(a)
In general—
(1)
Department of Energy report— Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act and annually thereafter until the Secretary determines that technology preventing the emission of, capturing, transporting, permanently storing or sequestering, or putting to beneficial use carbon dioxide is available to the commercial marketplace, the Secretary shall—
(A)
conduct an assessment in accordance with subsection (b) of the existing Federal programs supporting the technology; and
(B)
submit to the appropriate authorizing and appropriating committees of Congress a report on the results of the assessment.
(2)
Government Accountability Office review— Not later than 1 year after the first report is provided to the appropriate authorizing and appropriating committees of Congress under paragraph (1)(B) and subsequently as needed until technology preventing the emission of, capturing, transporting, permanently storing or sequestering, and putting to beneficial use carbon dioxide is available to the commercial marketplace, the Comptroller General of the United States shall conduct a review of the report described in paragraph (1)(C) in accordance with subsection (c).
(b)
Department of Energy report requirements— The Secretary shall include in the report required under subsection (a)(1)(B)—
(1)
a detailed description of the existing programs, including each major program area, that conduct or support research, development, demonstration, and deployment of technology—
(A)
to prevent the emission of carbon dioxide or to capture carbon dioxide from sources, including fossil fuel-based power plants;
(B)
to transport carbon dioxide;
(C)
to store or sequester captured carbon dioxide permanently; or
(D)
to put captured carbon dioxide to beneficial use;
(2)
an assessment, based on Federal Government laboratory research experience, available industry research experience, and such other data and information as the Secretary considers useful and appropriate, to determine whether each major program area and principal projects within the areas described in paragraph (1) are designed to, and will advance fundamental knowledge or achieve significant technical advancement and materially improve the technology base to effectively address the prevention of carbon dioxide emissions or capture of carbon dioxide or the transport, permanent storage, or beneficial use of captured carbon dioxide; and
(3)
an assessment of the estimated timeframe and costs of the Secretary necessary to reasonably conclude that technology will be available to the commercial marketplace.
(c)
Government Accountability Office review requirements— The Comptroller General of the United States shall include in the review required under subsection (a)(2)—
(1)
an analysis of the estimated timeframes and costs of the Secretary, as reported pursuant to subsection (b)(3);
(2)
any recommendations that the Comptroller General of the United States considers appropriate and useful to improve the likelihood of achieving technological advancements to mitigate carbon dioxide emissions or to expedite the availability of carbon capture and sequestration technology for the commercial marketplace;
(3)
an assessment of any legal or regulatory impediment by any Federal agency or department that has arisen in relation to the deployment of carbon capture and storage technology, including any delays in the permitting of the technology or the construction or operation of any facility; and
(4)
any other analyses the Comptroller General of the United States considers necessary or appropriate.
(d)
Budget request report— In the budget requests for each of fiscal years 2016 through 2030, the President shall include in the budget request of the Secretary for the Fossil Energy Program a report that assesses—
(1)
the progress of the Secretary in implementing the recommendations of the Comptroller General of the United States and compares the estimated costs of completing implementation of those recommendations to the requested budget levels; and
(2)
the progress made for the preceding fiscal year toward achieving the goals of the program for which funding is requested.