Occidental secures EPA backing for DAC storage

STRATOS project in Texas granted Class IV permits despite deep uncertainty over Trump administration’s readiness to support carbon management tech

The US Environmental Protection Agency has granted its first permits for CO₂ storage linked to a direct air capture (DAC) project, amid ongoing uncertainty over federal funding for the emerging technology under the Trump administration. Class IV sequestration permits have been approved for the STRATOS DAC project in Ector County, Texas, which is under development by 1PointFive, a subsidiary of US energy company Occidental. STRATOS is designed to capture up to 500,000t/yr of CO₂ and is on track to start commercial operations in 2025. It is the centrepiece of 1PointFive’s South Texas DAC Hub on the King Ranch, which has the capacity to expand up to 30mt/yr of removals and the storage of up to