Lawmakers Accuse DOE of Illegally Using Carbon Capture Funds to Subsidize Coal Plants

Two Democratic lawmakers, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur and Senator Patty Murray, have accused the U.S. Department of Energy of illegally diverting $350 million in carbon capture innovation funds to bail out failing coal plants. The funds, drawn from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, were meant for carbon capture demonstration and pilot projects. Instead, DOE's funding opportunity focuses on routine maintenance, plant overhauls, and restarting dormant coal facilities, with carbon capture treated as an afterthought. The lawmakers argue this violates the Purpose Statute and the Antideficiency Act. They have demanded an immediate freeze on all related funding obligations until the DOE can prove it is acting within the law. The dispute follows months of unanswered correspondence and highlights ongoing tensions over how federal climate funds are allocated.