The Audubon Society on Monday became the first wildlife conservation group to join an industry coalition on developing technology that would make fossil fuels such as coal a low-carbon fuel for electricity.
“The Carbon Capture Coalition is pursuing many avenues — including a market-driven approach that has deep bipartisan support,” said David Yarnold, president and CEO of National Audubon Society. “Audubon is excited to be at the table with a range of voices exploring policy options that accelerate a reduction in carbon pollution.”
The Carbon Capture Coalition describes itself as nonpartisan and recently saw success in advocating for a tax credit in a recent spending bill to help the energy industry build coal and natural gas plants with carbon capture technology. The technology takes carbon dioxide out of the smokestack at a power plant, for example, and places it underground or recycles it as a fluid used in making fuels and producing crude oil. The tax credits had wide bipartisan support.
Yarnold said Audubon’s work on saving bird species is what motivated the group to join, since “the greatest threat to birds and people is climate change.” The technology is seen as a way to continue to use fossil fuels as many countries work to meet the 2015 United Nations Paris climate change accord.
President Trump withdrew from the agreement a year ago. Nevertheless, he continues to support “clean coal” technology such as carbon capture.
“America is blessed with extraordinary energy abundance, including more than 250 years worth of beautiful clean coal,” Trump tweeted Friday.
“We have ended the war on coal, and will continue to work to promote American energy dominance!” he continued.
Energy Secretary Rick Perry is actively promoting U.S. leadership in carbon capture technology in talks with other countries that are projected to increase their use of coal over the coming decades.
