WASHINGTON, DC - Montana’s Congressman, Denny Rehberg, today announced the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded the Big Sky Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership, led by Montana State University-Bozeman, a $66.9 million grant to fund the Department’s seventh large-scale carbon sequestration project.

“Carbon Sequestration will be a critical part of a comprehensive, clean energy future,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee. “It’s great to see a Montana University leading the way in demonstrating and validating this technology.  This funding speaks volumes for the importance of this project.”

The funds will be used to conduct a large-volume test to demonstrate the ability of a geologic formation to safely, permanently, and economically store more than two million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2).  The test will be located in Southwest Wyoming and will demonstrate the entire CO2 injection process—pre-injection characterization, injection process monitoring, and post-injection monitoring—and provide the foundation for the future development of CO2 capture and storage opportunities in the region.