EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 10/16/26

PIPELINE NEWS

• Bloomberg: 12 States Push Back on New Mexico in Oracle Data Center Pipeline Fight

• Iowa Capital Dispatch: Landowner group says property rights is still a major election issue

• Iowa Easement Team: Iowa Landowners Announce Results of Candidate Survey on Property Rights

• WV News: Boone County man accused of damaging TC Energy facility, attacking deputies

• Natural Gas Intelligence: Enbridge Eyes 2 Bcf/d Texas to Louisiana Natural Gas Link as Demand Surges

• Observer-Reporter: Peoples Natural Gas marks completion of pipeline upgrades

• North Dakota Monitor: Pipeline spill contaminates dry creek bed in northwest North Dakota

WASHINGTON UPDATES

• States Newsroom: Bipartisan permitting bill in Congress could speed energy projects, but draws green critics

• Politico: Energy industry launches House campaign for permitting deal

• Bloomberg: EPA’s Defense of Methane Emissions Delays Draws Court Scrutiny

• Reuters: Bessent calls for World Bank reforms, including upstream oil and gas financing

• Politico: Trump issues fresh Clean Air Act pardons at Alaska campaign stop

STATE UPDATES

• Daily Montanan: 17 groups sue Montana Public Service Commission to require considering climate change

• Nebraska Public Media: Red-dyed diesel won’t fix a $2.50 per gallon price hike, say Nebraska farmers and ranchers

• New York Times: A Maryland Lawmaker Blamed Democrats for High Gas Prices. Laughter Ensued

• Aspen Public Radio: Colorado voters will weigh in on a ‘right to natural gas’ in the state constitution through Amendment 82

EXTRACTION

• Politico: The energy crisis has a climate patsy

• Oil Change International: Public Finance for Energy Database: Subsidies for CCS and fossil hydrogen

• Reuters: Australia names offshore site for Inpex-led Bonaparte carbon storage project

• ESG Today: Google, Stripe, Shopify Sign Carbon Removal Deal with CO2-Into-Rock Startup 44.01

• New Scientist: We can rescue the AMOC after its collapse – but it won’t be easy

• The Independent: Oil tanker ‘on fire’ in Strait of Hormuz just hours after container ship sinks, claim Iran’s army

TODAY IN GREENWASHING

• KFYR: BSC students get an up-close look at TC Energy Plant

OPINION

• American Energy Alliance: Massachusetts Governor Healey Runs From Anti-Pipeline Policies She Once Championed

• TIME: Access to Public Lands Should Unite All Americans
  

PIPELINE NEWS

Bloomberg: 12 States Push Back on New Mexico in Oracle Data Center Pipeline Fight
Julian Hast, 10/15/26

“The attorneys general of 12 US states have asked federal regulators to authorize construction of a natural gas pipeline needed to power an Oracle Corp. data center in New Mexico, arguing that a broader environmental review threatens to complicate similar projects across the country,” Bloomberg reports. “The dozen states “have a direct stake” in the legal fight playing out over the 17.8-mile (29 kilometer) proposed pipeline dubbed the Green Chile Project in New Mexico’s Doña Ana County, they said in a Wednesday letter to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission… “Project Jupiter also lost a bid for a key permit for the pipeline, adding to uncertainty over its fate. Now, Oracle is considering an uncommon and expensive stopgap: trucking in natural gas… “The 12 attorneys general, all from Republican-led states, are challenging Democratic New Mexico’s argument that federal regulators must consider the environmental consequences of both the pipeline and the data center it would serve, contending FERC does not approve such facilities in states and has no authority to regulate them. They believe that FERC’s treatment of the Green Chile Project could establish a regulatory approach that gets applied to similar gas-fed data-center developments elsewhere. The signatories are West Virginia, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio and South Carolina.”

Iowa Capital Dispatch: Landowner group says property rights is still a major election issue
Cami Koons, 10/15/26

“A group of Iowa landowners opposed to a carbon sequestration pipeline say the issue of property rights is still “one of the biggest issues in the state of Iowa” though fewer than 70 candidates on the upcoming ballot responded to a questionnaire about eminent domain,” the Iowa Capital Dispatch reports. “Kathy Stockdale, a landowner affected by the Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline and vocal opponent of the project, said the leaders of the state “must stand up in opposition to this risky land grab.” “It’s time for individual landowners to stop bearing the burden of keeping this multibillion-dollar company accountable,” Stockdale said in a news conference Thursday. “Our elected leaders need to do their jobs and stand up for the constitutional rights of the people they represent.” “…Landowners sent a five-question survey to candidates for governor, U.S. Senate, U.S. House, state Legislature and several county level races, asking if the candidates believed eminent domain should be used for carbon capture pipelines, what they have done, and what they would be willing to do, to protect private property rights in Iowa… “Emma Schmit, an organizer with Bold Alliance, told the Dispatch that if the names and party affiliations of the candidates were hidden from the responses, readers “wouldn’t really be able to tell what party they were from.” “Everybody that answered gave very similar responses of ‘No, this is unconstitutional; No, I don’t think this pipeline should go through,’ and so it just goes to show that there was really, I think, bipartisan support, and it’s really just a matter of right versus wrong,” Schmit told the Dispatch… “Deb Main, a Woodbury County landowner, told the Dispatch Iowa representatives in Washington, D.C., need to have the “courage to end the 45Q tax credit for carbon pipelines.”

Iowa Easement Team: Iowa Landowners Announce Results of Candidate Survey on Property Rights
10/15/26

“Today, Iowa landowners released the results of a Property Rights Candidate Survey to help voters understand which candidates support property rights, which candidates don’t, and which candidates didn’t care enough to complete the survey about one of the top issues in the state,” the Iowa Easement Team reports. “The survey, sent to candidates for US Senate, US House, Governor, State Legislature and some county-level races, consisted of 5 simple questions about their beliefs on eminent domain for carbon pipelines, property rights, and how they will govern, if elected. Landowners received responses from 66 candidates, including Gubernatorial candidates Zach Lahn and Rob Sand, US Senate Candidate Josh Turek, 40 State House Candidates, and 9 State Senate. “I am happy to see so many candidates on our side, but what stands out most are those that didn’t fill it out, and won’t go on the record. Eminent domain, carbon pipelines and property rights are one of the biggest issues in the state. Their silence speaks volumes – especially those who have voted against us in the past.” said Pat Mennenga, Bremer County Landowner. “There are lots of candidates out there claiming to support property rights, but I think just about everyone could say that. The devil is in the details. Do they support eminent domain for carbon pipelines, what have they done to help so far, and are they willing to stand up to leadership if they are elected? That’s what Iowans and landowners have been demanding for over 5 years.” said Don Johannsen, Cherokee County Landowner. “The Governor’s race is so important because they can direct the legislature to put our eminent domain bill on their desk and sign it, unlike Governor Reynolds in 2025. This Governor also has the opportunity to appoint two new Iowa Utilities Commissioners (IUC) – who we believe were Governor Reynolds’ and Summit’s political appointments – midway through the Summit hearing process. The next Governor must meet with us about who should be appointed to the IUC and should make those appointments before the hearings on the Ida and Floyd dockets take place in February and March, respectively,” said Kathy Carter, Floyd County Landowner.”

WV News: Boone County man accused of damaging TC Energy facility, attacking deputies
10/15/26

“A Boone County man is accused of damaging a TC Energy facility, threatening deputies with a knife and assaulting officers during a pursuit that ended in a river, according to a criminal complaint reported by Lootpress,” WV News reports. “Orry Price is being held on a $200,000 cash bond, according to the report… “According to the complaint, the sergeant found a vehicle that had crashed into a gas well feeding the substation. Windows were damaged, and investigators found evidence of forced entry into an office. A fire extinguisher had been discharged inside, and other items were damaged… “Police said Price admitted damaging the facility and argued he could not be charged because he owned the land. The complaint said the dispute involved the company not planting organic seed on the property… “During the pursuit, he threw a knife that nearly struck a deputy, according to police… “Price faces charges including breaking and entering, felony destruction of property, strangulation, five counts of assault on a police officer, battery on a police officer, unlawful assault on a police officer and damage or destruction of public utility company property.”

Natural Gas Intelligence: Enbridge Eyes 2 Bcf/d Texas to Louisiana Natural Gas Link as Demand Surges
Jamison Cocklin, 10/15/26

“Enbridge is exploring an expansion of its Texas Eastern Transmission (Tetco) pipeline that would send more supply from Houston area hubs to southwest Louisiana as Gulf Coast demand is projected to continue growing,” Natural Gas Intelligence reports.

Observer-Reporter: Peoples Natural Gas marks completion of pipeline upgrades
10/16/26

“Peoples Natural Gas, an Essential Utilities company, Tuesday joined state and local officials, community leaders and customers to celebrate the successful modernization of the Goodwin Tombaugh pipeline system,” according to the Observer-Reporter. “This landmark infrastructure project upgraded more than 300 miles of natural gas pipelines serving nearly 1,700 customers across portions of Greene, Washington and Allegheny counties. The event, held at the Center Township Volunteer Fire Department in Greene County, recognized the completion of a seven-year effort to replace aging infrastructure, some of which dated back to 1901, with a modern natural gas distribution system designed to improve safety, reliability and environmental performance for generations to come… “Final work on the project, including permanent restoration of affected areas, is expected to conclude in Spring 2027.”

North Dakota Monitor: Pipeline spill contaminates dry creek bed in northwest North Dakota
Jacob Orledge, 10/15/26

“A pipeline spill released thousands of barrels of an oilfield byproduct in McKenzie County, state regulators said Thursday,” the North Dakota Monitor reports. “The pipeline operated by Tallgrass Water spilled an estimated 3,402 barrels, or 142,884 gallons, of produced water on Wednesday. Produced water is a byproduct of oil production, sometimes called saltwater or brine, that can cause significant environmental damage. Bill Suess, manager of the Department of Environmental Quality’s spill investigation program, told the Monitor the incident is “larger than a typical spill” but far from the biggest spills in the state’s history… “Some of the spill flowed into the creek bed of a tributary of Cherry Creek about 10 miles southwest of Watford City, according to a press release from the Department of Environmental Quality… “The company constructed a berm across the tributary and is pumping out the produced water… “An estimated 1,200 barrels, or 50,400 gallons, of produced water had been recovered as of the spill report filed Wednesday afternoon.”

WASHINGTON UPDATES

States Newsroom: Bipartisan permitting bill in Congress could speed energy projects, but draws green critics
David Lightman, 10/16/26

“…A debate is likely when lawmakers return for their lame-duck session in November, though getting to a finish line anytime soon won’t be easy,” States Newsroom reports. “…The bill faces a bumpy, unpredictable path. Lots of amendments are likely… “The strongest opposition is coming from environmental groups. “The entire gist and purpose of this bill is to get to yes as fast as possible for every project under the sun. It doesn’t matter if it’s a good project or a bad project,” Brett Hartl, government affairs director at the Tucson, Arizona-based Center for Biological Diversity, told States Newsroom. These groups see the bill as a massive concession to those who have thwarted efforts to promote renewable energy. “Making a deal with the devil fails the American people,” Eric Schlenker-Goodrich, executive director of the New Mexico-based Western Environmental Law Center, told SN… “Pipelines. The bill makes it harder for a single state to block an interstate gas pipeline or electric transmission line that the administration views as essential to national security or significant economic reasons… “We can’t throw states, tribes, impacted communities, and threatened and endangered wildlife under the bus,” Rep. Jared Huffman, D-Calif., told SN… “Holly Bender, chief program officer at the Sierra Club, worried that the bill would benefit oil and gas companies “while communities stand to lose critical protections for clean air, water, and wildlife.”

Politico: Energy industry launches House campaign for permitting deal
Nico Portuondo, 10/14/26

“Energy industry lobbyists trying to bolster support for permitting legislation are launching an all-out congressional blitz over the October recess, focused on Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and a broad swath of House Democrats,” Politico reports. “Lobbyists for oil and gas, renewable energy and business groups told Politico they’re increasingly confident the bipartisan permitting package can clear the Senate, where Republicans eager to overhaul environmental laws have joined Democrats who see benefits for clean energy. That has shifted the industry’s lobbying focus to the House… “Committee jurisdictions in the House may complicate the path forward, given that transmission policy lies with Energy & Commerce but NEPA reforms, which are critical to Republican support, fall under Natural Resources’ jurisdiction,” one energy lobbyist granted anonymity to speak openly about the dynamics in the House told Politio… “Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition Vice Chairs Mike Levin (D-Calif.) and Sean Casten (D-Ill.) have expressed deep reservations to Politicod and called for changes.”

Bloomberg: EPA’s Defense of Methane Emissions Delays Draws Court Scrutiny
Taylor Mills, 10/14/26

“The EPA struggled to explain its reasoning for delaying compliance deadlines for methane emissions from oil and gas operations during Wednesday oral arguments,” Bloomberg reports. “The US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit expressed frustration with the Trump administration’s justification that the methane pollution limits included infeasible deadlines for industry to meet. Judge Judith Rogers particularly scolded the Environmental Protection Agency for a technical report trail that ‘doesn’t support what’s done,’ and said the agency failed to point to specific emissions data or health impacts in the five volumes of records submitted to the court.”

Reuters: Bessent calls for World Bank reforms, including upstream oil and gas financing
David Lawder, 10/14/26

“US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent issued a long list of demands for the World Bank in line with Trump administration interests, including ending the bank’s prohibition on financing upstream oil and gas projects, putting resources into deep-sea critical minerals mining and reforming its procurement policies,” Reuters reports. “…Bessent said the World Bank should take a technology-neutral approach to energy and remove constraints on natural gas and oil projects. “The Bank cannot credibly invoke country ownership while categorically excluding upstream projects before their development merits are even assessed,” Bessent said.”

Politico: Trump issues fresh Clean Air Act pardons at Alaska campaign stop
Jean Chemnick, 10/14/26

”President Donald Trump pardoned two people Tuesday night for tampering with vehicle pollution controls, saying charges against them were ‘sick’ examples of Biden-era legal weaponization,” Politico reports. “…Zachary Czubak and Patrick Fleming, co-owners of Arms Rippin Toys in Anchorage, who joined Trump on stage, pleaded guilty in 2022 to one count each of conspiring to violate the Clean Air Act, as did co-owner, Michael Hanzuk, II. They confessed to tampering with federally mandated monitoring devices and pollution controls for at least 37 private and commercial vehicles, according to the Justice Department… “Trump’s pardons are part of an ongoing effort by the president to undo federal prosecutions for Clean Air Act violations by diesel mechanics who illegally alter vehicles as part of their businesses. The president pardoned nine other mechanics in June for similar violations.”

STATE UPDATES

Daily Montanan: 17 groups sue Montana Public Service Commission to require considering climate change
Keila Szpaller, 10/15/26

“A coalition of 17 groups that want the Montana Public Service Commission to consider the effects of climate change in its decisions is taking its case to court,” the Daily Montanan reports. “Earthjustice and Western Environmental Law Center filed a complaint Thursday against the Public Service Commission. It asks the Missoula County District Court to find the PSC has a constitutional obligation to account for climate risks in its decisions. “Climate change poses an urgent threat to Montana and its people,” the complaint said. It said the Public Service Commission can allow utilities to keep investing in fossil fuels or encourage them to pursue “cleaner and ultimately less costly alternatives.” But it said the PSC has “refused to recognize and regularly disregards” the costs of climate, such as smoke that hurts asthmatic children, floods that destroy homes, and anglers who can’t fish. The groups include healthcare providers, youth organizations and clean energy and climate advocates. Amy Cilimburg, with lead plaintiff Climate Smart Missoula, told DM the PSC’s failure to regulate with climate in mind affects the health of Montanans and their ability to afford power. “When the PSC fails to consider climate change in its decisions, Montanans bear the high costs and risks that come with fossil-fuel electricity, as well as the unaffordable and unconstitutional effects of a changing climate,” Cilimburg said in a statement.”

Nebraska Public Media: Red-dyed diesel won’t fix a $2.50 per gallon price hike, say Nebraska farmers and ranchers
Macy Byars, 10/12/26

“President Donald Trump and Gov. Jim Pillen both signed orders this month expanding the on-road use of red-dyed diesel to reduce the high cost of the fuel. But Nebraska farmers and truckers say a small change in fuel taxes won’t make a dent in input and transportation costs during this harvest season,” Nebraska Public Media reports. “…President of the Nebraska Farmers Union John Hansen doubts that waiving the state and federal taxes will make a dent in how much farmers are spending to fuel up. “That doesn’t cover a two-dollar per gallon hole and increased costs,” he told NPM… “Hansen told NPM many farmers are already in the habit of filling up their equipment with the tax-exempt red-dyed diesel, so the impacts of the executive orders will be limited to farm trucks. “It would be less if you can run off-road diesel in your truck to haul grain to the elevator or grain to your grain bins,” he told NPM. “It’s helpful, but it shouldn’t be portrayed as a major fix for ag’s diesel fuel problems.” “…The Nebraska Trucking Association (NTA) – along with the American Trucking Association and other state groups – is advising business owners operating on-road commercial vehicles to steer clear of dyed diesel.”

New York Times: A Maryland Lawmaker Blamed Democrats for High Gas Prices. Laughter Ensued
Max Bearak, 10/14/26

“Soaring energy prices have become a leading issue ahead of the midterm elections, so it was almost inevitable that the two candidates in Maryland’s First Congressional District would be asked to address them in their debate on Tuesday night,” the New York Times reports. “But that’s where the night took a rough turn for Representative Andy Harris, a Republican and the chair of the House Freedom Caucus, who is seeking his ninth term. ‘The facts are: Diesel prices have gone up. There’s no question about it. Why has it gone up? Because the Democrats have environmental regulations,’ Mr. Harris said. Just then, some people in the debate hall interrupted with laughter and groans. His Democratic opponent, Dan Schwartz, had just laced into the Trump administration for making a deal with Russia to buy its diesel in an effort to lower prices, which have surged for American consumers amid the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, and no one interrupted him.”

Aspen Public Radio: Colorado voters will weigh in on a ‘right to natural gas’ in the state constitution through Amendment 82
Caroline Llanes, 10/14/26

“Colorado voters are being asked to decide on 14 statewide ballot initiatives, including Amendment 82The measure is relatively simple, less than sixty words in total,” Aspen Public Radio reports. “It asks voters to amend the state constitution, establishing a right for consumers to purchase natural gas for cooking or heating, as well as a right for distributors and utilities to sell natural gas for use in homes and businesses… “However, Elizabeth Cavan, Advance Colorado’s outreach director and policy analyst, discussed the ballot measure in an August 4 episode of the Advance Colorado Rundown, the group’s podcast. “One thing that people don’t realize at the Capitol, our lawmakers, is that 70% of Colorado households still rely on natural gas for heating and cooking,” Cavan said. She spoke with Sarah Blackhurst, CEO of Action Colorado, a rural advocacy group. Blackhurst said that figure is higher in rural parts of Colorado, and that natural gas for heating homes is more reliable than electricity from the grid, especially during winter storms. “There is a great place for renewables, they cannot replace nor will they ever replace firm baseload,” she said.”

EXTRACTION

Politico: The energy crisis has a climate patsy
Zia Weise, 10/15/26

“Climate policies aren’t behind the current energy price shock. But they’re copping much of the blame anyway,” Politico reports. “The European Union’s 27 leaders are meeting in Brussels on Thursday to discuss the recent explosion in fuel costs — and several prime ministers and presidents seized on the moment to demand carbon taxes and emissions rules be eased. “A temporary suspension” of the EU’s carbon price on power plants and polluting manufacturing sectors “would provide immediate relief” to industry, Italian PM Giorgia Meloni and her Czech counterpart, Andrej Babiš, said in a joint statement ahead of the meeting. Estonian leader Kristen Michal arrived at the summit demanding the EU “postpone or scrap” an upcoming CO2 tax on heating and transport fuels, which would push up bills as energy costs are already soaring. The heads of Poland, Czechia, Hungary and Slovakia called for a two-year delay on the measure, and asked others to join them… “From the United States to Australia, a growing cohort of politicians — the majority of them conservative or far-right — are making a link between high energy bills and climate policies. “Current net-zero targets have driven up energy costs, weakened our industrial base and made us more dependent on energy imports,” said U.K. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch in August. In Australia, the right-leaning Coalition has vowed to scrap the incumbent government’s net-zero policies, with one of its leading figures, Matthew Canavan, promising to “unleash all Australian energy resources (coal, oil, gas, uranium and renewables) to lower energy prices” and end carbon taxation.”

Oil Change International: Public Finance for Energy Database: Subsidies for CCS and fossil hydrogen
10/15/26

“Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is often presented as a solution for reducing carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions. Governments have introduced subsidies, tax incentives, grants, and other public finance measures to support CCS. We have tracked $79 billion in public funding pledged to CCS and fossil hydrogen projects between 1984 and 2025,” Oil Change International reports. “Other forms of public finance, such as tax credits, have also been introduced to support this technology. For example, the U.S. government’s 45Q tax credit is worth up to $100 billion. However, CCS does not enable the energy transition. Research shows that 88 percent of projects started before 2018 failed, and leading think tank DNV has found that failure rates have only increased in recent years. In 2009, the International Energy Agency (IEA) target was to capture 300 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) by 2020, but in 2025 the total capture capacity of all operating projects worldwide was only 61 Mtpa, 20 percent of the goal and less than 0.1 percent of total CO2 emissions worldwide. Hydrogen has also been presented as a potential tool to address industrial CO2 emissions. However, fossil-based hydrogen relies on fossil gas for its production and can require 25 percent more gas to produce the same energy value in hydrogen form. This adds emissions from the gas supply chain, and the carbon captured during hydrogen production does not compensate for the emissions already generated. We have tracked $5.3 billion in subsidies for fossil hydrogen projects. Despite its failures, public expenditure on CCS has increased substantially, reaching announcements of up to $32 billion in 2024. The top five country funders are the United Kingdom ($31 billion), the United States ($15 billion), the European Union ($7.4 billion), Norway ($6.1 billion), and Japan ($5.2 billion). Governments have prioritized investments in projects associated with the fossil fuel industry. According to our database, in 2024, 79 percent of operating carbon-capture capacity globally sends captured CO₂ to Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR). EOR injects CO2 into depleted oil wells to increase oil production. This means that public money is spent to prolong oil production rather than accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels. Today, taxpayers in the United States and Canada finance oil companies by subsidizing at least $3.5 billion in commercial EOR-CCS projects. Among commercial projects (excluding research or experimental projects), $13.2 billion in subsidies have been allocated to projects capturing CO₂ from gas-fired power plants, $4.1 billion to cement production, $3.9 billion to biomass power generation, $3.4 billion to hydrogen production, and $2.6 billion to coal-fired power generation. All of these sectors, except biomass power generation, are linked to the fossil fuel industry. For example, fossil-based hydrogen production uses fossil gas as a feedstock, while coal is often used as a fuel in cement production. Gas is also used as a fuel to generate the extremely high temperatures required to transform raw materials into cement clinker. We have tracked $79 billion in subsidies for CCS and fossil hydrogen projects between 1984 and 2025. Of this amount, $64 billion has been allocated to commercial projects, including $36 billion for commercial capture plants. The remaining amount is pledged to storage, transportation, and other parts of the supply chain. The 15 largest pledges to these commercial plants account for $26 billion. Of these 15 projects, nine are located in the United States, two in Canada, and one each in Denmark, Norway, the United Kingdom, and Sweden. In conclusion, we found that governments are investing in technologies that do not promote the energy transition.”

Reuters: Australia names offshore site for Inpex-led Bonaparte carbon storage project
Renju ​Jose, 10/16/26

“Australia on Friday designated the West Peron undersea rock formation, off ​the country’s north coast, as a ‌storage site for the 8 million metric ton-per-year Bonaparte carbon capture and storage project proposed by ​Japan’s Inpex,” Reuters reports. “The Bonaparte project is initially ​expected to receive carbon dioxide from ⁠Inpex’s Ichthys liquefied natural gas (LNG) project before ​eventually expanding storage services to multiple industrial ​facilities. Inpex proposes to permanently store up to 443 million tons of carbon dioxide deep underground in ​the West Peron formation over a ​period of up to 35 years… “Carbon ​capture and storage will play ​an ⁠important role in reducing emissions from hard-to-abate industries, supporting Australia’s transition to net zero,” ⁠King told Reuters.”

ESG Today: Google, Stripe, Shopify Sign Carbon Removal Deal with CO2-Into-Rock Startup 44.01
Mark Segal, 10/16/26

“Carbon removal buyer coalition Frontier announced new offtake agreements with carbon sequestration technology company 44.01, on behalf of purchasers including Stripe, Google and Shopify, alongside Autodesk, H&M Group and Workday, based on 44.01’s process to turn CO2 into rock,” ESG Today reports. “The agreement, worth $11.7 million will see nearly 21,000 tonnes of CO2 permanently removed between 2028 and 2031. Founded in Oman in 2020, 44.01 provides solutions to eliminate CO2 captured from the air or from hard-to-abate industrial processes by turning it into rock, through its technology to accelerate the natural process of CO2 mineralization. The company’s solution takes captured CO2 and dissolves it in water, creating an acidic solution that mobilizes cations within rock that reacts with the CO2 and mineralizes it, and injects the fluid deep underground, where high pressure, temperature and high CO2 concentration causes a rapid mineralization process.”

New Scientist: We can rescue the AMOC after its collapse – but it won’t be easy
Madeleine Cuff, 10/14/26

“A collapse in the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) would be catastrophic, bringing “ice age” winters to Europe, raising sea levels in North America and disrupting vital monsoons in Africa and Asia,” New Scientist reports. “…The AMOC is a vital ocean current that sustains Europe’s temperate climate… “If the world reached net zero emissions and then started to cool the global climate, for example by removing huge amounts of carbon from the atmosphere and putting it in long-term storage, the AMOC would start to strengthen within decades. But the level of carbon removal needed would be vast. Currently, the world removes around 2 million tonnes of carbon per year, equivalent to 0.1 per cent of humanity’s annual emissions, via technologies such as direct air capture and enhanced weathering. This would need to increase to 45 petagrams per year, equivalent to 100 per cent of current total annual emissions, to deliver global cooling at a rate of 0.2°C per decade. “AMOC reversibility does not mean safety, because we really need a huge, huge amount of carbon dioxide removal to achieve that cooling rate,” Guo told NS. “That is not something we can achieve with today’s technology.”

The Independent: Oil tanker ‘on fire’ in Strait of Hormuz just hours after container ship sinks, claim Iran’s army
Maira Butt, 10/15/26

“Iran’s army has said a “violating” oil tanker is on fire towards the eastern section of the Strait of Hormuz, according to reports from state media on Thursday,” The Independent reports. “An army statement claimed the “rogue tanker” disabled its tracking systems and was attempting to pass through the restricted area in the Gulf of Oman.”

TODAY IN GREENWASHING

KFYR: BSC students get an up-close look at TC Energy Plant
Hannah Neurohr, 10/16/26

“Bismarck State College students traded the classroom for a compressor station, getting a hands-on look at the energy careers powering North Dakota communities,” KFYR reports. “…A tour for the students allowed them an up-close look at one of the energy plants that powers our communities. Kent Morrell is a fourth-generation North Dakotan and works for TC Energy. He has pipelines from the company crossing through his property and says it’s special to be connected to the company he works for… “Students want to go into the field because of the job security and pay… “Organizers told KFYR tours like this one are key to inspiring the next generation of energy workers to enter an industry that is continuing to expand.”

OPINION

American Energy Alliance: Massachusetts Governor Healey Runs From Anti-Pipeline Policies She Once Championed
10/15/26

“Less than a month before Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey faces reelection, she has called for an energy emergency, issuing an executive order to temporarily reduce electric bills and expand home heating aid ahead of the winter season. She claims her slate of changes and payouts could save residents tens of millions of dollars in heating costs this winter. She has also asked the Trump administration to expedite approval of a gas pipeline expansion that would save $40 million in annual costs, but she has called for a thorough environmental review first. These actions are occurring despite her frequent statements against natural gas pipelines during her tenure as attorney general,” the American Energy Alliance writes. “…Governor Healey asked the Trump administration to expedite its review of a natural gas pipeline expansion project in New England… “New England, and Massachusetts in particular, has some of the country’s most expensive energy prices because of constraints and policies the state government has imposed. The state has fought new natural gas pipelines, so it must rely on imported, higher-priced LNG during periods of high home heating demand… “Her dilemma is that high energy prices concern residents… “More recently, Healey is trying to justify her actions by saying her “all-of-the-above” approach to energy—which includes support for Project RARE—is not an about-face, but consistent with her position that she supports projects that save ratepayers money and opposes those that do not. Healey urged the federal government to move quickly. “Moving quickly does not mean cutting corners” on any environmental review or community engagement efforts, she said… “Healey is pursuing natural gas pipeline projects despite blocking gas pipeline projects when she was Attorney General, indicating then that they were not needed.”

TIME: Access to Public Lands Should Unite All Americans
Mary Beth Laughton is the president and CEO of REI Co-op, 10/14/26

“Experiencing wild, open, and natural spaces is part of what it means to me to be American, and I know I’m not alone in that belief,” Mary Beth Laughton writes for TIME. “But the places that sustain that connection are under growing pressure due to decisions made by elected leaders. That is why, as we head into this year’s midterm election, voters must ask every candidate a simple question: How will you protect our public lands?… “Consider Bears Ears National Monument in Utah. A presidential proclamation issued this summer reduced the monument’s boundaries from roughly 1.36 million acres to about 131,000, removing monument protections from more than 90% of the landscape. Bears Ears is a living cultural landscape and sacred ancestral homeland of deep significance to Tribal Nations. Similar decisions are unfolding across the country. Congress rolled back protections for the Boundary Waters, opening the door to mining in its headwaters. The Trump Administration is also considering transferring a parcel of Yosemite National Park to a private developer. Pristine roadless backcountry may also be opened to development and extraction. These decisions will have lasting consequences.”