EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 11/12/26

PIPELINE NEWS

• Wisconsin Public Radio: Contaminated soil removed from spill site on Enbridge’s Line 5 in northern Wisconsin

• KELO: Thune Pushes Fast-Track Infrastructure Bill Despite Opposition to Carbon Pipeline Provisions

• Carbon Herald: Occidental Targets 4 Million Tonnes Of CO2 Supply Through New Carbon Capture Partnerships

• Canadian Press: Ottawa releases list of companies lending staff to major projects office

• Stillwater Associates Insights: An American Tail: Pipelines Go West

• Hart Energy: Midstream Giant Enbridge Is Laramie’s $550MM Piceance Gas Buyer

WASHINGTON UPDATES

• Reuters: US Senate to take up energy permitting bill votes next week, Whitehouse says

• Bloomberg: Johnson Says He Expects House Will Pass Senate Permit Bill

• Washington Examiner: Progressive Caucus announces opposition to permitting bill over environmental law reforms

• Washington Post: Many liberals hate this bill to overhaul permitting. Democrats may help pass it anyway

• Mother Jones: This Oklahoma Senator Stands to Profit From the Permitting Bill He’s Pushing

• Bloomberg: Protected Species Rewrite Comes Under Democrats’ Crosshairs

• Press Release: Congresswoman Maxine Dexter, M.D. Introduces Bill to Ban Data Centers on Federal Public Lands

• Politico: Hawley backs nationwide data center moratorium

• The Hill: Trump administration announces new plan to sell public lands

• Bloomberg: Interior Plans to Sell Off Public Lands to Cut Taxpayer Burden

• Politico: Climate funders convened a data center forum. They triggered a reckoning

• Reuters: How a Vitol trader’s ties to JD Vance helped land a prized Venezuela oil contract

STATE UPDATES

• Texas Tribune: As Texas embraces carbon storage, a Black community questions the risks

• KBAK: Judge’s ruling raises questions about Kern County carbon capture project

• Politico: Carbon removal cost increase

• Radio Iowa: Industry exec calls new Iowa congressional delegation ethanol supporters

• Post and Courier: Over 1,000 dead fish, frogs, tadpoles found in a Columbia creek. Is our drinking water safe?

• Appalachian Voices: Davidson County approves zoning for large liquefied natural gas facility along Yadkin River over unanimous community opposition

EXTRACTION

• Financial Times: ExxonMobil launches legal challenge to EU carbon capture rules

• Premium Times Nigeria: COP31: Climate activists reject carbon capture, marine geoengineering as ‘false solutions’

• Law360: Cory Can Acquire Occupied Land For Carbon Capture Plants

• CBC: Ottawa consulting on future of Arctic offshore oil and gas drilling ban, Carney says

• BloombergNEF: Data Center Power Demand Is Set to Surge, Raising New Climate Challenges

OPINION

• The Current: Michigan Pays Twice: Enbridge’s Tunnel Tab and Its Data Center Bet

• Lower Hudson Journal News: NY must push back on Constitution Pipeline, data centers

• New York Times: Democrats, Take the Deal

• Earthjustice: The permitting bill will let the Trump administration ignore NEPA

PIPELINE NEWS

Wisconsin Public Radio: Contaminated soil removed from spill site on Enbridge’s Line 5 in northern Wisconsin
Danielle Kaeding, 11/11/26

“Enbridge crews have been removing contaminated soil at the site of a gas leak on the company’s Line 5 oil and gas pipeline in northern Wisconsin,” Wisconsin Public Radio reports. “The Aug. 25 leak occurred as the company has been building a new 41-mile segment of Line 5 around the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa’s reservation in Ashland and Iron counties… “The company has been sampling and excavating soil to remove contaminated material, Christine Sieger, remediation and redevelopment director with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, told WPR… “About 4,275 tons of contaminated soil and debris were removed from the site last month. The material was disposed of at Waste Management’s Timberline Trail Landfill in Weyerhaeuser. About 4,500 gallons of water mixed with firefighting foam that does not include PFAS has also been disposed of at the Reworld Fox Valley/Oshkosh Material Processing Facility in Winneconne. Soil sampling has detected volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, that are related to petroleum products at the site. Initial testing also found benzene above the state’s residual contaminant levels that aim to protect groundwater from contaminants that may move through soil. A temporary monitoring well also exceeded groundwater standards for benzene.”

KELO: Thune Pushes Fast-Track Infrastructure Bill Despite Opposition to Carbon Pipeline Provisions
Liz Ryan, 11/12/26

“Senate Majority Leader John Thune says there’s still work to do in the Lame Duck Session of Congress…but some of that work may put him at odds with the people he represents,” KELO reports. “The Senate voted this week in favor of the Fast Track Infrastructure Bill in a procedural vote, and he’s pushing for its quick approval. Opponents of carbon capture pipelines and other energy-related projects are calling for its defeat.”

Carbon Herald: Occidental Targets 4 Million Tonnes Of CO2 Supply Through New Carbon Capture Partnerships
Vasil Velev, 11/12/26

“Occidental is strengthening its position in the US carbon capture and oil production market through two new long-term CO2 supply agreements designed to support enhanced oil recovery in the Permian Basin,” the Carbon Herald reports. “The Occidental CO2 agreements will connect natural gas processing facilities in the Delaware Basin with the company’s existing operations, creating additional infrastructure for Permian Basin carbon capture and enhanced oil recovery… “Occidental expects the first CO2 shipments to arrive in 2029, although both projects must first secure final investment decisions. The companies involved in the agreements have not been identified. Beyond securing additional CO2 supplies, the agreements will support the construction of nearly 100 miles of new CO2 pipelines across the Delaware Basin… “Occidental specifically highlighted the Section 45Q tax credit, which supports eligible carbon capture and sequestration activities, including qualifying CO2 use in enhanced oil recovery when accompanied by secure geological storage.”

Canadian Press: Ottawa releases list of companies lending staff to major projects office
Nick Murray, 11/10/26

“The major projects office has seconded employees from banks, oil and gas companies and mining firms as it pursues its mandate to improve Canada’s review process and get shovels in the ground faster, a new document shows,” the Canadian Press reports. “Other companies that have lent employees include ATCO EnPower, railways CN and CPKC, mining company BHP Canada, Ledcor, the Pembina Pipeline Corp., TC Energy, the TransAlta Corp., Torys law firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers and QSI Finance Canada. Federal institutions also have staff on loan to the office, including nine from the Canada Energy Regulator, two from the Trans Mountain Corp. and one each from the RCMP, the Canada Revenue Agency and the Canada Development Investment Corp. Opposition MPs have been asking about potential conflicts in the major projects office for months, after the Globe and Mail reported the office was recruiting from Bay Street… “Bloc Québécois MP Patrick Bonin told CP the list further fuelled his concerns that the number of staff brought in from the Canada Energy Regulator and oil and gas companies is pushing energy priorities within the major projects office.”

Stillwater Associates Insights: An American Tail: Pipelines Go West
Meir Hasbani, Chuck LeTavec, 11/11/26

“Westline Connect is the new name for HF Sinclair’s “Go West” pipeline plan, first floated in October 2025,” according to Stillwater Associates Insights. “On its Q3 2026 earnings call, the company said it now expects to take FID on the first phase in Q1 2027, with start-up in 2029. Both dates slipped by roughly a quarter relative to earlier guidance. The project centers on the Pioneer pipeline (from Sinclair, WY to North Salt Lake, jointly owned with Phillips 66 and operated by Phillips 66), taking it from about 60,000 to about 95,000 barrels per day (b/d). HF Sinclair’s original plan also called for debottlenecking the UNEV, its line from Salt Lake City to Las Vegas, and a new pipeline into Reno, but the latest descriptions of the project focus on Pioneer alone. Despite our pun, none of the descriptions mention Fievel Mousekewitz. The route is still in play. The new Pioneer section would run through Summit County and Emigration Canyon, where residents worried about drinking water have pushed back. Utah, meanwhile, has fast-tracked pipeline permitting. Locally, the project is pitched as Utah fuel security.”

Hart Energy: Midstream Giant Enbridge Is Laramie’s $550MM Piceance Gas Buyer
Nissa Darbonne, 11/11/26

“Veteran Rockies wildcatter Bob Boswell’s latest Piceance Basin sale is to giant North American midstream and utilities operator Enbridge Inc.’s new E&P business, Wexpro Co., Hart Energy found.”

WASHINGTON UPDATES

Reuters: US Senate to take up energy permitting bill votes next week, Whitehouse says
Nichola Groom, 11/11/26

“The US Senate is not expected to hold additional votes on the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act, a sweeping permitting reform bill, until next week, when lawmakers will take up amendments and a vote on final passage, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse said on Wednesday,” Reuters reports. “…Some senators are submitting proposed amendments to the bill this week. A group of Democrats, led by California’s Adam Schiff, is seeking to strike provisions related to the National Historic Preservation Act from the bill, arguing they would weaken protections for tribal resources… “Senator Josh Hawley, a Republican from Missouri, introduced amendments aimed at protecting farmers and other landowners from having their land taken through eminent domain for transmission lines.”

Bloomberg: Johnson Says He Expects House Will Pass Senate Permit Bill
Ari Natter, 11/11/26

“Speaker Mike Johnson said he expects to have enough votes in the House of Representatives to pass a sweeping bipartisan plan to overhaul the federal permitting system for major energy and infrastructure projects if the measure clears the Senate,” Bloomberg reports. “We’ve got the Republicans together to pass anything in the House right now,” Johnson told Bloomberg. “It’s really up to the Senate.” “…House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who has thus far withheld his support for the bill, told reporters Wednesday he’s still discussing an updated version of the measure with members of Democratic leadership. “We’re processing what’s happening over there in the Senate,” Jeffries said. “And then we’ll deal with it as a caucus if it comes over to the House.” “…“This gives too many tools to a president who has proven he will abuse whatever tools he is given,” Al Gore, the former US vice president and chairman of Generation Investment Management, said Wednesday at a forum held by Bloomberg Green at the United Nations climate conference underway in Antalya, Turkey.”

Washington Examiner: Progressive Caucus announces opposition to permitting bill over environmental law reforms
Callie Patteson, 11/11/26

“The Congressional Progressive Caucus formally announced its opposition to the bipartisan permitting bill intended to make it easier to build energy, transmission, and other infrastructure projects across the country,” the Washington Examiner reports. “The caucus, which represents nearly 100 members of the House and one in the Senate, is opposing the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act over its overhaul of bedrock environmental laws, including the National Environmental Policy Act, the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the National Historic Preservation Act. If passed as written, the progressive lawmakers warned, the bill would mean that “the public would lose key tools used to protect the environment and hold the administration accountable against ICE detention centers, Trump vanity projects, and more.” “…About 19 Democratic senators have since introduced a new amendment to the bill, aligning closely with the concerns outlined by the Progressive Caucus. The amendment, led by Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA), would strike BAAJA’s changes to the National Historic Preservation Act, according to Politico.”

Washington Post: Many liberals hate this bill to overhaul permitting. Democrats may help pass it anyway
Jake Spring, 11/11/26

“On its first day back since last week’s midterm elections, the Senate opened debate Monday night with a vote of 73-25, including 21 Democrats, to take up the bill, signaling that it may have enough support to pass with a 60-vote majority,” the Washington Post reports. “…What alarms many liberals and environmentalists is the sweeping changes that the bill would make to bedrock environmental laws, including the Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act and National Environmental Policy Act. The measure would make it difficult to take permits away after they have been awarded to projects and narrow the ability of lawsuits to stop projects… “Tracy Stone-Manning, president of The Wilderness Society, an advocacy group, said in a statement that the bill represents a threat to iconic public lands, including in the Alaskan Arctic, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Minnesota and Bears Ears National Monument in Utah. It would make it easier to build oil and gas infrastructure, data centers, mines or other industrial projects in or near millions of acres of public lands, Stone-Manning, who served as the head of the Bureau of Land Management under President Joe Biden, told the Post.”

Mother Jones: This Oklahoma Senator Stands to Profit From the Permitting Bill He’s Pushing
Nicholas Kusnetz, Lauren Dalban, 11/12/26

“Alan Armstrong of Oklahoma entered the U.S. Senate to fill a vacancy in March with a clear priority: pass permitting reform that he argued was necessary based on his experience leading a major natural gas pipeline company. Now, as he prepares to leave office, that goal is within reach—with big potential benefits for the company and him personally,” Mother Jones reports. “…But it also includes provisions Armstrong promoted that could push through a disputed pipeline that the Williams Companies, his former employer, has tried to build through New York for more than a decade… “Armstrong continued to hold at least tens of millions of dollars in Williams stock as of October 22, according to his most recent financial disclosures. He also hired three former Williams colleagues to his staff, one of whom maintained his role as senior vice president and general counsel at the company while temporarily serving as Armstrong’s chief of staff in the Senate.”

Bloomberg: Protected Species Rewrite Comes Under Democrats’ Crosshairs
Stephen Lee, 11/11/26

“Dozens of Democratic lawmakers on Wednesday pressured the Trump administration to walk back its bid to peel away endangered species protections,” Bloomberg reports. “The 42-member letter offers a preview of Democrats’ priorities when they take control of the House and Senate in January. Democrats will have subpoena power to directly confront administration officials like Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who the lawmakers addressed by name in their letter. But the lawmakers still won’t have much power to reshape internal agency decisions, such as the reinterpretations of ‘incidental take’ and ‘harm’ under the Endangered Species Act at issue here.”

Press Release: Congresswoman Maxine Dexter, M.D. Introduces Bill to Ban Data Centers on Federal Public Lands
11/11/26

“Today, Congresswoman Maxine Dexter, M.D. (OR-03) introduced the Protecting Our Public Lands from Data Centers Act to ban the construction of new data centers and related infrastructure on federal public lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service and the Department of the Interior… “The Trump administration is opening federal public lands to data center development as demand for computing power grows. Large data centers will put pressure on local water supplies and electric grids. Some proposed campuses include their own gas-fired power plants which can have devastating impacts on air quality, noise pollution can be extreme, and fencing off these sites restricts public access and disrupts wildlife habitat.”

Politico: Hawley backs nationwide data center moratorium
Nico Portuondo, Amelia Davidson, 11/11/26

“Sen. Josh Hawley endorsed a temporary pause on data center construction Wednesday, becoming the highest-ranking Republican to back a nationwide moratorium,” Politico reports. “…Senator Hawley is calling for a federal data center moratorium until Congress passes a bill of rights giving taxpayers guarantees of no rate increases,” a Hawley spokesperson, granted anonymity to speak candidly, told Politico… “A populist, Hawley is often one of the first Republicans to break with his party on contentious issues. The GOP still largely supports data centers as long as residents don’t foot the bill for energy and water costs.”

The Hill: Trump administration announces new plan to sell public lands
Rachel Frazin, 11/11/26

“The Interior Department ‘will work to decrease the size of the federal estate by offering to states, localities and Tribes the opportunity to purchase federal lands,’ said a new strategic department plan for the years 2026 through 2030,” The Hill reports. “…The report added that ‘a portion’ of the money from these sales could go back to the purchaser ‘for conservation purposes elsewhere in the state, locality or Tribal land, leading to improved recreation access for American citizens, while at the same time decreasing the federal taxpayer’s financial responsibility to manage federal lands.’ In addition, the plan says the department will ‘consolidate its workforce.’ It did not say what exactly this would entail, and spokespeople for the department did not respond to a question from The Hill about whether this would mean layoffs.”

Bloomberg: Interior Plans to Sell Off Public Lands to Cut Taxpayer Burden
Bobby Magill, 11/9/26

“The Interior Department plans to sell possibly large swaths of public land as part of its strategic plan for the next five years, but one of the key officials in charge of those lands was unable to explain what the process will look like,” Bloomberg reports. “The Department will work to decrease the size of the federal estate by offering to states, localities, and Tribes the opportunity to purchase federal lands,” Interior said in the plan, published Nov. 10. The new plan seeks to shrink federal land acreage to just ‘nationally significant’ federal lands, with a portion of the sale proceeds…”

Politico: Climate funders convened a data center forum. They triggered a reckoning
Miranda Willson, 11/12/26

“An ambitious effort to hash out an agreement between tech companies, green groups and philanthropists on guardrails for data center development may be about to unravel amid infighting among environmentalists,” Politico reports. “The Rockefeller Foundation, one of the country’s biggest climate funders, has been quietly supporting private convenings among major power players in the national data center brawl. The Responsible Data Center Collaborative it launched this summer includes participants from Google, Meta, Microsoft, Anthropic, Nvidia, the Chamber of Commerce and the Sierra Club and aims to craft a ‘national compact’ ensuring projects benefit local economies, run on ‘affordable and reliable clean energy’ and create good jobs, according to a group charter obtained by Politico. But in recent days, dozens of green groups and progressive organizations have raised sharp objections to the undertaking and the Natural Resources Defense Council has threatened to quit. The blowback has caused so much consternation that organizers called off a meeting of the group that was scheduled for this week, two people familiar with the effort who were granted anonymity to discuss private deliberations told Politico.”

Reuters: How a Vitol trader’s ties to JD Vance helped land a prized Venezuela oil contract
Tim McLaughlin, 11/11/26

“A week before the United States invaded Venezuela in January and captured its authoritarian leader, US Vice President J.D. Vance flew in Air Force Two for a visit to Montana’s Yellowstone Club, an ultra-exclusive ski and golf resort,” Reuters reports. “There, he met an old friend and early financier of his political career, John Addison, a gasoline trader with commodities giant Vitol, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters. Flight records reviewed by Reuters show Addison’s private Embraer jet and Vance’s vice-presidential plane together on the tarmac at the Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport, about an hour’s drive from the resort, on Dec. 27, a week before the invasion. Vance and Addison talked about Venezuela, according to the person, who was given an account of the meeting from Addison… “For this article, both Addison and Vance’s office denied having the Dec. 27 meeting in Montana. “And anyone who says so is absolutely making it up because I’ve never ‌told a single soul that was the case,” Addison told Reuters. But Addison confirmed to Reuters that on Jan. 5 – two days after the operation that unseated Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and killed up to 100 people – US Energy Secretary Chris Wright called him at his desk in Houston with an irresistible offer. President Donald Trump’s administration was planning to start selling the South American OPEC nation’s crude to global buyers to finance its coming political transition, and Wright wanted to know from Addison if Vitol wanted the job.”

STATE UPDATES

Texas Tribune: As Texas embraces carbon storage, a Black community questions the risks
Emily Foxhall, 11/10/26

“On a rural road outside Beaumont, a Texas energy giant is preparing to pump carbon dioxide underground to permanently store it and keep the gas from contributing to global warming,” the Texas Tribune reports. “…The Texas Railroad Commission, which oversees the oil and gas industry, won that authority late last year and approved this ExxonMobil project in September. But the nearby community of Cheek has asked commissioners to reconsider the permit decision. The area close to the project is predominantly Black, and many residents are working class or elderly. People there don’t trust the company’s assurances that it will keep residents and their groundwater safe. Only a small number of carbon storage wells have been permitted so far across the United States, and some CO2-related accidents have already happened. Experts and community advocates have warned of the risk for pipeline accidents and potential underground leaks. Leaders in Cheek are concerned the injected carbon dioxide could contaminate groundwater or get into the air and suffocate them. They worry emergency responders won’t be equipped to rescue them. Companies in Texas are working on 13 different projects to inject and store carbon dioxide underground. Most are concentrated near existing pipelines and have multiple wells. “We’re just shocked that they would want to do this so close to homes,” Douglas Cormier, the 67-year-old president of the Cheek Texas Community Association, who grew up in the rural town and lives there with his wife near his daughters and grandkids, told the Tribune. Residents explained they don’t want to be the test subjects for the technology, and some experts argue it’s more distracting than effective in fighting climate change. Harvard University History of Science Professor Naomi Oreskes, who studies disinformation and climate change, has called carbon capture and storage “mostly a dangerous distraction.”

KBAK: Judge’s ruling raises questions about Kern County carbon capture project
Caroline Rowland, 11/11/26

“A judge has ruled against Kern County’s approval of a major carbon capture and storage project planned near Buttonwillow, a decision environmental advocates say is a significant win for nearby communities and one that leaves the project’s future uncertain,” KBAK reports. “The project, known as Carbon TerraVault One, is proposed at the Elk Hills oil field near Buttonwillow. It is designed to capture carbon dioxide and store it deep underground. Grecia Orozco, a staff attorney with the Center on Race, Poverty & the Environment, called the ruling “a big victory for the communities.” “…Ileana Navarro, a policy associate with the Central California Environmental Justice Network, told KBAK, “The communities that we’ve talked to specifically in Button Willow were mostly concerned that they hadn’t heard anything about the project when we first talked to them.” Those concerns led to a court challenge, and the judge found problems with the county’s environmental review.”

Politico: Carbon removal cost increase
Corbin Hiar. 11/11/26

“Occidental also revealed that the price of its Stratos direct air capture megaproject in Texas had jumped $500 million to $1.8 billion, mostly due to inflation and unexpected repairs,” Politico reports. “It is still on schedule to open “around year-end,” the company said in an investor presentation. The novel facility is designed to remove up to 500,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere annually — more than any other DAC plant — and had an initial price tag of $1 billion.”

Radio Iowa: Industry exec calls new Iowa congressional delegation ethanol supporters
Mike Peterson, O. Kay Henderson, 11/10/26

“Iowa Renewable Fuels Association executive director Monte Shaw says he does not expect a shift in support for Iowa’s ethanol industry when Democrats become the majority in Iowa’s congressional delegation next year,” Radio Iowa reports. “…Shaw uses the phrase “champions of ethanol” to describe exiting U.S. House members Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Ashley Hinson, Zach Nunn and Randy Feenstra and U.S. Senator Joni Ernst. “Now our new folks, I call them ‘supporters,’” Shaw told Radio Iowa. “…I think that with these new folks that were elected we will have champions, but it’s going to take time to get there.” Shaw told Radio Iowa t’s too soon tell whether Governor-elect Rob Sand will be as big a booster of renewable fuels as his predecessors Terry Branstad and Kim Reynolds, but Shaw notes Sand visited Iowa ethanol plants and publicly stated his support for ethanol during the campaign.”

Post and Courier: Over 1,000 dead fish, frogs, tadpoles found in a Columbia creek. Is our drinking water safe?
Pat Moran, 11/10/26

“More than 1,000 fish were discovered dead in a Columbia creek where the water was covered with an oily sheen,” the Post and Courier reports. “A concerned citizen called the pollution hotline run by Congaree Riverkeeper and reported the fish kill in Smith Branch Creek near Page Ellington Park, said Congaree Riverkeeper Bill Stangler… “The Columbia Canal is one of the primary sources of drinking water for Columbia, West Columbia ands Cayce, according to Jill Martinez, Columbia’s water quality advocate… “DNR estimated well over 1,000 fish were killed, as well as frogs and tadpoles… “There is no concern about the water quality/safety of the city’s drinking water,” John Riggs, Columbia’s director of utilities, told the Post and Courier. “The drinking water is completely safe. There’s no threat there,’ said Benjamin Wildt, Columbia water communications manager, adding that DES has not pinpointed a source for the petroleum spill… “I will say that fish are much more susceptible to pollution issues (than people) because they live in the water,” Stangler told the Post and Courier.”

Appalachian Voices: Davidson County approves zoning for large liquefied natural gas facility along Yadkin River over unanimous community opposition
11/10/26

“After a hearing that stretched past 11:30 p.m. and drew a standing-room-only crowd in which not a single resident spoke in favor, the Davidson County Board of Commissioners voted 4-3 Monday night to rezone more than 1,600 acres along the Yadkin River for the largest non-export enhanced liquefied natural gas facility in the country,” according to Appalachian Voices. “The vote approves an application from Duke Energy Carolinas and its subsidiary, Piedmont Natural Gas, to build an Energy Reliability Center and LNG storage facility… “They filled the main room and an overflow room, and others sat on the lobby floor of the building listening to an audio stream of the meeting — there were nearly 250 people in total. Public comment didn’t open until 9 p.m., with some residents waiting more than four hours to speak; others had to leave without a chance to speak because of the time. Those who stayed urged the board to weigh the risks to air and water quality and to the local economy. They warned that turning the land over to heavy industry could jeopardize local agriculture and forestry, outdoor recreation and the area’s unique cultural heritage.”

EXTRACTION

Financial Times: ExxonMobil launches legal challenge to EU carbon capture rules
Kenza Bryan, Jamie Smyth, 11/11/26

“…Exxon is seeking an interim order suspending build-out requirements for carbon dioxide storage infrastructure in the EU’s Net-Zero Industry Act, the Commission’s memo said,” the Financial Times reports. “…Exxon’s challenge to the rules invokes protections against discrimination and expropriation in a 1994 investor protection treaty that the EU left last year but is still bound by… “Exxon is taking legal action despite being a pioneer for carbon capture storage technology in the US, where it plans to build the world’s largest CCS business on the US Gulf Coast. The company has spent more than $5bn on efforts to connect industrial customers to a 900-mile network of pipelines that can transport carbon dioxide into porous rock formations deep underground… “Oil and gas companies are now compelled to provide CO₂ storage capacity despite the absence of a viable market for carbon capture and transportation, saddling industry with unrealistic timelines and increasing energy costs for all Europeans,” the company said in a statement.”

Premium Times Nigeria: COP31: Climate activists reject carbon capture, marine geoengineering as ‘false solutions’
Abdulkareem Mojeed, 11/11/26

“Indigenous peoples, climate justice groups and environmental campaigners worldwide have called on governments to reject what they described as false climate solutions, warning that approaches such as carbon capture and storage, marine geoengineering and some nature-based solutions could undermine genuine efforts to tackle climate change,” Premium Times Nigeria reports. “The campaigners made the call during a collective action at the ongoing 31st session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Turkey on Tuesday, where they challenged the growing promotion of these approaches as responses to the climate crisis… “Ayumi Fukakusa of Friends of the Earth Japan described Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) as a lifeline for the fossil fuel industry rather than a genuine climate solution. She argued that the technology is expensive, energy-intensive, and fraught with uncertainties, warning that promoting it could allow fossil fuel companies to keep extracting and burning coal, oil, and gas while presenting themselves as contributors to climate action. “CCS allows the fossil fuel industry to keep extracting, burning, and profiting from coal, oil, and gas, while pretending to be part of the climate solution. It is greenwashing on an industrial scale,” she said.”

Law360: Cory Can Acquire Occupied Land For Carbon Capture Plants
Isabel Jackson, 11/11/26

“Waste management company Cory is entitled to acquire occupied land to build a carbon capture facility, a London court has ruled, dismissing the landowner’s challenge of a government decision to grant the company compulsory purchase powers,” Law360 reports.

CBC: Ottawa consulting on future of Arctic offshore oil and gas drilling ban, Carney says
David Thurton, 11/10/26

“The federal government says it is building up the capacity for northern communities to consult on the future of Canada’s moratorium on oil and gas drilling in the Arctic,” the CBC reports. “Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed on Tuesday that the federal government is working with northern governments and the Inuvialuit, the Inuit whose land claim includes much of the waters in the Beaufort Sea, on whether to keep the moratorium… “Northern premiers, including in Nunavut, have said they are interested in lifting the drilling ban… “In 2016, Trudeau government alongside U.S. President Barack Obama closed the door to future offshore oil and gas activity in both Canadian and American Arctic waters… “With the moratorium up for renewal in 2028, Wawzonek told CBC she hopes it doesn’t take that long for the feds to decide.”

BloombergNEF: Data Center Power Demand Is Set to Surge, Raising New Climate Challenges
11/11/26

“A new report from BloombergNEF, commissioned by Bloomberg Philanthropies indicates that data center electricity demand is set to almost quadruple to 2,354 terawatt-hours by 2035, equivalent to 7% of global electricity demand. The rush for “speed to power” is pushing some developers toward on-site gas. BNEF has tracked 181GW of announced gas-fired generation proposed alongside data centers, with more than 90% in the US.”

OPINION

The Current: Michigan Pays Twice: Enbridge’s Tunnel Tab and Its Data Center Bet
David Holtz, 11/11/26

“In 2018, Gov. Rick Snyder’s administration promised Michigan taxpayers that they “wouldn’t have to pay for” the proposed Line 5 tunnel project,” David Holtz writes for The Current. “…Michigan taxpayers are now on the hook for $8.6 million for a project that the state’s highest court has questioned and that Gov. Gretchen Whitmer herself says “may never be built.” But who is getting that money? Lawyers, advisors, and consultants… “Enbridge boasts that the money will advance more than 50 data center opportunities that could require up to 10 billion cubic feet of natural gas a day, roughly one-tenth of everything the United States burns. Its investor materials describe a $50 billion growth pipeline through 2030, listing “data center proliferation” right alongside “continued oil sands development” as the twin pillars holding it up. Oil money comes in, then gets sent back out through data center development. The crude oil Enbridge is moving under the Straits today, while threatening the Great Lakes with a catastrophic pipeline rupture, helps bankroll the gas infrastructure Enbridge is building to power artificial intelligence tomorrow… “Recent polling reveals more than 70% of Michigan residents oppose data centers near their home… “Enbridge is using data center demand to justify its Line 5 pipeline and tunnel project as indispensable. The arrangement is like a dentist selling candy to patients, charging them first for the candy and then for the cavities… “Michigan taxpayers have paid enough for Enbridge’s failed tunnel. It’s time to stop paying for its next bet, too.”

Lower Hudson Journal News: NY must push back on Constitution Pipeline, data centers
Onondaga County Legislator Maurice Brown is Assemblymember-elect for New York District 129, 11/12/26

“The Trump administration recently announced that it’s invoking the Defense Protection Act to put $42 million of the public’s money toward building the dangerous Constitution Pipeline. This is a law that’s intended only to be invoked during emergency wartime, but Trump is shamelessly using it as a political ploy to push a pipeline that New York doesn’t need — and it would likely only go toward fueling more of the massive polluting AI data centers that nobody wants,” Maurice Brown writes for the Lower Hudson Journal News. “… When he spoke in Syracuse last month, he claimed that New Yorkers “got no money” because of our fracking ban, and that decisionmakers are “killing the East Coast,” by not allowing the Constitution Pipeline. This was obviously nonsense. A decade ago, New Yorkers made the good decision to ban fracking and deny the Constitution Pipeline in order to protect our local businesses, farms, water and public health. Despite what he wants us to think, Trump’s tirade isn’t actually about making New Yorkers’ lives better. The truth is, fracking and a new mega-pipeline would only harm New Yorkers. There is no stated need for the Constitution Pipeline, but Trump and the Williams Company are trying to circumvent New York’s authority to protect our water and build the pipeline anyway… “As Trump and his friends in the fossil fuel and big tech industries work together to rapidly expand with no regard for our health, safety or wallets, Hochul must stand strong to uphold these decisions and protect New Yorkers from fracking, the Constitution Pipeline and AI data centers.”

New York Times: Democrats, Take the Deal
Editorial Board, 11/12/26

“In his election night victory speech, Representative Hakeem Jeffries of New York said he and his fellow Democrats would fight to “make this country affordable for every single American.” They have an opportunity to start now, before they take control of Congress in January. They should seize it,” the New York Times Editorial Board writes. “…The bill has the support of some of the Senate’s most environmentally minded members — and of the White House… “But following their party’s whopping midterm victory, some Democrats are tempted to scrap this legislation and wait to act until they take control of Congress next year. Democrats would then draft a new bill more to the liking of some environmental groups… “The bill’s Democratic skeptics are making a mistake. President Trump would almost certainly veto a follow-up bill next year. And time matters, especially for the climate. Congress should pass this bill now. It can then return next year and pass other bills that would do even more good… “Yes, the bill would ease the construction of a range of projects, including fossil fuel infrastructure… “The bill’s supporters recognize that it is merely a first step toward a much broader agenda to reduce carbon emissions and lower energy costs. But anyone who cares about climate change should cheer this bill. And a party that just won an election on affordability should not pass up a chance to start delivering immediately.”

Earthjustice: The permitting bill will let the Trump administration ignore NEPA
Sambhav Sankar, 11/11/265

“Most people who are trying to understand the Senate’s permitting bill, the Bipartisan Affordability and American Jobs Act (BAAJA), have heard of the (many) laws it amends: things like the Federal Power Act, the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Sambhav Sankar writes for Earthjustice. “…Section 1110 of BAAJA says that ‘the only remedy the court may order to redress [a NEPA] violation is to remand, without vacatur or issuance of an injunction, the applicable order to the agency.’ That means if an agency does a shoddy NEPA analysis while issuing a permit, the only thing a court can do is send the NEPA analysis back to the agency to do it again. The permit stands in the meantime, and the project can continue … Without meaningful judicial remedies, NEPA will be virtually impossible to enforce, especially against bad faith actors like the Trump administration. And not just for wind towers or transmission lines. For coal mines, gas pipelines, clear cuts, and mining projects too. The Trump administration has already shown its willingness to blow past the law to permit these, and it will exploit BAAJA to launch an epic permitting campaign on behalf of its fossil fuel patrons.”