EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 11/21/25

PIPELINE NEWS

• Louisiana Illuminator: Central Louisiana residents, leaders sue state over carbon capture land grabs

• WBRZ: Save My Louisiana sues state, claims carbon capture laws violate state constitution

• WHYY: U.S. Rep. Fitzpatrick introduces bipartisan Pipeline Safety Act in response to Upper Makefield leak

• Reuters: BP’s 400-mile Olympic Pipeline system remains shut after leak near Everett, Washington

• Inside Climate News: Gas Pipeline Proposals in Virginia Multiply Through the South—and Worry Community Activists

• Appalachian Voices: Hundreds of residents, advocates speak out against proposed Transco pipeline project

• KPLC: Port, pipeline project proposed for Cameron Parish

• Anchorage Daily News: Alyeska Pipeline faces $244,000 penalty for violations related to small oil leak

• Maryland Matters: Constellation targets Harford County for new gas plant, but pipeline costs could get in the way

• Reuters: Exxon to acquire 40% stake in Enterprise Bahia NGL pipeline

• Vancouver Sun: B.C. says it was not included in rumoured pipeline talks between Ottawa and Alberta

• Canadian Press: Premier Moe says he’s supportive of pipeline to northern B.C., reallowing tankers

• The Cool Down: Resident issues warning as officials push forward on massive pipeline project: ‘We’ve seen this before’

WASHINGTON UPDATES

• New York Times: Trump Plans to Open More Than a Billion Acres of U.S. Waters to Drilling

• Politico: Trump administration proposes opening waters off California and Florida to oil drilling

• E&E News: Florida Republicans rebel against plan to drill in Eastern Gulf

• E&E News: NEPA bill includes amendment to protect project permits

• Heatmap: House Permitting Bill Would Block Trump From Pulling Permits

• Inside EPA: House Panel Clears NEPA Revisions On Party Lines, Setting Up Floor Fight

• Bloomberg: Trump’s Energy Department Revamp Nixes Clean-Energy Offices

• E&E News: Bipartisan lawmakers grumble about BLM permitting delays

• CounterPunch: Conservation Groups Sue Bureau of Land Management to Stop Destruction of Critical Sage Grouse Habitat

• E&E News: Alito is urged to back out of Louisiana coastal erosion case

STATE UPDATES

• E&E News: New York Democrats split on climate law

• Los Angeles Times: California regulators approve rules to curb methane leaks and prevent fires at landfills

• The Center Square: Alabama carbon storage hub gets pushback in Florida

• Los Angeles Times: Crews race to contain oil spill in Ventura County creek

• Cowboy State Daily: Japan Eyes Wyoming Gas As New Mexico-Mexico Route Opens Export Path

EXTRACTION

• Reuters: Saudi Arabia to sign $30 billion worth of energy deals with US, says Aramco CEO

• E&E News: Gas exports may increase Americans’ heating bills, EIA says

• Deutsche Welle: How can we reduce CO2?

• Clean Energy Wire: German carbon storage law reform clears final hurdle

TODAY IN GREENWASHING

• CKNX: Chatsworth Fire Department and Enbridge Gas boost home safety

OPINION

• Earth.org: US States Must Lead on Methane Reduction. Here’s Why and How

• Moab Times Independent: Debunking the ‘14-day permitting’ myth

PIPELINE NEWS

Louisiana Illuminator: Central Louisiana residents, leaders sue state over carbon capture land grabs
Elise Plunk, 11/20/25

“A group of Louisiana residents is suing Gov. Jeff Landry’s administration over state laws that allow the acquisition of private property against landowners’ wishes for pipelines transporting carbon dioxide,” the Louisiana Illuminator reports. “Save My Louisiana, composed mostly of resident and elected officials from Allen, Beauregard, Livingston, Rapides and Vernon parishes, is the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit against the state Thursday morning in the 19th Judicial District Court in Baton Rouge… “The lawsuit argues statutes on the use of eminent domain for carbon capture and storage in Louisiana law are unconstitutional. The laws “provide special privileges and immunities to private Corporations,” deny citizens their right to own property and cede judicial authority to the executive branch of state government. There are currently 31 carbon capture and sequestration projects awaiting state approval, according to the Department of Conservation and Energy… “They include Louisiana Treasurer John Fleming, a U.S. Senate candidate who joined the plaintiffs outside the courthouse for a news conference and shared his opposition to forced land acquisitions for carbon capture projects. “Eminent domain is designed for the public good … This is not for the public benefit,” Fleming said. “This is for the benefit of a very, very small group of people who will end up making lots of money from this.” “…Mike Slocum, co-founder of Save My Louisiana and one of the plaintiffs, told the Illuminator that while his group staunchly backs fossil fuels, there’s a lack of transparency between the industry and state and residents of parishes where carbon capture projects are planned.”

WBRZ: Save My Louisiana sues state, claims carbon capture laws violate state constitution
11/20/25

“Nonprofit organization Save My Louisiana filed suit against the state over carbon capture laws it says are unconstitutional, alleging they give private companies the power to take private property from residents,” WBRZ reports. “…Save My Louisiana accuses these carbon capture laws of violating the Louisiana Constitution, specifically, residents’ right to property. The lawsuit says it grants companies the right to seize private property to use as underground carbon dioxide storage. In a news release, the nonprofit accused state legislators of passing the carbon capture laws without reading or understanding them. “Although Legislators seek full forgiveness for their negligence, they have only offered anemic half-measures to correct their whole measure offense,” the release says. It also accuses legislators of downplaying or denying the existence of eminent domain, despite the language in the laws. The suit seeks to have the carbon capture laws removed and prevent Department of Conservation and Energy Secretary Justin Davidson and Gov. Jeff Landry from enforcing them.”

WHYY: U.S. Rep. Fitzpatrick introduces bipartisan Pipeline Safety Act in response to Upper Makefield leak
Emily Neil, 11/20/25

“U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Bucks County, introduced legislation Thursday to overhaul pipeline safety and emergency response nationwide,” WHYY reports. “The Wojnovich Pipeline Safety Act, co-sponsored by Democrat Tom Suozzi (D-New York), is named in honor of Kristine Wojnovich and her family, who were among the first impacted by the Sunoco Twin Oaks pipeline leak that contaminated at least six private wells with jet fuel in Upper Makefield’s Mt. Eyre neighborhood. Wojnovich first noticed a gasoline smell in her tap water in September of 2023, and reported it to Energy Transfer, the pipeline operator. Water sampling did not show contamination at the time… “Wojnovich told WHYY News that the goal of the legislation is to help protect other communities at risk of contamination from leaks. “Our situation here is actually a national issue,” she told WHYY. “There are aging pipelines all over the country.” Wojnovich told WHYY she hopes that legislators acknowledge “that pipelines are aging and will need to be replaced, and that there should be better leak detection systems, and really that old legacy pipelines should really be removed, and not just left in the ground.” “…The measure calls for a new federal grant program to replace or upgrade high-risk hazardous liquid lines to modernize the infrastructure. Other provisions include expanding public transparency so that families can easily access leak, inspection and remediation data; mandating disclosure of nearby pipelines to prospective home buyers; strengthening emergency response systems; improving leak detection; introducing new multimillion-dollar penalties for leaks and failures; and establishing an Office of Public Engagement.”

Reuters: BP’s 400-mile Olympic Pipeline system remains shut after leak near Everett, Washington
Nicole Jao, 11/20/25

“BP said its Olympic Pipeline remained shut on Thursday following a leak earlier this month near Everett, Washington,” Reuters reports. “Response crews have begun 24-hour excavation operations and are proceeding with excavation of the pipelines to allow for visual inspection,” BP said in an emailed statement. The company did not provide a timeline for restarting the pipeline and said the amount of product released and recovered was still being assessed. Washington Governor Bob Ferguson on Wednesday declared an emergency as a result of a Olympic Pipeline shutdown, which has disrupted jet fuel supply to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport… “The company restored one of the two pipelines east of Everett, Washington, on Monday that was shut to determine the source of some product discharge. The restored line was shut down again shortly after, halting refined product deliveries on the system.”

Inside Climate News: Gas Pipeline Proposals in Virginia Multiply Through the South—and Worry Community Activists
Charles Paullin, 11/20/25

“As plans for natural gas pipeline expansions in southwest Virginia are rapidly taking shape, proposals from two major energy firms to transport gas through the Appalachian regions of Virginia and North Carolina are fueling community concern,” Inside Climate News reports. “Critics are disturbed by the route of the two proposed pipelines, now under review amid a surge of applications to build massive data centers in the region. Among their concerns: the lines, and compressor stations related to gas distribution, will be laid within hundreds of feet of each other in some locations in a North Carolina county and potentially disrupt rural lifestyles and landscapes. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and Virginia environmental regulators are reviewing long-running requests from Mountain Valley Pipeline LLC and the Williams Companies Inc. for billion-dollar extensions that would link to pivotal and existing crosscountry networks… “All these proposals would thread miles more natural gas pipeline in a state that is seen as a hot property for companies seeking data centers as part of their growth strategy… “ TC Energy, formerly known as TransCanada, is set this month to launch a pipeline, nearly 49 miles in length, near the Tidewater region. The Virginia Natural Gas local distribution company is also seeking by October 2027 to expand a compressor station in the city of Chesapeake, in southeastern Virginia, to boost smaller intrastate pipelines. But some communities are raising concerns about the speed and breadth of many of these proposals—and they are complaining that towns and residents are having a difficult time sorting through the construction requests and possible risks. Community advocates, in both states, told ICN they want to know how regulators and towns are supposed to assess cumulative impacts and allow for proper public involvement in the process. “How confusing and complicated,” Jessica Sims, Virginia field coordinator with Appalachian Voices, an environmental nonprofit advocacy group based in North Carolina, told ICN about the pipeline proposals and FERC’s analysis of the projects… “They fear that the development will harm their way of life.”

Appalachian Voices: Hundreds of residents, advocates speak out against proposed Transco pipeline project
11/20/25

“More than 650 residents and advocates have spoken out against Williams Transco’s Southeast Supply Enhancement project during the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality comment period on its air permit applications, which ended late yesterday. SSEP would include 54 miles of new high-pressure methane gas pipeline in Virginia and North Carolina and compressor station expansions or modifications in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama. Air permits are required in order for Transco to expand polluting compressor stations in Davidson and Iredell counties. Compressor stations push methane gas through pipelines at a high pressure. Transco wants to use gas-powered instead of electric equipment to power this proposed compressor station expansion. Gas-powered stations release chemicals, including fine particulate matter, that can have severe negative impacts on nearby residents’ health. The existing stations are located near air monitors that have recorded unhealthy levels of fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, in recent years, with levels reaching or just below the federal limit. Residents and advocates spoke out against the project at two public hearings in Lexington and Mooresville, citing concerns around health impacts of air pollution and existing pollution levels near the station sites… “We oppose these permits because the compressor station threatens local health and air quality, property values and quality of life in general,” said Gary Orioli, a local resident who lives near the compressor station near Lexington. “Quadrupling the size of this compressor station would give this community a death sentence.” “Williams Transco could make the safe and sustainable decision to electrify this facility, which would greatly reduce air pollution and impacts on the surrounding communities,” said Crystal Norford, Environmental Justice Organizer with Clean Water for North Carolina. “We must hold operators accountable and hold them to the highest performance standard.”

KPLC: Port, pipeline project proposed for Cameron Parish
Jessica Poole, 11/20/25

“A proposed project aims to make it easier for the U.S. to export crude oil. Energy Transfer wants to build the Blue Marlin Offshore Port around 100 miles south of the Cameron coast, which has some local residents concerned,” KPLC reports. “The Blue Marlin Offshore Port will load crude oil onto tankers, but to get there, the oil must travel through a pipeline from Nederland, Texas, to Johnson bayou, then through an existing pipeline to the offshore port. The project proposes installation of a 42-inch pipeline, measuring approximately 37 miles in length. The pipeline will began in Nederland, Texas and end in Cameron Parish Louisiana where it will tap into the existing stingray mainline at the stingray 501 station… “Not everyone at the hearing was in favor of the development. “A lot of these permits y’all are okaying, y’all not thinking about people’s lives, the habitats, what people have to eat, the seafood that makes up Calcasieu and Cameron parish around here,” said a resident. Community members also said they were concerned about how close the pipeline would be to Peveto Woods Sanctuary, which is critical to birds and butterflies… “The application for the project is still under review by the Federal Maritime Administration and the Coast Guard.”

Anchorage Daily News: Alyeska Pipeline faces $244,000 penalty for violations related to small oil leak
Alex DeMarban, 11/20/25

“A federal pipeline agency has proposed a $243,800 fine against the operator of the 800-mile trans-Alaska pipeline, related to a small crude oil leak in a pipeline heating system north of Fairbanks,” the Anchorage Daily News reports. “The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration says the Alyeska Pipeline Service Co. committed several “probable violations” related to the “overpressure event and leak” in the heating system on Nov. 13, 2024, the agency says in the Oct. 2 notice. A second small leak was also discovered soon afterward as the heating system was under repair… “Since the leak, Alyeska Pipeline has not operated the heating system, except for testing or maintenance, because other alternatives are available, Michelle Egan, a spokesperson with Alyeska Pipeline, told ADN. Less than a cup of oil leaked, she told ADN… “The proposed fine comes on the heels of a separate proposed compliance order issued by the agency in April. That order raises concerns about inspections for possible cracks in the main pipe.”

Maryland Matters: Constellation targets Harford County for new gas plant, but pipeline costs could get in the way
Christine Condon, 11/20/25

“There’s a slight hitch in Constellation’s plan to construct a new natural gas-fired power plant in Maryland: The potentially prohibitive cost of delivering natural gas to the proposed Harford County site,” Maryland Matters reports. “We will need some help on that,” Constellation CEO Joe Dominguez told a room full of policymakers, businesspeople and lobbyists Thursday. “I was told that the gas interconnection — the extension of the gas to the site to enable these things — is something like $800 million.” “…The Perryman site already hosts oil- and gas-fired generating units, but Dominguez said transporting additional natural gas to the site would still come at a steep cost, according to the company’s internal estimates. Constellation could turn to the General Assembly for help, he said. He noted that some states, for instance, have used bonds to finance desired energy projects, Dominguez said.”

Reuters: Exxon to acquire 40% stake in Enterprise Bahia NGL pipeline
Yagnoseni Das and Arunima Kumar, 11/20/25

“Enterprise Products Partners said on Thursday that Exxon Mobil will buy a 40% stake in its Bahia natural gas liquids pipeline and help expand the system to handle growing Permian Basin volumes,” Reuters reports. “The companies plan to boost capacity to 1 million barrels per day after the deal closes, expected by early 2026, by adding pumping stations and building a 92-mile extension to Exxon Mobil’s Cowboy gas processing plant in Eddy County, New Mexico. The 550-mile Bahia line, now in commissioning, is set to start commercial service soon, moving 600,000 bpd of mixed NGLs from the Midland and Delaware basins to Enterprise’s Mont Belvieu fractionation hub in Texas.”

Vancouver Sun: B.C. says it was not included in rumoured pipeline talks between Ottawa and Alberta
Alec Lazenby, 11/20/25

“The B.C. government says it knows nothing about a rumoured deal between Ottawa and Alberta on a pipeline to B.C.’s north coast, with Premier David Eby telling reporters he learned about the negotiations through a news article,” the Vancouver Sun reports. “In a statement Thursday, the premier said it is his understanding that First Nations in the region have also not been consulted by the federal government and that he would prefer to focus on projects like the Ksi Lisims LNG terminal and the North Coast hydro transmission line that have already been added to Prime Minister Mark Carney’s major projects list. “Real jobs and prosperity are put at risk from this extremely early stage and unfunded proposal of a heavy oil pipeline. That’s something that B.C. and Canada cannot afford at this time,” said Eby, who has stated repeatedly in recent weeks that First Nations could reverse their support for these projects if Ottawa forces through an oil pipeline. Haida President Gaagwiis Jason Alsop said there has been no consultation with coastal First Nations on the potential for a pipeline and that he hopes the federal government continues to keep the tanker ban in place, as the eight member nations of the Coastal First Nations and the province have asked them to do. “In reality, it’s not a feasible project. It’s a non starter. And it is not something that’s again, supported by either the Coastal First Nations or by the British Columbia government,” Alsop told the Sun.” “…B.C. Energy Minister Adrian Dix told the Sun he would much rather work with Alberta on dredging the Burrard Inlet and use additional pumping stations to increase the capacity of the publicly owned pipeline they already have, instead of overturning the tanker ban and moving forward a project with no proponent.”

Canadian Press: Premier Moe says he’s supportive of pipeline to northern B.C., reallowing tankers
Jeremy Simes, 11/19/25

“Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says he’s hopeful the federal government and Alberta can make progress on getting a pipeline built and allowing some tanker traffic on the northern B.C. coast,” the Canadian Press reports. “Moe told CP the measures would support Saskatchewan’s goal of exporting more potash, agricultural products and oil. The Globe and Mail newspaper is reporting Ottawa, which is in talks with Alberta on the prospect of building a new pipeline, is considering allowing some tanker traffic in the northern area where it’s banned. Moe told CP he’s been part of the discussions and is confident a private-sector proponent will come forward with a project if regulations are changed. But he told CP it’s reasonable for Ottawa to put some limits on tankers and that it won’t be what he calls a “free-for-all” on the environmentally sensitive coast.”

The Cool Down: Resident issues warning as officials push forward on massive pipeline project: ‘We’ve seen this before’
Chelsea Cook, 11/20/25

“As fossil fuel projects continue across Africa, activists warn that we may see the repetition of a familiar cycle — one in which local communities bear the costs while profits flow abroad,” The Cool Down reports. “Among those pushing back is Ugandan activist Hilda Nakabuye, who told EUobserver, “We’ve seen this before.” Nakabuye’s warning centers on the East African Crude Oil Pipeline, or EACOP. It’s a 1,443-kilometer (or 897-mile) project led by France’s TotalEnergies and the China National Offshore Oil Corporation. The heated pipeline is set to move oil from Uganda’s Lake Albert to Tanzania’s coast, cutting through farms, wetlands, and wildlife corridors. Proponents see it as a path to economic growth, but Nakabuye and other critics say it threatens to displace tens of thousands of people, cause widespread contamination through potential leaks, and accelerate the rise of global temperatures. The Guardian reported in April that already around 13,000 people had been displaced. “In my home village, people are already displaced, their incomes and livelihoods affected, unacceptable risks to water resources, biodiversity and natural habitats,” Nakabuye previously said, per StopEACOP… “In 2019, Nakabuye told the outlet, she was inspired by Greta Thunberg’s school strikes and founded Fridays for Future Uganda as a result. The organization is a youth-led movement focused on climate education and community action.”

WASHINGTON UPDATES

New York Times: Trump Plans to Open More Than a Billion Acres of U.S. Waters to Drilling
Maxine Joselow and Lisa Friedman, 11/20/25

“The Trump administration on Thursday announced a plan to allow new oil and gas drilling across nearly 1.3 billion acres of U.S. coastal waters, including a remote region off Alaska in the northern Arctic where drilling has never before taken place,” the New York Times reports. “The plan is one of President Trump’s most significant steps yet to increase the production of fossil fuels, the burning of which is dangerously heating the planet. It comes at the same time that dozens of countries have been calling for a phaseout of oil, gas and coal at the United Nations climate conference in Belém, Brazil, an event that the United States is skipping this year. Under the proposal made public on Thursday, the Interior Department would hold as many as 34 sales of leases in federal waters spanning roughly 1.27 billion acres, an area more than half the size of the United States. That includes six sales of leases off the California coast that would almost certainly set up a clash with Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat who has promised to block drilling there and has emerged as one of Mr. Trump’s chief adversaries. The plan also mandates seven auctions of leases through 2031 in the Gulf of Mexico, which Mr. Trump calls the Gulf of America. It would permit drilling in part of the eastern Gulf, near Florida, where many Republican officials have sought to block oil exploration, saying it could lead to oil spills and jeopardize military activities… “The plan also calls for the government to hold 21 sales through 2031 of leases off the coast of Alaska, including in an isolated region stretching more than 200 miles offshore that is home to polar bears, bowhead whales, ice seals, walruses and other wildlife. No company has ever drilled for oil in the icy high Arctic. It is unclear whether any would be interested in doing so, given the severe weather conditions and the lack of existing infrastructure. Analysts told the Times oil companies may not rush to snap up leases elsewhere, either. The price of oil has dropped to some of its lowest levels of the year as supply has outstripped demand, leading some firms to idle drilling rigs and fire workers.”

Politico: Trump administration proposes opening waters off California and Florida to oil drilling
James Bikales, 11/20/25

“The Trump administration proposed a plan Thursday that would open federal waters off the California coast to new oil and gas leasing for the first time in four decades and reignite a long-simmering fight with Florida Republicans over drilling along that state’s Gulf Coast,” Politico reports. “The proposed five-year schedule for offshore oil and gas leasing represents the most aggressive in decades, with the Interior Department considering as many as 34 auctions in federal waters between 2026 and 2031. That includes as many as six sales off the Southern California coast, two in the eastern Gulf of Mexico and 21 sales off of Alaska, including in an area of the High Arctic previously untouched by oil drilling — though many of the most controversial auctions are not set to take place until after President Donald Trump is set to leave office… “The plan’s offering of new leases in California waters — reported by Politico last month — looks designed to antagonize Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, a potential 2028 presidential contender who in recent months has sought to moderate his position on fossil fuel production… “Newsom and other California Democrats pledged Thursday to fight the plan. “For decades, California has stood firm in our opposition to new offshore drilling, and nothing will change that,” Newsom said in a statement. “We will use every tool at our disposal to protect our coastline. “It’s interesting that Donald’s proposal doesn’t include the waters off Mar-a-Lago,” he added.

E&E News: Florida Republicans rebel against plan to drill in Eastern Gulf
Garrett Downs, 11/21/25

“Several Florida Republicans joined Democrats on Thursday in balking at President Donald Trump’s proposed offshore drilling plan, slamming the potential environmental and economic impacts of a plan that would open up more of the eastern Gulf of Mexico — also known as the Gulf of America — as well as the entire California coast and new areas of the Arctic to leasing,” E&E News reports. “Florida, which is controlled by a strong Republican majority, has long opposed any encroachment of oil rigs closer to the sandy shores that are critical to its tourism-based economy. Similarly, Democrats in charge of California vowed to grind any lease sales to a halt in the Golden State through legal and regulatory action… “We just can’t afford to even give anybody an inch,” Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.), who represents a district situated between Sarasota and Tampa, told E&E. “I think that’s probably one of my biggest issues since I’ve been in Congress, which has been for a while, is no drilling off the beaches. And the reason being is it affects not only the value of homes and real estate, it affects tourism and more importantly, it’s just bad for the environment,” he told E&E… “Another Florida Republican, Rep. Gus Bilirakis, who serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee, told E&E he needs to study the plan more closely but doesn’t want any further encroachment. “My position has always been we don’t like drilling off the coast,” Rep. Gus Bilirakis, who serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee, told E&E… “At a Capitol Hill press conference dominated by California Democrats, the lawmakers vowed to slow the plan’s implementation until they retake power.”

E&E News: NEPA bill includes amendment to protect project permits
Kelsey Brugger, 11/21/25

“The House Natural Resources Committee advanced a permitting bill Thursday, clearing a big hurdle to crafting broader compromise legislation that lawmakers hope to pass this Congress,” E&E News reports. “But the markup on “Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act,” H.R. 4776, showed the process has a long way to go. Natural Resources Chair Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) made changes to the bill to secure more Democratic buy-in. But in the end, the 25-18 vote only included two Democrats… “His updated text released earlier this week, which states NEPA is a “procedural statute” that does not mandate an environmental outcome, seeks to provide “certainty” that a federal agency may not “rescind, withdraw, amend, alter or otherwise render ineffective” any environmental document unless ordered by a court. In addition, during the markup, the committee did pass one amendment that would prevent an administration from pulling a legitimate permit for a project of any kind — something the bill’s co-sponsor, Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine), said has happened “over multiple administrations.” But that language did little to convince all but one other Democrat — Rep. Adam Gray (D-Calif.) — that the bill would address the clear, as one put it, “elephant in the room” — that is the Trump administration’s attacks on wind and solar. “For us, we don’t just want a technology-neutral bill,” said Rep. Seth Magaziner (D-R.I.), who was in talks with Westerman. “We want a technology neutral outcome.” Democrats emphasized the administration’s attempts to halt offshore wind projects, add red tape for renewable permits and cancel environmental review for the largest solar project in the country. “It’s an insane war on the energy of the future and you all want to pretend it’s not happening,” said ranking member Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), suggesting Republicans were living in a fantasy. And while Democrats asserted they were open to amending the 1969 environmental law, Huffman tried to beat down the “false narrative” that NEPA reviews have ballooned into “this monstrous thing.”

Heatmap: House Permitting Bill Would Block Trump From Pulling Permits
Jael Holzman, 11/20/25

“A key House panel this afternoon advanced a bipartisan permitting deal that would include language appearing to bar Donald Trump or any other president from rescinding permits for energy projects,” Heatmap reports. “The House Natural Resources Committee approved the SPEED Act, which would do stuff energy developers of all stripes say they want – time-clocks on when federal permits are issued and deadlines on when court challenges can be filed — by a vote of 25 to 18. Under an amendment added by voice vote to the bill in committee, the bill now also includes language explicitly saying federal agencies cannot revoke, suspend, alter or interfere with an already-approved permit to an energy project. GOP Natural Resources chair Bruce Westerman told the audience at the bill markup that the amendment was the result of behind-the-scenes talks to try and assuage Democrats holding out over the Trump administration’s freeze on federal permitting for renewable energy and its attacks on previously permitted offshore wind projects… “But judging by the final vote, it’s unclear if the amendment targeting the Trump administration will be enough to get a permitting deal across the finish line should this bill get ultimately voted out of the House by the full legislative chamber. Only two Democrats – outgoing centrist Jared Golden who helped author the bill and moderate swing district Californian Adam Gray – voted in support.”

Inside EPA: House Panel Clears NEPA Revisions On Party Lines, Setting Up Floor Fight
11/20/25

“The House Natural Resources Committee has voted largely along party lines to approve legislation overhauling the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and expediting environmental permitting, though absent a last-minute agreement, the bill will almost certainly face a raucous floor fight when it comes up for a House vote,” Inside EPA reports. “…As a result, Democrats offered dozens of amendments that generally focused on reversing Trump actions to cut federal staffing and support for clean energy projects, preserving a strong role for courts to halt projects deemed out of NEPA compliance, and ensuring a meaningful role for local communities and tribal authorities — all of which Republicans rejected as redundant or out of scope of the legislation.”

Bloomberg: Trump’s Energy Department Revamp Nixes Clean-Energy Offices
Ari Natter, 11/20/25

“The Trump administration is eliminating Energy Department offices focused on clean energy and renewables and, instead, creating units dedicated to hydrocarbons and fusion energy,” Bloomberg reports. “The changes are part of an agency reorganization unveiled Thursday. The plan made no mention of staffing reductions as part of the realignment, and the agency didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Among the units eliminated are the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, which under former President Joe Biden awarded billions of dollars for technologies such as carbon capture and hydrogen hubs. The Trump administration previously recommended shutting down the office and reducing its staff of roughly 250 people to 35, while cancelling billions of dollars in awards… “As part of the changes, the Energy Department created a Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office and an Office of Fusion.”

E&E News: Bipartisan lawmakers grumble about BLM permitting delays
Scott Streater, 11/20/25

“Senate lawmakers on Wednesday criticized the tepid pace of the Bureau of Land Management’s planning and permitting processes — striking unusual bipartisan agreement over often prolonged timelines — but Democrats argued that little can be fixed if the Trump administration continues to slash the agency’s staff levels,” E&E News reports. “…He cited BLM’s revised Rock Springs resource management plan in southwest Wyoming, finalized December 2024, that withdrew nearly a million acres from new oil and gas leasing, and established nearly 1 million acres in new conservation designations. The Trump administration has proposed rescinding the revised Rock Springs plan… “That’s where the Trump administration’s staffing reductions and proposed budget cuts came under attack from Cortez Masto, Heinrich and Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.). “An underlying challenge that impacts every potential use of public lands is staffing. Regardless of what you would like to see BLM lands go to, you need BLM staff to get it approved,” Gallego said.”

CounterPunch: Conservation Groups Sue Bureau of Land Management to Stop Destruction of Critical Sage Grouse Habitat
Mike Garrity, 11/19/25

“…Now there are so few pristine and intact sagebrush ecosystems their population has been in a continuous and precipitous decline across their historic range as well as here in Montana, the population has plummeted by 31% — from 70,346 to 48,783 — in just the last three years, which is why the Alliance is going to court to stop this habitat-destroying project,” CounterPunch reports. “The project is located in the 367,665 acre Grasshopper Watershed west of Dillon, in southwest Montana. This watershed contains some of the best habitat for sage grouse in Montana, yet the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) wants to funnel existing springs on public land into new water tanks for cattle, which will promote even more widespread grazing and negatively impact this excellent remaining sage grouse habitat… “We wish we didn’t have to take the federal government to court to force them to protect rather than destroy sage grouse habitat as required by federal law. But someone has to stand up for sage grouse. And that’s exactly why the Alliance for the Wild Rockies, Native Ecosystems Council, and Council for Wildlife and Fish are taking the federal government to court over this ill-conceived and illegal project.”

E&E News: Alito is urged to back out of Louisiana coastal erosion case
Lesley Clark, 11/20/25

“Advocacy groups are questioning whether one member of the Supreme Court’s conservative wing should bow out of a case that could help energy companies fight lawsuits seeking to hold them responsible for coastal degradation in Louisiana,” E&E News reports. “The justices on Jan. 12 are poised to hear arguments in Chevron USA v. Plaquemines Parish as part of an ongoing fight over how much accountability oil majors bear for damaging the Bayou State’s coastline with oil production that dates back to World War II… “The company, Burlington Resources Oil & Gas, is a wholly owned subsidiary of ConocoPhillips, in which Justice Samuel Alito has held stock. Accountable noted that Alito over the past decade has stepped aside from cases in which ConocoPhillips and its subsidiaries were parties. The Louisiana case “appears to be the first instance in which ConocoPhillips or one of its subsidiaries have preemptively removed itself from the cert petition shortly before conference,” the report said… “Chevron and other oil companies have faced dozens of lawsuits led by Plaquemines Parish in Louisiana, arguing that the companies must pay to restore the state’s coastline. Earlier this year, in one of the state court suits, a jury awarded the parish $744 million in damages… “The next month, the Supreme Court, including Alito, agreed to take up Chevron’s challenge. The companies have received the backing of the Trump administration, which this week asked the court for permission to argue the case alongside the oil industry.”

STATE UPDATES

E&E News: New York Democrats split on climate law
Marie J. French, Mona Zhang, 11/20/25

“A dividing line is forming over New York’s ambitious climate goals and Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul’s affordability push. And state Democrats are starting to take sides,” E&E News reports. “Hochul signaled she’s open to changing the state’s landmark 2019 law requiring massive emissions cuts after a judge ruled her administration must issue regulations to achieve its targets. She has steered the state toward an “all of the above” energy policy as she focuses on affordability and reliability concerns ahead of a tough reelection next year. And her latest actions — approving a pipeline and a gas power plant permit, plus delaying a mandate to electrify new buildings — have raised the ire of environmental advocates and progressive lawmakers, who warn years of progress are at risk. “It is tragic to know that we have an executive who is willing … to throw away the will of the people because of fearmongering and because of the oil and gas industry’s bottom line,” state Assemblymember Emily Gallagher (D), who sponsored the legislation to electrify new buildings that Hochul’s administration has put on hold, told E&E. “I hope that the governor will come to her senses and see that she is destroying her credibility and she is destroying our state.”

Los Angeles Times: California regulators approve rules to curb methane leaks and prevent fires at landfills
Tony Briscoe, 11/20/25

“California Air Resources Board members voted 12-0 on Thursday to approve a batch of new regulations for the state’s nearly 200 large landfills, designed to minimize the release of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas produced by decomposing organic waste,” the Los Angeles Times reports. “Landfills are California’s second-largest source of methane emissions, following only the state’s large dairy cow and livestock herds. The new requirements will force landfill operators to install additional pollution controls; more comprehensively investigate methane leaks on parts of landfills that are inaccessible with on-the-ground monitoring using new technology like drones and satellites; and fix equipment breakdowns much faster. Landfill operators also will be required to repair leaks identified through California’s new satellite-detection program. The regulation is expected to prevent the release of 17,000 metric tons of methane annually — an amount capable of warming the atmosphere as much as 110,000 gas-fired cars driven for a year.”

The Center Square: Alabama carbon storage hub gets pushback in Florida
11/19/25

“A carbon dioxide pipeline in Alabama that would be one of the largest carbon sequestration hubs in the U.S. has drawn opposition from its neighbor to the south, Florida’s Walton County,” The Center Square reports. “ The Pine Hills Storage Hub by Reliant Carbon Capture & Storage LLC is proposed for Covington County, Alabama, at the edge of Florida’s panhandle… “The project has also been criticized by some Alabama lawmakers, including state Rep. Matthew Hammett, who told the Walton County Board of Commissioners it could affect both states’ groundwater. “It’s not just a Covington County problem. One of the sites is within two miles of Paxton (Florida) city limits. The same groundwater that is in Florala and Lockhart (Alabama) is the same groundwater that every city in the Florida panhandle gets their water out of. If it’s just a 1% chance something happens, that’s too much. It could affect millions of people,” said Hammett. Walton County commissioners agreed to write a letter to Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and others in an effort to stop the pipeline… “Paxton resident Hailee Bryan said she worries about the impact of a potential pipeline leak. “These pipelines transport compressed carbon dioxide and can be detrimental if a leak or rupture were to occur,” Bryan wrote in a letter to the commission.”

Los Angeles Times: Crews race to contain oil spill in Ventura County creek
Gavin J. Quinton, 11/19/25

“Cleanup was underway Wednesday in a wooded, remote area of Ventura County after about 420 gallons of crude oil inundated a waterway, officials said, and crews were working to beat the upcoming storm,” the Los Angeles Times reports. “An above-ground storage tank operated by Carbon California spilled the oil into a remote tributary of Sisar Creek near Ojai, contaminating about three-quarters of a mile of the waterway, according to state wildlife officials. Although the waterway and spill are small compared to some other major oil spills, “everything counts,” Kristina Meris, a spokesperson for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Office of Spill Prevention and Response, told the Times. “There’s wildlife, there’s the environment, and people live in these areas,” she said. “We want to clean up everything we possibly can as quickly as we can safely.”

Cowboy State Daily: Japan Eyes Wyoming Gas As New Mexico-Mexico Route Opens Export Path
Renée Jean, 11/19/25

“Wyoming has something Japan wants. That something is carbon-reduced natural gas, and lots of it. Getting it there is another matter,” Cowboy State Daily reports. “…There may yet be another path for Wyoming’s natural gas. Steel is already being sunk into the ground for a new export terminal that lies 30 miles south of San Diego, just over the border in the Mexican state of Baja California… “The Energia Costa Azul terminal is a retrofit project for what was to have been an intake facility, Western States and Tribal Nations President Andrew Browning told Cowboy State Daily… “We are advocating that that facility utilize Rocky Mountain gas,” Browning told CSD. “And we think our report makes a great case for that.” “…The first is the southwest pathway through Baja California. The second one, which is probably the more appropriate one for Wyoming, does lie through the state of Washington. But times are changing, Browning said. So he believes even that is not necessarily out of the question. “(Western States) was actually founded as an organization looking at the prospect of Rocky Mountain gas going to Jordan Cove, in Coos Bay, Oregon,” Browning told CSD. That project, too, was stopped at the state level. Federal permits were granted, but the state denied the water and air permits. “The times have really changed since then,” Browning told CSD. “It’s the fact that there is more energy needed. You are seeing significant development in need for gas for load growth, especially by power generation, and in some parts driven by clean energy targets and renewable portfolio standards.”

EXTRACTION

Reuters: Saudi Arabia to sign $30 billion worth of energy deals with US, says Aramco CEO
Yomna Ehab; and Elwely Elwelly, 11/19/25

“Saudi Arabia will sign energy sector agreements with the U.S. worth $30 billion, the CEO of Saudi state oil giant Aramco, Amin Nasser, said on Wednesday in comments carried by Saudi state TV,” Reuters reports.

E&E News: Gas exports may increase Americans’ heating bills, EIA says
Scott Waldman, 11/20/25

“Americans could see a significant increase in home heating costs next year, adding to a spike in utility bills that helped drive a Democratic sweep in this month’s elections,” E&E News reports. “The U.S. Energy Information Administration released a report last week predicting that home heating costs will continue to rise next year — largely because natural gas prices are increasing as the U.S. exports more of the fuel abroad. It comes after President Donald Trump and Energy Secretary Chris Wright spent much of this year trying to encourage the rest of the world to buy a lot more American liquefied natural gas through trade deals. The left-aligned group Climate Power is already framing Trump’s energy policy as the driver of escalating costs, a message it plans to ramp up before the midterm elections. Rising natural gas prices fit right into the effort to rally voters around the idea that Trump is making American life more expensive, Climate Power spokesperson Christina Polizzi said. “The cost messaging is something that we know is just incredibly potent, and it really illustrates our point in a way that is really impactful,” she told E&E.”

Deutsche Welle: How can we reduce CO2?
Holly Young, 11/20/25

“Carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels is causing climate change. From renewables and green tech to tackling deforestation, what will it take to turn the tide on emissions?,” Deutsche Welle reports. “…There is overwhelming consensus among scientists that reducing CO2 is critical to avoiding the most catastrophic impacts of climate change. But how do we actually achieve it?… “As the primary source of CO2 emissions, the world urgently needs to transition away from fossil fuels… “Other methods of reducing CO2 include the expansion of electric vehicles , shifts to a more plant-based diet, sustainable agricultural practices, and the use of heat pumps to warm homes… “In addition to nature-based approaches, there is also a market for technological solutions. Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a process that aims to prevent excess carbon dioxide from entering our atmosphere in the first place… “The UN has recognized CCS as an important technology for reducing emissions in the long term, saying they will be “unavoidable” if the world wants to reach net-zero goals. However, the technologies have also faced widespread criticism, with estimates suggesting they only capture 0.1% of global emissions. Critics argue the technology can be used by the fossil fuel industry as a cover to keep burning oil, gas and coal. They say limiting the worst impacts of the climate crisis requires phasing out fossil fuels as fast as possible.”

Clean Energy Wire: German carbon storage law reform clears final hurdle
11/21/25

“The council of federal state governments in Germany has approved a reform that allows carbon storage under the seabed, enables the buildout of pipelines to transport CO2, and excludes the use of carbon capture and storage (CCS) for coal power plants,” Clean Energy Wire reports. “The vote marked the final green light for Germany’s major law reform to build up CCS… “The reform allows carbon storage under the seabed in the North Sea. In addition, it gives federal states the option to allow onshore storage, but it remains to be seen whether states will do so in the face of years of public opposition to the technology.”

TODAY IN GREENWASHING

CKNX: Chatsworth Fire Department and Enbridge Gas boost home safety
Janice MacKay, 11/21/25

“The Township of Chatsworth Fire Department is taking steps to make local homes safer, partnering with Enbridge Gas Ontario to reduce fire and carbon monoxide-related deaths to zero,” CKNX reports. “Through the Safe Community Project Zero initiative, the fire department recently received 126 combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. “I would like to thank Enbridge for their continued support of the fire service in Ontario,” said Fire Chief Mike Givens.”

OPINION

Earth.org: US States Must Lead on Methane Reduction. Here’s Why and How
Kim Finlay is the Director of Research and Analytics at Full Circle Future, a U.S.-based nonprofit organization working to reduce pollution from landfills and advance sustainable and harm-reducing alternatives to landfilling and incineration, 11/20/25

“…But here’s a glimmer of hope amid the gloom, and it is hiding in plain sight – buried beneath our feet in the nation’s 2,600 municipal solid waste landfills,” Kim Finlay writes for Earth.org.”While landfilled organic waste is a sleeping giant of the climate crisis, we already have a vast array of solutions at our fingertips, just waiting to be implemented. In fact, a new analysis by Full Circle Future reveals we will achieve 10% of the US’s Global Methane Pledge target. This is thanks to actions already taken or underway from just eight US states – California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, New York, and Maryland – to adopt and implement practical, commonsense improvements to landfill emissions standards and organics recycling policies. That is a reduction of 800,000 metric tons of methane. The best part? These states do not need to wait for federal permission – they are acting now. Washington, Maryland, and Oregon have already passed state landfill rules that exceed EPA standards. This summer, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek signed first-of-its-kind legislation requiring the state to ensure Coffin Butte Landfill is using drones, satellite information, or other modern technologies to detect methane leaks. Colorado air regulators are poised to vote on draft rules that emphasize improved landfill cover practices and gas collection systems. And, 15 years after passing their own landfill methane rules, California air regulators have proposed a long-awaited overhaul. This momentum is undeniable and underscores a larger truth: federal action may stall, but state and subnational leadership can move mountains, as evidenced by the leadership of groups like the Subnational Methane Action Coalition. And the private and non-profit sectors can fill in the gaps.”

Moab Times Independent: Debunking the ‘14-day permitting’ myth
Marjorie Haun, 11/19/25

“Environmental groups, including Uranium Watch and the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA) have mischaracterized Anfield Energy’s Velvet-Wood uranium-vanadium mine in San Juan County as a reckless ‘fast-track’ project approved in a mere 14 days,” Marjorie Haun writes for the Moab Times Independent. “The facts prove them wrong. The ‘14-day permitting’ narrative, echoed in protests and media coverage, suggests corner-cutting that endangers public lands and communities, but this narrative is false and those promoting it have either willfully ignored the facts or are deliberately misleading the public… “The BLM’s 14-day environmental assessment, completed last May under the Department of the Interior’s emergency procedures for critical minerals, was not a rubber stamp but an accelerated evaluation enabled precisely because prior environmental permitting groundwork was thorough and comprehensive… “This isn’t a new venture but a revival, with operations primarily confined to previously disturbed areas. The surface footprint of the previous mine was a mere 25 acres, and the new operation will add three acres for a total impacted area of 28 acres, which is far smaller than typical greenfield mines. In fact, at least half of the disturbed land surface, 14-acres, consists of improvements to pre-existing access roads… “As a Moab native and long-time resident of southeastern Utah, I welcome this addition to the economy of San Juan County, which was at one time one of Utah’s richest counties but now languishes as one of its poorest. This small uranium-vanadium mine is a reminder that the pursuit of mineral wealth has a long history in this area and may yet again be a source of local prosperity.”