EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 10/6/26

PIPELINE NEWS

• Reuters: Vance says details of proposed Alaska LNG pipeline need to be worked out

• Bloomberg: Sable Pipeline Jurisdiction Question Remains Unanswered by Panel

• WDIO: Lake Superior Chippewa say Enbridge has “gone too far” after aquifer leak

• Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC): Federal agencies are pushing a $5B+ pipeline we don’t need

• Reuters: SpaceX seeks approval for Florida gas pipeline to support Cape Canaveral launches

• Pipeline & Gas Journal: FERC opens environmental review of Great Basin’s 195-mi Nevada pipeline expansion

• Pipeline & Gas Journal: FERC sets June 2027 target for final order on Guardian 3 Expansion Project

WASHINGTON UPDATES

• Politico: Missing justice scrambles Supreme Court oil liability fight

• Colorado Newsline: U.S. Supreme Court justices appear skeptical of allowing Boulder climate lawsuit to proceed

• Bloomberg: Permitting Bill Offers Less Court Time

• Press release: Blue Dog Statement on Bipartisan Permitting Reform Agreement

• NBC News: Aiming at fuel costs, Trump opens tax-exempt ‘red dye’ diesel to all drivers

• Nebraska Examiner: President announces an executive order that allows anyone to use red-dyed diesel

• Courthouse News Service: Trump administration defends oil and gas lease sales on pristine Alaska land

• Daily Caller: Trump Admin’s October Target For Sweeping Offshore Drilling Plan Arrives With Only A First Draft

• Politico: Trump rescued these fossil fuel power plants. Americans are paying for it

• Public Domain: Veteran Interior Department lawyer resigns in protest, warns of ‘assault on the rule of law’

STATE UPDATES

• Politico: Big Oil and Gavin Newsom’s perilous, winding road

• North Dakota Monitor: North Dakota Supreme Court hears arguments over oil royalty deductions

• Reuters: Alaska LNG shipping savings justifies billions in investment, developer says

• Press release: Gov. Reynolds appoints Jon Dunwell to Iowa Utilities Commission

EXTRACTION

• NPR: How much are AI data centers adding to your electricity bill?

• Canadian Press: Suncor selling non-core offshore assets to Ithaca Energy

OPINION

• Commonwealth Beacon: Massachusetts can’t afford to skip natural gas pipeline upgrade

• EnergyNow Media: The Northern Shield Energy Corridor Provides Energy Security for All Canadians

• Idaho State Journal: On public lands and data centers, the GOP isn’t listening
  

PIPELINE NEWS

Reuters: Vance says details of proposed Alaska LNG pipeline need to be worked out
Jacob Bogage and Ismail Shakil, 10/5/26

“US Vice President JD Vance said ​on Monday that a long-planned liquefied natural gas pipeline ‌in Alaska was going to happen, but there were still some details that needed to be worked out with South Korea,” Reuters reports. “Last week, ​US President Donald Trump announced plans for South Korea ​to invest $200 billion in US projects, including the Alaska ⁠pipeline, but Seoul quickly suggested the LNG project was not ​yet set in stone. “I think it’s something that’s going to ​happen. Obviously, you still got to work out some of the details, and the South Koreans have spoken to that,” Vance told reporters ​in Washington when asked about the project. “But when there’s ​a demand for this stuff, and there really is strong demand for ‌American ⁠natural gas, I think we’re going to be able to get it done,” he added.”

Bloomberg: Sable Pipeline Jurisdiction Question Remains Unanswered by Panel
Taylor Mills, 10/5/26

“It will be months before a federal appeals panel rules on whether the Trump administration lawfully took over Sable Offshore Corp.’s pipeline in Santa Barbara, Calif. after a federal appeals panel ordered more briefing Monday,” Bloomberg reports. “The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit consolidated petitions brought by California and environmental groups over whether a portion of the Las Flores pipeline engages in interstate commerce, thus falling under federal control under the Pipeline Safety Act.”

WDIO: Lake Superior Chippewa say Enbridge has “gone too far” after aquifer leak
10/5/26

“After an aquifer leak on an Enbridge site, another incident after a series of problems with the company behind the Line 5 project, representatives from the Band of Lake Superior Chippewa are speaking out,” WDIO reports. “…Elizabeth Arbuckle, chairwoman of the Bad River Band, told WDIO the company has “repeatedly” flouted rules and regulations and called for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to step in. “This is our ceded territory. This is the Ojibwe ceded territory,” she told WDIO. “This is our land that our ancestors said we will protect and take care of in perpetuity. And we have been trying very, very hard to do that. And we cannot do that when our partners, our state partners, aren’t holding this company accountable.” She told WDIO Enbridge built its bypass following the Line 5 spill near Saxon without obtaining proper permits. “That just absolutely flies in the face of our government,” Arbuckle told WDIO. The Wisconsin DNR sent a letter of non-compliance to Enbridge following the spill and the start of the bypass construction, but Arbuckle told WDIO they’re waiting to see “where the state will draw the line” and tell the company they’ve gone too far. “Because according to the permitting process, they have gone too far,” she wold WDIO. “We should be having a very different conversation today, but we’re not.”

Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC): Federal agencies are pushing a $5B+ pipeline we don’t need
Terah Boyd, 10/5/26

“Communities and ecosystems across central Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia have spent decades pushing back and healing from a legacy of extractive and harmful industries. Now a dirty fossil fuel – that was once on its way out – is making a resurgence, threatening Southern progress in the name of data centers,” the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) reports. “On behalf of communities and conservation groups across three states, SELC is challenging two federal agencies, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who’ve turned their backs on Southerners by attempting to allow a pair of unnecessary methane gas pipeline projects to dig, blast, and bulldoze across 2,200 waterbodies over 500 miles. The pipelines, South System Expansion 4 (SSE4) and Mississippi Crossing (MSX), will have little to no benefit to the communities and landscapes they would harm. But project developers, Southern Natural Gas (Kinder Morgan and Southern Company), Elba Express (Kinder Morgan), and Tennessee Gas Pipeline (Kinder Morgan), could make billions off the project. And since customers are on the hook for the projects’ cost and the expensive methane gas it would transport, it’s a win-win for monopoly utilities… “SELC is representing Blackbelt Women Rising, along with Alabama Rivers Alliance, Deep South Center for Environmental Justice, Energy Alabama, Georgia Interfaith Power and Light, Mississippi Rising Coalition, Ogeechee Riverkeeper, Savannah Riverkeeper, and the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy at the at the Federal Court of Appeals at the D.C. Circuit, challenging FERC’s decision to ignore its duty to the public by allowing these harmful and unnecessary projects to move forward despite substantial evidence these pipelines are not in the public interest… “Nationwide permits are designed for projects with minimal environmental impacts, like buoys or boat ramps. But the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers continues to use Nationwide Permit 12, authorizing oil and gas pipeline construction through waterways before projects are even proposed. This cuts the public out of the decision-making process for destructive pipelines that harm local streams, waterways, and wildlife that depend on them… “That’s why on behalf of Alabama Rivers Alliance, Black Warrior Riverkeeper, Healthy Gulf, Ogeechee Riverkeeper, and Savannah Riverkeeper, SELC is asking the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to step in and stop the use of Nationwide Permit 12, not only for these pipelines, but for projects across the country.”

Reuters: SpaceX seeks approval for Florida gas pipeline to support Cape Canaveral launches
Jaspreet Singh, 10/5/26

“Elon Musk’s SpaceX is seeking approval to build a natural gas pipeline in Florida to supply fuel for its rocket ​launched from Cape Canaveral, according to a state regulatory ‌filing from September,” Reuters reports. “A SpaceX subsidiary, Coastal Connect Services (CCS), has requested the Florida Public Service Commission to approve a tariff for a new 32.4-mile, 16-inch natural ​gas transmission pipeline in Brevard County, where Cape Canaveral is ​located… “CCS has proposed to build and operate pipeline facilities that would bring natural gas from the existing Florida Gas Transmission (FGT) interstate ​pipeline directly to its customers, according to the filing. In the ​petition, the company said the pipeline is crucial for safe, timely and efficient ‌natural ⁠gas delivery, as current truck-based supply and existing local pipelines cannot meet SpaceX’s growing needs at Cape Canaveral.”

Pipeline & Gas Journal: FERC opens environmental review of Great Basin’s 195-mi Nevada pipeline expansion
10/5/26

“Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) staff will prepare an environmental document for Great Basin Gas Transmission Company’s 2028 Expansion Project, a proposal to build about 195 mi of new 42-in.-diameter natural gas pipeline across northern Nevada while retiring roughly 142 mi of mostly 1960s-era line,” Pipeline & Gas Journal reports. “The review is taking place under FERC’s pre-filing process, meaning Great Basin has not yet filed a formal application. The Commission will use the environmental document to help determine whether the project is in the public convenience and necessity. The 2028 Expansion Project would span Churchill, Humboldt, Lyon, Pershing, Storey and Washoe counties. In addition to the 42-in. mainline, Great Basin plans approximately 15 miles of new 24-inch-diameter lateral pipelines… “The project also calls for abandoning about 142 mi of existing 8- and 16-in.-diameter pipeline, most of it built in the 1960s, along with the existing Rye Patch and Lovelock compressor stations.”

Pipeline & Gas Journal: FERC sets June 2027 target for final order on Guardian 3 Expansion Project
10/5/26

“The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) expects to issue a final order on Guardian Pipeline LLC’s proposed Guardian 3 Expansion Project no later than June 17, 2027, according to a notice establishing the environmental review schedule for the Illinois and Wisconsin natural gas project,” Pipeline & Gas Journal reports. “Commission staff will prepare an environmental assessment (EA) for the project, which FERC plans to issue on March 5, 2027, followed by a 30-day public comment period… “The expansion centers on roughly 68 mi of new 36-inch-diameter looping pipeline in northern Illinois, along with added compression in both states.”

WASHINGTON UPDATES

Politico: Missing justice scrambles Supreme Court oil liability fight
Lesley Clark and Alex Guillén, 10/5/26

“The Supreme Court appeared potentially at an impasse on Monday over whether federal law bars local governments from suing fossil fuel companies for climate damages,” Politico reports. “If the court can’t form a majority, dozens of climate cases across the country would continue forward with looming question marks about their legality. At least four justices expressed skepticism about the oil industry’s argument that the Clean Air Act explicitly prevents such lawsuits against polluters. The blockbuster case opening the court’s new term — Suncor v. Boulder, a lawsuit brought by several Colorado localities against Suncor and ExxonMobil — has significant stakes. The suit is just one of three dozen filed around the country that oil companies have argued could create “ruinous” liability for their industry… “If the remaining justices split 4-4, no nationwide precedent would be set, meaning some of the lawsuits would move toward trial while others could be struck down by state judges… “Kagan and others drew parallels between Boulder’s climate case and prior lawsuits against the tobacco and opioid industries in which states and localities won significant damages. Chief Justice John Roberts also indicated some sympathy with Boulder’s suit, citing mass torts and internet-related litigation… “Aside from Roberts’ words of support for Boulder’s position, it was not clear whether any of the other conservative justices might side with Boulder over the oil companies… “A ruling is expected by the end of June, but could come sooner.”

Colorado Newsline: U.S. Supreme Court justices appear skeptical of allowing Boulder climate lawsuit to proceed
Chase Woodruff, 10/5/26

“The U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority Monday appeared broadly sympathetic to fossil fuel companies’ argument that allowing two Colorado local governments to sue them over climate change in state court would be a “recipe for chaos,” Colorado Newsline reports. “…As justices waded into a thicket of jurisdictional issues raised by Suncor and Exxon when they petitioned the nation’s highest court to weigh in last year, Chief Justice John Roberts noted the “practical matter” of what could happen nationwide if Boulder’s case is allowed to proceed… “With more than 30 similar lawsuits already filed by state and local governments across the country, environmental advocates say the outcome in Suncor v. Boulder could be a turning point in efforts to hold the fossil fuel industry accountable for climate change… “But both Kagan and Roberts sounded skeptical of Boulder’s position that its litigation isn’t seeking to regulate emissions… “As Monday’s hearing began in Washington, climate activists gathered at a rally in Boulder, where Mayor Aaron Brockett, survivors of the Marshall Fire and other speakers urged the Supreme Court not to issue a ruling that lets the fossil fuel industry off the hook. “Our community and many others have suffered terribly from worsening wildfires, floods and drought because of the deception of big oil companies, who knew that burning fossil fuels would overheat our planet, but chose to obfuscate the truth to prioritize their profits,” Micah Parkin, an advocate with climate group 350 Colorado, said in a statement.”

Bloomberg: Permitting Bill Offers Less Court Time
Stephen Lee, Taylor Mills, 10/5/26

“A close look at the bipartisan Senate permitting legislation shows that developers of big energy projects could anticipate less litigation if it becomes law,” Bloomberg reports. “One goal of the measure unveiled last week is less uncertainty when a new administration takes over — and therefore fewer court battles, Sarah Hunt, president of the Joseph Rainey Center for Public Policy, told Bloomberg… “The legislative language partly seems to be a reaction to the Trump administration canceling finalized renewable energy permits. The changes proposed in the bill “should mean fewer fights over whether an administration can kill a fully permitted project, because it means a permit could be pulled for only a few narrow reasons, and the government would have to prove it,” Marcella Burke, a former top official at the EPA and Interior Department during the first Trump administration, told Bloomberg. “But it won’t stop litigation.”

Press release: Blue Dog Statement on Bipartisan Permitting Reform Agreement
10/2/26

“The Blue Dog Coalition issued the following statement following the release of the Senate negotiated Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026 to reform America’s outdated permitting process: “Americans’ electricity bills keep rising, while the additional energy production and transmission capacity needed to reduce costs languish in regulatory limbo. For years, Blue Dogs in Congress have repeatedly pushed bipartisan permitting reform proposals only to see them stall before reaching the finish line. We are hopeful this breakthrough in the Senate will end the cycle of delay and inaction. Congress must clear the logjam and move permitting reform forward, not punt the issue to a future Congress.”

NBC News: Aiming at fuel costs, Trump opens tax-exempt ‘red dye’ diesel to all drivers
Steve Kopack and Christina Wilkie, 10/5/26

“President Donald Trump signed an executive order Monday that is intended to help bring down sky-high diesel prices by allowing anyone to purchase tax-exempt ‘red dye’ diesel,” NBC News reports. “…Road diesel meant for long-distance transport is subject to federal and state taxes. But diesel intended for farm vehicles and machinery is typically tax-free and dyed red, so regulators and inspectors can tell it apart from road diesel. A White House fact sheet about the order said Trump has directed the secretaries of transportation, agriculture, defense and the Treasury to work on expanding access to tax-exempt diesel and encouraging states to suspend their diesel taxes… “Trump said the order will save typical truckers more than $100 every time they fill their tanks and drive down the costs of other goods, including groceries.”

Nebraska Examiner: President announces an executive order that allows anyone to use red-dyed diesel
Juan Salinas II, 10/5/26

“…Trump, during his rally speech at Pinnacle Bank Expo Center, announced an executive order that allows anyone to use red-dyed diesel, waiving the off-road requirement and allowing anyone to purchase it for any reason,” the Nebraska Examiner reports. “Trump said the order should “assure” Nebraska Sen. Pete Ricketts and Gov. Jim Pillen of reelection.”

Courthouse News Service: Trump administration defends oil and gas lease sales on pristine Alaska land
Monique Merrill, 10/5/26

“The Trump administration’s Interior Department urged a federal judge Monday to find it acted within its authority when it opened up millions of acres of Alaskan wilderness to oil and gas lease sales,” Courthouse News Service reports. “…Two of the cases were filed this year, shortly after the U.S. Bureau of Land Management opened public lands within the National Petroleum Reserve — the largest piece of undisturbed public land in the U.S. — to oil and gas leases. That agency decision reigned the third related lawsuit, originally filed by the Center for Biological Diversity in 2020… “Six conservation groups, led by the Sovereign Inupiat for a Living Arctic, likewise argued the agency failed to protect special areas within the reserve. The groups also contended the agency violated the National Environmental Policy Act by failing to analyze impacts and consider alternatives, and violated the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act by failing to conduct a subsistence evaluation.”

Daily Caller: Trump Admin’s October Target For Sweeping Offshore Drilling Plan Arrives With Only A First Draft
Simon August, 10/5/26

“The Trump administration’s October deadline to replace the Biden administration’s offshore drilling program has arrived with only the first of three required proposals published,” the Daily Caller reports. “Interior Secretary Doug Burgum ordered the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) in November 2025 to replace the 2024-2029 offshore leasing program with a new one “by October 2026,” the department announced… “The second proposal carries a 90-day public comment period, and the final proposal must then sit for 60 days before the president and Congress before the program can be approved, according to BOEM’s overview of the process… “Ocean conservation nonprofit Oceana is urging the Trump administration ‘to remove all currently considered areas from the draft five-year offshore drilling proposal,’ Oceana Campaign Director Joseph Gordon said in a statement to the DCNF.”

Politico: Trump rescued these fossil fuel power plants. Americans are paying for it
Zack Colman, 10/6/26

“The Trump administration’s orders requiring six aging fossil fuel power plants to stay online have cost utilities and consumers hundreds of millions of dollars and released millions of tons of planet-warming gases even though most of the plants have barely run, a Politico analysis found… “But they carry environmental and financial consequences by raising electricity rates and exacerbating air pollution in battleground states ahead of midterm elections in November… “The power plants that DOE has kept operating with repeated 90-day orders are older and dirtier than many in the U.S. fleet — and the latest data since the DOE issued its orders bears that out. Together, the six plants have emitted 9.2 million tons of carbon dioxide — equivalent to the planet-warming effect of 2 million passenger vehicles — and thousands of tons of sulfur dioxide, the precursor to acid rain, and nitrogen oxide, which is linked to heart and lung illness.”

Public Domain: Veteran Interior Department lawyer resigns in protest, warns of ‘assault on the rule of law’
Jimmy Tobias, 10/6/26

“An 18-year veteran of the US Department of the Interior has resigned in protest from the sprawling federal agency, denouncing “a deeply troubling assault on the rule of the law” that took place at the department under Donald Trump,” Public Domain reports. “John Murdock, an attorney and self-described conservative Christian, began working for the agency’s legal office in 2002. In his resignation letter, first sent to his supervisor earlier this year and obtained exclusively by the Guardian and Public Domain, Murdock cites ‘glaring legal flaws’ he witnessed within the agency during the course of the Trump administration, as well as concerns over offshore oil and gas drilling, the aggressive push to expand fossil fuels and the flouting of environmental regulation… “Environmental groups and other critics contend the Trump administration explicitly bypassed numerous federal environmental laws, including provisions of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), while carrying out the sale.”

STATE UPDATES

Politico: Big Oil and Gavin Newsom’s perilous, winding road
Noah Baustin, 10/2/26

”Gavin Newsom swept into office as a Tesla-driving Democrat who rejected donations from the oil industry and touted his plans to end the “fossil fuel era,” Politico reports. “…When he leaves in four months, though, he’ll have signed legislation to increase oil drilling, supported agency changes that eased regulations on refineries and ultimately been far friendlier to the industry than his earlier stance suggested. It’s not the swan song environmentalists hoped for. The governor hasn’t done a complete 180. But over the last eight years, as political headwinds have shifted, Newsom has sought a more nuanced, middle ground where he can continue to push California beyond its reliance on fossil fuels, while also accepting there would be disastrous consequences if the state’s oil and gas system suddenly collapsed. Much of this shift has come in response to intense political pressure… “He ultimately signed the bill to increase oil output. His administration also supported lowering costs for refineries on California’s carbon market and promised not to implement a threatened refinery profit cap.”

North Dakota Monitor: North Dakota Supreme Court hears arguments over oil royalty deductions
Jacob Orledge, 10/2/26

“The North Dakota Supreme Court is poised to make a key decision in a case where one of the state’s largest oil companies is accused of withholding excessive amounts of money from the royalty checks it pays to mineral owners,” the North Dakota Monitor reports. “The mineral owners, led by Diana Skarphol, are appealing a district court’s decision to dismiss the case against Hess, the oil company that pays them royalties, before a jury trial could take place. They allege the oil company is withholding unreasonably large sums of money from the royalties paid on oil and gas production in North Dakota… “Justices expressed skepticism of the legal arguments made by the mineral owners’ lawyers, led by Texas attorney Bruce Bowman, during Friday’s oral arguments. Bowman argued Hess has the responsibility to prove they are in compliance with North Dakota law and failed to do so. But Justice Jon Jensen said putting that obligation on the defendant would overturn existing contract law… “North Dakota lawmakers have rejected legislative proposals to address royalty owners’ concerns. Legislators have argued that these disputes should be settled in the courts.”

Reuters: Alaska LNG shipping savings justifies billions in investment, developer says
Curtis Williams, 10/4/26

“Alaska LNG’s developer said the project’s access to stranded natural gas and shorter shipping routes to Asia will make it competitive with US Gulf Coast rivals, despite questions from some analysts about the project’s massive infrastructure costs,” Reuters reports. “When the project is completed, the cost of shipping gas to Asia from Alaska’s North Slope would be at least 65% cheaper than shipping LNG from the Gulf Coast, Tim Fitzpatrick, communications director for project developer Glenfarne, said on Sunday in an email to Reuters… “Critics have pointed to the project’s estimated cost of $44.5 billion to $54.5 billion, which translates to roughly $2.2 billion to $2.7 billion per million tons per annum (MTPA) of LNG capacity. That appears significantly higher than many recently approved Gulf Coast developments. But developer Glenfarne argues that the comparison is misleading because it includes the expense of pipeline and gas treatment infrastructure needed to bring stranded North Slope gas to market.”

Press release: Gov. Reynolds appoints Jon Dunwell to Iowa Utilities Commission
10/5/26

“Today, Governor Kim Reynolds announced the appointment of former State Representative Jon Dunwell to the Iowa Utilities Commission (IUC). Dunwell served in the Iowa House representing the 38th district covering parts of Jasper County since October 2021. Earlier today, he resigned his seat effectively immediately. Dunwell was not seeking re-election… “As a member of the Iowa House, Dunwell served as Vice Chair of the Administration and Rules and Ways and Means Committees. He has also served as a member of the following legislative committees: Environmental Protection, Judiciary, Local Government, State Government and Transportation. He also served on the joint International Relations Committee, Iowa Commission on Interstate Cooperation and State Government Efficiency Review Committee.”

EXTRACTION

NPR: How much are AI data centers adding to your electricity bill?
Scott Neuman, Elissa Nadworny, 10/4/26

“Americans are worried AI data centers will raise their electricity bills. Congress has come up with a plan to protect ratepayers, but there’s no easy way to find out what AI is costing them,” NPR reports. “The construction of huge, new AI data centers has become a political lightning rod. Communities near proposed projects are raising questions about their impact, including on electricity costs. One big question is who will end up paying for expensive new infrastructure needed to power these massive facilities… “Who is paying for all that? NEUMAN: Well, the simple answer is everybody who buys electricity. That means people who are building and using these data centers for sure, but also local businesses and homeowners and renters, even if they don’t think they’re using AI… “They’re spread across the region to every business and resident that has an electricity meter… “The demand for new transmission lines, substations and other infrastructure is ramping up faster than the utilities can keep up in many cases. And that creates an enormous planning challenge… “But Peskoe says no one has really figured out how to divvy up the costs in an equitable way. PESKOE: There’s no agreement as to what infrastructure is for a data center versus for the public. That itself is a disputed point.”

Canadian Press: Suncor selling non-core offshore assets to Ithaca Energy
10/5/26

“Suncor Energy Inc. says it has signed a deal to sell a group of non-core offshore assets to Ithaca Energy plc,” the Canadian Press reports. “Under the agreement, Ithaca will make an upfront payment $1.2 billion plus up to an additional $350 million in contingent payments, based on future oil prices. The deal includes a 48 per cent interest in Terra Nova, a 40 per cent interest in White Rose and a 38.6 per cent stake in interest in West White Rose… “Suncor will keep its interests in the Hebron and Hibernia operations.”

OPINION

Commonwealth Beacon: Massachusetts can’t afford to skip natural gas pipeline upgrade
Paul Craney is the executive director of the Fiscal Alliance Foundation; Isaac Orr is the vice president of research at Always On Energy Research, 10/6/26

“…A new study published by the Fiscal Alliance Foundation has found that building the proposed Project Beacon natural gas pipeline expansion project could help Massachusetts families and businesses save $367 million in heating and electric bills during an average winter,” Paul Craney and Isaac Orr write for the Commonwealth Beacon. “Proposed by Enbridge, Project Beacon would add about 300 million cubic feet of natural gas capacity per day—roughly enough to meet the winter needs of 840,000 homes, or more than half of Massachusetts residential gas accounts. The project would not break new ground either but would instead accomplish the upgrade by increasing the size of the existing pipeline and adding more compression along the line… “These savings dwarf the costs… “Even the Healey administration is finding it increasingly difficult to ignore Massachusetts’s need for additional natural gas capacity. Last week, the governor called on the Trump administration to expedite its review of Enbridge’s RARE project, a smaller expansion of the same Algonquin pipeline system that would add roughly 75 million cubic feet of natural gas capacity per day. Healey said the project would lower costs for 600,000 customers and urged federal officials to move quickly so consumers could realize the savings. That same logic should apply to Project Beacon, which would add roughly four times as much capacity and, according to our study, deliver far greater savings to Massachusetts ratepayers.”

EnergyNow Media: The Northern Shield Energy Corridor Provides Energy Security for All Canadians
Yogi Schulz, 10/6/26

“Recently, Ontario Premier Doug Ford described his vision for the proposed Northern Shield Energy Corridor at the Enserva Speakers Series in Calgary, Alberta,” Yogi Schulz writes for EnergyNow Media. “…The main benefit of a Northern Shield pipeline is energy security and sovereignty for Ontario citizens and Canadians further east. Energy security and sovereignty for Eastern Canada have taken on greater urgency because this region depends heavily on Enbridge Line 5 for its crude oil and propane supply… “You’d think Michiganders would strenuously object to the Governor’s shutdown determination because a shutdown would cause severe regional energy shortages, spike fuel prices, and trigger an economic crisis in Michigan and eastern Canada. Unfortunately, Michiganders are sharply divided between those who support the pipeline and those who view the dual pipelines crossing the Straits of Mackinac as a “ticking time bomb” that poses an unacceptable risk of a catastrophic oil spill in the Great Lakes… “The real agenda is to rapidly advance the energy transition without any regard for the economic devastation that it would cause.”

Idaho State Journal: On public lands and data centers, the GOP isn’t listening
Lauren Necochea is the Idaho Democratic Party chair, 10/2/26

“Politics can be full of disagreement. But on some things, Idahoans are pretty clear. We value our public lands. We want them protected and kept open for the people who live here, not handed over for private development. Across the country, voters are increasingly concerned about rapidly expanding data centers and their demands on land, water and electricity,” Lauren Necochea writes for the Idaho State Journal. “…The Trump administration is considering at least 12 data centers covering more than 17,600 acres of public land across six Western states… “Where would the water needed for a facility this size come from? What would it mean for groundwater in a state already dealing with drought? What would an on-site natural gas plant mean for air quality? How much new power infrastructure would be needed? What happens to wildlife habitat and public access?… “Brad Little signed an agreement with the Trump administration earlier this year to fast-track major energy and mining projects. That could leave Idahoans with fewer meaningful opportunities to weigh in on this proposal and similar projects that affect public land access.”