For Release: Thursday, June 21, 2007
Contact: David Gillies: 202-225-5661

SCIENCE SUBCOMMITTEE APPROVES COSTELLO AMENDMENT TO DEVELOP CARBON SEQUESTRATION WORKFORCE

Washington - The U.S. House Science Subcommittee on Energy and Environment today passed legislation authorizing federal funding for accelerated carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) research.  CCS is a developing technology where carbon is captured as coal is converted into energy and stored deep underground, keeping it out of the atmosphere.  The use of this technology is seen as important to maximizing the use of coal worldwide in an environmentally friendly manner.

U.S. Congressman Jerry Costello (D-IL) successfully added an amendment to the legislation that would task the National Academy of Science with developing recommendations for a course of study in geological carbon sequestration science.  As CCS technology is used more widely, a qualified workforce will be necessary to run power plants that use it, and Costello's legislation would begin the process of making sure trained personnel are available. 

After the guidelines are produced, a competitive grant program would be created to help fund such programs at colleges and universities.  The Coal Center at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale would be a natural fit for such a program.  The Costello amendment was adopted unanimously. 

"We have to continually be looking ahead to determine how we can help foster the enhanced use of coal.  Doing so is a national and regional imperative.  We have no substitute for coal use in regard to electricity production over the next 20-25 years, and coal can be used in an increasingly clean manner.  Carbon capture and sequestration holds a great deal of promise, and the FutureGen project will further demonstrate the benefits of clean coal technology, including CCS.  At the same time, we need to develop education programs and the workforce that will be needed to support this technology.  It is all part of the process of using more Illinois coal now and in the future."

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