Washington and Oregon have ambitious climate goals that will eventually require both states to capture or remove–and then permanently store–carbon pollution. The Columbia River Basalt Group, a massive volcanic formation underlying the Pacific Northwest, is a unique geologic asset that can enable the region to meet these climate goals through permanent geologic carbon sequestration. Carbon mineralization inside flood basalts—where CO2 mixed with water reacts with minerals in basalt to form solid carbonates—locks carbon into the rock matrix with effectively zero chance of leakage or reversals. Early laboratory and field work suggests that a small portion of the formation (less than 10%) could store tens of billions of tons (Gt) of carbon dioxide, while recent estimates project a total potential of up to 770 Gt. 

Despite this enormous potential, geologic sequestration remains largely undeveloped in the region. Lack of geophysical data to inform siting, shifting economic conditions, and legislative and regulatory gaps remain large barriers, raising costs and exposure to liability for potential project developers. This white paper discusses the context for this inactivity and the incentives for carbon capture and storage (CCS) and suggests a regulatory and policy framework that might help unblock permanent geologic carbon sequestration in the Pacific Northwest. We review the region’s geology and emerging efforts to map its storage potential, the economics and federal incentives for CCS, and the regulatory framework needed to support responsible commercial development.

Importantly, the paper translates this analysis into a practical policy framework. Appendix B provides a model statute designed to address the regulatory and legal barriers identified in the paper and provide a foundation for legislation enabling geologic carbon sequestration in the Pacific Northwest. 

Recommended citation: Meghan E. Gavin and Michael Oristaglio, Geologic Carbon Sequestration in the Pacific Northwest: A Primer Siting, Economics, and Model State Legislation for In-Situ Carbon Dioxide Mineralization, Carbon Containment Lab, August 2026, available at www.carboncontainmentlab.org.