---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 16298e"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "16298e"
heading: "Carbon dioxide removal task force and report"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/16298e"
units:
  - "Chapter 149 — National Energy Policy and Programs"
  - "Subchapter IX — Research and Development"
  - "Part F — Fossil Energy"
---

# §16298e. Carbon dioxide removal task force and report

- (a) **Definition of carbon dioxide removal—** In this section, the term “carbon dioxide removal” means the capture of carbon dioxide directly from ambient air or, in dissolved form, from seawater, combined with the sequestration of that carbon dioxide, including through—
  - (1) direct air capture and sequestration;
  - (2) enhanced carbon mineralization;
  - (3) bioenergy with carbon capture and sequestration;
  - (4) forest restoration;
  - (5) soil carbon management; and
  - (6) direct ocean capture.
- (b) **Report—** Not later than 180 days after December 27, 2020, the [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4) of Energy (in this section referred to as the “[Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4)”), in consultation with the heads of any other relevant Federal [agencies](/usc/42/8262.md?p=1), shall prepare a report that—
  - (1) estimates the magnitude of excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that will need to be removed by 2050 to achieve net-zero emissions and stabilize the climate;
  - (2) inventories current and emerging approaches of carbon dioxide removal and evaluates the advantages and disadvantages of each of the approaches; and
  - (3) identifies recommendations for legislation, funding, rules, revisions to rules, financing mechanisms, or other policy tools that the Federal Government can use to sufficiently advance the deployment of carbon dioxide removal [projects](/usc/42/16371.md?p=12) in order to meet, in the aggregate, the magnitude of needed removals estimated under [paragraph (1)](#b-1), including policy tools, such as—
    - (A) grants;
    - (B) loans or [loan guarantees](/usc/42/16371.md?p=8);
    - (C) public-private partnerships;
    - (D) direct procurement;
    - (E) incentives, including subsidized Federal financing mechanisms available to [project](/usc/42/16371.md?p=12) developers;
    - (F) advance market commitments;
    - (G) regulations; and
    - (H) any other policy mechanism determined by the [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4) to be beneficial for advancing carbon dioxide removal methods and the deployment of carbon dioxide removal [projects](/usc/42/16371.md?p=12).
- (c) **Submission; publication—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4) shall—
  - (1) submit the report prepared under [subsection (b)](#b) to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committees on Energy and Commerce and Science, Space, and Technology of the House of Representatives; and
  - (2) as soon as practicable after completion of the report, make the report publicly available.
- (d) **Evaluation; revision—**
  - (1) **In general—** Not later than 2 years after the date on which the [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4) publishes the report under [subsection (c)(2)](#c-2), and every 2 years thereafter, the [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4) shall evaluate the findings and recommendations of the report, or the most recent updated report submitted under [paragraph (2)(B)](#d-2-B), as applicable, taking into consideration any issues and recommendations identified by the [task force](/usc/42/16121.md?p=4) established under [subsection (e)(1)](#e-1).
  - (2) **Revision—** After completing each evaluation under [paragraph (1)](#d-1), the [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4) shall—
    - (A) revise the report as necessary; and
    - (B) if the [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4) revises the report under [subparagraph (A)](#d-2-A), submit and publish the updated report in accordance with [subsection (c)](#c).
- (e) **Task force—**
  - (1) **Establishment and duties—** Not later than 60 days after December 27, 2020, the [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4) shall establish a [task force](/usc/42/16121.md?p=4)—
    - (A) to identify barriers to advancement of carbon dioxide removal methods and the deployment of carbon dioxide removal [projects](/usc/42/16371.md?p=12);
    - (B) to inventory existing or potential Federal legislation, rules, revisions to rules, financing mechanisms, or other policy tools that are capable of advancing carbon dioxide removal methods and the deployment of carbon dioxide removal [projects](/usc/42/16371.md?p=12);
    - (C) to assist in preparing the report described in [subsection (b)](#b) and any updates to the report under [subsection (d)](#d); and
    - (D) to advise the [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4) on matters pertaining to carbon dioxide removal.
  - (2) **Members and selection—** The [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4) shall—
    - (A) develop criteria for the selection of members to the [task force](/usc/42/16121.md?p=4) established under [paragraph (1)](#e-1); and
    - (B) select members for the [task force](/usc/42/16121.md?p=4) in accordance with the criteria developed under [subparagraph (A)](#e-2-A).
  - (3) **Meetings—** The [task force](/usc/42/16121.md?p=4) shall meet not less frequently than once each year.
  - (4) **Evaluation—** Not later than 7 years after December 27, 2020, the [Secretary](/usc/42/15801.md?p=4) shall—
    - (A) reevaluate the need for the [task force](/usc/42/16121.md?p=4) established under [paragraph (1)](#e-1); and
    - (B) submit to Congress a recommendation as to whether the [task force](/usc/42/16121.md?p=4) should continue.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 116–260, div. Z, title V, § 5002, Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 2550.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

Section was enacted as part of the Energy Act of 2020, and not as part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 which comprises this chapter.