Durbin Meets with Energy Secretary Bodman to Push Illinois Leadership in Energy Innovation

DURBIN MEETS WITH ENERGY SECRETARY BODMAN TO PUSH ILLINOIS LEADERSHIP IN ENERGY INNOVATION

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman to discuss issues important to the State of Illinois. At the meeting, Durbin advocated bringing the FutureGen project to Southern Illinois, discussed the long-term benefits of stockpiling gasoline reserves, and the future of the Rare Isotope Accelerator (RIA) research facility.

FutureGen is a $1 billion government-industry project which will produce the first emissions-free coal generation plant of its kind. The Department of Energy will develop a short list of the most qualified states by mid-2006, and make a final site selection in mid to late 2007.

"FutureGen is the number one federal energy project for downstate Illinois, an area that has the coal and the commitment needed to make it a reality," said Durbin. "Finding cleaner ways to generate power using coal will help ensure our country's energy security. I have been working closely with Senator Obama and Representative Costello to bring this project to Illinois. I was pleased to see significant funds allocated for the project in this year's budget proposal."

This week, the President's budget made a commitment of $54 million for FutureGen. An additional $200 million will become available on October 1, 2007 to support continued funding. Non-Federal sources will be required to match funds for initial planning and research at least 20 percent.

Illinois has almost one-eighth of the coal reserves in the United States and one-quarter of the nation's bituminous coal reserves. The Illinois coal industry produces approximately 35 million tons of coal and generates more than $1 billion in gross revenues. Currently, recoverable coal reserves in the state of Illinois amount to more than 30 billion tons. The valuable mineral underlies 65 percent of the state's surface.

Durbin noted that Illinois geology is also well suited for the carbon-trapping technology that the FutureGen project would need to develop. Illinois is home to oil and gas reserves and deep saline aquifers that can capture and sequester carbon dioxide.

In addition, Southern Illinois University operates its Coal Research Center in Carbondale- one of the top in the country - which conducts a wide range of studies that deal with the commercial development of coal. The center's work includes improvements of coal cleaning processes, the reduction of air pollution from coal-fired power plants, the reduction of solid waste residues from coal burning, and the development of products from those residues.

In early December of 2005, Secretary Bodman announced that the Department of Energy would be moving forward with the project, after signing an agreement with the FutureGen Industrial Alliance, a group of coal and energy companies with investment commitments to the project. The FutureGen Initiative was initially announced by President Bush in February 2003. Over the next year, site selection, design activities, and environmental analyses will lay the groundwork for final project design, construction, and operation.

In today's meeting, Durbin also strongly urged Bodman to consider taking steps to create a stockpile of gasoline reserves.

"Over the past year, the United States has imported record levels of refined fuel products," Durbin noted. "While the availability of refined products from foreign nations has helped to ease the impact of fuel shortages in the United States, relying on the resources held by foreign nations in the future compromises our national and energy security."

Durbin authored the Strategic Gasoline and Fuel Reserve Act of 2005, S.1794, in response to fuel shortages caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The bill will require the Department of Energy to hold and manage 40 million barrels of unleaded gasoline and 7.5 million barrels of jet fuel to be used in times of shortages that adversely impact the U.S. economy.

"With an open dialogue between the Administration, Congress and industry representatives, we can create the appropriate infrastructure and supplies to ensure stability in our fuel market," Durbin concluded.

In today's meeting, Durbin also stressed the importance of funding the Rare Isotope Accelerator (RIA), a $1 billion research facility. Durbin expressed serious concern that the Administration has yet to provide funds to move forward with the RIA site selection process, for which Argonne is a potential recipient.

"The Rare Isotope Accelerator belongs at Argonne," Durbin said. "Argonne has already built a major isotope accelerator and is the only facility in America with the experience, infrastructure and management already in place to get this project up and running. I look forward to working with the members of the Illinois delegation and the Administration on fully funding this important project."

http://durbin.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=251363&&