WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Sam Brownback today applauded the Department of Energy's decision to restructure its FutureGen program, which will now invest in carbon capture and storage technology at multiple clean coal plants.

"I applaud Energy Secretary Bodman for his vision, his leadership, and his commitment to the critical issue of reducing our carbon emissions," said Brownback. "By restructuring the FutureGen program and expanding it to several sites nationwide using various new technologies, we will be able to successfully use our coal resource while reducing carbon emissions. Our nation has more than a 200 year supply of coal readily available, and we must utilize this resource while searching for cleaner ways to do so."

Currently, DOE's FutureGen program would be located at only one site. According to today's announcement, however, the Energy Department will now invest in several sites across America. Secretary Samuel Bodman today also announced President Bush's FY09 budget request of $648 million, a 25 percent increase over the FY08 budget request, for the DOE Office of Fossil Energy's advanced coal technology research, development and demonstration program. DOE's budget requests $407 million for coal research. Also, it requests $241 million to demonstrate technologies for cost-effective carbon capture and storage, $156 million of which is for the restructured FutureGen approach and $85 million of which is for DOE's Clean Coal Power Initiative.

Brownback continued, "I am pleased with the Department of Energy's request for an increase in funding for the Department's Office of Fossil Energy's advanced coal technology research, development and demonstration program. I look forward to advocating for this increase through my role on the Senate Appropriations Committee."

Brownback is a member of the Senate and Appropriations Committee.