Department of Energy has decided to keep the $1.2 billion awarded to two direct-air-capture (DAC) hubs in Texas and Louisiana, after a review that had previously considered cutting the funding. The move ensures the projects can continue toward a goal of removing more than 2 million metric tons of CO₂ per year. Last October the DOE announced it would cancel billions of dollars in clean-energy awards, including those for auto manufacturing, hydrogen and carbon capture. The Texas and Louisiana hubs were among the nearly 2,000 projects flagged for potential cancellation. Project Cypress in Louisiana received a $550 million award, while the South Texas hub was granted $500 million, but each has only received a first tranche of $50 million. Occidental is a partner in the South Texas hub. The DOE's Hydrocarbons Geothermal and Energy Office will oversee the next steps to unlock the remaining appropriated funds. Some of the captured carbon is slated to be used as a feedstock for jet fuel, a move that could help offset supply chain strains caused by the war in Iran. Energy Secretary Chris Wright told a congressional hearing that the DOE had reviewed the list and backed those that had a credible way to be helpful. He added that the department had had hundreds of dialogues with applicants, back and forth, to assess the projects' viability. With funding secured, the two DAC hubs are poised to advance the United States' carbon-removal ambitions and provide a domestic source of jet fuel feedstock, potentially easing the impact of global supply disruptions on the oil and gas sector.