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The Clean Air Task Force views the House's approval of the $3.5 trillion Budget Resolution and the rule for the $1 trillion infrastructure bill as positive steps toward investing in the clean energy economy and addressing climate change.

California is projected to fall 125 million metric tons of CO2 short of its 2045 targets, necessitating the use of carbon capture and storage (CCS) and carbon dioxide removal (CDR) to address hard-to-abate industrial emissions and achieve net-negative emissions. The state possesses vast geologic storage potential, particularly in Central Valley saline aquifers, estimated at 30-417 gigatonnes of CO2. Beyond emissions, these technologies are presented as means to improve air quality by reducing sulfur dioxide and particulate matter, and to support workforce stability during the clean energy transition.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) supports a brief filed by sixteen organizations opposing Supreme Court review of the D.C. Circuit's decision to vacate the 2019 Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) Rule. The ACE Rule was found to have unlawfully restricted federal authority to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from existing coal- and gas-fired power plants. The opposition argues that because the ACE rule is defunct and the Biden Administration has not yet issued a replacement, there is no active dispute or existing rule for the Court to review, making requests for review by coal states and mining companies premature.

The report argues that the current U.S. electricity transmission system is too slow and fragmented to meet decarbonization goals, which require tripling or quadrupling generating capacity and significantly expanding long-distance transmission. It proposes a '5P' framework—planning, permitting, paying, participation, and process—to replace the traditional three-P approach. The authors contrast two primary policy models: a private-enterprise approach relying on market incentives and regulatory streamlining, and a public-initiative approach centered on a National Transmission Authority (NTA) with federal siting and ownership powers. The report concludes that a national transmission plan is an imperative to coordinate these efforts across state and federal jurisdictions.

The report examines the role of nuclear energy in producing zero-carbon fuels (ZCFs) to decarbonize the marine shipping industry, which accounted for 2.6% of global CO2 emissions in 2018. It identifies ammonia as a particularly promising fuel due to its energy density and compatibility with existing engine technology. The authors argue that nuclear energy is well-suited for ZCF production because of its high capacity factor, low land-use requirements, and ability to provide high-temperature steam for electrolysis. The document proposes using the U.S. Jones Act and other federal programs to incentivize the construction of ZCF-powered vessels and the development of regional production hubs, specifically suggesting the Houston region as a potential case study.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) advocates for federal action to stop the premature closure of U.S. nuclear plants, which provide over half of the country's clean electricity. Since 2012, nine reactors (over 6 GW) have retired early due to market conditions and low natural gas and renewable prices, leading to increased regional emissions. CATF supports legislative options like the Zero-Emission Nuclear Power Production Credit Act of 2021 and the American Nuclear Infrastructure Act (ANIA), provided they include 'guardrails' such as financial stress tests and reverse auctions to ensure support is limited to truly at-risk units.

The testimony advocates for carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) as a vital tool for Pennsylvania to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. It identifies Western Pennsylvania as the most geologically favorable region for CO2 storage, estimating a potential capacity of 75.6 gigatonnes in deep saline formations, though it notes this figure may be overly optimistic. The author suggests that initial CCS projects should target 15 identified steel, cement, and power plants in the west to minimize transport costs, proposing a 'hub' model to achieve economies of scale. The testimony also highlights the potential for Pennsylvania to use its natural gas resources to produce clean hydrogen via reforming with CCS. To enable this transition, the author calls for federal policy support, specifically the enhancement of 45Q tax credits to $85 per metric ton and the passage of the SCALE Act, as well as the adoption of a state-level Clean Energy Standard.

A group of 27 leaders from industry, academia, and civil society argue that the TEN-E Regulation must be expanded to include geological CO2 storage and multiple transport modalities—such as rail, ship, barge, and truck—to effectively support the development of European CO2 networks. They state that without including storage, the regulation supports "pipelines to nowhere" and fails to align with the European Green Deal's climate targets.

The report argues that deep decarbonization of transportation requires a diverse set of solutions across technology, policy, and behavior, as no single technology can address all subsectors. Key strategies include the deployment of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) for light-duty and short-haul freight, hydrogen and ammonia for heavy-duty and marine transport, and sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) for aircraft. The authors emphasize that efficiency improvements are a critical near-term tool across all modes. A central policy recommendation is the adoption of a performance-based, adaptive framework, specifically a Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) transitioning to a Zero-Carbon Fuel Standard (ZCFS) by 2050, to allow various fuels and vehicles to compete while reducing overall carbon intensity. The report also highlights the daunting nature of infrastructure transitions and the uncertainty of consumer behavior and automated vehicle impacts.

The document compares natural gas-based hydrogen production methods, finding that ATR with carbon capture and storage (CCS) can achieve significantly higher carbon reduction rates (96-98%) than standard SMR (50-65%), though it requires more power for oxygen production. It estimates the cost of ATR-produced hydrogen at approximately $1.38/kg based on a US Gulf Coast scenario.

The U.S. oil and gas sector exhibits extreme variability in methane emissions, with some small producers and specific large companies contributing disproportionately to totals. The author argues that the EPA must implement a regulatory floor mandating best practices to reduce leaks and flaring, noting that existing technology could reduce sector methane emissions by 65% at little to no cost.

The report analyzes 2019 emissions data for U.S. onshore oil and gas production, finding that emissions are highly concentrated among a small number of producers and basins. It highlights significant variance in emissions intensity across companies and identifies pneumatic controllers and fuel combustion equipment as primary sources of methane and CO2 emissions, respectively. The analysis also notes that official reported data likely underestimate actual emissions due to the omission of high-emitting abnormal process conditions and facilities below reporting thresholds.

The document outlines a proposed U.S. policy package comprising 45Q tax credit enhancements, the SCALE Act, and appropriations from the Energy Act of 2020. Together with the American Jobs Plan, these measures aim to grow U.S. carbon management capacity 13-fold by the mid-2030s. Key recommendations include introducing a 'Direct Pay' option for tax credits, increasing credit values to $85 per metric ton for industrial applications and $180 for direct air capture, and extending the construction window to 2035. Additionally, the SCALE Act is presented as a means to overcome 'chicken-and-egg' infrastructure barriers through DOE cost sharing, EPA permitting support, and the creation of the CO2 Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (CIFIA) for low-interest loans.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) urges the European Commission to integrate hydrogen and low-carbon fuel infrastructure into the TEN-T Regulation revision. CATF recommends binding targets for Member States to deploy recharging and refuelling infrastructure across both core and comprehensive networks, ensuring alignment with TEN-E, AFID, and FuelEU Maritime to decarbonise a transport sector that accounts for nearly 25% of Europe's greenhouse gas emissions.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) welcomes the EPA's rescission of a Trump-era cost-benefit rule, which CATF claims was designed to "impair efforts to protect public health and the environment" by discounting the benefits of Clean Air Act requirements. CATF urges the EPA to consider all relevant costs and benefits, including non-monetizable ones, to effectively address climate change, clean air, and environmental justice.

The document analyzes cancer risks from air toxics in Allegheny County, PA, highlighting that the county ranks among the worst in the U.S. for point source emissions, primarily driven by coke oven emissions. It further notes that when diesel particulate matter (DPM) is included, the total cancer risk exceeds 100 per million people, with significant disparities affecting environmental justice (EJ) tracts.

The Clean Air Task Force asserts that the EU's 2050 climate targets require immediate action this decade to be effective. It specifically advocates for strong methane standards for domestic and imported gas to reduce over five million tons of methane annually by 2030, and calls for investment in carbon capture, removal, storage, and zero-carbon fuels to decarbonize industrial processes, heavy transport, and waste management.

The briefing outlines bipartisan efforts in the U.S. to enhance 45Q tax credits for carbon capture and storage. It details proposals from the American Jobs Plan and House Republicans to increase credit values and extend eligibility. A CATF analysis suggests that an $85 per tonne incentive, combined with direct pay, could lead 46 power plants to capture 71 million metric tons of CO2 annually by 2035, creating approximately 4,500 construction jobs and 4,900 operational jobs per year.

The report estimates that retiring four nuclear plants in Illinois would lead to 1,200 to 2,700 premature deaths and $10 to $24 billion in monetized damages over ten years. Retiring two plants (Byron and Dresden) would result in 500 to 1,100 premature deaths and $4.4 to $10 billion in damages over the same period. These impacts are driven by increased PM2.5 emissions from fossil fuel plants used to offset the loss of zero-emission generation.

The author contends that the Biden administration should implement strong methane standards in its new NDC, noting that the U.S. could reduce oil and gas sector methane emissions by up to 65 percent using existing technology. Such a move would provide immediate climate benefits, improve health for millions living near facilities, and encourage similar actions from major emitters like China, India, and Russia.