REMOVE Act of 2022
Bill: H.R.8013 | Sponsor: Rep. Kuster, Ann M. (D-NH)
Policy area: Environmental Protection

Summary:
Removing Emissions to Mend Our Vulnerable Earth Act of 2022 or the REMOVE Act of 2022
This bill establishes the Committee on Large-Scale Carbon Management within the Department of Energy to plan and oversee efforts to (1) remove carbon dioxide from the air or ocean, and (2) store such carbon.

To establish the Committee on Large-Scale Carbon Management in the 
 Department of Energy and a Federal Carbon Removal Initiative, and for 
                            other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Removing Emissions to Mend Our 
Vulnerable Earth Act of 2022'' or the ``REMOVE Act of 2022''.

SEC. 2. COMMITTEE ON LARGE-SCALE CARBON MANAGEMENT AND FEDERAL CARBON 
              REMOVAL INITIATIVE.

    (a) Definition of Carbon Dioxide Removal.--In this section, the 
term ``carbon dioxide removal'' means the capture of carbon dioxide 
directly from ambient air or, in dissolved form, from seawater, 
combined with the sequestration of such carbon dioxide, including 
through--
            (1) direct air capture and sequestration;
            (2) enhanced carbon mineralization;
            (3) bioenergy with carbon capture and sequestration;
            (4) forest restoration;
            (5) soil carbon management;
            (6) ocean-based carbon removal; and
            (7) any other approaches or methods identified by the 
        Committee.
    (b) Committee on Large-Scale Carbon Management.--
            (1) Establishment.--
                    (A) In general.--There is established in the 
                Department of Energy, Office of Undersecretary for 
                Science and Energy a committee on matters relating to 
                large-scale carbon management.
                    (B) Designation.--The committee established by 
                subparagraph (A) shall be known as the ``Committee on 
                Large-Scale Carbon Management'' (in this section 
                referred to as the ``Committee'').
                    (C) Membership.--
                            (i) Composition.--The Committee shall be 
                        composed of the members of the executive 
                        committee established under subsection (c)(1) 
                        and such other members as the executive 
                        committee considers appropriate.
                            (ii) Cochairpersons.--The members of the 
                        executive committee established by subsection 
                        (c)(1) shall be cochairpersons of the 
                        Committee.
            (2) Duties of the committee.--The duties of the Committee 
        shall be as follows:
                    (A) Developing a strategic plan for Federal 
                experimenting, prototyping, and production of 
                technological carbon dioxide removal (CDR) and 
                sequestration.
                    (B) Overseeing working groups established under 
                subsection (d).
                    (C) Coordinating budget planning with the Federal 
                agencies and budget review with the Office of 
                Management and Budget for matters relating to 
                experimenting, prototyping, and production described in 
                subparagraph (A).
                    (D) Identifying cost-effective carbon dioxide 
                removal technologies that are suitable for large-scale 
                production.
                    (E) Evaluating carbon dioxide removal monitoring 
                activities, data collection on carbon emissions and 
                sinks, and long-term storage protocols for carbon 
                dioxide removal strategies.
                    (F) Overseeing independent evaluations of 
                performance of the working groups established under 
                subsection (d).
                    (G) Monitoring the long-term carbon and 
                environmental impacts of carbon dioxide removal.
                    (H) Evaluating socio-economic and community impacts 
                resulting from the application of carbon dioxide 
                removal technologies and developing protocols for 
                effective community engagement, with an emphasis on 
                outreach to distressed and unrepresented groups.
    (c) Executive Committee.--
            (1) Establishment.--There is established in the Committee 
        an executive committee.
            (2) Membership.--The executive committee shall be composed 
        of the following:
                    (A) The Associate Director for Science of the 
                Office of Science and Technology Policy.
                    (B) One senior official of the Department of Energy 
                selected by the Secretary of Energy.
                    (C) One senior official of the Department of 
                Agriculture selected by the Secretary of Agriculture.
                    (D) One senior official of the Department of 
                Defense selected by the Secretary of Defense.
                    (E) One senior official of the National Oceanic and 
                Atmospheric Administration selected by the 
                Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
                Administration.
                    (F) One senior official of the Environmental 
                Protection Agency selected by the Administrator of the 
                Environmental Protection Agency.
    (d) Working Groups and Carbon Removal Initiative.--
            (1) Establishment.--
                    (A) In general.--The Committee shall establish 
                working groups which shall carry out an initiative on 
                technological and detailed experimenting, prototyping, 
                and production of carbon dioxide removal technology.
                    (B) Designation of initiative.--The initiative 
                carried out under subparagraph (A) shall be known as 
                the ``Carbon Removal Initiative''.
            (2) Working group foci.--The working groups established 
        under paragraph (1) are as follows:
                    (A) Oceans.--
                            (i) In general.--One working group to focus 
                        on matters relating to carbon dioxide removal 
                        from the oceans and coastal regions.
                            (ii) Membership.--The working group 
                        described in clause (i) shall be composed of 9 
                        members as follows:
                                    (I) One individual selected by the 
                                Administrator of the National Oceanic 
                                and Atmospheric Administration from 
                                among employees of the National Oceanic 
                                and Atmospheric Administration.
                                    (II) One individual selected by the 
                                Administrator of the National 
                                Aeronautics and Space Administration 
                                from among employees of the National 
                                Aeronautics and Space Administration.
                                    (III) One individual selected by 
                                the Secretary of Defense from among 
                                employees of the Department of Defense.
                                    (IV) One individual selected by the 
                                Director of the National Science 
                                Foundation from among employees of the 
                                National Science Foundation.
                                    (V) Two individuals selected by the 
                                Secretary of the Interior from among 
                                employees of the Department of the 
                                Interior.
                                    (VI) One individual selected by the 
                                Administrator of the Environmental 
                                Protection Agency from among employees 
                                of the Environmental Protection Agency.
                                    (VII) One individual selected by 
                                the Secretary of Energy from among 
                                employees of the Department of Energy.
                                    (VIII) One individual selected by 
                                the Chair of the Council on 
                                Environmental Quality from among 
                                employees on the Council on 
                                Environmental Quality.
                            (iii) Cochairpersons.--The individuals 
                        selected under subclauses (I) and (IV) of 
                        clause (ii) shall serve as cochairpersons of 
                        the working group established under clause (i).
                    (B) Terrestrial.--
                            (i) In general.--One working group to focus 
                        on terrestrial and biological matters relating 
                        to carbon dioxide removal.
                            (ii) Membership.--The working group 
                        described in clause (i) shall be composed of 7 
                        members as follows:
                                    (I) Two individuals, one of whom 
                                shall be selected by the Secretary of 
                                Agriculture from among employees of the 
                                Department of Agriculture and one of 
                                whom shall be selected by chief of the 
                                Forest Service from among employees of 
                                the Forest Service.
                                    (II) One individual selected by the 
                                Secretary of Energy from among 
                                employees of the Department of Energy.
                                    (III) One individual selected by 
                                the Secretary of the Interior from 
                                among employees of the Department of 
                                the Interior.
                                    (IV) One individual selected by the 
                                Director of the National Science 
                                Foundation from among employees of the 
                                National Science Foundation.
                                    (V) One individual selected by the 
                                Administrator of the Environmental 
                                Protection Agency from among employees 
                                of the Environmental Protection Agency.
                                    (VI) One individual selected by the 
                                Chair of the Council on Environmental 
                                Quality from among employees of the 
                                Council on Environmental Quality.
                            (iii) Cochairpersons.--The individuals 
                        selected under subclauses (I) and (II) of 
                        clause (ii) shall serve as cochairpersons of 
                        the working group established under clause (i).
                    (C) Geological.--
                            (i) In general.--One working group to focus 
                        on geological matters relating to carbon 
                        dioxide removal and storage.
                            (ii) Membership.--The working group 
                        described in clause (i) shall be composed of 6 
                        members as follows:
                                    (I) One individual selected by the 
                                Secretary of Energy from among 
                                employees of the Department of Energy.
                                    (II) Two individuals selected by 
                                the Secretary of the Interior, one from 
                                among the employees of the United 
                                States Geological Survey and one from 
                                among the employees of the Bureau of 
                                Ocean Energy and Management.
                                    (III) One individual selected by 
                                the Director of the National Science 
                                Foundation from among employees of the 
                                National Science Foundation.
                                    (IV) One individual selected by the 
                                Administrator of the Environmental 
                                Protection Agency from among employees 
                                of the Environmental Protection Agency.
                                    (V) One individual selected by the 
                                Chair of the Council on Environmental 
                                Quality from among employees of the 
                                Council on Environmental Quality.
                            (iii) Cochairpersons.--The individuals 
                        selected under subclauses (I) and (II) of 
                        clause (ii) shall serve as cochairpersons of 
                        the working group established under clause (i).
                    (D) Technological.--
                            (i) In general.--One working group to focus 
                        on technological matters relating to carbon 
                        dioxide removal.
                            (ii) Membership.--The working group 
                        described in clause (i) shall be composed of 8 
                        members as follows:
                                    (I) One individual selected by the 
                                Secretary of Energy from among 
                                employees of the Department of Energy.
                                    (II) One individual selected by the 
                                Secretary of Defense from among 
                                employees of the Department of Defense.
                                    (III) One individual selected by 
                                the Administrator of the National 
                                Aeronautics and Space Administration 
                                from among employees of the National 
                                Aeronautics and Space Administration.
                                    (IV) One individual selected by the 
                                Director of the National Science 
                                Foundation from among employees of the 
                                National Science Foundation.
                                    (V) One individual selected by the 
                                Secretary of Commerce from among 
                                employees of the National Institute of 
                                Standards and Technology.
                                    (VI) One individual selected by the 
                                Administrator of the Environmental 
                                Protection Agency from among employees 
                                of the Environmental Protection Agency.
                                    (VII) One individual selected by 
                                the Secretary of Transportation from 
                                among employees of the Department of 
                                Transportation.
                                    (VIII) One individual selected by 
                                the Chair of the Council on 
                                Environmental Quality from among 
                                employees of the Council on 
                                Environmental Quality.
                            (iii) Cochairpersons.--The individuals 
                        selected under subclauses (I) and (III) of 
                        clause (ii) shall serve as cochairpersons of 
                        the working group established under clause (i).
    (e) Annual Budget Crosscut Review.--
            (1) In general.--Not less frequently than once each year, 
        the Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall 
        assist in the coordination of the initiative carried out under 
        subsection (d)(1)(A) by conducting a budget crosscut review--
                    (A) to ensure that budget proposals from members of 
                the working groups established under such subsection 
                are integrated with the overall budget for each Federal 
                department and agency participating in such working 
                groups; and
                    (B) to ensure that the various staff of the Office 
                of Management and Budget review and act on Federal 
                department and agency budget proposals for 
                experimenting, prototyping, and production of carbon 
                dioxide removal technology in a holistic fashion.
            (2) Technical assistance.--The committee shall provide such 
        technical assistance and advice on research priorities to the 
        Director of the Office of Budget and Management as requested.
            (3) Submittal to congress.--Along with each submission of 
        the President pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, United 
        States Code, the Director of the Office of Management and 
        Budget shall submit to Congress a report on the findings of the 
        Director with respect to the most recently completed budget 
        crosscut review under paragraph (1).
    (f) Coordination.--In carrying out this Act, the Committee shall--
            (1) coordinate and seek to avoid duplication with other 
        programs of the Department of Energy and other Federal agencies 
        on the Committee;
            (2) coordinate and collaborate with the Carbon Dioxide 
        Removal Task Force and U.S. Global Change Research Program; and
            (3) to the maximum extent practicable, leverage existing 
        resources and programs of the Department of Energy and other 
        Federal agencies on the Committee.
    (g) Administrative Support.--The Department of Energy, Office of 
the Undersecretary for Science and Energy, shall provide such 
administrative support for the Committee as required.
    (h) Carbon Accounting Coordination Working Group and Data Plan.--
            (1) Findings.--Congress finds that--
                    (A) multiple Federal agencies and programs collect 
                data on carbon emissions and sinks related to carbon 
                dioxide removal;
                    (B) Federal carbon emissions and sinks data 
                collection efforts are siloed, with different 
                methodological approaches to collection, multiple data 
                warehouse locations, potential redundancies in data 
                collected, and gaps in coverage; and
                    (C) improved coordination of carbon measurement, 
                monitoring, and data aggregation related to carbon 
                dioxide removal is needed to support the development 
                and deployment of carbon dioxide removal methods and 
                strategies at scale.
            (2) Objective.--The objective of this subsection is to 
        establish a comprehensive, multi-agency plan for the collection 
        and management of data on carbon emissions and sinks related to 
        carbon dioxide removal that--
                    (A) enables comprehensive reporting on carbon 
                dioxide removal based on full and consistent 
                integration with existing relevant data collection 
                efforts across the Federal Government; and
                    (B) provides policymakers with information on the 
                effectiveness of carbon dioxide removal and carbon 
                sequestration activities.
            (3) Establishment.--The executive committee shall establish 
        a working group on carbon dioxide removal-related data 
        collection and management.
            (4) Data plan elements.--The working group established in 
        paragraph (3) shall develop a data plan that includes--
                    (A) an inventory of existing Federal data sources 
                on carbon emissions and sinks related to carbon dioxide 
                removal;
                    (B) a description of the scope of activities for 
                which new data on emissions and sinks related to carbon 
                dioxide removal should be collected;
                    (C) methodologies for collection of carbon dioxide 
                removal-related data;
                    (D) the roles of the respective Federal agencies in 
                collection and management of carbon dioxide removal-
                related data in meeting agency-specific mission 
                requirements in coordination with governmentwide 
                comprehensive carbon accounting objectives; and
                    (E) data collection and management protocols and 
                practices to facilitate integration of data on 
                emissions and sinks related to carbon dioxide removal 
                into comprehensive reports on carbon removal and 
                accounting on a nationwide scale.
            (5) Considerations.--The data plan shall, at a minimum, 
        consider and address--
                    (A) the role of existing programs that document 
                carbon emissions and sinks, including but not limited 
                to the U.S. Global Change Research Program and the 
                Environmental Protection Agency's Greenhouse Gas 
                Reporting Program;
                    (B) how the effectiveness of carbon dioxide removal 
                projects (as defined by the Committee) can be tracked 
                and effectively managed over time;
                    (C) gaps in existing Federal data collection 
                efforts that delay progress on carbon dioxide removal 
                experimenting, prototyping, and production;
                    (D) how data collection on carbon dioxide removal 
                projects could incorporate best practices for the 
                accounting of--
                            (i) additionality, which is the 
                        counterfactual assessment of carbon dioxide 
                        emitted without the occurrence of a carbon 
                        dioxide removal practice;
                            (ii) permanence, which is an assessment of 
                        the time scale of climate impacts for a carbon 
                        dioxide removal practice in comparison to the 
                        time scale of greenhouse gases impacting 
                        climate change;
                            (iii) risk of reversal, which is a 
                        probabilistic assessment of a carbon dioxide 
                        removal practice storing carbon for a shorter 
                        period of time than the time scale identified 
                        in clause (ii);
                            (iv) lifecycle environmental, socio-
                        economic, and community impacts of a carbon 
                        dioxide removal practice; and
                            (v) transparency, which is the ability for 
                        the public to easily access information 
                        regarding carbon dioxide removal practices, 
                        including information listed in this 
                        subparagraph; and
                    (E) how the gaps identified in subparagraph (C) can 
                be remedied to ensure the qualities listed in 
                subparagraph (D) are measured, potentially through the 
                consolidation of resources or the creation of a new 
                database intended for supporting carbon dioxide removal 
                over time.
            (6) Reports.--
                    (A) Expert participation.--The working group shall 
                establish a process for engagement with the scientific 
                community and stakeholder groups in the development of 
                the data plan.
                    (B) Public review.--Within 180 days of enactment of 
                this subsection, the Committee shall make available a 
                draft report for public review and comment. The working 
                group shall consider public comments in the process of 
                finalizing the data plan.
                    (C) Reports to congress.--
                            (i) Not later than 1 year after the date of 
                        enactment of this subsection, the executive 
                        committee shall submit to Congress the initial 
                        data plan.
                            (ii) Along with each submission of the 
                        President pursuant to section 1105 of title 31, 
                        United States Code, the executive committee 
                        shall submit to Congress a report on the 
                        findings of the Committee with respect to 
                        implementation of the data plan along with any 
                        recommendations for modification of the plan.
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