Carbon Dioxide Capture, Utilization and Sequestration (CCUS) Non-Federal Lands Permitting Task Force, 79875-79876 [2022-28156]

Agencies

• COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY

[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 248 (Wednesday, December 28, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 79875-79876]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-28156]


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COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY


Carbon Dioxide Capture, Utilization and Sequestration (CCUS) Non-
Federal Lands Permitting Task Force

AGENCY: Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ).

ACTION: Request for nominations.

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SUMMARY: As required by the Utilizing Significant Emissions with 
Innovative Technologies (USE IT) Act, the Council on Environmental 
Quality (CEQ) is seeking additional member nominations from a diverse 
range of qualified candidates to serve on the ``Carbon Dioxide Capture, 
Utilization and Sequestration (CCUS) Non-Federal Lands Permitting Task 
Force'' (Non-Federal Task Force). Vacancies are anticipated to be 
filled by February 17, 2023.

DATES: CEQ must receive nominations by January 27, 2023.

ADDRESSES: You may submit nominations, identified by ``CEQ CCUS Non-
Federal Lands Permitting Task Force,'' by email to 
[email protected].
    Instructions: All nominations must include a resume; a short 
biography providing an adequate description of the nominee's 
qualifications (including information that will enable CEQ to make a 
determination as to whether the nominee meets the membership 
requirements of the Non-Federal Task Force); and contact information 
for the nominee. Interested candidates may self-nominate.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Caroline M. Gignoux, Attorney-Advisor, 
730 Jackson Place NW, Washington, DC 20503, (202) 395-5750 or 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The USE IT Act, Div. S, sec. 102 (d)(2)(D), 
Public Law 116-260, 134 Stat. 1182, directs the establishment of no 
less than two regionally based task forces to: (1) identify challenges 
and successes that permitting authorities, project developers, and 
operators face to permit CCUS projects in an efficient, orderly, and 
responsible manner; and (2) provide recommendations to improve the 
performance of the permitting process and regional coordination for the 
purpose of promoting the efficient, orderly, and responsible 
development of CCUS projects and carbon dioxide pipelines. The 
regulatory authorities and permitting frameworks differ on Federal 
lands and the Outer Continental Shelf, and non-Federal lands; 
therefore, one task force will address permitting and other challenges 
for CCUS projects on Federal lands and the Outer Continental Shelf, and 
the other task force will address permitting and other challenges for 
CCUS projects on non-Federal lands.
    On July 28, 2022, CEQ published two notices in the Federal Register 
requesting nominations for membership on the task forces. 87 FR 45304; 
87 FR 45306.
    The purpose of this notice is to request additional nominations for 
membership on the Non-Federal Task Force, one of the two task forces 
that will be established under the Federal Advisory Committee Act 
(FACA), as amended, 5 U.S.C. App. 2, and its implementing regulations 
at 41 CFR parts 101-6 and 102-3. A separate Federal Register notice 
seeking additional member nominations for the Carbon Dioxide Capture, 
Utilization and Sequestration (CCUS) Federal Lands and Outer 
Continental Shelf Permitting Task Force has been issued simultaneously 
with this notice.
    Members will be selected by the Council on Environmental Quality 
(CEQ) Chair pursuant to the USE IT Act. As required by FACA, the Non-
Federal Task Force membership will be fairly balanced in terms of the 
points of view represented and the functions to be performed by the 
Non-Federal Task Force. Members of the Non-Federal Task Force will 
serve without compensation. However, each member may be reimbursed for 
authorized travel and per diem expenses incurred while attending Non-
Federal Task Force meetings in accordance with Federal Travel 
Regulations. The Non-Federal Task Force shall meet not less than twice 
each year. To the maximum extent practicable, all task forces 
established under this provision of the USE IT Act shall meet 
collectively not less than once each year.

Responsibilities of the Non-Federal Task Force

    As provided by the USE IT Act, the duties of the Non-Federal Task 
Force will be to:
     Inventory existing or potential Federal and state 
approaches to facilitate reviews associated with the deployment of CCUS 
projects and carbon dioxide pipelines, including best practices that 
avoid duplicative reviews to the extent permitted by law; engage 
stakeholders early in the permitting process; and make the permitting 
process efficient, orderly, and responsible;
     Develop common models for state-level carbon dioxide 
pipeline regulation and oversight guidelines that can be shared with 
states in the geographical area covered by the Non-Federal Task Force;
     Provide technical assistance to states in implementing 
regulatory requirements and models developed by the Non-Federal Task 
Force;
     Inventory current or emerging activities that transform 
captured carbon dioxide into a product of commercial value, or as an 
input to products of commercial value;
     Identify any priority carbon dioxide pipelines needed to 
enable efficient, orderly, and responsible development of CCUS projects 
at increased scale;
     Identify gaps in the current Federal and state regulatory 
framework and in existing data for the deployment of CCUS projects and 
carbon dioxide pipelines;
     Identify Federal and state financing mechanisms available 
to project developers; and
     Develop recommendations for relevant Federal agencies on 
how to develop and research technologies that can capture carbon 
dioxide; and would be able to be deployed within the region covered by 
the Non-Federal Task Force including any projects that have received 
technical or financial assistance for research under section 103(g)(6) 
of the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7403(g)).

Vacancies To Fill

    The Non-Federal Task Force must include no less than one 
representative in each of the following categories as specified in the 
USE IT Act. Div. S, sec. 102 (d)(2)(D)(ii)(II), Public Law 116-260, 134 
Stat.1182. Nominations are sought to fill at least one position in each 
category:
     Any state that requests participation in the geographical 
area covered by the Non-Federal Task Force;
     Developers or operators of CCUS projects or carbon dioxide 
pipelines;

[[Page 79876]]

     Nongovernmental membership organizations, the primary 
mission of which concerns protection of the environment;
    The USE IT Act also requires one expert in each of the following 
fields:
     Health and environmental effects, including exposure 
evaluation; and
     Pipeline safety.
    In addition, members may also include not less than one 
representative in each of the following categories at the request of a 
Tribal or local government:
     A local government in the geographical area covered by the 
Non-Federal Task Force; and
     A Tribal government in the geographical area covered by 
the Non-Federal Task Force.
    To ensure that recommendations of the Non-Federal Task Force have 
considered the needs of diverse groups served by the Federal 
Government, opportunities will be sought to increase diversity, equity, 
inclusion, and accessibility for the membership of the Non-Federal Task 
Force. Please note that federally registered lobbyists serving in an 
``individual capacity'' are ineligible for appointment or 
reappointment.
    In selecting members, CEQ will consider technical expertise, 
coverage of broad stakeholder perspectives, diversity, and the duties 
of the Non-Federal Task Force as outlined in the USE IT Act. CEQ will 
use the following criteria to evaluate nominees:
     Background and experiences that help members contribute to 
the diversity of perspectives on the Non-Federal Task Force;
     Experience working for a state, Tribal, or local 
government on regulatory and permitting issues associated with CCUS 
projects and CO2 pipelines;
     CCUS and pipeline project development experience, or 
expertise and experience in closely related fields from a project 
developer, private sector perspective;
     Experience working for environmental nongovernmental 
organizations;
     Experience working on environmental justice issues at the 
national, state, or local level;
     Expertise in health and environmental effects of carbon 
dioxide, including exposure evaluation;
     Expertise in Federal and state financing mechanisms 
available to project developers;
     Expertise in the regulation, siting, and safety of carbon 
dioxide pipelines;
     Experience or expertise in emerging activities to 
transform CO2 into a product of commercial value;
     Demonstrated experience working on environmental, public 
health and climate change issues;
     Experience and/or responsibilities associated with Federal 
and state regulations and permitting requirements associated with CCUS 
projects and carbon dioxide pipelines, including but not limited to 
experience obtaining and/or issuing permits/rights of way/leases and 
knowledge regarding state legal requirements, processes, timeframes, 
costs, barriers, public engagement requirements, state environmental 
requirements as well as opportunities to improve/enhance all of the 
above;
     Executive management-level experience;
     Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication 
and consensus-building skills; and
     Ability to volunteer time to attend meetings and to 
contribute to the duties assigned to the Non-Federal Task Force.
    Taking into account the nominations CEQ received in response to its 
notices of July 28, 2022, CEQ is particularly interested in additional 
nominations for members who represent a local government in the 
geographical area covered by the Non-Federal Task Force; members who 
represent a Tribal government in the geographical area covered by the 
Non-Federal Task Force; members who are experts in pipeline safety; and 
members who have experience working on environmental justice issues at 
the national, state, or local level.

    Dated: December 21, 2022.
Amy B. Coyle,
Deputy General Counsel.
[FR Doc. 2022-28156 Filed 12-27-22; 8:45 am]
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