Bellona USA has meanwhile been invited to join the Mid Western Geological Sequestration Consortium by the US Department of Energy (DOE). The MGSC is one of seven DOE –funded carbon sequestration partnerships.

A study has also come out indicating that global warming will change American’s lives – an unfortunate development as may negotiators who will be present at the  Copenhagen climate negotiations are fingering heads of state for lacking the political will to strike a detailed deal, lowering expectations for the critical climate change gathering.

Finally, the debate on climate change legislation is moving forward on Capitol Hill. The tempo of the bill in the House of Representatives is moving at a stead clip, but it is predicted that the beat will slow somewhat once the legislation lands in the Senate. 

Obama revives FutureGen
On  June 12th, the Obama administration gave conditional support for a government-industry partnership that would build an advanced coal-burning power plant in Illinois with CCS, reversing a decision by the Bush administration to abandon the project. The DOE will contribute more than $1 billion to the project. The announcement follows pressure from Illinois politicians – including Senator Dick Durbin, the Senate’s No.2 Democrat – who had strongly criticized former Energy Secretary Sam Bodman’s decision to abandon the plan early in 2008.

With a former Illinois senator now in the White House, DOE has reversed directions on FutureGen. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced a “provisional agreement” with the FutureGen Alliance, a consortium of major coal and utility companies including American Electric Power and Peabody Energy Corp.

In a prepared statement, Chu said “This important step forward for FutureGen reflects this Administration’s commitment to rapidly developing carbon capture and sequestration technology as part of a comprehensive plan to create jobs, develop clean energy and reduce climate change pollution.” More details are available here.

Click here for a press release from the Alliance.

DOE said that FutureGen would be the first commercial-scale, “fully integrated” carbon capture and sequestration project in the USA. The plant will combine the use of integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) technology with greenhouse gas emission controls. Under the deal, DOE will issue a record of decision in mid-July to be followed by several actions in early 2010 such as restarting design work, releasing an updated cost estimate, expanding private sponsorship and preparing an analysis of likely sequestration sites. A decision about whether to proceed from there will come next year. DOE plans to spend $1.073 billion, all but $73 million of which comes from the economic stimulus package. The industry group (perhaps up to 20 companies) will be expected to contribute $400 – 600 million over 4-6 years. The plant will be built in Mattoon, Illinois. Durbin, the Senate Majority Whip thanked Chu and Illinois officials “for working with me to keep this project alive for the Obama administration.” In a statement, he said “In my time in Congress, I can’t recall a project that has greater scientific and practical significance than FutureGen, not to mention the enormous economic benefit it will have in Illinois.”

Bellona USA joins the Mid Western Geological Sequestration Consortium (MGSC)
The US Department of Energy has invited Bellona USA to join the MGSC. The MGSC is one of seven regional carbon sequestration partnerships funded by DOE. MGSC is a consortium of the state geological surveys of Illinois, Kentucky and Indiana joined by private companies, several universities, and two environmental groups to assess CCS, its costs and viability in the Illinois basin. Bellona USA has been invited because of its commitment to CCS and to bring a non US and NGO perspective to the discussion. Click here to read more about MGSC.

US study predicts global warming will change Americans’ lives
A report by the US Global Change Research Program highlights the effects that increased global warming will have on the lives of Americans.

The report speaks for itself. It is published at a critical moment in the congressional debate on climate change legislation. Let’s hope all US congressmen and women (especially from Florida and Louisiana) read it! Read the report’s predicted impacts here.

Low expectations for Copenhagen
Although the Obama administration has resumed engagement with the international climate change negotiations, the reports of the meeting emerging here are pessimistic about a bold outcome in Copenhagen. Yvo de Boer, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change said that an agreement in Copenhagen will not be a detailed one. Others shared de Boer’s view that a detailed agreement is unlikely. Representatives of the World Wildlife Fund and the Union of Concerned Scientists complained that so far, we have seen a “lack of political ambitions, a lack of political will.” They pointed not at negotiators but at heads of state, finance ministers and parliaments. Many are looking forward to the G8 summit in July where they hope President Obama will be able to encourage greater commitment to reduce emissions from the US and other large economies. For the US, a key issue will be the outcome of the discussion of energy and climate change legislation on Capitol Hill later this year. And on that note...

Capitol Hill climate change debate moves forward
House Democrats are expected to vote in favour of major energy and climate legislation in the next week or so, leading to a floor debate and final passage before the July 4th recess. House Speaker Pelosi put it simply. “We will have a bill” she vowed. The biggest obstacle to passage is the opposition of farm state Democrats. They have raised concerns about various issues including the allocation of cap and trade allowances, the level of a national renewable energy standard, and how the growing biofuels industry will be regulated. While there is a lot of negotiating going on in congressional offices, the key factor, I think, is that President Obama and his officials have thrown their weight behind the successful passage of a bill. The weight of the office of the President counts for a lot a times like this. A floor debate might begin before the end of this week.

On the other side of Capitol Hill, things are moving more slowly. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted today (15-8) to approve an energy bill which would, among other things, impose a national renewable energy standard, overhaul government financing for clean energy projects, encourage the construction of new electric transmission lines to support the development of a smarter grid. Elsewhere in the Senate, the Chair of the Environment and Public Works Committee, Senator Barbara Boxer (D- California) is managing the progress of a separate climate change bill. She plans a committee vote on a cap and trade bill before the end of July. If passed, the legislation will move to the floor of the Senate in the Autumn. It will be a tight vote. Senator Harry Reid, Leader of the Senate has promised votes on energy and healthcare in the Autumn, mindful of President Obama’s determination to get legislation onto his desk by the end of the year.

So expect some headlines on climate change politics from Washington DC in the next week or so. Then go away on vacation – enjoy the light nights of the Norwegian summer. More DC climate politics in the Autumn.

Jonathan Temple is the director of Bellona USA.