EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 11/25/24

PIPELINE NEWS

• Pipeline Fighters Hub: Landowners Vow Renewed Challenge After Iowa Supreme Court Sidesteps Key Pipeline Surveying Questions

• Iowa Capital Dispatch: Iowa Supreme Court upholds land survey abilities of pipeline companies in Summit case

• Reuters: Trump Prepares Wide-Ranging Energy Plan To Boost Gas Exports, Oil Drilling, Sources Say 

• FOX Business: Ex-Keystone XL Pipeline Worker ‘On Cloud Nine’ As Trump Reportedly Plans To Revive The Project 

• Power Engineering: TC Energy to work with Korean company to commercialize super-critical CO2 generation

• Bloomberg: Blackstone, EQT Form $3.5 Billion Gas Pipeline Venture

• Press release: EQT announces $3.5 billion midstream joint venture with Blackstone Credit & Insurance

• DOB Energy: Enbridge Holding Open Season For Southern Lights Canada Pipeline

WASHINGTON UPDATES

• Politico: Barrasso And Manchin Huddle With Westerman On Permitting 

• E&E News: DC Circuit Weighs NEPA Battle Over Interior Drilling Approvals 

• E&E News: EPA plan would give West Virginia authority over CO2 wells

• E&E News: Trump win forces carbon removal developers to reconsider oil

• E&E News: What Trump’s Treasury pick means for clean energy tax credits

• The Hill: Biden proposes to restrict pollution from new gas plants

• Mother Jones: The Biden Administration Put $7 Billion Into “Hydrogen Hubs.” Critics Smell a Boondoggle.

• E&E News: Utah Lawsuit Seeking BLM Lands ‘Plainly Lacks Merit,’ DOJ Says 

• E&E News: Why Trump’s ‘Drill, Baby, Drill’ Team Looks Headed For Smooth Confirmation 

• Wall Street Journal: Trump’s Oil And Gas Donors Don’t Really Want To ‘Drill, Baby, Drill’ 

• DeSmog: Trump Energy Secretary Pick Chris Wright Calls Climate Crisis Denier Bjorn Lomborg a ‘Friend’

• E&E News: Republicans Mull Congressional Review Act Strategy 

• Reuters: Trump energy pick wrote ESG report hailing oil, gas, downplaying climate worry

• Utility Dive: What do Trump’s picks to head Energy and Interior signal for renewables?

• Indybay: Climate Crisis Activists Trying to Head Off Trump Destruction

STATE UPDATES

• Press release: Lawsuit Challenges Faulty Environmental Analysis for California’s First Carbon Capture and Storage Project

• Politico: Alaska Gears Up For Permitting Fight 

• Indian Country Today: After Election, Divides Deepen Over Arctic Refuge Drilling 

• Inside Climate News: As Time Runs Out on Climate Change Superfund, Hochul’s Stance on the Bill Remains Elusive

• Virginia Mercury: Air regulators awaiting info for Dominion’s proposed natural gas plant

• WKBN: Local oil and gas producer to pay EPA penalty 

• Los Angeles Magazine: Texas Oil Company Hit With Federal Charges for Illegal Wastewater Dumping into L.A. Sewers

• Los Angeles Times: Sun Valley residents endured a methane leak for years. Now L.A. will pay them $60 million

EXTRACTION

• Canadian Press: Climate protesters arrested outside Pierre Poilievre’s official residence in Ottawa

• U.S. Right to Know: Exposure to particulate air pollution, even at low levels, can reduce children’s cognitive abilities

• Inside Climate News: Disinformation Threatens Climate Action, UN Warns

OPINION

• Louisiana Illuminator: ‘Big Oil’ can cleanup orphan wells in Louisiana, creating jobs in the process

• SaskToday.ca: How Canada’s energy policies threaten its economic future

• Grand Forks Herald: Burgum Goes From Governor To Role Of Bringing A ‘Golden Age Of American Prosperity’ 
  

PIPELINE NEWS

Pipeline Fighters Hub: Landowners Vow Renewed Challenge After Iowa Supreme Court Sidesteps Key Pipeline Surveying Questions
11/22/24

“Today, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that certain types of surveys and examinations are pre-existing background restrictions on a landowner’s title to real estate,” the Pipeline Fighters Hub reports. “Brian Jorde, attorney for Mr. Kasischke and other landowners with the Iowa Easement Team, and Omaha-based Domina Law Group, explained, “the Court determined that when an Iowa landowner purchases property, they do so without the ability to constitutionally prevent unwanted third parties from intruding upon their property for certain purposes. The key question not addressed by the Court, was what limitations exist as to “survey” and “examination.” Because that issue was not explicitly addressed by the Court, we will have to go back to the Court in another case to have this determined and explore if Summit’s interpretation of “survey” and “examination” is constitutional or not. This will address the egregious “deep testing” and trenching and soil boring “surveys”. “The South Dakota Supreme Court recently determined that invasive surveys or examinations that were anything more than the most minimal soil disturbance were not allowed, and were not pre-existing background restrictions. We are hopeful the Iowa Supreme Court will determine the Iowa landowners deserve the same protections as their South Dakota neighbors,” Jorde said. A smaller issue in the case was whether Mr. Kasischke had a farm tenant at the time of the unwanted survey and examination on his land. Although it was Summit’s responsibility to prove they served the tenant notice of the unwanted invasion, Summit failed to do so. The Court shifted the burden to Mr. Kasischke to prove something he had no burden to prove. It is public record Mr. Kasischke had a tenant at all relevant times. The fact the landowner who has a lease with a tenant was not believed when he testified under oath he had a tenant, was puzzling and disappointing, but a minor issue to the appeal. The Iowa Supreme Court today with its decision did not reach any “as applied” challenge – and that will be determined in either future litigation to better understand the limits of “survey” and “examination.” Right now Iowa has no guardrails as to the level of invasive activity a pipeline company can do to private property as they can claim anything they want to do falls under “survey” or “examination.” There has to be a limit – similar to how the South Dakota Supreme Court ruled on this very issue. The Iowa Supreme Court also did not conclude that Summit is a “common carrier”, did not conclude Summit’s proposed hazardous pipeline is a “public use,” and did not conclude that Summit’s proposed project is publicly convenient or necessary.”

Iowa Capital Dispatch: Iowa Supreme Court upholds land survey abilities of pipeline companies in Summit case
Cami Koons, 11/22/24

“The Iowa Supreme Court affirmed a lower court’s decision that Summit Carbon Solutions is allowed temporary access to properties for surveying, because it is a pipeline company that would be transporting a hazardous liquid,” the Iowa Capital Dispatch reports. “The case involved Kent Kasischke, a Hardin County landowner who refused to let Summit surveyors on his land to survey for their proposed pipeline that would transport carbon dioxide, primarily sequestered from ethanol plants, to underground storage in North Dakota… “According to the decision, this is consistent with rulings in “at least four” district courts, including the Iowa District Court for Hardin County that originally ruled in the case, and with Supreme Court decisions in North Dakota and South Dakota. The decision in South Dakota, while it upheld the constitutionality of a similar statute in the state, was touted as win by those opposed to the pipeline because it said the company must prove it is a common carrier and said surveying was only constitutional if they were “minimally invasive superficial inspections that, at most, cause minor soil disturbances.” A press release from the Iowa Easement Team and Bold Alliance, groups opposed to the pipeline that supported Kasischke, and his attorney, Brian Jorde, said the Friday Iowa Supreme Court’s decision “sidesteps” questions around surveying. “Right now Iowa has no guardrails as to the level of invasive activity a pipeline company can do to private property as they can claim anything they want to do falls under ‘survey’ or ‘examination,’” the press release said. Jorde, who has represented numerous landowners in cases against Summit, said “we will have to go back to the Court” to address the limitations, with a hope that Iowans will be granted the “same protections” as South Dakotans.”

Reuters: Trump Prepares Wide-Ranging Energy Plan To Boost Gas Exports, Oil Drilling, Sources Say 
Jarrett Renshaw, 11/25/24

“…In a symbolic gesture, Trump would seek to approve the Keystone Pipeline, an issue that was an environmental flashpoint and which was halted after Biden canceled a key permit on his first day in office. But any company looking to build the multibillion-dollar effort to carry Canadian crude oil to the U.S. would need to start from scratch because things like easements have been returned to landowners,” Reuters reports… “Trump would look to accelerate drilling off the U.S. coast and on federal lands. The average time to complete a drilling permit on federal and Indian land averaged 258 days in the first three years of Biden’s administration, up from 172 days during the four years of Trump’s presidency, according to federal data. Trump is expected to expedite pending permits, hold sales more frequently and offer land that is more likely to deliver oil, the sources told Reuters. Despite the lag time in permit approvals, Biden’s Interior Department approved more onshore oil drilling permits on average than Trump’s first administration, federal records show. Oil output on federal lands and waters hit a record in 2023, while gas production reached its highest level since 2016, according to federal data.”

FOX Business: Ex-Keystone XL Pipeline Worker ‘On Cloud Nine’ As Trump Reportedly Plans To Revive The Project 
Madeline Coggins, 11/24/24

“President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to restore the American energy industry when he transitions back to the White House in January 2025. As part of that vision, Trump will reportedly revive the Keystone XL pipeline, leaving supporters feeling ‘on cloud nine,’” FOX Business reports. “It’s a breath of fresh air. We’re running on cloud nine,” former Keystone Pipeline worker Bugsy Allen said on ‘Fox & Friends Weekend,’ Sunday. “It will make a big difference as far as your energy cost, your food cost, your gas that you put in your cars. It is actually going to be the primary start of bringing everything… down for the American people that we have suffered so much in the last administration.”

Power Engineering: TC Energy to work with Korean company to commercialize super-critical CO2 generation
Sean Wolfe, 11/22/24

“Hanwha Power Systems announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with TC Energy to develop a super-critical carbon dioxide (sCO2) waste heat recovery (WHR) project which will utilize the heat stream at a natural gas pipeline compressor station,” Power Engineering reports. “The Korea-based Hanwha Power Systems is an industrial compressor supplier and a provider of sCO2 power generation systems and hydrogen/ammonia gas turbine solutions. Hanwha Power Systems plans to secure this sCO2 commercialization project as a foundation for expanding its sCO2 power generation business in the North American pipeline market. The MOU outlines the installation of an sCO2 power generation system at a compressor station owned and operated by TC Energy in the state of West Virginia. The system is intended to recover the unused waste heat exhaust from a gas turbine compressor set, and provide a lower cost, carbon free renewable generation solution… “Earlier this year, the Supercritical Transformational Electric Power, or “STEP” Demo pilot plant generated electricity for the first time using sCO2 power cycles.”

Bloomberg: Blackstone, EQT Form $3.5 Billion Gas Pipeline Venture
Simon Casey and Elizabeth Elkin, 11/25/24

“Funds managed by Blackstone Inc. agreed to invest $3.5 billion to create a joint venture with EQT Corp., enabling the US natural gas producer to reduce its debt,” Bloomberg reports. “The deal will give the private equity giant stakes in gas pipelines serving the Mid-Atlantic, where data centers are forecast to send demand surging in the years ahead. EQT plans to use the proceeds to pay down a term loan and credit facility, as well as repurchase and redeem its bonds, the company said in a statement Monday.”

Press release: EQT announces $3.5 billion midstream joint venture with Blackstone Credit & Insurance
11/25/24

“EQT Corporation announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement with funds managed by Blackstone Credit & Insurance (“BXCI”), to form a new midstream joint venture (the “JV”) consisting of EQT’s ownership interest in high quality contracted infrastructure assets: (i) Mountain Valley Pipeline, LLC – Series A, (ii) FERC regulated transmission and storage assets, and (iii) the Hammerhead Pipeline. Under the terms of the agreement BXCI will provide EQT $3.5 billion of cash consideration in exchange for a non-controlling common equity interest in the JV. The investment implies a total JV valuation of approximately $8.8 billion, or 12x EBITDA. The JV provides EQT with a large-scale equity capital solution at an accretive cost of capital. Additionally, EQT will retain the rights to growth projects associated with the assets contributed to the JV, including the planned Mountain Valley Pipeline (“MVP”) expansion and the MVP Southgate project. EQT plans to use proceeds from this transaction to pay down its term loan and revolving credit facility and redeem and tender for senior notes. Pro-forma for this transaction, along with the recent announcement of the divesture of its remaining non-operated assets in northeast Pennsylvania, EQT expects to exit 2024 with approximately $9 billion of net debt.”

DOB Energy: Enbridge Holding Open Season For Southern Lights Canada Pipeline
11/25/24

“Enbridge Southern Lights LP will be holding a binding Open Season for the Southern Lights Canada Pipeline (SLCP, Line 13) for 15,000 barrels per day,” DOB Energy reports. “The contracted capacity will be available as a take-or-pay commitment, with committed service starting at the international boundary near Gretna, MB and deliveries to Kerrobert, SK, Hardisty, AB and Edmonton, AB. The Open Season will begin at 9 a.m. CT on November 15, 2024 and conclude at 1 p.m. CT on December 16, 2024.”

WASHINGTON UPDATES

Politico: Barrasso And Manchin Huddle With Westerman On Permitting 
11/22/25

“Top Senate Energy Committee Republican John Barrasso said he and Chair Joe Manchin met up Thursday at a Western Caucus event with House Natural Resources Committee Chair Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) to discuss advancing a permitting bill in December,” Politico reports. “We went through why it’s important we get it done now [in the lame duck],” Barrasso told Politico before Congress departed for Thanksgiving recess. “So, we are trying to figure out a vehicle for passing it.” Barrasso reiterated that he and Manchin are discussing with Westerman adding elements to their bill — which would benefit clean energy, the power grid and fossil fuel projects — imposing broader reforms to NEPA. Westerman recently told Politico that he would only encourage Speaker Mike Johnson to take up a permitting bill before Trump takes office if he could persuade Democrats to include NEPA provisions. Many Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, remain motivated to strike a deal now ahead of a GOP trifecta next year, when Trump could push for a more fossil fuel-friendly permitting bill.”

E&E News: DC Circuit Weighs NEPA Battle Over Interior Drilling Approvals 
11/22/24

“A federal appeals court on Thursday appeared to be divided on whether to allow conservation groups to pursue their lawsuit challenging the Biden administration’s approval of more than 4,000 oil and gas drilling permits in the western United States,” E&E News reports. “During oral arguments, three judges of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit considered whether the Center for Biological Diversity and other challengers have legal standing in their suit against the Interior Department’s approval of applications for permits to drill (APDs) in New Mexico’s Permian Basin and Wyoming’s Powder River Basin. A lower court had tossed out their challenge for failing to show that the groups had been harmed by the approvals. At least one member of the panel, Judge Neomi Rao, appeared to share the district court’s skepticism that the case could move forward when conservation groups had not linked environmental harms listed by their members to each of the challenged APDs.”

E&E News: EPA plan would give West Virginia authority over CO2 wells
Carlos Anchondo, 11/25/24

“EPA has proposed allowing West Virginia to issue permits for wells that store carbon dioxide underground, a move cheered by both of the state’s senators,” E&E News reports. “West Virginia would become only the fourth state with a “primacy” designation for Class VI wells if EPA’s plan is finalized — joining North Dakota, Wyoming and Louisiana. EPA is currently weighing requests from several states as it works through a pileup of permitting applications for geologic storage. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chair Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.) and Environment and Public Works ranking member Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) said in a news release Friday that allowing West Virginia to give a green light on a carbon dioxide well in the state — instead of needing approval from EPA — would accelerate the permitting process while “still upholding strict safety standards.” “…EPA’s draft decision to allow West Virginia to make decisions on carbon dioxide well permits it not final, but it could be finalized in the near future… “Tim Carroll, an EPA spokesperson told E&E EPA is holding a 30-day public comment period on the Class VI primacy proposal “starting upon publication in the Federal Register” and will hold an in-person public hearing on Dec. 30.”

E&E News: Trump win forces carbon removal developers to reconsider oil
Corbin Hiar, 11/25/24

“Startups seeking to vacuum carbon dioxide from the skies have long had an uneasy relationship with the oil giants fueling global warming. But with President-elect Donald Trump returning to the White House, direct air capture companies’ connections to the oil industry may be their greatest political asset,” E&E News reports. “Direct air capture is a “clean version” of oil production, Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux, a Republican who works at an oil- and gas-focused law firm, told E&E. Oil companies have the deep pockets, workforce and infrastructure know-how to develop DAC plants as well as transport and bury massive quantities of captured CO2, he argued… “This is complementary to our oil and gas industry,” Arceneaux told E&E of the massive project that’s intended to limit climate change, known as Project Cypress. “People in the business and economic development community are aware of it, and they’re very excited.” “…Completion of Project Cypress is contingent on $550 million in matching funds that the Biden administration has awarded. But just $50 million has been distributed by the Energy Department so far, raising questions about whether Trump might cut off support for the hub. The department is also supporting the development of a similarly massive DAC hub in southern Texas and intends to help fund two additional hubs — plans that could be upended by Republicans’ decisive election gains… “The future of Project Cypress and the rest of the $3.5 billion DAC hub program will now be shaped by Trump and Chris Wright, the oil executive he’s picked to lead the Energy Department… “Trump’s return to power will put Climeworks and Heirloom in an uncomfortable position: It may now be in their best interest to cozy up to an industry they had previously tried to avoid… “The CEOs of Occidental and Exxon Mobil have both suggested that direct air capture could be used as a way to continue pumping crude. “We must ensure that our industry isn’t used as a fig leaf to emit even more and protect against [carbon dioxide removal] excusing expansions of fossil fuels,” Heirloom leaders wrote in a joint statement of principles. To ensure that doesn’t happen, Heirloom’s top executives said they “will not grant equity to companies whose core business is the production of oil and gas, nor will we name any of its industry representatives to the company board.” “…A bigger risk for Climeworks, Heirloom and other DAC startups is that federal subsidies could be curtailed or eliminated next year, when Trump and his allies in Congress will look for ways to offset tax cuts the president-elect promised voters.”

E&E News: What Trump’s Treasury pick means for clean energy tax credits
Jason Plautz, 11/25/24

“President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to head the Treasury Department puts the fate of Biden-era clean energy tax credits up in the air,” E&E News reports. “Hedge fund manager Scott Bessent — whom Trump tapped for the position Friday — has called the Inflation Reduction Act a “doomsday machine for the budget.” That aligns him with Trump, who has pledged to rescind unspent money from a law he calls the “greatest scam in history.” As Treasury secretary, Bessent would be able to rewrite or reverse some of the law’s valuable tax provisions, which were designed to boost renewable energy and other emerging technologies like hydrogen, carbon capture and electric vehicles. Cutting those tax credits could offer a political win to conservatives who say the Biden administration is skewing prices in the energy market. It could also offset some of the cost of extending the multitrillion-dollar tax cuts Trump implemented in 2017 — and which are set to expire next year. The question, however, is how much capital the Treasury Department wants to spend on the IRA’s credits, which have bipartisan support. “I expect that they’re going to be pretty hostile, but I don’t expect that the IRA is going to be repealed,” David Victor, a professor of innovation and public policy at the University of California, San Diego, told E&E. “There are a lot of tweaks to be done at the margin, but doing a wholesale repeal of a lot of the tax credits could be difficult.” If confirmed, Bessent could influence how the government steers money to industries like “clean” hydrogen, which is awaiting final guidance on how companies can apply for lucrative IRA tax credits. That guidance could determine whether the nascent industry spikes emissions or supports fossil fuels. Bessent could also play a major role in executing Trump’s plans to raise tariffs, which could have major effects on industries ranging from solar to steel.,, “Investors want certainty, they want to know whether their projects will qualify for tax breaks or not,” Aaron Bergman, a fellow at Resources for the Future and a former Department of Energy official, told E&E. “Rewriting the tax guidance could create a lot of uncertainty for what is a significant revenue stream.” “…A group of 18 Republican House members urged Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) this summer to maintain the IRA tax credits to ensure “business and market certainty.”

The Hill: Biden proposes to restrict pollution from new gas plants
Rachel Frazin, 11/22/24

“The Biden administration has proposed a rule that it says will reduce pollution stemming from new gas-fired power plants and other industrial facilities,” The Hill reports. “The proposal would require these plants to cut their emissions of pollutants known as nitrogen oxides, which can lead to smog formation and contribute to asthma in people with long-term exposure. The agency said the regulation would reduce nitrogen oxide emissions by as many as 198 tons in 2027 and 2,659 tons in 2032. However, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule is not expected to become final before Inauguration Day, meaning it would be up to the Trump administration to decide whether to move ahead with it. The incoming Trump administration has indicated that it hopes to reduce regulations on both the economy as a whole and the power sector in particular. Nevertheless, environmental advocates, who praised President Biden’s action, said they would push the incoming Trump administration to keep it. “The Biden-Harris administration’s proposed rule is an important and long-overdue step towards limiting dangerous smog and soot-forming pollution,” Matthew Davis, vice president of federal policy at the League of Conservation Voters, told The Hill.” 

Mother Jones: The Biden Administration Put $7 Billion Into “Hydrogen Hubs.” Critics Smell a Boondoggle.
Rebecca McCarthy, 11/22/24

“In the fall of 2023, the Biden administration announced $7 billion in funding for seven hydrogen hubs, slated to be built across the country over the next eight to 12 years,” Mother Jones reports. “If all goes as planned, one of those hubs, the Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub (MACH2)—a network of more than a dozen interconnected hydrogen production centers, storage facilities, pipelines, and new solar farms that will power these operations—will stretch from southeastern Pennsylvania and neighboring southern New Jersey into Delaware. Expected to receive $750 million in federal funding, MACH2 is projected to create roughly 20,800 jobs in the Delaware Valley region, of which 6,400 will be permanent. The US Department of Energy (DOE) says that a sufficiently robust buildout of hydrogen production could power steelmaking, cement production, and other energy-intensive heavy industries, which account for more than a fifth of national carbon emissions and have been notoriously hard to decarbonize, as well as fueling ships, airplanes, and trucks. But some environmentalists and energy experts question whether investing so much money in hydrogen could siphon funding from more effective decarbonization strategies. Even a so-called “green” hub, which runs entirely on renewable energy, they say, might not provide the promised carbon-reduction benefits and could potentially even increase emissions. And residents of potential host communities—particularly the hard-pressed city of Chester, Pennsylvania, where some of the MACH2 facilities are planned—are concerned that they will bear the brunt of the potential risks and health hazards that hydrogen production and transport could bring.”

E&E News: Utah Lawsuit Seeking BLM Lands ‘Plainly Lacks Merit,’ DOJ Says 
Scott Streater, 11/22/24

“The Biden administration struck back at a Utah lawsuit seeking control of 18.5 million acres of federal lands, arguing in a legal brief filed with the Supreme Court on Thursday that the U.S. Constitution clearly allows the federal government to control the lands,” E&E News reports. “The Department of Justice’s brief in opposition to the lawsuit concludes that Utah’s lawsuit ‘plainly lacks merit,’ saying it is not worthy of being heard by the nation’s highest court. The Supreme Court has yet to decide whether it will take up the lawsuit, which asserts the Bureau of Land Management is not authorized to indefinitely hold 18.5 million acres of ‘unappropriated’ rangelands in the state not designated for a specific purpose, such as a national monument. Utah’s complaint says it should be allowed to manage them. While legal experts have called the potential for a ruling in Utah’s favor a long shot at best, it would have widespread implications if successful, opening up the potential for other states to claim control over an estimated 144 million acres across the West and an additional 66 million acres in Alaska. The DOJ brief is the federal government’s first public response to the lawsuit.” 

E&E News: Why Trump’s ‘Drill, Baby, Drill’ Team Looks Headed For Smooth Confirmation 
Josh Siegel, Ben Lefebvre, Kelsey Tamborrino, 11/22/24

“President-elect Donald Trump’s picks to execute his plans to stoke American energy output and dismantle the Biden administration’s climate agenda are drawing praise from Republican lawmakers — and resignation from Democrats,” E&E News reports. “Unlike other controversial nominees — such as Trump’s first pick for attorney general, Matt Gaetz, who withdrew from consideration on Thursday — his choices for EPA, the Interior Department and Energy Department all look likely to sail through the Republican-controlled Senate next year. Those three, former GOP Rep. Lee Zeldin, North Dakota Republican Gov. Doug Burgum and Liberty Energy CEO Chris Wright, respectively, are all considered competent and, unlike Gaetz, aren’t tainted by scandals that could sap support for their confirmations. If confirmed, the three will be charged with implementing Trump’s ‘drill, baby, drill’ and ‘energy dominance’ agenda by rolling back regulations enacted under President Joe Biden that could slow production of fossil fuels and implementing his calls to rescind unspent funds from the Inflation Reduction Act.”

Wall Street Journal: Trump’s Oil And Gas Donors Don’t Really Want To ‘Drill, Baby, Drill’ 
Benoît Morenne, Collin Eaton, 11/22/24

“Donald Trump wants oil companies to ‘drill, baby, drill’ on the first day of his presidency, but his fossil-fuel benefactors have a different agenda,” the Wall Street Journal reports. “Many of the tycoons who backed the Republican’s victorious campaign say what they need help with is shoring up demand for their products—not pumping more fossil fuels, which they have little incentive to do. They are pushing for policies that would lock in fossil-fuel use, such as easier permitting for pipelines and terminals to shuttle fossil fuels to new markets. They also favor eliminating Biden administration policies meant to put more electric vehicles on the road. Under President Biden, shale companies produced record amounts of oil and natural gas as crude prices rebounded from the pandemic’s depths and then soared after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. But the industry is also confronting the early stages of a long-term shift away from fossil fuels, as well as concerns that gasoline consumption has peaked in the U.S. Trump handed shale donors their first big return on investment by nominating Liberty Energy Chief Executive Chris Wright, a fracking booster and fossil-fuels champion, to lead the president-elect’s Energy Department.”

DeSmog: Trump Energy Secretary Pick Chris Wright Calls Climate Crisis Denier Bjorn Lomborg a ‘Friend’
Geoff Dembicki, 11/19/24

“The fracking executive selected by President-elect Donald Trump to run the U.S. Department of Energy, Chris Wright, has called the concept of carbon pollution “outrageous” and says that the influential climate crisis denier Bjorn Lomborg is a “friend,” DeSmog reports, “Wright is chief executive officer of Liberty Energy, a Colorado-based fracking company. He’s an outspoken advocate for fossil fuels who frequently claims that fears about global temperature rise are overblown, calling this a “false and dishonest narrative.” Wright’s thinking about climate change appears to have been shaped in part by Lomborg, who is founder and president of a climate obstruction group called the Copenhagen Consensus Center and author of the book, False Alarm, which claims that climate change is “not the apocalyptic threat that we’ve been told it is.” During a podcast interview from 2020, Wright referred to Lomborg’s book as “fantastic,” and earlier this year described the Danish climate solutions denier as a “friend” on LinkedIn. Lomborg writes an internationally syndicated column about climate change that is filled with mischaracterizations of climate science, argues Bob Ward of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics… “By far, Lomborg is the world’s most influential climate change denier,” Ward told DeSmog. “And Chris Wright is in denial about the fact that the product he produces [oil and gas] is causing death and destruction around the world.”

E&E News: Republicans Mull Congressional Review Act Strategy 
Kelsey Brugger, 11/22/24

“Republicans who have spent years demonizing the Biden administration’s energy and environment agenda are coming up with plans with how to undo it — fast,” E&E News reports. “Not only are they aiming to use the Congressional Review Act to repeal a host of President Joe Biden’s initiatives, they also want to keep expanding how the law is used… “In recent weeks, Republicans have been eyeing Interior Department resource management plans, which can be used to discourage development on large swaths of land, a Republican Senate staffer granted anonymity to speak freely told E&E. Wyoming Sens. John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis complained that the administration’s Rock Springs area management plan — covering more than 3 million acres — was ‘unacceptable’ because it blocked access to oil, gas, trona and other minerals. “I have fought to stop this plan every step of the way and will work with President Trump to ensure the RMP is overturned,” Lummis told E&E.”

Reuters: Trump energy pick wrote ESG report hailing oil, gas, downplaying climate worry
Timothy Gardner and Nichola Groom, 11/22/24

“President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the energy department believes fossil fuels are the key to ending world poverty which, he says, is a greater problem than climate change’s “distant” threat, according to a report he penned as CEO of oilfield services company Liberty Energy,” Reuters reports. ”In a corporate report released in February called ‘Bettering Human Lives,’ Chris Wright said that the energy transition has not begun and that climate change, while a challenge, is not the greatest threat to humans. Poverty is a bigger threat that can be alleviated with access to hydrocarbons, said Wright, who started a foundation aimed at expanding propane cook stoves in developing countries. Mainstream science conflicts with many opinions of the incoming top U.S. energy official, who will likely be zealous to carry out Trump’s agenda, maximizing already record-high domestic oil and gas production and withdrawing from international cooperation to avoid catastrophic climate change… “Scientists say emissions from burning fossil fuels are a major cause of climate change which is unfolding faster than expected. Wright pushes back on the treatment of carbon dioxide as a pollutant, saying carbon is essential for life. Peter Reich, a climate scientist at the University of Michigan, called Wright’s logic “terrifyingly absurd.” “People and their pets and crops also need water,” Reich told Reuters. “That doesn’t mean that if your house is flooded up to the second floor or your soybean field is under water, that water cannot be a problem.”

Utility Dive: What do Trump’s picks to head Energy and Interior signal for renewables?
Diana DiGangi, 11/21/24

“President-elect Donald Trump’s selections of North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, R, to lead the Department of Interior and Liberty Energy CEO Chris Wright to lead the Department of Energy could forecast an administration where all types of generation are used to meet Trump’s stated goal of energy dominance, experts tell Utility Dive. Frank Maisano, a senior principal at Bracewell, and Harry Godfrey, who leads Advanced Energy United’s federal investment and manufacturing working group, both pointed to Wright’s status as a board member at small modular reactor company Oklo and an investor in geothermal developer Fervo Energy as an indicator that Wright might not curtail federal support for renewable energy. When it comes to Burgum, Maisano told Utility Dive, “North Dakota is an all of the above state – it’s got lots of solar, it’s got lots of wind, it has [carbon capture and storage], it has pipelines, it has energy storage, it has everything. And Burgum has been the driver of a lot of that through state policy.”

Indybay: Climate Crisis Activists Trying to Head Off Trump Destruction
Phil Pasquini, 11/21/24

“This month’s regular FERC (Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) meeting was anything but calm after four climate crisis activists were removed for disrupting the proceedings. That event, along with the regular monthly streetside protest outside the agency’s headquarters that draws attention to the rapidly and ever-growing climate crisis the world is facing, set off a day of climate activism “From FERC to the Senate,” Indybay reports. “Using Senator Chuck Schumer’s (D-NY) own words proclaiming that he has “A whole lot of clout as Senate Minority Leader,” activists asked that anyone concerned about the climate crisis call his office to demand that he use his “clout” to “stop permitting new methane infrastructure in a Climate Emergency.” Along with their calling for that action, activists attempted to deliver a petition from BXE (Beyond Extreme Energy) addressed to Schumer, President Biden and the Congress of the United States signed by more than 8,397 people. The letter calls upon the Democratic party leadership in the Senate, House and White House to take “strong” action ahead of Trump’s return. The petition reads: “We call upon the Democratic Party leadership in the Senate, House and White House to do everything in their power to take strong action, before Trump takes office, on the climate crisis… “Climate crisis activists are also calling to end Joe Manchin’s “fatally flawed” EPRA (Energy Permitting Reform Act) and demanding that legislators use the 60-Vote Rule and filibuster, to protect the NEPA (National Environmental Protection Act), call for the declaration of a Climate Emergency, protect public lands by stopping fossil fuel expansion and to engage by joining unions and workers for a New Green Deal by 2026.”

STATE UPDATES

Press release: Lawsuit Challenges Faulty Environmental Analysis for California’s First Carbon Capture and Storage Project
11/22/24

“A coalition of community, environmental justice, and conservation groups sued Kern County Wednesday for its approval of California Resources Corporation’s (CRC) Carbon TerraVault I project. The groups cite multiple environmental, public health, and safety concerns that Kern County failed to address before its Board of Supervisors approved the project’s final Environmental Impact Report in October… This massive build-out, including hydrogen, cement, steel, and gasoline facilities, flies in the face of the purported purpose of CCS projects, which is to meaningfully reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address climate change. It will also increase the pollution burden for local communities in Kern County. “Kern County has bought into the misleading claim that this project will reduce climate impacts, opening the door to significant federal and state financial subsidies for CCS. This is exactly the type of ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing’ diversion by the oil and gas industry that Californians must oppose if we want to make real climate progress. We must invest in renewable energy, not false solutions hawked by the source of the problem,” said Michelle Ghafar, Earthjustice attorney. Kern County’s analysis reveals that TerraVault I cannot satisfy the most important expectation for all CCS projects: to permanently and safely store CO2 underground. The Elk Hills field is covered with thousands of previously drilled oil and gas wells that increase the risk of dangerous carbon leaks, and the county admitted shortly before approval that it cannot ensure permanent CO2 storage. The lawsuit challenges Kern County’s approval of the Carbon TerraVault I project under the California Environmental Quality Act… “A broad coalition of groups concerned about TerraVault I’s serious impacts filed the lawsuit. Earthjustice is representing Central California Environmental Justice Network and Sierra Club, Center for Biological Diversity is representing itself, and Center on Race, Poverty & the Environment is representing Committee for a Better Shafter, Delano Guardians, and Comité Progreso de Lamont.”

Politico: Alaska Gears Up For Permitting Fight 
11/25/24

“Alaska Attorney General Treg Taylor on Friday vowed to appeal an expected ruling from a Superior Court Judge that will find the state does not have authority to permit access across its lands to facilitate oil and gas development on the state’s North Slope,” Politico reports. “Alaska’s Department of Natural Resources had issued a permit allowing oil company Oil Search Alaska to cross an oil field on the North Slope in order to develop the proposed Pikka Oil Field. “The State of Alaska has a constitutional obligation to maximize the development of our resources,” said DNR Commissioner John Boyle in a press release. “We have to confirm with the Supreme Court that we have the authority to permit access for all developers to ensure we can meet this obligation.” According to the AG’s office, the judge’s ruling is expected in the coming weeks.”

Indian Country Today: After Election, Divides Deepen Over Arctic Refuge Drilling 
11/22/24

“President-elect Donald Trump promised repeatedly during his campaign to expand oil drilling in the U.S., which is good news for political leaders in Alaska, where oil is the economic lifeblood and many felt the Biden administration has obstructed efforts to boost the state’s diminished production,” Indian Country Today reports. “A debate over drilling on federal lands on Alaska’s petroleum-rich North Slope will likely be revived in the coming months, particularly in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which environmentalists have long sought to protect as one of the country’s last wild places. On Saturday, Trump named Chris Wright — a campaign donor, fossil fuel executive and vocal advocate of oil and gas development — to serve as energy secretary in his second administration. The question of drilling on the refuge’s coastal plain, as Trump sought to do during his first term, also divides Alaska Native communities. Some welcome the potential new revenue while others worry about how it will impact wildlife in an area they consider sacred.” 

Inside Climate News: As Time Runs Out on Climate Change Superfund, Hochul’s Stance on the Bill Remains Elusive
Jake Bolster, 11/24/24

“One month. That’s how long New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has to decide whether to sign a landmark environmental bill that would require fossil fuel companies to pay billions for the environmental harms caused by their greenhouse gas emissions,” Inside Climate News reports. “The bill, dubbed the Climate Change Superfund Act, would establish a fund for climate resiliency infrastructure in New York, and require the large fossil fuel companies around the globe doing business in the state to contribute $3 billion annually for a total of $75 billion over 25 years for their role in creating “an immediate, grave threat to the state’s communities, environment, and economy,” according to the legislation. If Hochul signs the bill, which the Legislature passed in late spring, New York would join Vermont to become the only two states with climate superfund laws on their books. New York’s law is based on the “polluters pay” principle established by the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, which gives the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency the authority to hold polluters accountable for the costs of environmental cleanup.”

Virginia Mercury: Air regulators awaiting info for Dominion’s proposed natural gas plant
Charlie Paullin, 11/22/24

“Virginia’s air regulators are awaiting data from Dominion Energy to further process the utility’s air permit request for the natural gas plant they’re proposing to build to meet rising energy needs, as pushback over the location and potential environmental impact of the facility continues,” the Virginia Mercury reports. “We are expecting to receive air quality monitoring data … in the next couple of weeks or so,” said Mike Dowd, director of air and renewable energy at the Department of Environmental Quality, in an update to the State Air Pollution Control Board Thursday. “As soon as we get the air quality modeling data, we will be processing the permit.” Dominion spokesperson Jeremy Slayton confirmed to The Mercury that the utility is “currently planning to submit our modeling report to DEQ in early 2025.” “…Environmental and community groups have staunchly fought against the project, saying it runs counter to the state’s 2020 Virginia Clean Economy Act that mandates the retirement of fossil fuels by 2045, unless there’s a concern over being able to reliably send electricity to the grid. Critics also are concerned about the air pollution impacting the surrounding community. The update on the timeline means next year “is going to be pretty busy in terms of the public engagement,” Mason Manley, a field manger with Clean Virginia, an advocacy group formed by millionaire Michael Bills to oppose Dominion’s influence in the legislature, told the Mercury.”

WKBN: Local oil and gas producer to pay EPA penalty 
Patty Coller, 11/22/24

“A settlement between the U.S. EPA, the Department of Justice and two gas and oil producers in Pennsylvania will include over $6 million in civil penalties for violating the Clean Air Act,” WKBN reports. “Hilcorp Energy will have to pay a penalty of $1.275 million and take action to reduce harmful emissions at its oil gas production facilities in Mercer and Lawrence counties. The Hilcorp settlement is in connection to allegations that the company failed to comply with federal and state requirements to capture and control air emissions from six of its oil and gas production facilities in Lawrence and Mercer counties.”

Los Angeles Magazine: Texas Oil Company Hit With Federal Charges for Illegal Wastewater Dumping into L.A. Sewers
Michele McPhee, 11/22/24

“A federal grand jury has returned a six-count indictment charging the Houston-based energy business Phillips 66 Company with violating the Clean Water Act after the company allegedly discharged “hundreds of thousands of gallons of industrial wastewater” from its Carson oil refinery into the Los Angeles County sewer system then failing to report the violations to authorities, the Justice Department announced today,” Los Angeles Magazine reports. “Phillips is charged with two counts of negligently violating the Clean Water Act and four counts of knowingly violating the Clean Water Act. The company is expected to be arraigned in the coming weeks in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles,  prosecutors say… “The violation, prosecutors say, was a dangerous spill that occurred for nearly three hours in the early morning hours on Nov. 24, 2020, that dumped 310,000 gallons of oil and grease that was “more than 300 times the concentration,” the company is allowed by permit to discharge into the L.A. County sewers. The company then covered up the spillage by failing to notify county officials of its noncompliance, prosecutors say.  Months later, the company had another polluting event on the evening of Feb. 2, 2021, during which for approximately five-and-a-half hours, the Carson facility dumped approximately 480,000 gallons of non-compliant industrial wastewater, which contained at least 33,700 pounds of oil and grease, into LACSD’s sewer system.

Los Angeles Times: Sun Valley residents endured a methane leak for years. Now L.A. will pay them $60 million
Clara Harter, 11/22/24

“For years, many residents in the working-class, mostly Latino communities of Sun Valley and Pacoima thought they were going crazy as doctors were unable to figure out why they were plagued with frequent headaches, nausea and nosebleeds. It turns out they were being gaslighted,” the Los Angeles Times reports. “Staff at the L.A. Department of Water and Power hid their knowledge of a long-standing methane gas leak at the utility’s Valley Generating Station for at least a year. Lawyers allege they hid it for several years. Now, seven years after elevated methane levels were first detected at the station, some 1,200 people who lived, worked or went to schools nearby will share in a $59.9-million settlement reached with the city, according to information provided by the plaintiffs’ attorneys. A lawsuit was filed against the city of Los Angeles and its Department of Water and Power on behalf of residents in December 2020. It alleged that the DWP failed to adequately inspect or repair equipment, or to notify residents of leakages during the 1,085-day period when community members were potentially exposed to methane and other toxic chemicals… “This is a community of hard-working families, and they were ignored for years,” Jason Fowler, an attorney for the plaintiffs, told the Times. “People were complaining of headaches, nausea, none of them knew where it was coming from — nobody knew other than the LADWP.” “For an underserved community, I think this [settlement figure] shows that no longer will they be undervalued,” he continued, “and it definitely brings at least the start of justice to this community.”

EXTRACTION

Canadian Press: Climate protesters arrested outside Pierre Poilievre’s official residence in Ottawa
11/21/24

“Ottawa police say two people were arrested this morning after an “unlawful” demonstration outside Stornoway, the official residence the Opposition leader,” the Canadian Press reports. “Greenpeace Canada says its activists blocked Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s house and two of them locked themselves to a replica oil pumpjack placed in the driveway. The non-profit has been critical of Poilievre’s climate change voting record and his advocacy for the oil and gas sector. Ottawa police say in a statement that about 12 people gathered outside Stornoway shortly after 7 a.m., blocking access to the residence with a “structure” and “not allowing the family to pass.” Police say two of the demonstrators refused to comply with “repeated” orders to remove themselves from the structure and were arrested.”

U.S. Right to Know: Exposure to particulate air pollution, even at low levels, can reduce children’s cognitive abilities
Pamela Ferdinand, 11/25/24

“Increased exposure to outdoor air pollution in early life can make it harder for children to learn and process information, especially in terms of critical thinking and non-verbal tasks, a new study reports,” according to U.S. Right to Know. “The findings, published Nov. 18 [2024] in Environmental Health, are based on a review and analysis of data from six epidemiological studies representing 4,860 children from diverse populations in North America, Europe, and Asia. They underscore growing evidence that air pollution severely impacts childhood health even before birth, with new research published this month showing it can harm embryo quality during in vitro fertilization (IVF).  This marks the first time, however, that researchers have quantified the correlation between early life exposures to fine airborne particulate matter (PM2.5), a common air pollutant, and declines in verbal and nonverbal mental abilities, as measured by Intelligence Quotient (IQ) scores… “Without exception, each study reported a negative association between PM2.5 exposure and children’s cognitive function,” say the researchers, including Dr. Philip Landrigan, director of Boston College’s newly launched Global Observatory on Pollution and Health and former cochair of The Lancet Commission on pollution and health. The results are important because a child’s IQ is a strong predictor of their neurodevelopment, future academic achievement, employment opportunities, financial earnings, and economic mobility in adulthood, study co-author Ella Whitman told USRTK. “At a population level, reduced cognitive function in children can increase the educational support needed in schools, reduce a society’s gross domestic product (GDP), and future leadership potential,” she told USRTKs. “Our results demonstrate the urgent need to reduce exposure to PM2.5 in the early stages of life to promote longitudinal outcomes in children’s health, and human capital.”

Inside Climate News: Disinformation Threatens Climate Action, UN Warns
Bob Berwyn, 11/22/24

“Misleading and false climate content surging through social media and other channels threatens the COP29 climate talks by undermining science-based policy decisions, United Nations officials said,” Inside Climate News reports. “We are at the point where the issue of disinformation, the intentional spread of inaccurate information, has been recognized as an urgent threat by the international community at the highest level,” Martina Donlon, head of the climate section of the United Nations department of global communications in New York, said at a Nov. 20 press conference in Baku. She said a U.N. initiative to tackle the problem, which ranges from outright denial and greenwashing to harassment of climate scientists, is growing quickly. Member countries from three continents, as well as the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and U.N. entities like the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the World Meteorological Organization, have signed on to the effort, she said. The plan to tackle climate disinformation stems from a commitment in the U.N.’s Global Digital Compact that encourages member countries to assess impacts of mis-and disinformation on global sustainability goals… “The climate information ecosystem has been compromised by the relentless onslaught of disinformation campaigns orchestrated and amplified by powerful actors,” Alex Murray, who works with two watchdog groups, the Conscious Advertising Network and Climate Action Against Disinformation, to figure out ways to fight the spread of false information, told ICN.”

OPINION

Louisiana Illuminator: ‘Big Oil’ can cleanup orphan wells in Louisiana, creating jobs in the process
Lt. Gen. Russel L. Honoré (retired) is a former U.S. Army commander who led Task Force Katrina following the devastation of New Orleans. After Gen. Honore retired from active military service, he was tasked with leading the review of U.S. Capitol security following the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection. Gen. Honore leads the climate action coalition, The Green Army; Andrew Jacoby is an environmental law attorney based in New Orleans, 11/21/24

“For decades, Louisiana regulators and legislators have made it easy for oilfield operators to abandon their oilfield equipment and walk away from their duty to plug oil and gas wells and clean up the sites upon their departure,” Lt. Gen. Russel L. Honoré and Andrew Jacoby write for the Louisiana Illuminator. “Louisiana hunters, fishers, and boaters know these abandoned, “orphan” oilfield sites all too well. The rusty tanks and waste pits are eyesores that insult our state’s “Sportsman’s Paradise” banner and threaten our water. While other states protect their natural beauty by requiring proper cleanup, Louisiana’s governmental neglect is converting the state into a wasteland of former industrial sites… “For decades the state has mismanaged public funds earmarked for oilfield site cleanup, warped law and policy to benefit out-of-state operators at the expense of Louisiana operators, and built into law conflicts of interest that will continue to worsen to “orphan” well problem… “The focus on recent operators is bad policy because it favors big oil and gas companies and unfairly shifts the burden onto Louisiana’s small and independent oil and gas operators. There is nothing stopping the commissioner right now from issuing orders to each of these orphan well’s former operators and working interest owners. There is also nothing stopping the commissioner right now from using the rulemaking authority to fix the problem… “Creating Louisiana jobs with Texas money is a good thing. Texas has long used profits earned off Louisiana to build entire neighborhoods of gaudy mansions in Houston suburbs. Those Texas oil and gas companies are often the biggest players in the industry, and are best positioned to fix the problems that they caused and which they are already bound by law to fix. It’s past time for Louisiana regulators to strictly enforce the law.”

SaskToday.ca: How Canada’s energy policies threaten its economic future
Rashid Husain Syed is a highly-regarded analyst specializing in energy and politics, with a particular emphasis on the Middle East, 11/24/24

“At a recent speech before the Empire Club of Canada, Michele Harradence, Enbridge EVP and President of Gas Distribution and Storage, issued a stark warning: Canada is falling behind in meeting the rapidly growing energy demands of the future,” Rashid Husain Syed writes for SaskToday.ca. “Harradence highlighted that “reliable, resilient, and cost-effective energy” has been the backbone of Canada’s economy and quality of life, but without immediate and substantial investment, the country risks losing its footing. She made it clear that Canada’s current regulatory, tax, and incentive structures are failing to attract the necessary investment to power the future. Harradence’s speech followed Enbridge’s recent US$19-billion acquisition of three major U.S. energy assets – the East Ohio Gas Company, Questar Gas Company and its related Wexpro companies, and Public Service Company of North Carolina – a move that transformed Enbridge into North America’s largest natural gas utility. It was a strategic pivot, showcasing the reality that opportunities for growth are becoming more abundant south of the border, where incentives are stronger and barriers lower. However, the story is different in Canada… “The harsh reality is … We will not meet our future energy needs at today’s pace of investment,” Harradence emphasized… “Harradence didn’t mince words in identifying the causes: Canadian energy investors face a complex web of regulatory red tape, a tax climate that discourages capital, and fragmented incentives that are unable to compete with those offered by the U.S. “We need to turn that around,” she said, stressing the necessity of cutting through regulatory barriers… “Harradence, as an industry insider, also advocated simplifying Canada’s tax and incentive systems to attract investment… “With demand for energy soaring and other nations attracting the investment needed to meet it, Canada must streamline its regulatory frameworks, simplify its tax and incentive systems, and encourage private investment. Failing to act could leave Canada lagging far behind, unable to meet its growing energy needs and missing the economic opportunities of the future.”

Grand Forks Herald: Burgum Goes From Governor To Role Of Bringing A ‘Golden Age Of American Prosperity’ 
Scott Hennen hosts the statewide radio program “What’s On Your Mind?” heard on AM 1100 “The Flag” in Fargo and on AM 1090 KTGO “The Flag” in Watford City/Williston, 11/23/24

“Gov. Doug Burgum will soon leave his position leading North Dakota for a massive new role in the federal government that could ‘change the country and change the world,’ says Ron Ness, president of the North Dakota Petroleum Council,” Scott Hennen writes for the Grand Forks Herald. “…Even more importantly, he will be the chairman of the newly announced National Energy Council, which comes with a seat on the National Security Council. President Donald Trump described the breadth of this new council as consisting of ‘all departments and agencies involved in the permitting, production, generation, distribution, regulation, transportation, of all forms of American Energy. This council will oversee the path to U.S. energy dominance by cutting red tape, enhancing private sector investments across all sectors of the economy, and by focusing on innovation over longstanding, but totally unnecessary, regulation. With U.S. energy dominance, we will drive down inflation, win the A.I. arms race with China (and others), and expand American diplomatic power to end wars all across the world… Now North Dakota can pivot from a state that has been punished with onerous federal permitting processes, unconstitutional regulatory burdens and courtroom battles with our own federal government to playing a role in an American energy renaissance.”