EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 10/22/26

PIPELINE NEWS

• Reuters: Kinder Morgan to invest $4.7 billion in two gas pipeline projects as demand surges

• States Newsroom: Largest gas pipeline network in Northwest could grow as Oklahoma-based owners pursue expansion

• Investigative Journalism Foundation: Finance minister discussed West Coast pipeline with Enbridge

• UC Now: Emergency Services Stabilize Muddy Pond Pipeline Rupture

WASHINGTON UPDATES

• Politico: ‘This is how you blow up a permitting deal’: Sen. Whitehouse slams Trump over offshore wind

• Politico: Big Oil and clean energy join forces in bid to boost permitting bill

• Inside EPA: Environmentalists Float Permitting Bill Requests That Could Strain Deal

• Bloomberg: No Break in Lobbying on the Permitting Bill

• Politico: States regulators raise worries over the Senate permitting bill

• Axios: The permitting bill enters a critical stretch.

• The Center Square: What the U.S. Senate’s permitting bill means for data center development

• Native American Rights Fund: Senate permitting reform bill negatively impacts Tribes

• Carbon Herald: Congress Weighs 180-Day Mandate For EPA Primacy Decisions As Class VI Backlog Mounts

• Reuters: US aims to loan about a third of heating oil reserve in bid to tame prices

• Politico: Greens challenge end of automatic protections for threatened species

STATE UPDATES

• Semafor: Trump and an oil shock aren’t enough for Texan drillers

• Signal Ohio: Gas drillers ask Ohio to open public-owned Monroe Lake Wildlife Area for fracking

• KPLC: Candidates challenging Rep. Higgins weigh in on SpaceX, carbon capture, data centers

• Politico: Red-state regulators pan DOE orders to keep coal plants running

• Reuters: Phillips 66 locks out union workers at New Jersey refinery after contract expires

• KOAT: Precautionary evacuations ordered for parts of Lea County due to incident at oil field

EXTRACTION

• New Scientist: UN says 1.5°C is over and world is on track for 2.8°C of global warming

• Politico: Clean energy isn’t fixing climate change

• Distilled: Data Center Developers Have Announced More Than 100 GW of Their Own Power Plants

• Politico: Data center real estate is getting hard to find

• Oceanographic: US to sell off seabed as scientists check damage from mining tests

• Edmonton Journal: Alberta’s oilsands regions vote in favour to remain in Canada, unofficial results show

• Sustainability Magazine: How is Carbon Capture Laying the Foundations for Net Zero?

TODAY IN GREENWASHING

• Enbridge: Michigan livestock auction fights hunger, helps young farmers

OPINION

• Salt Lake Tribune: The Trump administration has gutted Utah’s public lands and raised prices for all of us. We must show our disapproval accordingly.

PIPELINE NEWS

Reuters: Kinder Morgan to invest $4.7 billion in two gas pipeline projects as demand surges
Varun Sahay, 10/21/26

“US pipeline operator Kinder Morgan said on Wednesday it has approved a total of $4.7 billion as its share of ​investments in two major natural gas pipeline joint ventures, citing rising ‌demand from power plants, data centers and LNG exporters,” Reuters reports. “…Kinder Morgan would invest about $3.1 billion in Southern ​Natural Gas’ Southeast Connector project and $1.6 billion in Natural Gas Pipeline Company ​of America’s (NGPL) Permian Link project. The Southeast Connector project would transport up to 2.6 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of natural gas through about 470 miles of new pipeline to growing ​markets in the US Southeast. The Permian Link is designed to transport roughly 2.8 Bcf/d ​of natural gas from the Permian Basin near Pecos County, Texas, to NGPL’s Midcontinent ‌system through ⁠about 434 miles of new pipeline. The approvals lifted Kinder Morgan’s project backlog to $14.4 billion, including a record $13.2 billion of natural gas projects.”

States Newsroom: Largest gas pipeline network in Northwest could grow as Oklahoma-based owners pursue expansion
Alex Baumhardt, 10/22/26

“The Oklahoma-based company that owns one of the largest gas pipeline networks in the Northwest is beginning to pursue permits to expand that network, and to pump more gas to the region to meet rising electricity demand,” States Newsroom reports. “Pipeline company Williams, owner of the 4,000-mile long Northwest Pipeline system that brings fracked gas from Rocky Mountain states to Idaho, Washington and Oregon, last month submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission paperwork to build a new pipeline called the Silver Spur between two existing gas transmission lines in Idaho and Nevada… “If approved, the 88-mile pipeline would carry up to 275 million additional standard cubic feet of natural gas per day to the Northwest, while states like Oregon and Washington simultaneously try to drive down gas consumption through policies and pollution caps meant to slow the growing threat of climate change. Environmental advocates say Williams’ claims that the pipeline is meant to meet overall demand for electricity growing in the region masks that the demand is being driven almost entirely by data centers. The Hood River-based nonprofit environmental organization is raising alarms about the proposed expansion with state officials and earlier this year led 20 organizations in calling on Washington and Oregon leaders to block fossil fuel expansion in the region.”

Investigative Journalism Foundation: Finance minister discussed West Coast pipeline with Enbridge
Zak Vescera, 10/22/26

“Before Prime Minister Mark Carney and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced that the Pacific Link pipeline would be designated as a project of national interest, federal Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne discussed the massive infrastructure undertaking with Enbridge,” the Investigative Journalism Foundation reports. “…That note said Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne sought Enbridge CEO Greg Ebel’s views on the proposed pipeline when the two sat down in March 2026.”

UC Now: Emergency Services Stabilize Muddy Pond Pipeline Rupture
10/21/26

“Emergency crews stabilized a natural gas pipeline rupture in the Muddy Pond area of Overton County Wednesday, with Enbridge confirming there was no explosion or fire,” UC Now reports. “Overton County Executive Austin Dodson said county emergency services were notified of the incident at 10:28am. Dodson said responders determined there had been no fire or explosion and only a few minor injuries required evaluation… “Dodson said Enbridge’s East Tennessee Natural Gas operation and local emergency responders were responding to the scene at approximately 10:45am. Enbridge said the affected pipeline had been isolated pending further assessment and there was no risk to the public… “Officials initially established a one-and-a-half-mile evacuation radius as a precaution. Dodson said the evacuation was lifted after officials determined the scene was safe. Enbridge later said there was no risk to the public.”

WASHINGTON UPDATES

Politico: ‘This is how you blow up a permitting deal’: Sen. Whitehouse slams Trump over offshore wind
Benjamin Storrow, Kelsey Tamborrino, 10/21/26

“Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, a lead Democratic negotiator on the Senate’s permitting bill, said Wednesday that the Trump administration’s targeting of offshore wind projects is jeopardizing the bipartisan deal to overhaul the country’s approval process for major infrastructure projects,” Politico reports. “In a court filing late Tuesday evening, the Justice Department said it was seeking to reopen a permit for the New England Wind project off Massachusetts. It’s the fourth project targeted by the administration in recent weeks. Whitehouse fired back on Wednesday, telling POLITICO, “This is how you blow up a permitting deal.”

Politico: Big Oil and clean energy join forces in bid to boost permitting bill
James Bikales, Kelsey Tamborrino, Timothy Cama, 10/22/26

“…The two energy sectors, opposed in past fights over climate change policy and federal subsidies, have now converged on a shared goal: helping get a long-gestating permitting reform bill to President Donald Trump’s desk in the lame-duck session of Congress, despite worsening political headwinds,” Politico reports. “…The outlook for a deal soured Wednesday as the administration launched new efforts to reconsider offshore wind permits as part of ongoing legal challenges. But even as the administration’s action threatened to complicate the deal, the fact that the oil and renewable energy industries are working members in tandem is striking. Industry proponents of the bill — the American Clean Power Association, the American Petroleum Institute and others — told Politico they’re working to make the case to lawmakers and other constituencies that they’re the most experienced on the need for the bill… “Some environmental and tribal groups have said they oppose the bill or will push for major changes, while politically powerful utilities are still deciding where they come down. And in the Trump era, there’s always the risk that the partisan rancor could engulf a broadly bipartisan bill, especially after a midterm election that is likely to usher in a change of power on the Hill.”

Inside EPA: Environmentalists Float Permitting Bill Requests That Could Strain Deal
10/20/26

“Several environmental groups are pressing for changes to the Senate’s draft permitting bill, even as they hedge on their final position on the measure, with one major group suggesting the bill could have ‘modest to significant’ climate benefits despite other environmental drawbacks,” Inside EPA reports. “…Key lawmakers are pressing for recommendations this week on potential consensus changes that could be incorporated into a promised manager’s amendment, and by sometime next week on potential amendments to the bill that could be more controversial, according to a source tracking the issue… “NRDC seeks ‘critical changes’ in the bill related to project certainty, judicial remedies, clean water, endangered species protections and historical preservation requirements — with many such requests affecting fundamental compromises in the draft text.”

Bloomberg: No Break in Lobbying on the Permitting Bill
Kellie Lunney, 10/21/26

“As groups continue to assess the pros and cons of the Senate-negotiated bipartisan permitting bill (S. 5653)—and lobby for their interests on Capitol Hill ahead of the midterm elections — Earthjustice became the latest to weigh in with an analysis of the bill’s provisions,” Bloomberg reports. “Without explicitly supporting or opposing the legislation, the report praises the legislation’s potential to expedite new transmission projects and modernize the grid. The flip side: It criticizes proposed changes that would weaken reviews under environmental and historic preservation laws. “In elevating speed over deliberation, the bill could help the country build much-needed infrastructure,” said the analysis. “It could also undermine other imperatives such as protecting public health and the environment and promoting a more fair economy.” “…At Defenders of Wildlife, senior government relations legislative counsel Chris Westfall told Bloomberg that “We oppose the bill because it eviscerates the Endangered Species Act.”

Politico: States regulators raise worries over the Senate permitting bill
Miranda Willson, 10/21/26

“State environmental regulators are raising concerns about the Senate’s bipartisan energy permitting bill, arguing it could impose “undue burden” on states,” Politico reports. “What happened: The Environmental Council of the States, a nonpartisan association of all 50 states’ top environmental officials, sent a letter to Senate and House negotiators Wednesday with ‘comments, questions, and concerns’ about the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act… “The bulk of ECOS’ concerns center on proposed revisions to the Clean Water Act — a top priority for Republicans who want to prevent blues states and future Democratic administrations from using their authority under the law to block fossil fuel projects. The bill would impose new limits on state reviews of energy projects, making it harder for states to deny permits. But those restrictions could also prevent states from placing conditions on pipelines, dams and other infrastructure to ‘address the full range of water quality impacts,’ the letter said.”

Axios: The permitting bill enters a critical stretch.
Ben Geman, 10/21/26

“The push to pass a sweeping permitting bill is gaining powerful allies and encountering fresh resistance as Congress prepares for a post-midterms showdown,” Axios reports. “…But some environmentalists say it badly weakens crucial protections in the name of speeding reviews. A new, interactive analysis out on Wednesday projects potentially huge time savings if the bill becomes law… “Columbia’s Center on Global Energy Policy doesn’t have an institutional position on the bill. But founding director Jason Bordoff, a prominent voice in energy policy circles, is urging environmentalists not to oppose it… “Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) posted on X that it would be “tone deaf if Congress makes it easier to build data centers.” That drew pushback from backers who emphasized provisions to ensure data center companies cover grid costs.”

The Center Square: What the U.S. Senate’s permitting bill means for data center development
Thérèse Boudreaux, 10/20/26

“Although Congress failed to pass the Ratepayer Protection Act, another bipartisan bill the U.S. Senate intends to take up would codify even stronger protections for American taxpayers facing surging electric bills due to data centers,” The Center Square reports. “…Notably, it also requires owners of data centers that draw more than 20 MW of power plugging into the electric grid to pay for the associated grid upgrade costs… “But critics of BAAJA worry it would trample state and community rights by limiting litigation and local input, making it more difficult for states to deny federal projects, and most importantly, “seemingly make it impossible to put forward a pause or moratorium on an activity, even if the pause would only be to allow time for closer review of potential impacts,” the Wilderness Society warns.”

Native American Rights Fund: Senate permitting reform bill negatively impacts Tribes
10/20/26

“If your Tribal Nation is interested in sharing your view on the BAAJA to your respective Senators, time is of the essence,” according to the Native American Rights Fund. “…The Senate Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026 (BAAJA) is a permitting reform bill designed to accelerate federal environmental reviews and expedite project approvals. The bill proposes significant changes to foundational environmental laws — including NEPA, the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the National Historic Preservation Act — as well as amendments to energy permitting, including the Federal Power Act regarding hydropower permitting. By imposing shorter review timelines and narrower definitions of what triggers a review, BAAJA reduces critical federal oversight and participation. The bill has significant impacts on the ability of Tribal Nations to participate meaningfully in permitting issues that can effect their land, water, and cultural interests. The BAAJA severely weakens Tribal opportunities to engage as sovereign governments, curtails Tribal consultation requirements, and restricts access to legal recourse in court. A large coalition of Tribal organizations has formally opposed the entire NHPA title.”

Carbon Herald: Congress Weighs 180-Day Mandate For EPA Primacy Decisions As Class VI Backlog Mounts
Violet George, 10/22/26

“A new Congressional Research Service (CRS) report reveals that 142 individual Class VI carbon sequestration wells across 44 projects remained stalled in the EPA review pipeline as of September, vastly outnumbering the 13 wells currently operating under federal permits,” the Carbon Herald reports. “The EPA’s August rescission of its 2023 environmental justice guidance, following executive orders signed earlier in the year, has created regulatory uncertainty over how public participation and community impacts will be evaluated across state and federal permitting authorities. Federal lawmakers are considering legislative intervention via the Primacy Certainty Act of 2025 to enforce a 180-day deadline on state primacy applications, as states like Louisiana temporarily halt new permit reviews due to resource constraints and legal challenges… “Pending legislation, titled the Primacy Certainty Act of 2025 (H.R. 4880 / S. 2505), would mandate that the EPA issue a final decision on state Class VI primacy applications within 180 days of submission, though both bills currently remain under committee review.”

Reuters: US aims to loan about a third of heating oil reserve in bid to tame prices
Timothy Gardner, 10/21/26

“The Trump administration is offering to loan up to nearly a third of the 1-million-barrel US emergency heating oil reserve, the Department of Energy said on Wednesday, in a bid to tame prices, which have surged on diesel shortages due to the wars in Iran and Ukraine,” Reuters reports. “…The US has only tapped the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve once since Hurricane Sandy struck the region in 2012… “About one-third ​of New England homes use heating oil and about half in Maine. Soaring heating oil costs have emerged as a key issue ahead of the November 3 elections, including in several tight Senate races, as Trump’s fellow Republicans are trying to maintain control of the two chambers of Congress.”

Politico: Greens challenge end of automatic protections for threatened species
Alex Guillén, 10/21/26

“Environmentalists on Wednesday launched their latest legal broadside against the Trump administration’s rollbacks of protections for imperiled wildlife,” Politico reports. “The suit targets a regulation issued this summer that lifted the automatic extension of safeguards for plants and animals on the brink of becoming endangered. “There’s no rational explanation for upending a system that has, for more than half a century, successfully protected threatened wildlife,” Earthjustice attorney Clay Samford, an attorney for the environmental groups, told Politico “This action cuts against the very spirit of the law, which was created to ensure species are given a fighting chance of survival.” The rule is part of a constellation of Endangered Species Act issues that industries and Republicans have long complained hamstring development and economic growth… “The new lawsuit filed by Earthjustice argues that the Trump administration’s policy change lacks a rational explanation and ignores the law’s requirement for environmental analysis.. “The suit was brought by the Sierra Club, WildEarth Guardians, National Parks Conservation Association and other groups.”

STATE UPDATES

Semafor: Trump and an oil shock aren’t enough for Texan drillers
Tim McDonnell, 10/22/26

“…This year, thanks to the surge in oil prices caused by the war in Iran, Diamondback’s second-quarter profits per share more than doubled from last year; Wall Street expects another boost when third-quarter earnings are released in a few weeks. But CEO Kaes Van’t Hof isn’t celebrating,” Semafor reports. “…But many Permian drillers are ambivalent about this growth. Diamondback, like its peers, has been hesitant to answer Trump’s repeated calls to “drill, baby, drill”; the company’s latest production target for the year is only about 4% higher than it was before the US-Iran war. Across the Permian, daily production is only 1.5% above where it was when the Strait of Hormuz crisis began in February, despite US oil prices rising 50%. That circumspection is the result of some hard lessons from a century of booms and busts. Despite major engineering strides in driving down production costs, and a wave of industry consolidation that has concentrated resources and decision making in fewer hands, executives like Van’t Hof are less willing than ever to take billion-dollar gambles adding rigs just because the president wants them to. No matter how attractive oil prices look today, many in the Permian believe a price crash is inevitable, either because Trump’s daily “jawboning” keeps futures traders feeling bearish, or because of a genuine security breakthrough in Iran, evaporating consumer demand owing to high prices and the clean energy transition, or the influx of foreign barrels from places like Venezuela.”

Signal Ohio: Gas drillers ask Ohio to open public-owned Monroe Lake Wildlife Area for fracking
Jake Zuckerman, 10/21/26

“A company has asked state officials to open Monroe Lake Wildlife Area in eastern Ohio to oil and gas development, making the preserve the newest target for industry exploration on public lands,” Signal Ohio reports. “Drillers are proposing to tap into oil and gas reserves under about 618 acres of the 1,333-acre Monroe County expanse, which is popular among hunters and fishers… “Statehouse Republicans in 2021 forcibly revived what was essentially a dormant program that allowed state agencies to lease acreage owned by the public to the oil and gas industry. Since then, Ohio has opened 22,000 acres of its state parks and wildlife areas to fracking plays, exclusively awarded to out-of-state drillers… “The Republican candidate, Vivek Ramaswamy, has indicated support for fracking state parks by shooting videos supporting Ohio’s fracking industry from one of the biggest such projects in Ohio at Salt Fork. He’s running against Democratic Dr. Amy Acton. The campaign in a statement said that while Acton supports fracking among other energy production resources, she thinks state forests and wildlife areas should be left alone.”

KPLC: Candidates challenging Rep. Higgins weigh in on SpaceX, carbon capture, data centers
Devin Cruice, 10/21/26

“Meet the five people challenging Rep. Clay Higgins for his seat in the U.S. House, representing parts of Southwest Louisiana and Acadiana,” KPLC reports. “Kate Cotten told KPLC she isn’t familiar enough with carbon capture specifically to take a position. On the broader question of whether companies should be able to use eminent domain to acquire land for CO2 pipelines, she’s the only candidate in the field who stopped short of supporting a ban… “John Day is firmly opposed to carbon capture projects as they’re currently being pursued in Louisiana. “I’m wholly against it,” Day told KPLC. “The oil companies just use it so they pay less taxes, get more profit, and we’re burying all this poison in the ground.” “…Priscilla Gonzalez told KPLC she doesn’t have specialized knowledge of carbon capture and would lean on outside experts and community input before taking a position… “Tia LeBrun opposes carbon capture projects outright, citing safety concerns, and favors banning the use of eminent domain to acquire land for them… “Caleb Walker’s support for carbon capture is conditional on safety and transparency, and he favors banning eminent domain for these projects.”

Politico: Red-state regulators pan DOE orders to keep coal plants running
Jeffrey Tomich, 10/21/26

“The Trump administration’s use of emergency powers to keep coal plants running past their planned retirements drew pushback Wednesday from the chief regulators of two Republican-led states,” Politico reports. “The chairs of the Iowa and South Dakota utility commissions warned the emergency orders were disrupting energy planning and unnecessarily increasing electric bills for Midwest consumers… “DOE has ordered seven fossil-fuel power plants to remain available past their planned retirement dates, including six coal plants, saying the units are needed for grid reliability. Three of the coal burners are in the Midwest: Consumers Energy’s J.H. Campbell plant in Michigan and the R.M. Schahfer and F.B. Culley power stations in Indiana… “According to the Sierra Club, the cost of DOE orders to keep all seven fossil plants online already tops $615 million, and that price tag is expected to increase.”

Reuters: Phillips 66 locks out union workers at New Jersey refinery after contract expires
Nicole Jao, 10/20/26

“Phillips 66 has barred nearly 400 union workers from its Bayway refinery in Linden, New Jersey, after the collective bargaining agreement and an extension of the contract expired,” Reuters reports. “The labor dispute at Bayway, the largest refinery on the U.S. East Coast, comes as gasoline and diesel prices remain elevated amid disruptions to global energy supplies from conflicts in the Middle East and Russia. Any operational disruptions could further tighten fuel markets and drive prices higher… “About 385 workers were locked out after the union rejected the company’s latest contract offer, Teamsters Local 877 said in a social media post on Monday… “The labor dispute follows a 7-month long lockout at BP’s Whiting refinery, the largest in the Midwest.”

KOAT: Precautionary evacuations ordered for parts of Lea County due to incident at oil field
Vincent Rodriguez, 10/20/26

“Officials with Lea County are advising people in the southern part of the county of a precautionary evacuation and road closures due to an oilfield incident,” KOAT reports. “Lea County officials say a “loss-of-containment” incident happened at a Chevron well site near Cotton Draw. Due to the incident, a precautionary evacuation zone has been places for an area 1/2 mile from the incident… “No injuries have been reported in the incident.”

EXTRACTION

New Scientist: UN says 1.5°C is over and world is on track for 2.8°C of global warming
Madeleine Cuff, 10/21/26

“It is now impossible for the world to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, with emissions on track to cause 2.8°C of warming by the end of the century, the UN says,” New Scientist reports. “Despite increasingly urgent warnings from scientists outlining the dangers of warming above 1.5°C, global emissions aren’t yet falling and governments around the world aren’t doing anywhere near enough to decarbonise their economies. The only way to meet the 1.5°C target now is by “overshooting” that goal in the short term, the UN said in its latest Emissions Gap report, before relying on vast amounts of global cooling, delivered via technologies such as direct air capture, in the latter half of the century.”

Politico: Clean energy isn’t fixing climate change
Sara Schonhardt, 10/21/26

“Conventional wisdom once held that if renewables were cheap and available, fossil fuel use would decline — along with planet-warming emissions. Instead, clean energy is booming and the planet is still on a path to damaging climate change,” Politico reports. “The United Nations said as much this morning. “The opportunity to limit warming to 1.5°C without overshoot has been lost,” the organization said in its annual Emissions Gap Report… “The idea is that countries would overshoot 1.5 degrees but then could use aggressive policies to bring temperatures back down. The problem: Getting there means a combination of “faster, deeper and more sustained” emissions reductions and large-scale carbon removal — a task that countries were already struggling to achieve, plus the widespread deployment of a technology not yet proven at scale. And it’s coming as energy demand is booming from data centers, electric vehicles and industry, often derived from fossil fuels… “As the Emissions Gap Report points out, emissions from fossil fuel use increased last year and methane remained stagnant, despite commitments by countries and companies to quickly curb the potent pollutant… “The U.N. report says it’s too soon to determine how the war will affect emissions trends, but it will likely pull both ways — increasing pollution through more coal use and fuel switching while reducing it through some countries’ faster deployment of renewables.”

Distilled: Data Center Developers Have Announced More Than 100 GW of Their Own Power Plants
Michael Thomas, 10/21/26

“Data center developers are building their own gas power plants rather than wait years for a grid connection,” Distilled reports. “In June, we published our second report on this trend. At the time, developers had announced about 90 GW of behind-the-meter generation, roughly nine New York Cities’ worth of power… “Today we’re excited to announce Cleanview’s live behind-the-meter gas plant tracker. It covers more than 100 gas plants built to power data centers, and we update it every day.”

Politico: Data center real estate is getting hard to find
Kelsey Tamborrino, Francisco “A.J.” Camacho, 10/21/26

“…But backlash to large data centers for artificial intelligence is rewriting the rules. Instead of ramping up tax incentives, 16 state legislatures have considered outright bans on their development,” Politico reports. “As the glut in projects strains U.S. electrical grids and voters from both parties increasingly sour on the bulky facilities, developers are rethinking what they really need… “The Site Selectors Guild released a report in September on how companies are deciding where and whether to build. It found that electric power and water availability ranked among the top factors driving location decisions. Site selectors also said community opposition is now a major factor for slowing or stopping projects, with data centers facing the most visible pushback of any sector in the survey.”

Oceanographic: US to sell off seabed as scientists check damage from mining tests
Rob Hutchins, 10/20/26

“The United States is preparing to hold the first deep-sea mining lease sale in its history, offering more than 31 million acres of seabed off American Samoa to mining companies,” Oceanographic reports. “…Opposition to the move has been strong. American Samoa Governor, Pulaali’i Nikolao Pula has openly opposed any commercial extraction of minerals in the territory’s waters, and the Marine Minerals Administration received more than 76,000 public comments during an earlier comment period on the proposed sale, with an overwhelming majority against… “Mining the crusts involves removing the surface of the seafloor itself, while nodule mining uses robotic vehicles that move along the seabed to excavate the nodules. Once the material has been brought to the surface and separated, the waste is released back into the ocean, creating plumes that can smother organisms on the seafloor and in the surrounding waters. There have also been studies that found mining to release toxic and radioactive materials into the water column… “Many species in the CCZ are extremely rare; about 90% of the species that we have sampled so far are still unidentified and have no name. And no one knows how many species are still to be discovered,” Haeckel told Oceanographic. “…This kind of large-scale damage must be prohibited, because we would only notice it, if it is already too late. The benthic ecosystem will not recover on human time scales. While the specific nodule habitat is removed permanently, sedimentary processes will be altered for thousands of years.”

Edmonton Journal: Alberta’s oilsands regions vote in favour to remain in Canada, unofficial results show
Itoro Umanah, 10/21/26

“Unofficial results from the two ridings in Alberta’s oilsands region — Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche and Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo — have shown significant support against holding a binding referendum that will enable the province separate from Canada,” the Edmonton Journal reports. “Based on numbers retrieved from the Elections Alberta website, combined unofficial results for both ridings reporting showed a total of 18,825 votes counted. Of that number, 11,683 (62.1 per cent) voted for option 1 — for the province to remain in Canada — compared with the 7,142 (37.9 per cent) voted for option 2— in favour of holding a binding referendum to separate from Canada.”

Sustainability Magazine: How is Carbon Capture Laying the Foundations for Net Zero?
Lucy Potter, 10/22/26

“…According to the Global Status of CCS 2026 report, there are now 113 commercial carbon capture and storage (CCS) facilities functioning worldwide. This figure represents a more than fourfold expansion since 2021,” Sustainability Magazine reports. “…Cumulatively, these initiatives have permanently sequestered more than 400 million tonnes of CO₂ since 1996… “Jarad Daniels, CEO of the Global CCS Institute, says: “Proven technologies are available for commercial CCS deployment, but projects need an investable business case to deploy. “Policy and financing remain the key constraints limiting broader deployment of carbon management. CCS uses capital-intensive critical infrastructure that requires market-enabling policy, coordinated planning and dependable revenue streams.” “…The United States remains the primary driver of this capacity. The surging electricity requirements of AI and expansive data centres are unlocking fresh avenues for carbon capture within the power generation sector… “Jarad says: “Scaling CCS increasingly depends on systems rather than standalone projects, and it’s encouraging to see evidence of this beginning to happen in this year’s report.”

TODAY IN GREENWASHING

Enbridge: Michigan livestock auction fights hunger, helps young farmers
10/21/26

“The warmth of the firepit on a cool Michigan day. Enjoying a bowl of chicken noodle soup to lessen the chill. A day spent raking leaves or taking a drive to enjoy the fall foliage. While those activities are common to most people throughout the fall, thousands of Michiganders are grappling with a harsh reality—how they’ll put food on the table,” according to Enbridge. “…In an effort to help Michiganders struggling with food insecurity, Enbridge recently donated 2,000 pounds of locally raised meat products it purchased at the UP State Fair’s Junior Market Livestock Auction.”

OPINION

Salt Lake Tribune: The Trump administration has gutted Utah’s public lands and raised prices for all of us. We must show our disapproval accordingly.
Patricia Becnel, 10/22/26

“Trump’s illegal evisceration of our national monuments is disturbing. Tribal nations finally had a seat at the table, and with the stroke of his Sharpie, Trump did away with years of work and promises. Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante were vast, expansive lands bordering on sacred; beautiful, peaceful and a respite from the noisy, cluttered lives we live,” Patricia Becnel writes for the Salt Lake Tribune. “Like other public lands, usually free to access, they sequester huge amounts of carbon, provide habitat for a variety of species, provide travel corridors to insure wildlife can procreate, protect watersheds, and allow us to learn more about our ancestors, science and our world… “Though outdoor recreation brings in $1.3 trillion in gross economic output and provides 5.2 million jobs, Trump would rather give our land to private developers and corporations so a few already wealthy people can be wealthier… “With war, tariffs and broken promises, the Trump administration has raised prices for all of us. His disrespect for the value of public lands and dismantling them will make our lives even poorer. It is important we show our disapproval of his actions, and the inactions of those who have stood by and watched as he has taken so much that is good in America and destroyed it.”