Dear [Official]:

As an energy consumer concerned about our nation’s economic future and the state of our environment, I am proud to support the investment in and development of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) infrastructure projects.

CCS projects receive bipartisan support precisely because they represent a common-sense solution to the challenge of “building back better” as we emerge from a pandemic-induced economic downturn, and as we continue to address the growing urgency to lower carbon emissions.

Given the energy limitations and high cost of infrastructure associated with “clean energy” alternatives, such as solar and wind power, it is difficult to imagine how federal climate objectives (including reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050) are met without widespread carbon capture and sequestration.

These projects also generate substantial economic activity, as many require installation of new infrastructure specifically to capture the CO2 emissions before they are emitted into the atmosphere. Summit Carbon Solutions’ Midwest Carbon Express Project, for example, is anticipated to support up to 17,000 jobs during construction alone and will install new infrastructure in 31 ethanol plants across five states, indirectly supporting jobs for workers in other industries across dozens of communities.

I support Carbon Capture and Storage pipeline projects for the following reasons:

• We must substantially increase carbon capture and storage capacity to help reach emission reduction goals; a July report from the U.S. Council on Environmental Quality found that a CCS industry large enough to meet the “net zero” emissions goal by 2050 would require 68,000 miles of new CO2 pipelines. This simply cannot happen unless we invest in meaningful change in our nation’s energy infrastructure now;
• CCS infrastructure is already making a significant difference in emissions reductions. One facility in Wyoming, for example, captures enough carbon dioxide each day to equate to removing 1.5 million cars from the roadways;
• CCS projects generate critical economic activity and support good-paying jobs for our nation's industry craftsmen, many of whom are Local 798 members;
• Carbon capture technology carries a remarkably safe track record. It has successfully been in use since the 1990s, and there are roughly 5,000 miles of CO2 pipeline and 40 ethanol plants using this technology in the U.S.

For these reasons, I urge decision makers to join me in support of Carbon Capture and Storage infrastructure projects – for our nation’s immediate and long-term future.

Signed

[Names below]