The nascent industry for removing carbon dioxide directly from the air is calling on the...
FILE - A liquid carbon dioxide containment unit stands outside the fabrication building of Glenwood Mason Supply Company, April 18, 2023, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. John Minchillo/AP The unregulated carbon dioxide removal industry is calling on the U.S. government to implement standards and regulations to boost transparency and confidence in the sector that's been flooded with billions of dollars in federal funding and private investment. A report Wednesday by the Carbon Removal Alliance, a nonprofit representing the industry, outlined recommendations to improve monitoring, reporting, and verification. Currently the only regulations in the U.S. are related to safety of these projects. Some of the biggest industry players, including Heirloom and Climeworks, are alliance members. "I think it's rare for an industry to call for regulation of itself and I think that is a signal of why this is so important," said Giana Amador, executive director of the alliance. Amador said monitoring, reporting and verification are like "climate receipts" that confirm the amount of carbon removed as well as how long it can actually be stored underground. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Without federal regulation, she said "it really hurts competition and it forces these companies into sort of a marketing arms race instead of being able to focus their efforts on making sure that there really is a demonstrable climate impact." The nonprofit defines carbon removal as any solution that captures carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and stores it permanently. One of the most popular technologies is direct air capture, which filters air, extracts carbon dioxide and puts it underground. The Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law have provided around $12…