I 
110TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1267 
To develop a methodology for, and complete, a national assessment of 
geological storage capacity for carbon dioxide, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 1, 2007 
Mr. GORDON of Tennessee introduced the following bill; which was referred 
to the Committee on Natural Resources 
A BILL 
To develop a methodology for, and complete, a national as-
sessment of geological storage capacity for carbon diox-
ide, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘National Carbon Diox-
ide Storage Capacity Assessment Act of 2007’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) ASSESSMENT.—The term ‘‘assessment’’ 
means the national assessment of geological storage 
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capacity for carbon dioxide completed under this 
Act. 
(2) CAPACITY; GEOLOGICAL
STORAGE
CAPAC-
ITY.—The terms ‘‘capacity’’ and ‘‘geological storage 
capacity’’ mean the portion of a storage formation 
that can retain carbon dioxide under the parameters 
(including physical, geological, and economic param-
eters) established under the methodology developed 
under this Act. 
(3) ENGINEERED HAZARDS.—The term ‘‘engi-
neered hazards’’ includes the location and comple-
tion history of any well that could affect potential 
storage. 
(4) RISK.—The term ‘‘risk’’ includes risks 
posed 
by 
geomechanical, 
geochemical, 
hydrogeological, structural, and engineered hazards. 
(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 
the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the Di-
rector of the United States Geological Survey. 
(6) STORAGE FORMATION.—The term ‘‘storage 
formation’’ means a saline formation, unmineable 
coal seam, or oil or gas reservoir capable of accom-
modating a volume of carbon dioxide. 
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SEC. 3. METHODOLOGY FOR NATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF 
GEOLOGICAL STORAGE CAPACITY FOR CAR-
BON DIOXIDE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 270 days after the 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall develop 
a methodology for conducting a national assessment of the 
geological storage capacity for carbon dioxide. 
(b) POTENTIAL STORAGE FORMATIONS.—In devel-
oping the methodology under this section, the Secretary 
shall consider— 
(1) the geographic extent of all potential stor-
age formations in each of the 50 States and the Dis-
trict of Columbia; 
(2) the capacity of the potential storage forma-
tions; 
(3) the injectivity of the potential storage for-
mations; 
(4) an estimate of potential volumes of oil and 
gas recoverable by injection and storage of industrial 
carbon dioxide in potential storage formations; and 
(5) the risk associated with the potential stor-
age formations. 
(c) COORDINATION.— 
(1) FEDERAL COORDINATION.— 
(A) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary shall 
consult with the Secretary of Energy and the 
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Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
Agency on issues of data sharing, format, devel-
opment of the methodology, and content of the 
assessment required under this Act to ensure 
the maximum usefulness and success of the as-
sessment. 
(B) COOPERATION.—The Secretary of En-
ergy and the Administrator of the Environ-
mental Protection Agency shall cooperate with 
the Secretary to ensure, to the maximum extent 
practicable, the usefulness and success of the 
assessment. 
(2) STATE
COORDINATION.—The Secretary 
shall consult with State geological surveys and other 
relevant entities to ensure, to the maximum extent 
practicable, the usefulness and success of the assess-
ment. 
(d) OPPORTUNITY FOR REVIEW AND COMMENT.— 
During the period beginning on the date that is 270 days 
after the date of enactment of this Act and ending not 
less than 45 days, and not more than 90 days thereafter, 
the Secretary shall provide the heads of stakeholder Fed-
eral agencies, the heads of State land management agen-
cies, industry stakeholders, and the public with an oppor-
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tunity to review and comment on the proposed method-
ology developed under subsection (a). 
(e) INDEPENDENT VERIFICATION.—During the pe-
riod described in subsection (d), the Secretary shall con-
vene a committee of subject matter experts composed of 
representatives of Federal agencies, institutions of higher 
education, nongovernmental organizations, State organi-
zations, industry, and international geoscience organiza-
tions to conduct a review of the methodology for capacity 
and risk estimation required to carry out this section. 
(f) FINAL PUBLICATION.—Not later than 90 days 
after the period described in subsection (d), the Secretary 
shall— 
(1) publish in the Federal Register a descrip-
tion of the final methodology to be used for con-
ducting the national assessment of the geological 
storage capacity for carbon dioxide required under 
subsection (a), taking into account any comments 
received under subsection (d) and the methodology 
review conducted under subsection (e); and 
(2) issue a public report that responds to the 
comments received under subsection (d) and the 
methodology review under subsection (e). 
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SEC. 4. COMPLETION OF NATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF GEO-
LOGICAL STORAGE CAPACITY FOR CARBON 
DIOXIDE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years after the 
date of final publication of the methodology, the Secretary 
shall complete a national assessment of geological storage 
capacity for carbon dioxide using the methodology devel-
oped under section 3. 
(b) DATABASE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish 
a database on the Internet accessible to the public 
that provides the results of the assessment required 
under this section, including a detailed description of 
the data collected under the assessment. 
(2) DATA.—The database shall include the data 
necessary to rank potential storage sites for capacity 
and risk, across the United States, within each 
State, by formation, and within each basin. 
(c) REPORT.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date on which the assessment required 
under this section is completed, the Secretary shall 
submit to the Congress and the President a report 
that describes the findings of the assessment. 
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(2) 
PUBLIC
AVAILABILITY.—The 
Secretary 
shall make the report required under this subsection 
available on the Internet. 
SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this Act $20,000,000 for the period beginning on October 
1 of the first full fiscal year after the date of enactment 
of this Act and ending 4 years thereafter. 
Æ 
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