Rockefeller, Voinovich press coal tech incentives, long phase-in for emissions standards

Sens. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) and George Voinovich (R-Ohio) circulated draft legislation Monday that expands federal support for technology that traps and stores greenhouse gas emissions from coal-fired power plants.

It would also impose emissions standards on individual plants permitted in the decade after the bill’s enactment, but provides a long lead time -- as late as 2030 -- before they kick in.

The plan is another sign that senators are jockeying for position to protect home-state energy interests as broader climate and energy legislation takes shape in the Senate.

West Virginia is a major coal-producing state, while Voinovich called carbon capture and sequestration, or CCS, important for his coal-reliant state and its manufacturing base.

“Incentivizing CCS clean coal technology is necessary to meet our future energy and environmental objectives,” Voinovich said in a prepared statement.

Their bill includes a range of incentives and programs to help speed up deployment of the technology, such as tax credits, $850 million for joint industry-Energy Department R&D, and a range of other steps.