Title 42 — The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-73

§16298 Carbon utilization program

Title 42 › Chapter CHAPTER 149— - NATIONAL ENERGY POLICY AND PROGRAMS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER IX— - RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT › Part Part F— - Fossil Energy › § 16298

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary must run a program, with help from the EPA Administrator, to research, test, and help bring to market ways to use captured carbon. The program must check how new methods change lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental safety signs, find and test new commercial uses for carbon (including turning carbon oxides into chemicals, plastics, building materials, fuels, cement, coal‑based products, and other marketable items) that permanently lower or at least do not increase CO2, and evaluate carbon capture options for industry and low‑emission uses of coal. Projects for demonstrations and commercialization must be chosen first if they have a U.S. stationary source that can supply at least 250 metric tons of CO2 per day, on‑site equipment for small tests and larger scale‑up bays, and existing partnerships with a National Lab, college, company, or government. The work must be coordinated with related Department programs, and $50,000,000 is authorized to be provided to carry this out, available until spent.

Full Legal Text

Title 42, §16298

The Public Health and Welfare — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Secretary, in consultation with the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, shall carry out a program of research, development, demonstration, and commercialization relating to carbon utilization.

(b)Under the program described in subsection (a), the Secretary shall—

(1)assess and monitor—

(A)potential changes in lifecycle carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions; and

(B)other environmental safety indicators of new technologies, practices, processes, or methods used in enhanced hydrocarbon recovery as part of the activities authorized under section 16293 of this title;

(2)identify and evaluate novel uses for carbon (including conversion of carbon oxides) that, on a full lifecycle basis, achieve a permanent reduction, or avoidance of a net increase, in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, for use in commercial and industrial products such as—

(A)chemicals;

(B)plastics;

(C)building materials;

(D)fuels;

(E)cement;

(F)products of coal utilization in power systems or in other applications; and

(G)other products with demonstrated market value;

(3)identify and assess carbon capture technologies for industrial systems; and

(4)identify and assess alternative uses for coal that result in zero net emissions of carbon dioxide or other pollutants, including products derived from carbon engineering, carbon fiber, and coal conversion methods.

(c)In supporting demonstration and commercialization research under the program described in subsection (a), the Secretary shall prioritize consideration of projects that—

(1)have access to a carbon dioxide emissions stream generated by a stationary source in the United States that is capable of supplying not less than 250 metric tons per day of carbon dioxide for research;

(2)have access to equipment for testing small-scale carbon dioxide utilization technologies, with onsite access to larger test bays for scale-up; and

(3)have 1 or more existing partnerships with a National Laboratory, an institution of higher education, a private company, or a State or other government entity.

(d)The Secretary shall coordinate the activities authorized under this section with the activities authorized in section 16298a of this title as part of a single consolidated program of the Department.

(e)There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $50,000,000, to remain available until expended.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

42 U.S.C. § 16298

Title 42 — The Public Health and Welfare

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73