{"id":2318115,"date":"2024-08-02T10:24:59","date_gmt":"2024-08-02T14:24:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/arch2-gets-30m-for-hydrogen-hub-critics-call-it-a-boondoggle-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-08-02T10:35:39","modified_gmt":"2024-08-02T14:35:39","slug":"arch2-gets-30m-for-hydrogen-hub-critics-call-it-a-boondoggle-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/arch2-gets-30m-for-hydrogen-hub-critics-call-it-a-boondoggle-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"ARCH2 gets $30M for hydrogen hub; critics call it a \u2018boondoggle\u2019 &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Farch2-gets-30m-for-hydrogen-hub-critics-call-it-a-boondoggle-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2318115&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The\u2064 federal \u2062government has initiated funding \u2063for ARCH2, an innovative \u2062hydrogen-based manufacturing \u200cand energy hub \u2062located \u200din Appalachia, with \u200da first disbursement of $30 million. This funding aims to launch a multi-state project expected to receive up to $925 million from the Department of Energy (DOE), facilitating the establishment of a \u200cregional hydrogen economy in West Virginia, Ohio, \u2063and Pennsylvania. ARCH2 officials claim\u2064 that this investment will stimulate significant private sector funding, lead to job \u200dcreation,\u2064 and revitalize communities affected \u2064by the energy transition. The hub\u2019s primary goal is to create a sustainable ecosystem for hydrogen production while reducing emissions through electrolysis,\u200d using renewable energy or fossil fuels. <\/p>\n<p>While the funding is aimed at\u2062 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gretchen-whitmer-signs-one-of-the-nations-most-extreme-green-energy-mandates\/\" title=\"Gretchen Whitmer approves highly stringent green energy mandate\">advancing clean energy initiatives<\/a>, \u200cit has \u2062drawn\u2064 criticism from environmentalists and some legislators who question \u200cthe feasibility of hydrogen hubs and raise concerns about \u2063legal adjustments\u2063 for technologies \u2063like carbon capture. They have \u2064expressed the need for more transparency and caution\u2064 regarding <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/why-youngkin-plan-to-build-2-billion-facility-for-capitals-and-wizards-could-end-up-underwater\/\" title=\"Youngkin&#039;s  billion facility plan for the Capitals and Wizards may sink\">potential\u200d environmental impacts<\/a>, \u2063especially concerning \u2063the management of carbon\u2062 dioxide storage. the venture \u200bmarks a \u2063significant \u200cstep in developing hydrogen technology, despite the skepticism surrounding its implementation and strategic \u200badvantages.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">ARCH2 gets $30M for hydrogen hub; critics call it a &lsquo;boondoggle&rsquo;<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1721373\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>(The Center Square) &mdash; The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/push-to-shorten-u-s-mine-permit-review-process-gains-steam\/\" title=\"Push to shorten U.S. mine permit review process gains steam\">federal government cut<\/a> its first check for a multi-state experiment to build a hydrogen-based manufacturing and energy hub in Appalachia, sending $30 million to ARCH2.<\/p>\n<p>The team behind the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub expects up to $925 million from the Department of Energy to spearhead development.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This federal funding will unlock billions of dollars in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/white-house-releases-list-of-president-trumps-accomplishments-and-it-is-historic\/\" title=\"White House Releases List of President Trump\u2019s Accomplishments \u2013  And It Is Historic!\">private sector investment<\/a> to create thousands of well-paying jobs in Appalachia&rsquo;s emerging hydrogen economy,&rdquo; ARCH2 officials said in a press release. &ldquo;ARCH2 will create a clean, economically viable, and socially equitable hydrogen ecosystem within Appalachia, revitalizing local communities impacted by the energy transition.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The hub, with its headquarters in Morgantown, West Virginia, aims to build a regional cluster in West Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania of producers, consumers, and infrastructure to lower overall emissions by using hydrogen.<\/p>\n<p>Using renewable energy or fossil fuels, the seven hubs scattered across the nation plan to produce hydrogen from water through an electrolysis process, then store the hydrogen until it&rsquo;s used for power generation, fuel, and other industrial processes.<\/p>\n<p>The $30 million will fund phase one of the hub, expected to run up to 36 months. Other money will follow for future phases if ARCH2 hits DOE-set milestones. The four phases of the hub are expected to run for more than a decade.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Less than a year ago, ARCH2 was merely a proposal. Today, we are diligently transforming that idea into reality,&rdquo; officials noted in a recent&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.arch2hub.com\/july-2024-update\/\">summer update<\/a><\/strong>. They anticipate a webinar within a month for more updates.<\/p>\n<p>Pennsylvania&rsquo;s other hub, MACH2 in the eastern region, awaits its first award. In June, the Department of Environmental Protection&rsquo;s Citizens Advisory Council heard&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecentersquare.com\/pennsylvania\/article_74ca7512-2906-11ef-bb14-db7ebe0c6ab9.html\">a presentation<\/a><\/strong>&nbsp;from officials on the hub&rsquo;s benefits and timetable. CAC members asked for more information and details about the plan while public commenters urged them to be skeptical due to the public being &ldquo;kept in the dark.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Environmentalists have warned against the hydrogen hubs, calling on Gov. Josh Shapiro in May to&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecentersquare.com\/pennsylvania\/article_0711f224-1f5c-11ef-96db-8b0146c183d6.html\">put a pause<\/a><\/strong>&nbsp;on their development. The viability of the hubs have also been called into question, as&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecentersquare.com\/pennsylvania\/article_8cc442b2-92d2-11ee-a90e-73a596591568.html\">no large-scale success stories yet exist<\/a><\/strong>&nbsp;even as hundreds of millions of dollars are flowing to the hubs from the government.<\/p>\n<p>Some legislators, too, have cried foul over the legal changes made to accommodate hub-related technology like carbon capture and sequestration.<\/p>\n<p>Rep. Dawn Keefer, R-Dillsburg, condemned&nbsp;<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecentersquare.com\/pennsylvania\/article_03a2263e-4079-11ef-af07-6b6871e45455.html\">Senate Bill 831<\/a><\/strong>&nbsp;in July, which established a legal framework for carbon capture.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;If a Pennsylvania family&rsquo;s water is contaminated by CO2 being pumped into the ground, who&rsquo;s responsible? Under the carbon capture legislation, one thing is very clear: it won&rsquo;t be the multi-billion dollar corporation conducting the carbon capture experimental technology,&rdquo; Keefer said. &ldquo;If carbon capture is so safe and proven, then why is this legislation written to protect the corporations? It&rsquo;s because carbon capture is not a proven science.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>In a newsletter to her constituents, she warned carbon capture is not for the welfare of Pennsylvania, but for corporate subsidies that &ldquo;runs roughshod over the rights of property owners.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>The Ohio River Valley Institute, which has urged states to make alternative investments in clean energy rather than the hydrogen hubs, called the ARCH2 hub a &ldquo;boondoggle.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;This award represents a continued commitment to invest in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/sen-sullivan-calls-out-democrat-hypocrisy-over-natural-gas\/\" title=\"Sen. Sullivan calls out Democrat hypocrisy over natural gas\">natural gas industry<\/a> that has added to the pollution and health burdens in the region while failing to deliver any measurable growth in jobs, income, and population,&rdquo; ORVI Senior Researcher Sean O&rsquo;Leary said. &ldquo;At a time when we should be pursuing proven, cost-effective, job-producing decarbonization models, this decision sends us further down the path of dependency on natural gas that will result in increased taxes and utility bills.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1721373\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1721373\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>ARCH2 Secures $30M for Hydrogen Hub; Detractors Label It a &#8216;Boondoggle&#8217; (The Center Square) \u2014 The federal government has issued its initial funding for a multi-state initiative aimed at establishing a hydrogen-based manufacturing and energy hub in Appalachia, allocating $30 million to ARCH2. The Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub team anticipates receiving up to $925 million from the Department of Energy to lead this development. According to ARCH2 officials, &#8220;This federal funding will unlock billions in private sector investments, creating thousands of high-paying jobs within Appalachia&#8217;s emerging hydrogen economy.&#8221; They assert that ARCH2 will foster a clean, economically sustainable, and socially equitable hydrogen ecosystem in the region, revitalizing communities affected by the energy transition. Based in Morgantown, West Virginia, the hub plans to create a regional network across West Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania that includes producers and consumers as well as necessary infrastructure aimed at reducing emissions through hydrogen use. Utilizing either renewable energy or fossil fuels, seven hubs nationwide intend to generate hydrogen from water via electrolysis before storing it for power generation and other industrial applications. The initial $30 million will support phase one of the project over an estimated 36-month period; additional funding will be contingent on meeting milestones set by the DOE for subsequent phases expected to span over ten years. Officials highlighted that less than a year ago ARCH2 was just an idea but are now actively working towards making it a reality. They plan to host a webinar soon for further updates. Meanwhile, Pennsylvania&#8217;s other hub project known as MACH2 is still awaiting its first grant award. In June, members of Pennsylvania\u2019s Department of Environmental Protection\u2019s Citizens Advisory Council received information about MACH2&#8217;s benefits and timeline but requested more details amid public concerns about transparency regarding these developments. Environmental advocates have expressed opposition toward these hydrogen hubs; they urged Governor Josh Shapiro in May to halt their progress due to potential risks associated with them. Questions have also been raised regarding their feasibility since no large-scale successes have been reported despite significant government investment into these projects thus far. Some lawmakers have criticized legal adjustments made for technologies related to carbon capture and sequestration linked with these hubs\u2014Rep. Dawn Keefer condemned Senate Bill 831 which established regulations around carbon capture technology stating concerns about accountability if local water sources become contaminated due CO\u2082 injection practices used by corporations involved in such initiatives: \u201cIf carbon capture is so safe&#8230; why does this legislation protect corporations?\u201d she questioned while asserting that such measures prioritize corporate interests over community welfare rights concerning property owners\u2019 protections against environmental hazards posed by experimental technologies like carbon capture systems instead focusing on subsidies benefiting big businesses rather than genuine decarbonization efforts needed within Pennsylvania\u2019s economy overall according Ohio River Valley Institute who labeled ARCH2 hub initiative as \u201cboondoggle.\u201d Senior Researcher Sean O\u2019Leary remarked: \u201cThis award signifies ongoing commitment towards investing into natural gas industry contributing pollution &amp; health burdens without delivering measurable job growth or income increases,\u201d adding urgency around pursuing proven cost-effective decarbonization models instead leading us deeper dependency upon natural gas resulting higher taxes &amp; utility bills down line.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2318116,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/AP23355631301984-1-1024x591.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[37001,17989,4365,6513,37002],"class_list":["post-2318115","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner","tag-arch2","tag-boondoggle","tag-critics","tag-funding","tag-hydrogen-hub"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/AP23355631301984-1-1024x591.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2318115","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2318115"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2318115\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2318116"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2318115"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2318115"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2318115"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}