LEBEC, Calif. (KERO) — The Dept. of Energy announced the Lebec Net-Zero Project, and 23 others, would lose federal funding accounting for $3.7 billion dollars.
- The prpject was a collaboration between National Cement of California and Carbon TerraVault, a branch of the California Resources Corporation.
- The project aimed to produce less carbon-intensive cement, reduce use of fossil fuels, and include a carbon-capture and sequestration element.
- Uncertainty remains about the future of the National Cement of California and Carbon TerraVault project.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A half-billion dollars in matching funds for a carbon sequestration and capture project outside of Lebec has been pulled by the federal government, I'm Sam Hoyle your neighborhood reporter, the announcement coming at the end of last month, the National Cement Lebec net zero project being one of two dozen project to have funding rescinded.
A release from the US Department of Energy secretary Chris Wright announcing the termination of two dozen awards issued by the Office of Clean Energy demonstrations, wright saying quote, "While the previous administration failed to conduct a thorough financial review before signing away billions of taxpayer dollars, the Trump administration is doing our due diligence to ensure we are utilizing taxpayer dollars to strengthen our national security, bolster affordable, reliable energy sources and advance projects that generate the highest possible return on investment," said Secretary Wright. "Today, we are acting in the best interest of the American people by cancelling these 24 awards."
According to the release, 3.7 billion dollars in subsidies across 24 total projects were terminated.
The project named Lebec Net-Zero Project project, a collaboration between the National Cement Company of California and Carbon Terravault, a branch of the California Resources Corporation, had three main components according to a release from National Cement describing the project:
-Producing a blended cement that uses a "less carbon intensive alternative"
-Using alternatives to fossil fuels like bio-mass, the release mentions pistachio shells
-Carbon capture and sequestration.
In a statement as part of the release, Steve Wise, president of NCC of California said in part,
"This is an exciting, first-of-a-kind project in the cement industry. With this investment, we are expanding our manufacturing capacity of American-made cement, producing new innovative cement products, and creating new highly skilled jobs."
The project was slated to bring hundreds of construction jobs and at least 20 new jobs dedicated to operating the plant, according to the release.
We reached out to National Cement of California and CRC, but did not get a response before news time.
The national cement plant straddles the 20th and 27th congressional districts, seats held by Congressman Vince Fong and Congressman George Whitesides. We reached out to both lawmakers, but were unable to obtain comment by news time.
As of this moment it is unclear whether the project will move forward.
In Lebec, Sam Hoyle, your neighborhood reporter
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