EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 11/26/24

PIPELINE NEWS

• Prairie News Service: Carbon pipeline debate reaches new stage

• Pipeline Fighters Hub: Carbon Dioxide Pipelines: Past & Present

• Brownfield Ag News: IRFA praises Iowa Supreme Court decision on carbon pipeline survey access

• Canadian Press: Alberta looks to change ‘risk profile’ to boost oil and gas pipeline exports to U.S., premier says

• RBN Energy: PetroChina’s Decision to Give Up TMX Commitment Puts Focus on Demand, Logistics

• Observer-Reporter: Shell Pipeline Co. pleads no contest for discharges during Falcon pipeline construction

• Bloomberg: Landowners Get Claims Dismissal Reversed in Pipeline Lawsuit

WASHINGTON UPDATES

• Climate Defiance: Week of Action: December 9 – 12

• E&E News: House passes terror bill targeting nonprofits

STATE UPDATES

• E&E News: Lawsuit challenges California’s first carbon capture project

• E&E News: ‘Blue’ hydrogen hub struggles to win over Appalachia

• Mountain State Spotlight: Developers drop out of Appalachian hydrogen hub over strict carbon emission caps

EXTRACTION

• Communications Earth & Environment: Public demand for carbon capture and storage varies with information, development magnitude and prior familiarity

• Journal of Petroleum Technology: DNV Certifies First Carbon Dioxide Storage Site in the Middle East for ADNOC

• New York Times: A Climate Policy That Works With the Land

• DeSmog: Q&A: Cold War Foes Made Treaties to Limit the Spread of Nukes. Could a Similar Approach Wind Down Fossil Fuels?

TODAY IN GREENWASHING

• Energetic City: Light A Moose reaches its $150,000 goal

OPINION

• The Hill: The Energy Permitting Reform Act is dangerous
  

PIPELINE NEWS

Prairie News Service: Carbon pipeline debate reaches new stage
Mike Moen, 11/26/24

“More regulatory action is needed, but a controversial pipeline project in North Dakota is moving forward after a permit was recently approved,” the Prairie News Service reports. “Supporters and opponents are now eyeing the next steps… “Zach Cassidy, CO2 pipeline organizer for Dakota Resource Council, told PNS the latest outcome raises a big question. “Who in our state government, or our local governments, has the power to make safety decisions on this pipeline for their residents?” Cassidy told PNS. “Because if county commissioners can’t do it, and if the PSC won’t do it, that means that no one is looking out for us.” He’s referring to rulings that state law supersedes counties pursuing zoning restrictions. Cassidy told PNS in North Dakota, Summit still needs a storage permit and opponents will focus on that, along with legislative changes… “Ahead of last Friday’s unanimous approval, Commission Chair Randy Christmann strongly encouraged the company not to rely on practices such as eminent domain as it keeps reaching out to landowners. “It is something that burdens families for generations,” said Christmann. “Eminent domain should never be abused.”

Pipeline Fighters Hub: Carbon Dioxide Pipelines: Past & Present
Emma Schmit, 11/26/24

“With mass expansion plans underway, a constant refrain heard from the carbon capture industry is that pipelines are a safe, proven method of transporting a lethal chemical like carbon dioxide. After examining hundreds of records, reports, and research articles, it appears that carbon dioxide pipelines are proven… to fail,” the Pipeline Fighters Hub reports. “The industry points to the 5,000 miles of existing CO2 pipelines that have operated without fatalities as evidence of a reliable safety record. There are a few problems with this claim. For starters, carbon pipelines have been responsible for at least two deaths – both construction workers – and one significant injury. (Not included in these stats are the 49 people sent to the hospital, many of whom continue to suffer long lasting health effects, after a 2020 Satartia, MS carbon pipeline rupture. The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration [PHMSA] does not consider these injuries significant enough to record.) The existing pipeline infrastructure is largely located in rural, uninhabited areas. As a result, when pipelines do leak, it is typically not in the presence of human beings. Although we have seen at least one instance where a number of wildlife were suffocated as a result of a carbon well blowout in Mississippi… “One thing we do know is that carbon pipeline incidents are underreported. For example, in 2021 and 2022, Dakota Gasification experienced three separate leaks on their 167 mile pipeline that required reporting to PHMSA. Dakota Gasification chose to ignore that requirement – a decision that has now resulted in a Notice of Probable Violation and a proposed fine of $78,600. A hearing will be held April 2, 2025 to determine the final outcome. In another example, longtime pipeline watchdog organization Earthworks visited publicly accessible segments of Kinder Morgan’s carbon infrastructure in Colorado’s McElmo Dome (where CO2 is extracted from a natural reservoir and shipped to Texas for enhanced oil recovery via the 500-mile Cortez pipeline). Earthworks discovered CO2 leaking from Kinder Morgan’s equipment at multiple different sites, including several leaks that had already been reported to the company on previous occasions… “As a whole, the industry’s limited track record is marred by safety incidents, regulatory failures, and unresolved legal questions, while the infrastructure is far from mature and remains unproven at scale. So, let’s call it like it is: Carbon capture pipelines aren’t a proven solution – they’re a liability… “Below, we’ve included a spreadsheet summarizing the data we have collected on existing carbon dioxide pipelines.”

Brownfield Ag News: IRFA praises Iowa Supreme Court decision on carbon pipeline survey access
Brent Barnett, 11/25/24

“The Iowa Supreme Court recently ruled to uphold survey access for the Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline,” Brownfield Ag News reports. “Monte Shaw, executive director of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, told Brownfield the decision supports progress of the carbon pipeline and infrastructure projects across the state. “Iowa law very logically allows temporary access to property that might be impacted to do surveys so you can make sure the route makes since and it’s safe. Unfortunately, this was just another frivolous lawsuit designed to try to slow this all down.” “…Shaw told Brownfield there are differing views amongst some farmers and landowners. “This is not a fun issue. It’s not an easy issue. There’s a lot of emotions involved. But, the impact on our future is so massive. We’ve got to find a way.”

Canadian Press: Alberta looks to change ‘risk profile’ to boost oil and gas pipeline exports to U.S., premier says
Amanda Stephenson, 11/25/24

“Alberta’s government is looking for ways to encourage pipeline companies to boost capacity and increase the province’s oil and gas export volumes to the United States,” the Canadian Press reports. “But Premier Danielle Smith said her government is not interested in directly subsidizing a cross-border pipeline project, preferring instead to find ways to de-risk a potential private sector investment. “We’re looking to make connections with the United States, to see their appetite for assisting in helping to get more product going into the United States,” Smith told reporters Monday at an event in Leduc County, Alta. “Maybe de-risking the project involves having an American partner, an American pipeline company, partner with our companies here,” she added. “We just don’t think the best way of doing it is putting government dollars into it, but we think there are other things we can do to change the risk profile.” “…A spokesperson for South Bow Corp. did not say last week whether the company is interested in reviving the Keystone project, but said South Bow “supports efforts to transport more Canadian crude oil to meet U.S. demand. In 2020, the Alberta government under former premier Jason Kenney agreed to invest about $1.5 billion in equity in the Keystone XL project in an effort to get the stalled pipeline project moving. In recent years, new pipeline projects have become extremely contentious. High-profile projects such as the Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion and the Coastal GasLink natural gas pipeline have been marred by environmental and Indigenous protests as well as budget overruns. But Smith said Monday there are many ways to boost Alberta’s oil and gas pipeline exports to the U.S. that don’t include putting money on the table. “There’s lots of ways also for us to use existing rights-of-way, existing pipeline access, to expand exports — whether it’s through loops or compression or twinning the line on an existing pipeline,” she said. “And so we’re looking at all of those various options.” “…Earlier this month, Calgary-based Enbridge Inc. said it has begun talks with its customers about expanding its Mainline pipeline network to handle growing volumes of Canadian oil output… “The company emphasized it is looking at a small expansion that would add incremental capacity along the existing pipeline network.”

RBN Energy: PetroChina’s Decision to Give Up TMX Commitment Puts Focus on Demand, Logistics
Sheela Tobben, 11/26/24

“PetroChina’s recent decision to offload its 20-year commitment to use the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion (TMX) might seem like a bit of a head-scratcher on the surface, especially since Asian buyers have been expected to take advantage of the increased access to Western Canadian crude oil that TMX provides,” RBN Energy reports. “But when you factor in the known challenges of utilizing the new pipeline and the reduced demand for crude oil in China, PetroChina’s decision to sell its commitment to Canadian Natural Resources Limited (CNRL) starts to make sense. In today’s RBN blog, we look at the challenges buyers face in using the TMX system despite its obvious perks… “Throughout its construction, the TMX project was beset with problems and cost overruns (see On The Hunt). The ballooning budgets ultimately led to higher tariffs for TMX users, and many of the 11 committed shippers — a combination of refiners and producers — had signed take-or-pay contracts and filed challenges before the Canada Energy Regulator (CER). These contracts accounted for 80% of TMX’s capacity, with the remainder available for spot shippers. In December 2023, the CER approved the higher preliminary interim tolls, which were roughly double the estimate five years ago by operator Trans Mountain Corp. The CER will have a full hearing regarding the interim tolls in May 2025.” 

Observer-Reporter: Shell Pipeline Co. pleads no contest for discharges during Falcon pipeline construction
Mike Jones, 11/26/24

“The Shell Pipeline Co. pleaded no contest Monday to violating rules and regulations of protected waterways during construction of its Falcon pipeline five years ago in Washington County, and agreed to pay a modest fine while also making a large donation to a local watershed protection group,” according to the Observer-Reporter. “As part of the deal with the state Attorney General’s office to plead no contest to the three misdemeanor counts, the company will pay $25,000 to the state Department of Environmental Protection’s Clean Water Fund and make a $275,000 contribution to the Independence Conservancy in Industry, Beaver County… “The case stems from multiple issues during construction of Shell’s Falcon pipeline from April to September 2019 in which there were “inadvertent returns” of drilling fluid discharging into streams on multiple occasions. In addition, the company did not notify the DEP of the issues in a timely manner, as required by state law. While only a few details were included on the record during Monday’s plea hearing before Judge Valarie Costanzo in Washington County Court of Common Pleas, the agreement closely mirrors a settlement with DEP in October 2022 over the same issues with the Falcon pipeline construction.”

Bloomberg: Landowners Get Claims Dismissal Reversed in Pipeline Lawsuit
Shayna Greene, 11/25/24

“Landowners that claimed they weren’t properly compensated for the effects of a natural gas pipeline on their crops won their bid to get a federal court to reconsider dismissing claims from class members subject to arbitration,” Bloomberg reports. “The district court granted the request because a Supreme Court decision from May was “an intervening change of law by a controlling authority,” Judge Joan N. Ericksen of the US District Court for the District of Minnesota ruled on Nov. 22. Alliance Pipeline LP obtained easements on agricultural property in North Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois to construct a natural gas pipeline, which led …”

WASHINGTON UPDATES

Climate Defiance: Week of Action: December 9 – 12
11/25/24
”We are taking national action to demand that Biden’s Department of Energy fight Trump’s fracking agenda,” Climate Defiance reports. “We will demand that the Department of Energy immediately deny permits for six massive fracked gas export terminals. These projects – if built – would have the impact of 1000 coal power plants. This is the single most important thing that Biden can do for the climate on his way out of office. We will demand that Senate Democrats use their power to make sure Biden chooses people over fracking. We will disrupt. We will blockade. We will not be ignored. Join us to blockade the Department of Energy on December 12 in DC. Join actions in your city.”

E&E News: House passes terror bill targeting nonprofits
Amelia Davidson, 11/22/24

“The House passed legislation Thursday that would allow the president to strip tax-exempt status from organizations they deem to support terrorism,” E&E News reports. “Supporters of H.R. 9495, the “Stop Terror-Financing and Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act,” heralded the bill as an important step toward stopping terror funding. But opponents have branded the legislation as a “nonprofit killer” out of concern that President-elect Donald Trump could use the legislation to punish nonprofits he deems to be working against American interests, including green groups.”

STATE UPDATES

E&E News: Lawsuit challenges California’s first carbon capture project
Niina H. Farah, 11/26/24

“A coalition of advocacy groups is suing to block California’s first carbon capture and storage project over allegations that Kern county officials did not properly weigh its environmental risks,” E&E News reports. “The Committee for a Better Shafter and other community and environmental groups filed a suit last week in state court challenging the Kern County Board of Supervisors’ decision in October to approve the Carbon TerraVault 1 project, which envisions injecting up to 1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually in an oil field from natural gas processing, hydrogen plants and other industrial facilities… “The challengers are asking the Kern County Superior Court to toss out the board’s approval for Carbon TerraVault, along with the certification of its environmental analysis, called an environmental impact report. They also are calling for the court to require the board to comply with the California Environmental Quality Act, the state’s version of the National Environmental Policy Act.”

E&E News: ‘Blue’ hydrogen hub struggles to win over Appalachia
Clare Fieseler, Brian Dabbs, 11/26/24

“A band of residents and environmental activists in this part of Appalachia are rallying against a billion-dollar federal plan that’s at the center of President Joe Biden’s push to slash emissions with “clean” hydrogen,” E&E News reports. “The sprawling hydrogen hub known as ARCH2 plans to produce low-carbon fuel that could help clean up the dirtiest parts of the economy, from steelmaking to commercial trucking. But it aims to do that mainly by using one of the fossil fuels driving climate change. The hub would use natural gas with carbon capture to make “blue” hydrogen — in a region that has long hosted industrial pollution tied to coal and hydraulic fracturing to extract gas. “What this hub does is further normalize fracking,” Lois Bower-Bjornson, a community organizer and resident of Washington County, Pennsylvania, told E&E. The county, which is about 35 miles from the hub’s base, is one of the most heavily fracked areas in the state.”

Mountain State Spotlight: Developers drop out of Appalachian hydrogen hub over strict carbon emission caps
Sarah Elbeshbishi, 11/25/24

“As of November, four partners have backed out of development for a regional network of facilities that will produce, store, distribute and utilize hydrogen as an energy source across West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania,” Mountain State Spotlight reports. “The project — coined as the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub —- is part of the Biden administration’s crucial strategy to achieve its goal of a 100% clean electrical grid by 2035 as well as net zero carbon emissions by 2050. It’s one of seven hydrogen hubs across the nation selected in 2023 by the federal government to receive nearly $1 billion in funding. In August, the Department of Energy announced it had awarded $30 million in initial funding for the first phase of the project, but by then at least two developers had already withdrawn from the project over financial concerns. The sticking point is one of the several federal tax credits created by the 2022 landmark climate bill, which offers companies $3 for every kilogram of hydrogen they produce… “In February, leaders of the hydrogen hubs sent a joint letter to the Treasury Department citing the lawmakers’ letter and saying that unless the proposed rules are “significantly revised” many of the projects “will no longer be economically viable.” Calls for less strict carbon requirements have stirred up concern among environmental justice groups over undermining the policy’s intended climate goals by incentivizing projects that aren’t producing hydrogen with low-to-no carbon and instead are actually emitting substantial amounts of carbon —- further contributing to the climate crisis… “While the spokesperson for TC Energy did not mention the tax credit in an emailed statement, the company was slated to collaborate with Chemours to develop two hydrogen production facilities near Chemours manufacturing sites in West Virginia. Though the company has dropped out of the project, TC Energy’s spokesperson told Spotlight the company looks “forward to future prospects and for commercial drivers to be realized.”

EXTRACTION

Communications Earth & Environment: Public demand for carbon capture and storage varies with information, development magnitude and prior familiarity
Jiwon Kim & Jacob Ladenburg, 11/26/24

“Carbon capture and storage is vital to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, albeit research on the public willingness to pay for it remains limited,” according to Communications Earth & Environment. “Here we address this gap by considering information effects, development magnitude effects and prior familiarity relations on willingness to pay towards carbon capture and storage. Based on national-wide online survey targeting Danish public, conducted from June to August 2022, the contingent valuation method is employed. The study reveals that, irrespective of CO2 reduction goals, enhancing familiarity with carbon capture storage can influence public support. Additionally, we estimate willingness to pay elasticities related to development magnitude using a scope test, ensuring economic significance and validity of our findings. Ultimately, this study provides valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders, supporting and enabling the design of effective strategies to promote public support for carbon capture and storage, and contribute to global climate change mitigation efforts… “The widespread deployment of carbon capture and storage faces several challenges, including high costs, low public acceptance, and limited awareness5,6. Successful implementation of carbon capture and storage hinges on higher public awareness, familiarity and understanding in combination with public demand and willingness to support towards carbon capture and storage economically5. Effective strategies that can increase carbon capture and storage knowledge by providing accurate and trustful information thus play a pivotal role in shaping public opinion and increasing encouragement towards carbon capture and storage initiatives… “The willingness to pay estimate for each household per ton of CO2 mitigation ranges from 20 EUR/year to 37 EUR/year… “Familiarity with carbon capture and storage demonstrates a significant positive association with willingness to pay for the 5 Mt and 10 Mt CO2/year reduction scenarios.” 

Journal of Petroleum Technology: DNV Certifies First Carbon Dioxide Storage Site in the Middle East for ADNOC
11/25/24

“Classification company DNV has certified the feasibility for CO2 storage of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company’s (ADNOC’s) West Aquifer site in the UAE, marking a significant step in the region’s efforts toward carbon capture and storage (CCS),” the Journal of Petroleum Technology reports. “This certification supports the decarbonization of the Ruwais industrial site. The issuance of the Certificate of Feasibility for the West Aquifer project covers the initial subsurface assessments of the Simsima and UER saline reservoirs… “Certifying the West Aquifer CO2 storage site is an important milestone, not just for ADNOC but for the region’s commitment to addressing climate challenges,” said Santiago Blanco, executive vice president at DNV. “This project serves as a tangible step toward meeting the UAE’s Net Zero goals and highlights the vital role that CCS will play in shaping a sustainable energy future.”

New York Times: A Climate Policy That Works With the Land
Keridwen Cornelius, 11/26/24

“The daughter of activists in the American Indian Movement and a member of the Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation in Canada, Eriel Tchekwie Deranger grew up immersed in her community’s fight to protect their lands and the animals they consider kin — caribou, bison, moose, water birds and fish. Her family camped in the boreal forest near the Peace-Athabasca Delta in Alberta,” the New York Times reports. “One day, her father pointed out oil slicks on the road and explained that when white men arrived, they destroyed and polluted the land because their minds were consumed with greed and money. They don’t know how to take care of the land, he said, because they don’t know the land loves them. A few years later, Ms. Deranger returned after oil sands companies demolished the area and poisoned it with toxic waste. She was  galvanized to become an activist. Today, Ms. Deranger, 45, is the executive director and co-founder of Indigenous Climate Action and a member of the International Indigenous Peoples’ Forum on Climate Change. Her organization works to empower Indigenous peoples to lead the way on climate justice and decolonize environmental policy. She recently spoke in a video interview about the effect Indigenous peoples can have on climate policy… “Climate policy from Indigenous peoples comes from a different value set that looks at power with, as opposed to power over. It’s not consumed by money but by the health and wealth of our communities’ spirituality, our connections to our culture, our languages, our capacities to harvest from the land and not take more than you need. It’s about learning to listen to the land, because the land tells us how to govern ourselves and our territories and create systems based on reconnection to place. It looks at a broad spectrum of questions. Not just “Can we make enough money to pay people to have a roof over their head?” But secondarily: “How are we ensuring having a roof over our head isn’t destroying the land? How are we ensuring that if we’re getting resources from somewhere else, that’s not contributing to the destruction of someone else? How do we coexist with nature and ensure our kin also have the capacities to thrive? Colonialism, capitalism, extractivism, white supremacy and patriarchy are at the root of the climate crisis. We can’t just talk about reducing greenhouse gases. If we don’t address those root causes, we are going to continue to build systems predicated on severing our relationships and looking at the world as our dominion to be conquered. These systems allow us to justify business as usual in sectors that have been destroying people and the planet for centuries.”

DeSmog: Q&A: Cold War Foes Made Treaties to Limit the Spread of Nukes. Could a Similar Approach Wind Down Fossil Fuels?
Matthew Green, 11/22/24

“Could the world negotiate a wind-down of the fossil fuel industry — just as Cold War adversaries once agreed to limit their stockpiles of nuclear weapons?,” DeSmog reports. “In an interview for the Climate Consciousness Summit 2024, Tzeporah Berman, founder and chair of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative said a growing wave of support for the proposal — which has been endorsed by more than 3,000 scientists, 121 cities and sub-national governments, and 14 nations — could ultimately make new fossil fuel projects unacceptable, even in the United States, the world’s biggest producer of oil and gas. “I would say this is a moment in history where we need bold new ideas,” Berman, who is also International Program Director at Stand.Earth, told DeSmog. “This is a bold new idea, and we can’t afford to not try it.” Berman, who was named last week as one of TIME’s hundred most influential climate leaders in business in 2024, also spoke about the need to combat the pervasive influence of fossil fuel advertising — which had “stolen our imagination” to envisage a world run on clean energy; the new perspectives she has gained from working with Indigenous elders in the Amazon; the importance of arts and culture for the climate movement; and how connecting with nature has helped sustain her 30 years of environmental activism in her native Canada and around the world… “Why did you decide to take the route of advocating for a Fossil Fuel Treaty? Tzeporah Berman: It grew for me out of my work in the oil sands, also known as tar sands, in Alberta… “And it took me a while to realize that no-one considered constraining production of the products that are causing the problem as climate policy.”

TODAY IN GREENWASHING

Energetic City: Light A Moose reaches its $150,000 goal
Max Bowder, 11/25/24

“The 21st Annual Chances Casino Light a Moose radiothon has met its goal of raising $150,000 for the Fort St. John Hospital Foundation,” Energetic City reports. “The most significant donations came from NorthRiver Midstream, Mustang Rentals, and Petronas, each of which contributed $20,000. Other notable donations came from Enbridge and Chances Casino, which donated $10,000 each.” 

OPINION

The Hill: The Energy Permitting Reform Act is dangerous
Jill Ryan is the executive director of Freshwater Future, a nonprofit organization based in Petoskey, Michigan that works to safeguard the waters of the Great Lakes region, 11/25/24

“President-elect Donald Trump has promised to ramp up oil and gas production by, among other things, opening more public land to drilling and fracking. He has also promised “crystal clean water.” The problem is that those two goals are often at odds,” Jill Ryan writes for The Hill. “Trump’s “drill, baby, drill” agenda hinges on proposed legislation that would make it easier to greenlight energy projects: the Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024. Currently under consideration in the Senate, the bill proposes sweeping changes to energy development. It would prioritize speedy approval over thorough review of environmental impacts, including threats to water quality. And it would shorten the time allowed to file legal challenges to energy projects — from six years to just 150 days — making it harder for local communities to challenge government agencies and have their voices heard… “But the environmental benefits of this legislation would be far outweighed by the expansion of fossil fuel development and new threats to the safety and quality of water resources. The risks are especially high in the Great Lakes Region, which contains 21 percent of the world’s surface freshwater. The Energy Permitting Reform Act would vastly expand drilling for fossil fuels on public lands, increasing the likelihood of spills, leaks and toxic runoff that can harm crucial freshwater resources. It would allow private corporations to claim thousands of acres of public lands — owned by the American people — for mining and storage of toxic mine waste. This toxic waste leaches acid into streams and aquifers, imperiling fish and wildlife. And the bill would extend the length of drilling permits, prolonging communities’ exposure to pollution from fossil fuel development. So far, concerns raised by environmental advocates have not halted the progress of this dangerous legislation… “It is likely that the bill could reach the Senate floor during the current lame-duck session before the next Congress is seated. When Republicans take full control of Congress in January, the bill is even more likely to pass… “We need standalone commitments to renewable energy, not legislation that locks us into further dependence on fossil fuels.”