# Recommendations for New CCS Task Force

*Published:* 2010-02-03
*Author:* Scott Anderson

![Scott Anderson, EDF Senior Policy Advisor](http://blogs.edf.org/texasenergyexchange/files/2010/02/Scott569.jpg)

EDF welcomed today’s announcement by President Obama establishing an Interagency Task Force on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS).

In the next six months, the Task Force is charged with proposing a plan to “overcome the barriers to the widespread, cost-effective deployment of CCS within 10 years, with a goal of bringing 5 to 10 commercial demonstration projects online by 2016.”

“By 2016?” a reporter asked me. “Is that doable?” I responded yes, absolutely. CCS as a technical matter is ready for deployment now.

While there are two fundamental obstacles to widespread deployment of CCS, it’s my opinion (and that of [EDF](http://www.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=51027)) that both can be addressed in well under 10 years. Those obstacles are:

1. Lack of a market driver – Congress needs to set a limit on carbon emissions to make CCS economically attractive to project developers. If necessary, EPA acting under the Clean Air Act can help create incentives.
2. Lack of a regulatory framework – We need adoption of rules pending approval for 2010-2011 under EPA’s [Safe Drinking Water Act](http://www.epa.gov/safewater/sdwa/index.html), followed by rules on verifying the lack of air emissions.

Other important topics the task force will want to consider include:

- Improving capacity assessment techniques by the [U.S. Geological Survey](http://www.usgs.gov/);
- Developing leasing policies for federal lands;
- Assisting research and development efforts on the costs of capture;
- Assisting in geologic characterization efforts, especially in basins that have relatively challenging geology, such as the Appalachian basin;
- Clarification of who owns the storage space underground;
- Consideration of state law mechanisms for amalgamating storage space owned by multiple owners (i.e., eminent domain issues); and
- Whether to indemnify early adopters for any potential liabilities.

Some say the last three bullet points are absolutely necessary, others disagree. I do not believe that they are “make or break” obstacles but they’re certainly worth serious deliberation.

Again, with a market driver and regulatory framework, we will have resolved the only two *fundamental* obstacles to widespread deployment of CCS. Subsequently, bringing five to 10 commercial demonstration projects online by 2016 will definitely be achievable.