Montana is the leader in providing abundant, affordable, and reliable energy to Americans throughout the Mountain West region.
October 2, 2020
minute read time
By Dan Brouillette, Secretary of Energy
Last week, I traveled to Montana where I met with energy leaders from the private and public sectors. While the coronavirus pandemic impacted all aspects of our economy, few sectors were impacted as deeply as our oil, natural gas, and coal industries. But, as I told the Department of Energy (DOE) stakeholders in the Treasure State, the Trump Administration is working diligently to ensure that these industries will emerge from the COVID-19 downturn stronger than ever. American energy dominance will continue, and Montana will play a key role in our resurgence.
Montana is the leader in providing abundant, affordable, and reliable energy to Americans throughout the Mountain West region. It is one of the top producers of coal and home to the nation’s single largest underground natural gas storage site. Its role in our energy landscape is why we’ve invested $21 million into Montana.
As part of my trip, I had the privilege of touring the Colstrip Mine. The Trump Administration is determined to be innovative in the future use of coal to make it cleaner, more reliable, and expand its uses for the American people. For example, DOE is committed to its Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) research and development (R&D) program, and recently announced $72 million in federal funding to support the further development and advancement of carbon capture technologies. This effort will boost the comprehensive portfolio of technological solutions that will help keep CO2 emissions from entering the atmosphere, while ensuring that we can continue to use carbon for energy.
But, we also want to discover new ways of using coal via “coal-to-products.” DOE is investing in research to determine how to transform coal into products like building material, carbon fiber, and 3D printing materials from coal feedstocks. DOE just announced $122 million for research projects aimed at developing technological solutions to extract critical minerals, especially rare earth elements, and other valuable resources from our Nation’s abundant coal reserves.
This technology will have a direct impact on the people of Montana and, when commercially available, bring hundreds of jobs to the region.
I also discussed the state’s economic potential surrounding natural gas. These fuels are vital to every American’s way of life. But, Montana’s abundant natural gas is only valuable if it is safely and efficiently delivered to homes and businesses. Therefore, DOE is investing in research to improve natural gas infrastructure.
The Natural Gas Infrastructure Program run by our National Energy Technology Laboratory specifically focuses on:
- Developing next-generation pipeline materials,
- Advancing external leak detection, and
- Repairing pipeline damage without disruption of service.
Earlier this year, the Department announced $25 million in funding opportunities to develop tools, methods, and technologies to enhance the safety and efficiency of the Nation’s natural gas storage and transmission infrastructure.
These programs will help ensure Montana continues to reap the benefits of its natural gas storage and transport capabilities. In turn, Montana will help power our post-pandemic economic comeback. I’m proud of the work DOE is doing in and for the state.
Dan Brouillette
Dan Brouillette, Former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy
Dan Brouillette served as the 15th Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy. Secretary Brouillette has three decades of experience in both the public and private sector. Most recently he was the Deputy Secretary of Energy.
He also served as the Senior Vice President and head of public policy for USAA, the Nation’s leading provider of financial services to the military community. Before joining USAA, Secretary Brouillette was a Vice President of Ford Motor Company, where he led the automaker’s domestic policy teams and served on its North American Operating Committee.
At Ford and USAA, he was part of senior management teams that helped bring to market innovative technologies like auto collision avoidance and remote deposit capture, a technology invented by USAA that allows the use of smart devices to deposit funds into our banking accounts.
Before his transition into the private sector, Secretary Brouillette held numerous positions in government. He was Chief of Staff to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce, which has broad jurisdictional and oversight authority over five Cabinet-level Federal agencies. He also served as Assistant Secretary of Energy for Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs from 2001 to 2003. In addition, he is a former state energy regulator, having served as a member of the Louisiana State Mineral and Energy Board from 2013 to 2016.
Secretary Brouillette and his wife, Adrienne, are both U.S. Army veterans and have been married for 28 years. They hail from San Antonio, TX, and have nine children.