Central ND News

Senator John Hoeven announced today that he has secured a $5 million award from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for the University of North Dakota (UND) Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC). The funding aims to develop CO2 storage facilities in the Williston Basin. Hoeven, who played a pivotal role in advancing this funding, emphasized its importance in maintaining North Dakota's leadership in carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technologies. This initiative also ensures continued use of the state's coal, oil, and gas reserves.

As a member of the Senate Energy and Water Development Appropriations Committee, Hoeven highlighted the significance of this award: “Whether in support of our coal-fired power plants, facilities like the Great Plains Synfuels Plant or our vast oil and gas industry, EERC and North Dakota are leading the way in developing CCUS technologies. This $5 million award provides continued support for the partnerships we’ve built to advance these efforts. It will enable EERC to provide its technical expertise as companies develop basin-wide carbon storage facilities, utilizing our unique geology in the Bakken and the legal framework and regulatory certainty we’ve worked to provide at the state and federal level,” said Hoeven.