Statement of Congressman John D. Dingell, Chairman
Committee on Energy and Commerce

Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials hearing entitled, “Carbon Sequestration: Risks, Opportunities, and Protection of Drinking Water.”

July 24, 2008

Mr. Chairman, thank you, and I commend you for calling this important hearing, your first as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials, to focus on the myriad of issues involved in sequestration of huge volumes of CO2 in deep underground formations. I congratulate you on your new chairmanship and look forward to a close working relationship as the Subcommittee tackles very important public health and environmental issues.

We have distinguished witnesses before the subcommittee today, who can inform us as to the availability of storage sites in the U.S., the capacity of such sites, and the regulatory framework necessary to protect underground sources of drinking water.

Water is critical to growth and economic development in many areas of the country, and will become even more so in future years. In pursuing the goal of carbon capture and storage, a system must be in place that protects the quality of drinking water sources and assures the public that this is a safe way to proceed.

Approximately one week ago EPA released proposed regulations under the Safe Drinking Water Act designed to achieve these goals. I look forward to EPA’s testimony and the views of our other witnesses on the adequacy of the proposed regulations and any gaps that remain to be addressed. I thank them for their presence, and I thank you, Mr. Chairman, for your vigor and your diligence in addressing these questions.