Boren joins call for stricter criteria for hydrogen tax credits

OKLAHOMA CITY- Sen. Mary Boren, D-Norman, joined more than 130 state legislators from across the county in urging the federal government to put criteria in place that will ensure projects receiving federal hydrogen tax credits are effective in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Boren signed onto a letter from the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators (NCEL) that proposes putting safeguards in place to prevent projects from causing an increase in greenhouse gas emissions, worsening air quality or not being clean.

“Hydrogen is an essential part of innovative clean energy production and will help us reach our state and national energy goals,” Boren said. “The federal tax credits are offered under the Inflation Reduction Act, and I have joined legislators across the nation to urge our federal agencies to put protocols in place to protect our grid and our environment. We need to diversify our energy sources, and I am glad this credit is being offered to encourage the exploration of new sources, but we must make sure these new projects are truly beneficial, and in line with national and state hydrogen goals.”

In recent years, the Oklahoma Legislature has passed legislation relating to hydrogen including a 2021 bill to create the Hydrogen Production, Transportation and Infrastructure Task Force, which researched the viability of hydrogen production in Oklahoma. The task force’s findings included continuing to focus on growing the state’s hydrogen energy economy, like hydrogen in energy-related legislation and regulations, among other needs to support production in Oklahoma. The task force also suggested working with other states and federal agencies. The state did just that when collaborating with Arkansas and Louisiana to establish plans to build a hydrogen hub.  

Oklahoma lawmakers also passed legislation in 2022 to restructure the board now known as the Oklahoma Low Carbon Energy Initiative, which creates and promotes new and existing energy resources; establishes a hydrogen fuel production standard as an annual goal for the state; establishes a grant program for entities utilizing carbon capture technologies at hydrogen production facilities. Bills approved in 2022 and 2023 expanded the clean-burning motor fuel tax credit to include hydrogen-powered vehicles.

“Oklahoma has worked incredibly hard to build our infrastructure and put policies in place that will allow us to be ahead of the curve on hydrogen production. We can’t allow that work to be undermined by practices that are not efficient or clean. For that reason alone, I stand with my fellow environmentally focused legislators across the nation to ensure recipients of this credit don’t do more harm than good with their energy production efforts,” Boren said.

-END-  

For more information, contact: Sen. Mary Boren at 405-521-5553 or email Mary.Boren@oksenate.gov