WASHINGTON (July 25, 2019) – The American Chemistry Council (ACC) today welcomed bicameral introduction of legislation to spur innovation and enhance industrial competitiveness by developing new technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Senate sponsors of the Clean Industrial Technology Act (CITA) are Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.). In the House, the bill is sponsored by Reps. Sean Casten (D-Ill.), David McKinley (R-W.Va.), Aumua Amata (R-American Samoa-At Large) and Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Texas).
“We commend Senators Whitehouse, Capito, Braun, Manchin and Booker and Reps. Casten, McKinley, Amata and Johnson for advancing R&D in technologies to cut emissions and strengthen competitiveness in U.S. industry. Developing new ways to produce process heat and power industrial equipment will be critical to meeting the climate challenge. We urge lawmakers to support this smart, bipartisan proposal.
“American chemistry uses carbon molecules to create products that save energy (e.g., building insulation, lightweight vehicle parts), enable renewable energy (e.g., wind turbines, solar panels) and lower the emissions intensity of industrial processes (e.g., combined heat and power, carbon capture and storage systems, catalysis, hydrogen). These innovations are among many ways that chemistry is the science behind sustainability.
“The chemistry industry is continually looking for ways to reduce emissions in our processes while providing solutions that help society reduce emissions. A vibrant chemical industry with robust production capacity will be necessary to achieve our nation’s climate goals.”
CITA would direct the Secretary of Energy to establish an Industrial Emissions Reduction Technology Development Program aimed at developing innovative low- and zero-emissions technologies. It would create a technical assistance grant program to help states, local governments and tribal organizations implement low- and zero-emissions technologies. An advisory committee comprised of experts from federal agencies, industry, labor, National Laboratories and non-profit advocacy groups would advise the Secretary on development of the program.
