88R14588 KBB-D
By: Zwiener H.B. No. 4225
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a study conducted by the Railroad Commission of Texas to
determine the net reduction in the amount of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere resulting from the use of carbon capture, utilization,
and storage technology.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. In this Act:
(1) "Carbon capture technology" means technology that
captures, stores, and uses high concentrations of carbon dioxide.
(2) "Commission" means the Railroad Commission of
Texas.
SECTION 2. STUDY. (a) The commission shall conduct a study
of ongoing carbon capture technology projects to:
(1) assess the net reduction in the amount of carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere resulting from the use of carbon capture
technology; and
(2) determine whether each carbon capture technology
examined removes more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than it
contributes.
(b) In conducting the study under Subsection (a) of this
section, the commission shall:
(1) establish an accounting framework that includes a
project life-cycle analysis to determine the net amount of carbon
dioxide sequestered from projects using carbon capture technology;
and
(2) coordinate with the Bureau of Economic Geology of
The University of Texas at Austin, the Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality, and other appropriate agencies.
(c) For a carbon capture technology project included in the
study under Subsection (a) of this section, the study must:
(1) establish a method of accurately measuring and
reporting the volumes of carbon dioxide captured by the project;
(2) accurately identify the amount of carbon dioxide
the project removes from the atmosphere; and
(3) determine whether the project provides a net
reduction of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere over the project's
life-cycle based on the amount of carbon dioxide removed and the
amount of carbon dioxide emitted by the sequestration activities.
(d) To the extent that carbon capture technology projects
are used for enhanced oil recovery operations, the study must:
(1) account for whether those enhanced oil recovery
operations on the whole result in:
(A) an increase of the total amount of the oil
produced by operations using that technology and by operations not
using that technology; or
(B) a decrease in the amount of oil produced by
operations not using that technology in an amount that equals or
exceeds the amount of oil produced by operations using that
technology; and
(2) account for contributions to the atmosphere of
carbon dioxide from the projects.
SECTION 3. REPORT. Not later than September 1, 2024, the
commission shall prepare and submit a report to the legislature
that includes:
(1) the methodology used to perform the study;
(2) the information already available to the
commission and any information needed to provide an accurate
accounting of how much carbon dioxide each carbon capture
technology project removes from the atmosphere;
(3) the information needed to assess different types
of carbon capture technology, including direct air capture
technology; and
(4) a framework that would allow the commission to
accurately assess the effectiveness of all ongoing carbon capture
technology projects and the likely effectiveness of carbon capture
technology projects to be considered in the future.
SECTION 4. EXPIRATION. This Act expires September 1, 2025.
SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September
1, 2023.