ICYMI: Senators Murray, Cantwell Announce $1 Billion for New Hydrogen Hub in Pacific Northwest Funded by Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
***VIDEO HERE***
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, delivered the following remarks at a virtual press conference with Governor Inslee celebrating the announcement of up to $1 billion in federal funding from the Department of Energy’s landmark Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs program to establish a clean hydrogen hub in the Pacific Northwest. The historic program—one of the largest in the agency’s history—was funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Senator Murray helped pass as Assistant Majority Leader. The Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Association was selected from over 79 project applications to become one of seven Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs in the country.
Senator Murray’s full remarks, as delivered:
“Thank you so much and thank you to the great team that put together this application and who is going to put it to good use. I just have to say—this is such an exciting time for our region. We are talking about a billion—with a ‘b’—a billion-dollar award for the Pacific Northwest. That is a huge deal!
“The Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs Program is one of the largest investments in Department of Energy history—and it is going to form the foundation for a nationwide clean hydrogen network.
“What we are doing is accelerating the commercial-scale development of clean hydrogen right here in the Pacific Northwest, which will make an enormous difference for speeding up our decarbonization efforts, cutting our greenhouse gas pollution in the region, and tackling the climate crisis.
“Not to mention, as the Governor just said, this investment will potentially create more than ten thousand new, good-paying jobs right here in the Pacific Northwest.
“Now, all of this is possible because of the investments we made in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law—which I was very proud to help pass when I was Assistant Majority Leader in the Senate.
“That landmark bill included eight billion dollars to invest in developing and scaling clean hydrogen technology across our country.
“And that is why we are able to celebrate this award today.
“Together with the CHIPS and Science Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, we have made historic investments in recent years to really turbocharge our clean energy economy and make sure the country stays on the cutting edge of clean energy technology—and we’re just getting started.
“Now I will tell you, as Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue advocating for important funding for clean energy research and development programs at the Department of Energy, including for hydrogen—and to keep these programs front and center.
“I have spoken with Secretary Granholm multiple times over the past two years to make it very clear that Washington state is ready—we are ready to lead on hydrogen.
“My staff has followed up insistently on this to make clear that we, here in this region, are up to the task of building and scaling cutting-edge hydrogen technologies in the Pacific Northwest.
“And our low-carbon grid means that hydrogen that is produced here will not just be clean—it will be truly green.
“So, with the support and partnership of Tribes, and labor, and businesses, and local and state government throughout our region—we will lead the way on a clean hydrogen future, starting right here in Washington state and the Pacific Northwest.
“So this is a really exciting investment here for us, and we are ready to go under the Governor’s leadership.
“And I just have to say at the top that it’s a lot easier for me to make the case for Washington state thanks to the Governor and his decades-long efforts to ensure that Washington state is really at the forefront of clean energy technology and economy.
“So, I will continue to advocate at my end at every opportunity for federal solutions and investments to help our state lead the way on clean energy. But this is really an exciting day for our region, so I want to thank everybody on the team that’s worked so hard and has now been rewarded by this announcement today.”
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