To provide for advancements in carbon removal research, quantification, and commercialization, including by harnessing natural processes, and for other purposes.
Analysis under review: This bill has generated analysis that may be too generic or incomplete. Clause-level evidence remains available below.
Summary
What This Bill Does
The CREST Act of 2023 creates a comprehensive federal program to develop and deploy carbon removal technologies. It authorizes the Department of Energy to fund research on biomass carbon capture, carbon mineralization, ocean-based carbon removal, and direct air capture manufacturing. The bill also establishes a government purchasing program to buy captured carbon dioxide from private companies.
Who Benefits and How
Carbon removal technology companies and startups benefit significantly through federal R&D funding and a guaranteed government market for their services via the purchasing pilot program (up to $60 million annually). Research universities, National Laboratories, and nonprofit research organizations receive grant funding opportunities to study carbon removal pathways. The biofuels and algae cultivation industries benefit from dedicated research programs supporting their carbon capture applications.
Who Bears the Burden and How
Taxpayers bear the cost burden through authorized appropriations totaling over $300 million across fiscal years 2024-2028. Federal agencies including the Department of Energy, USGS, and NOAA face new program administration responsibilities. There are no direct regulatory burdens on private industry; the bill is primarily incentive-based rather than mandate-based.
Key Provisions
- Authorizes biomass and algae carbon removal research programs with up to $20 million annually
- Creates carbon mineralization pilot projects with funding up to $30 million annually
- Establishes a direct ocean capture assessment and offshore carbon storage research program
- Creates a competitive government purchasing program to buy removed carbon dioxide using reverse auctions, with 70% of funds for long-term (1,000+ year) storage and 30% for medium-term (100-1,000 year) storage
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Establishes federal research programs, pilot projects, and a government purchasing program to advance carbon removal technologies including biomass carbon capture, carbon mineralization, ocean carbon removal, and direct air capture.
Key Policy Areas
Energy, Environment, Science & Technology, Climate Change
Primary Purpose
Establishes federal research programs, pilot projects, and a government purchasing program to advance carbon removal technologies including biomass carbon capture, carbon mineralization, ocean carbon removal, and direct air capture.
Policy Domains
Title II - Carbon Removal Purchasing
Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Carbon removal companies and startups
- Direct air capture facilities
- Long-term carbon storage providers
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Federal taxpayers (up to $60M annually)
- Department of Energy (program administration)
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Title I Subtitle A - Biomass Carbon Removal
Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Biofuels industry
- Algae cultivation companies
- Agricultural biotechnology firms
- Research universities
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Federal taxpayers (funding)
- Department of Energy (administration)
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Title I Subtitle B - Carbon Mineralization
Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Mining industry
- Industrial waste processors
- Geological research organizations
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Federal taxpayers (funding)
- USGS (resource assessment)
- Department of Interior
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Title I Subtitle C - Ocean Carbon Removal
Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Marine carbon removal technology companies
- Coastal ecosystem restoration industry
- Oceanographic research institutions
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Federal taxpayers (funding)
- NOAA (coordination)
- Department of Energy
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Title I Subtitle D - Direct Air Capture Manufacturing
Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Direct air capture technology manufacturers
- Carbon capture equipment suppliers
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Federal taxpayers (funding)
- Department of Energy
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Title I Subtitle E - Carbon Removal Quantification
Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Carbon removal technology companies
- Research institutions
- Carbon credit verification firms
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Federal taxpayers (funding)
- Department of Energy
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
IntroducedMs. Collins (for herself, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Cassidy, Mr. King, …
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
Carbon mineralization technology companies, Carbon mineralization technology developers, Carbon removal companies and direct air capture facilities
Geological research organizations, Marine ecology research organizations, Oceanographic research institutions
Department of Energy, Department of Energy Office of Science, NOAA
Bio-based materials manufacturers, Carbon capture component suppliers, Industrial entities seeking carbon removal credits
Mining companies with reactive mineral deposits, Mining companies with tailings deposits, Mining industry
Coastal ecosystem restoration organizations, Geological carbon storage operators, Long-term carbon storage providers
Agricultural biotechnology companies, Agricultural biotechnology firms
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of Energy
- "the_director"
- → Director of Office of Science
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of Energy
- "the_assistant_secretary"
- → Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of Energy (Section 111, 113) / Secretary of Interior (Section 112)
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of Energy
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of Energy
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of Energy
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of Energy
Note: 'The Secretary' refers to Secretary of Energy throughout most of the bill, but in Section 112 (Carbon Mineralization Resource Assessment), 'The Secretary' refers to Secretary of the Interior.
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
The intentional removal, including by harnessing natural processes, of carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere or upper hydrosphere and subsequent storage of the carbon dioxide in geological, biobased, or ocean reservoirs or in value-added products that results in a net removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, as measured on a lifecycle basis.
Carbon dioxide removed pursuant to an intentional carbon removal activity that delivers a net removal that would not have occurred without the carbon removal activity.
Includes direct air capture with durable storage; soil carbon sequestration; biomass carbon removal and storage; enhanced mineralization; ocean-based carbon dioxide removal; and afforestation or reforestation.
A carbon removal facility located in the United States that meets all applicable Federal and State permitting requirements and meets financial, technical, and technological diversity criteria established by the Secretary.
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology