This bill establishes a comprehensive federal research and development program focused on removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it. The legislation directs multiple federal agencies—including the Departments of Energy, Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Interior, Transportation, the Environmental Protection Agency, NASA, and the National Science Foundation—to conduct research on six main carbon removal approaches: direct air capture, enhanced carbon mineralization, biomass-based removal, forest restoration, soil carbon management, and ocean-based removal.
The Department of Energy receives the largest funding commitment, with $2.089 billion authorized for fiscal year 2024 alone, primarily for competitive demonstration projects requiring at least $10 million each. Other agencies receive smaller but significant allocations, with total annual funding ranging from roughly $500 million to $2.5 billion across the decade-long authorization period (2024-2033). The bill requires agencies to conduct environmental and social impact analyses, considering effects on biodiversity, food security, and air pollution, while prioritizing technologies that generate net-negative emissions based on full lifecycle assessments.
The legislation emphasizes coordination across federal agencies and collaboration with universities, state and local governments, and private sector partners. It establishes new offices and programs within existing agencies, including a new Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management at the Department of Energy, and directs federal agencies to support demonstration projects, field trials, and fundamental research. The bill also mandates international coordination on carbon removal research and requires assessment of how federal lands could be used for carbon removal benefits.