale.
(5) Considerations.--The data plan shall, at a minimum,
consider and address--
(A) the role of existing programs that document
carbon emissions and sinks, including but not limited
to the U.S. Global Change Research Program and the
Environmental Protection Agency's Greenhouse Gas
Reporting Program;
(B) how the effectiveness of carbon dioxide removal
projects (as defined by the Committee) can be tracked
and effectively managed over time;
(C) gaps in existing Federal data collection
efforts that delay progress on carbon dioxide removal
experimenting, prototyping, and production;
(D) how data collection on carbon dioxide removal
projects could incorporate best practices for the
accounting of--
(i) additionality, which is the
counterfactual assessment of carbon dioxide
emitted without the occurrence of a carbon
dioxide removal practice;
(ii) permanence, which is an assessment of
the time scale of climate impacts for a carbon
dioxide removal practice in comparison to the
time scale of greenhouse gases impacting
climate change;
(iii) risk of reversal, which is a
probabilistic assessment of a carbon dioxide
removal practice storing carbon for a shorter
period of time than the time scale identified
in clause (ii);
(iv) lifecycle environmental, socio-
economic, and community impacts of a carbon
dioxide removal practice; and
(v) transparency, which is the ability for
the public to easily access information
regarding carbon dioxide removal practices,
including information listed in this
subparagraph; and
(E) how the gaps identified in subparagraph (C) can
be remedied to ensure the qualities listed in
subparagraph (D) are measured, potentially through the
consolidation of resources or the creation of a new
database intended for supporting carbon dioxide removal
over time.
(6) Reports.--
(A) Expert participation.--The working group shall
establish a process for engagement with the scientific
community and stakeholder groups in the development of
the data plan.
(B) Public review.--Within 180 days of enactment of
this subsection, the Committee shall make available a
draft report for public review and comment. The working
group shall consider public comments in the process of
finalizing the data plan.
(C) Reports to congress.--
(i) Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this subsection, the executive
committee shall submit to Congress the initial
data plan.
(ii) Along with each submission of the
President pursuant to section 1105 of title 31,
United States Code, the executive committee
shall submit to Congress a report on the
findings of the Committee with respect to
implementation of the data plan along with any
recommendations for modification of the plan.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
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