Letter to Leadership of Senate Appropriations Committee and Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, Re: Extension of FutureGen Cooperative Agreement

Letter

Durbin, Bond Urge Extension of FutureGen Cooperative Agreement as Part of Supplemental

U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Kit Bond (R-MO) today urged the Senate Appropriations Committee to include language in the upcoming Infrastructure Supplemental Appropriations bill to extend the Department of Energy's cooperative agreement with the current FutureGen Alliance. This extension will direct the Department of Energy to reinstate the cooperative agreement for the FutureGen program and preserve the program and previously appropriated funds for the next administration to decide the best way to move forward with FutureGen.

"As the Senate prepares to consider the FY08 Infrastructure Supplemental Appropriations bill, we urge the committee to extend the Department of Energy's cooperative agreement with the current FutureGen Alliance," the Senators wrote. "In order to preserve the work that has already been undertaken by the FutureGen Alliance and ensure that the program can continue with construction of the first near-zero emissions power plant at Mattoon, Illinois, we urge the committee to provide for a simple extension of the Budget period for the cooperative agreement."

Last week, the Senate Appropriations Committee, of which both Durbin and Bond are members, voted to protect $134 million of previously appropriated funding for FutureGen until the next administration. The Energy and Water Appropriations bill passed by a bipartisan group of senators also includes language prohibiting the Department of Energy from using the funds for its new restructured clean coal program.

Text of the letter appears below:

July 18, 2008

The Honorable Robert C. Byrd
Chairman
Senate Committee on Appropriations
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Thad Cochran
Ranking Member
Senate Committee on Appropriations
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Byron Dorgan
Chairman
Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development
Senate Committee on Appropriations
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Pete V. Domenici
Ranking Member
Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development
Senate Committee on Appropriations
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Chairman Byrd, Ranking Member Cochran, Chairman Dorgan and Ranking Member Domenici:

As the Senate prepares to consider the FY08 Infrastructure Supplemental Appropriations bill, we urge the committee to extend the Department of Energy's cooperative agreement with the current FutureGen Alliance. This provision would be similar to the amendment we offered in Committee during consideration of the first supplemental. As you recall, it was approved by voice vote.

Unfortunately, the Secretary of U.S. Department of Energy has abandoned the FutureGen program. In order to preserve the work that has already been undertaken by the FutureGen Alliance and ensure that the program can continue with construction of the first near-zero emissions power plant at Mattoon, Illinois, we urge the committee to provide for a simple extension of the Budget period for the cooperative agreement and have attached draft language for your consideration.

Thank you for your attention to this important issue.

Sincerely,

Richard J. Durbin
U.S. Senator

Christopher S. Bond
U.S. Senator

FutureGen

(a) Subject to subsections (b) and (c), the Secretary of Energy shall continue

(1) the cooperative agreement numbered DE-FC-26-06NT42073 (as in effect on May 15, 2008); and
(2) Budget Period 1, under such agreement, through March 31, 2009.

(b) The agreement described in subsection (a) may not be terminated except by the mutual consent of the parties to the agreement until March 31, 2009.

(c) During the period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act and ending on March 31, 2009

(1) funds may be expended under the agreement described in subsection (a) to complete Budget Period 1;
(2) no funds may be deobligated from the agreement described in subsection (a)
(3) if funds have been deobligated from the agreement since May 15, 2008, an equivalent amount shall be reobligated; and
(4) all funds previously appropriated for FutureGen shall be held exclusively for future obligation to the agreement.

Source