Clean Air Task Force (CATF) is an environmentalist think tank and policy advocacy organization focused on left-of-center climate policies moving toward a zero-emission environment. Its issue areas include development of advanced nuclear energy, carbon capture, reduction in methane emissions, and increased emissions regulation for conventional power plants.

CATF works with legislators at the federal and state levels and with other climate policy activists to influence climate policy changes and legislation. ¹

Background

Clean Air Task Force was founded in 1996, initially focusing on the reduction of power plant pollution and working with states to implement state and federal policies. In 2000, CATF expanded its work to include reducing methane and black-carbon emissions through support of scientific research and policy advocacy. In 2002, CATF began to advocate for carbon capture and advanced nuclear energy to address the reduction of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions. In 2007, CATF began a program to accelerate the deployment of advanced nuclear reactors as a cleaner power source and launched the Nuclear Innovation Alliance in 2013. In 2018, CATF expanded into Mexico and Canada, working with environmental officials to implement methane emissions rules. The organization began work on the commercialization of zero-carbon fuels options, including hydrogen and ammonia. In 2021, CATF added offices in Europe and projects in Latin America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. ²

CATF employs scientists, engineers, policy experts, lawyers, and communications professionals to address climate change through research, policy advocacy, and support of climate technology innovation. ³ It has approximately 180 employees. ⁴

Climate focus areas include advanced nuclear energy, carbon capture, development and deployment of zero-carbon fuels such as hydrogen and ammonia, reduction in methane emissions, and increased emissions regulation for fossil-fuel power plants. ⁵

Clean Air Task Force Action is a lobbying group aligned with CATF to lobby for left-of-center climate policies for zero-emissions and decarbonization. ⁶

Research

In 2021, Clean Air Task Force partnered with environmentalist think tank Niskanen Center to produce a report that proposes the creation of a National Transmission Organization to replace the fragmented project approach to climate change and consolidate control over emissions policy at the federal level. ⁷

In May 2023, CATF and left-of-center environmentalist group Ceres published the third annual Benchmarking Methane and other GHG Emissions of Oil and Natural Gas Production in the United States to inform policymakers, regulators, and investors on the state of methane and greenhouse gas emissions. The report was funded by Bank of America Charitable Foundation. ⁸

Policy Advocacy

From 2003 to 2012, Clean Air Task Force co-led a National Diesel Clean-up campaign focused on the reduction of air pollution from diesel engines which resulted in tougher EPA emissions standards. ⁹

As part of its focus on advanced nuclear energy, CATF successfully lobbied to pass the Nuclear Energy Innovation Capabilities Act in 2018. ¹⁰

In 2019 CATF went to court to challenge the Bureau of Land Management’s plan to eliminate its methane waste prevention rule on behalf of the National Wildlife Federation. ¹¹

In 2020 CATF lobbied at the federal level for energy legislation which led to the inclusion of $125 billion in incentives to support the research, development, and deployment of climate solutions including renewable energy, carbon capture, and advanced nuclear capabilities. ¹²

In 2023 CATF created a state policy program to work with government officials and communities at a state level to pass climate policies. ¹³

In September 2023, CATF collaborated with Environmental Defense Fund, Earthworks Action Fund, and Sierra Club on a Pennsylvania poll regarding cutting methane pollution as the Environmental Protection Agency was finalizing its nationwide methane rule for oil and gas producers. ¹⁴

Campaigns and Memberships

Clean Air Task Force is a member of the Carbon Capture Coalition, convened by the Great Plains Institute, which works to build federal policies to enable the deployment of carbon management technologies, including carbon capture, removal, transport, reuse, and storage. Other members of the coalition include the AFL-CIO union federation, Bipartisan Policy Center, Carbon180, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions, International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, National Wildlife Federation, and The Nature Conservancy. ¹⁵

In 2021, CATF joined with other left-of-center environmental activist groups to form the Carbon Free Technology Initiative, to develop policy recommendations that support the development and deployment of carbon free solutions such as hydrogen and ammonia, energy storage, and advanced nuclear energy. Member organizations include Great Plains Institute, Bipartisan Policy Center, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, Nuclear Energy Institute, and Third Way. ¹⁶

Funding

Clean Air Task Force’s 2022 tax returns claim $51,134,505 in revenues and $40,518,743 in expenses. The organization paid out $16,855,228 in employee salaries and benefits. ¹⁷

Left-of-center environmentalist organization Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development donated to CATF in 2022 to support the establishment of a global methane agreement. ¹⁸

Other 2022 donors include Energy Foundation, Foundation to Decrease World Suck, Bloomberg Family Foundation, Arnold Ventures, Sierra Club, ClimateWorks Foundation, John Pritzker Family Fund, Aspen Institute, Global Impact Investing Network, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Omidyar Network Fund, Tides Foundation, Network for Good, JPMorgan Chase Foundation, Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust, National Philanthropic Trust, and Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program. ¹⁹

Leadership

Armond Cohen has been executive director of Clean Air Task Force since its inception in 1996. Cohen was a co-founder of the organization. He graduated with a law degree from Harvard Law School. Previously he was an energy project director at environmental advocacy organization Conservation Law Foundation. ²⁰

Evan Chapman joined CATF as the U.S. federal policy director in February 2023. Previously he was deputy chief of staff and legislative director for Rep. Donald McEachin (D-VA). ²¹

The CATF board of directors includes Clarence Edwards, executive director of climate change think tank E3G, Jeff Brown, managing director of Energy Futures Financing Forum, an Energy Futures Initiative program, and Sue Sheridan, president and chief counsel of the Coalition for Fair Transmission Policy. ²²

1.  “Our areas of work.” Clean Air Task Force – Our Work. Accessed September 23, 2023. https://www.catf.us/work/
2. “CATF Timeline.” Clean Air Task Force – About Us. Accessed September 23, 2023. https://www.catf.us/timeline/#2021_24059
3. DeepPower, Inc. “Clean Air Task Force Director Shares Positive Outlook on Geothermal Future with DeepPower CEO Andrew Van Noy.” Yahoo! Finance. March 15, 2023. Accessed September 23, 2023. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/clean-air-task-force-director-155400992.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmluZy5jb20v&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAGqROHCNqGBSdkmXELMNv13h-KfYOkhlHr5W7_MhFdXbCsTAOSmBLG0t3ynjZWyVLLqNrJjzXcfxHYcja8dobNAQ6O2VoolVeG4fiVYg67Oqa7-tsrdwLDXNQvvte5E3trWvz8kk2eXNfuicpiUsygkRe9v95WZ1By9BeaewlBGD
4. “Clean Air Task Force.” LinkedIn. Accessed September 23, 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/company/clean-air-task-force/about/
5. “Our areas of work.” Clean Air Task Force – Our Work. Accessed September 23, 2023. https://www.catf.us/work/
6. “About Us.” CATF Action. Accessed September 23, 2023. https://www.catfaction.org/about-us/
7. Louisa Tavlas. “New report says complete rethink of U.S. electricity transmission is needed to manage climate change.” Niskanen Center. August 24, 2021. Accessed September 23, 2023. https://www.niskanencenter.org/new-report-says-complete-rethink-of-u-s-electricity-transmission-is-needed-to-manage-climate-change/
8. “Updated Analysis Shows Dramatic Variation of Methane Emissions Among U.S. Oil and Gas Producers.” CSRWire. Submitted by Ceres. May 24, 2023. Accessed September 23, 2023. https://www.csrwire.com/press_releases/775076-updated-analysis-shows-dramatic-variation-methane-emissions-among-us-oil-and
9. “Launched National Diesel Clean-up Campaign.” Clean Air Task Force – About Us – Interactive Timeline. Accessed September 23, 2023. https://www.catf.us/timeline/launched-national-diesel-clean-up-campaign/
10. “Advocated for Nuclear Energy Innovation.” Clean Air Task Force – About Us – Interactive Timeline. Accessed September 23, 2023. https://www.catf.us/timeline/advocated-for-nuclear-energy-innovation/
11. “Launched Legal Challenge to Resurrect the Bureau of Land Management Methane Waste Rule.” Clean Air Task Force – About Us – Interactive Timeline. Accessed September 23, 2023. https://www.catf.us/timeline/legal-challenge-bureau-of-land-management-methane-waste-rule/
12. “Helped Secure $125 billion in Federal Funding for Climate Technology.” Clean Air Task Force – About Us – Interactive Timeline. Accessed September 23, 2023. https://www.catf.us/timeline/secure-125-billion-in-federal-funding-for-climate-technology/
13. Jeremy Tarr. “A lot at state: CATF’s new state policy program aims to accelerate U.S. climate action.” Clean Air Task Force – The Latest. April 13, 2023. Accessed September 23, 2023. https://www.catf.us/2023/04/catfs-new-state-policy-program-aims-accelerate-us-climate-action/
14. “Pennsylvanians want climate action; methane offers an opportunity for Gov. Shapiro to deliver.” Environmental Defense Fund. September 21, 2023. Accessed September 23, 2023. https://blogs.edf.org/energyexchange/2023/09/21/pennsylvanians-want-climate-action-methane-offers-an-opportunity-for-gov-shapiro-to-deliver/
15. “Participants.” Carbon Capture Coalition – About Us. Accessed September 23, 2023. https://carboncapturecoalition.org/about-us/
16. “Overview.” Carbon Free Technology Initiative. Accessed September 23, 2023. https://www.carbonfreetech.org/
17. Clean Air Task Force. Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990 – Part I). 2022.
18. Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development. Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. (Form 990 – Schedule I). 2022.
19. “Clean Air Task Force.” ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer search. Accessed September 23, 2023. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/full_text_search?q=clean+air+task+force&sort=&submit=Apply&year%5B%5D=2021
20. “Armond Cohen.” LinkedIn. Accessed September 23, 2023. https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/conservation-law-foundation/
21. “Evan Chapman.” Clean Air Task Force. Accessed October 18, 2023. https://www.catf.us/experts/evan-chapman/.
22. “Our Board of Directors.” Clean Air Task Force – About Us. Accessed September 23, 2023. https://www.catf.us/about/board-of-directors/