EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 3/11/25

PIPELINE NEWS

• E&E News: Strange bedfellows unite to kill carbon capture credit

• Press release: Reps. Perry, Khanna Cosponsor Bill to Repeal Wasteful 45Q Tax Breaks for Carbon Capture

• Public News Service: Power of rural organizing reflected in SD carbon pipeline law

• Mitchell Now: Carbon Capture Pipeline Opponents Celebrate, But Remain Cautious

• CBC: What On Earth: Why a CO2 leak in Mississippi holds lessons for Canada

• Reuters: ‘Handcuffs off Alaska’ – US energy secretary talks up pipeline [VIDEO]

• Santa Barbara Independent: Carbajal and Schiff Weigh in Against Sable Offshore

• Santa Barbara Independent: Informational Meeting Regarding Sable Offshore Proposed Pipeline

• North Dakota Monitor: Dakota Access Pipeline developer outlines damage claims, rests case against Greenpeace

• KAXE: MN appeals court reverses Aitkin County convictions of Line 3 protester

• North Dakota Monitor: Man sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for damaging energy facilities in the Dakotas

• WFMJ: Court hearing scheduled in lawsuits filed following explosion at Realty Building

• Delaware Valley Journal: Lower Makefield, Yardley Drinking Water Tests Clean After Jet Fuel Leak

• KFOR: Logan County landowner says pipeline project left groundwater contaminated with dangerous chemicals

• KOSA: Pipeline explosion after attempted robbery of petroleum products

• World Pipelines: Summit Midstream announces US$90 million acquisition of Moonrise Midstream

WASHINGTON UPDATES

• New York Times: Supreme Court Rejects an Effort to Block States From Suing Oil Giants

• New York Times: U.S. Energy Secretary Pledges to Reverse Focus on Climate Change

• Globe and Mail: Canadian oil and gas could be excluded from U.S. tariffs, Trump’s Energy Secretary says

• Reuters: US energy secretary promises executives faster industry development

• Natural Gas Intelligence: DOE Progresses Natural Gas Export Permitting Fast Lane with Delfin LNG Extension

• Energy Intelligence Group: Absent Fee, What’s Left to Drive US Methane Reduction?

• Inside Climate News: Rollbacks Gut Environmental Justice Gains, Former EPA Official Says

• Utility Dive: Utilities may subsidize data center growth by shifting costs to other ratepayers: Harvard Law paper

STATE UPDATES

• WVIT: CT officials hope to stop President Trump’s energy tariff

• KULR: Tariff delay raises questions for Billings oil refineries

• Cleveland.com: Activists protest at Ohio Statehouse over oil and gas extraction, wastewater injection

• Louisiana Illuminator: Advocates want light shed on power plans for Meta’s Louisiana data center

• Dubuque Telegraph Herald: Farley biodiesel plant operations paused amid industry uncertainty

EXTRACTION

• Washington Post: Canada’s Liberals pick ex-central banker Carney to replace Trudeau

• The Hill: Canada slaps electricity tariffs on New York, Minnesota, Michigan

• E&E News: CERAWeek: Energy reality shoves aside green transition

• E&E News: CERAWeek: Natural gas pitched as tonic for power-hungry AI

• NPR: U.S. tanker is leaking fuel in the North Sea after a collision with a container ship

• Bloomberg: Alberta Moves Ahead With Major Expansion of Direct Oil Sales

• Press release: Whitecap Resources and Veren to combine in a $15 billion transaction to create a leading Canadian light oil and condensate producer

OPINION

• Mitchell Republic: Miskimins: Landowners get a win but pipeline situation is precarious

• Reuters: Oil execs head to CERAWeek with a case of Trump buyer’s remorse: Bousso

• Houston Chronicle: At CERA Week, Trump administration should tell energy leaders that curbing methane leaks is good for business

• WyoFile: Methane reduction is an economic driver right under Wyoming’s nose

• Urban Milwaukee: We Energies Plan for More Gas Plants Is a Mistake

PIPELINE NEWS

E&E News: Strange bedfellows unite to kill carbon capture credit
Carlos Anchondo, Kelsey Brugger, 3/11/25

“One of Congress’ leading skeptics of mainstream climate change science and a critic of the fossil fuels industry want to put a popular tax incentive in the crosshairs,” E&E News reports. “Reps. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) announced legislation Monday to repeal the 45Q tax credit, which is calculated based on the amount of carbon dioxide that energy and other polluting companies capture and store. The legislation comes as Republicans mull the fate of numerous climate-friendly energy incentives from the Democrats’ 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. The 45Q allowances are considered among the least imperiled. But Perry, who represents south-central Pennsylvania, called 45Q a “wasteful” credit and said it “subsidizes technologies that serve no purpose beyond distorting energy markets.”

Press release: Reps. Perry, Khanna Cosponsor Bill to Repeal Wasteful 45Q Tax Breaks for Carbon Capture
3/10/25

“Reps. Scott Perry (R-Penn.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) have introduced legislation to end the 45Q tax credit for carbon capture, which wastes billions in taxpayer money, endangers public safety, and props up a fundamentally flawed and unreliable technology. “Subsidizing carbon capture and utilization undermine our ability to hold Big Oil accountable for the climate crisis,” said Rep. Ro Khanna. “Congress has a responsibility to expose climate disinformation as harmful to both the environment and Americans’ wallets. We need to end fossil field subsidies and begin investing in clean energy technology that will steer us towards a thriving clean energy economy.” A recent estimate from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) estimates that the 45Q credits could cost taxpayers as much as $800 billion over the next 18 years – more than $6 billion per subsidized carbon capture project – despite projects running wildly over budget and failing to meet their goals for removing carbon from the atmosphere. “At first supporters claimed the 45Q tax credit would fight climate change, but it’s done far more to increase oil production. While the story changes from one administration to another, one thing is clear: South Dakotans aren’t interested in subsidizing the profits of billionaires and huge corporations. The bipartisan sponsors of this bill know that Americans all across the political spectrum aren’t buying it either,” said Chase Jensen of Dakota Rural Action, South Dakota. Eliminating the 45Q tax credits is a point of bipartisan agreement. As Republicans work to repeal, freeze, or claw back more popular clean energy tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act, advocates from across the ideological spectrum, from climate groups to the Heartland Institute, have agreed on the need to end these wasteful and ineffective handouts. Last month, hundreds of community advocates and environmental organizations called on Congress to repeal the carbon capture tax credit as part of its reconciliation tax bill. “For lawmakers wanting to cut waste and fraud, they should start with 45Q. It is lining the pockets of the fossil fuel and biofuel industries with taxpayer dollars to the tune of billions. These extraction industries just have their hands out for money. If you want to stop waste and misuse of taxpayer dollars – get your scalpel and begin with 45Q,” said Peg Furshong, a rural Minnesota landowner who lives in the proposed Summit pipeline route… “The bill, HR 1946, can be viewed here. It was introduced on March 6, and referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.“

Public News Service: Power of rural organizing reflected in SD carbon pipeline law
Mike Moen, 3/11/25

“The future of a big carbon capture project in the Midwest was thrown off balance after a new South Dakota law was adopted. Rural property owners made a big push for the policy and their organizing is getting noticed,” Public News Service reports. “South Dakota’s governor just signed a bill prohibiting eminent domain for carbon dioxide pipelines. It is in response to a proposed line where the company behind it has not secured all the voluntary land agreements it needs. Worried landowners found sympathetic ears in the Legislature. Sarah Jaynes, executive director of the Rural Democracy Initiative, told PNS outcomes like these reflect the mindset of smaller communities when big projects come their way, potentially affecting their way of life. “Rural people are not in the habit of fighting things,” Jaynes told PNS. “They’re in the habit of taking a close look at what’s proposed for their communities after decades of exploitation… They want to make sure that they have clean air and water and access to nature. They want to take care of their land.” Such sentiments have surfaced in polling from the Rural Democracy Initiative.”

Mitchell Now: Carbon Capture Pipeline Opponents Celebrate, But Remain Cautious
Riley Harrington, 3/10/25

“Opponents of the carbon capture pipeline are celebrating with caution after Governor Rhoden signed a bill removing eminent domain for CO2 pipelines,” Mitchell Now reports. “The fight over this issue has been ongoing for nearly four years, and Spink County landowner Ed Fischbach told MN it all began with one simple question. (:12) While Fischbach calls the bill a major victory for opponents, he and others aren’t declaring victory just yet. They’re waiting to see what the next move will be in the ongoing battle.”

CBC: What On Earth: Why a CO2 leak in Mississippi holds lessons for Canada
John Chipman, Laura Lynch, 3/7/25

“Canada’s oil and gas companies are hoping carbon capture and storage will be a big part of the country’s net zero plans. But shipping CO2 through pipelines to storage facilities can come with risks. We go to rural Mississippi to hear about a rare carbon dioxide pipeline breach that was nearly deadly – and find out what Canada can learn from the incident,” the CBC reports.

Reuters: ‘Handcuffs off Alaska’ – US energy secretary talks up pipeline [VIDEO]
3/10/25

“U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright on Monday (March 10) said he wants to boost U.S. exports of liquefied natural gas which includes the Alaska LNG project, an important priority of U.S. President Donald Trump who talked up the proposed $44 billion project in his address to Congress last week,” Reuters reports.

Santa Barbara Independent: Carbajal and Schiff Weigh in Against Sable Offshore
Nick Welsh, 3/10/25

“Santa Barbara Congressmember Salud Carbajal, U.S. Senator Adam Schiff, and 19 other members of California’s congressional delegation signed an open letter to Governor Gavin Newsom, dated March 3, voicing their opposition to Sable Offshore’s intention of restarting Exxon’s former oil and gas plant off the Gaviota Coast near Refugio,” the Santa Barbara Independent reports. “They asked Newsom to join with them in calling for Sable’s plans to undergo the full rigors of environmental review and public participation in the process before any of the multiple state agencies with some oversight over the oil company’s proposal makes a final decision. Carbajal was still a county supervisor in 2015 when Plains All American Pipeline’s Line 901 sprung a serious rupture due to massive pipeline corrosion, spilling 142,000 gallons of oil, much of which made its way into the ocean, where it fanned out along 150 miles of coastline… “The letter noted that multiple state agencies have the cumulative say-so over whether Sable gets the green light to restart operations. None of these agencies has required any new environmental analysis or public participation… “The Carbajal-Schiff letter touched on what might be Sable’s real Achilles heel. The company has yet to secure four miles of easement it needs to get from the California Parks Department along the coast. Without that easement, the company has a significant four-mile-long question mark. In a letter from the Parks Department, Sable was notified that its easement had expired in 2016 and that if it wanted to renew that easement to restart its oil and gas plant up the coast, it would need to get a coastal development permit and undergo an ill-defined degree of additional environmental scrutiny.”

Santa Barbara Independent: Informational Meeting Regarding Sable Offshore Proposed Pipeline
3/11/25

“Senator Monique Limon (D-Santa Barbara) and Assemblymember Gregg Hart (D-Santa Barbara) will host California Natural Resources Agency Secretary, Wade Crowfoot, and key stakeholders for an informational meeting about Sable Offshore’s proposal to repair and restart oil pipelines along the Central Coast,” according to the Santa Barbara Independent. “At this meeting, key state agencies will outline their roles and responsibilities in the review process… “DATE: Thursday, March 13, 2025; TIME: 4 PM – 6:30 PM.”

North Dakota Monitor: Dakota Access Pipeline developer outlines damage claims, rests case against Greenpeace
Mary Steurer, 3/10/25

“The $300 million trial between Dakota Access Pipeline developer and Greenpeace reached the halfway mark on Monday as the company wrapped up its side of the case,” the North Dakota Monitor reports. “…Among the slew of witnesses called by Energy Transfer were three experts who testified the company incurred up to about $265 million in additional expenses as a result of the anti-Dakota Access Pipeline movement. The experts said they weren’t on the stand to prove Greenpeace caused those losses, but to provide an analysis of the company’s own financial records… “The majority of that money — roughly $60.1 million — was spent on security, said Robert Trout, a California-based forensic economist. Another $7 million went toward public relations consultants. Additional PR services were necessary to counter negative publicity surrounding the pipeline, Trout said… “A third expert witness, energy and technology consultant David Leathers, testified that Energy Transfer lost out on $80 million in revenue because the Dakota Access Pipeline started commercial operations roughly five months later than originally planned… “Everett Jack, who represents Greenpeace’s United States affiliate in the lawsuit, said that Energy Transfer has presented no evidence directly linking Greenpeace’s actions to damages suffered by the company… “He said the company likewise showed no meaningful evidence Greenpeace aided and abetted others in harming the Dakota Access Pipeline.”

KAXE: MN appeals court reverses Aitkin County convictions of Line 3 protester
3/10/25

“The Minnesota Court of Appeals reversed trespass on a pipeline and unlawful assembly convictions of a Minneapolis woman who participated in a prayer ceremony at a Line 3 construction site in Aitkin County,” KAXE reports. “In a nonprecedential opinion filed Monday, March 10, the appeals court ruled the state failed to provide sufficient evidence of any of the three crimes it accused 59-year-old Marian Shaw Moore of committing in 2021. A jury found Moore guilty of the gross misdemeanor trespass crime and two other misdemeanors: unlawful assembly and presence at an unlawful assembly. Moore was one of more than 100 people who gathered in January of that year along the construction route of Enbridge’s Line 3 next to Highway 169. The gathering included chanting, singing, jingle dancing and drumming, all of which are part of Anishinaabe healing ceremonies and were intended as prayer for the well-being of the water. Moore was not arrested that day and officers who testified agreed the gathering was a “peaceful protest,” according to the opinion. In her appeal, Moore argued the state law that the Aitkin County Attorney’s Office used to charge her did not apply, because a pipeline did not yet exist at the site… “The appeals court agreed with Moore’s arguments, finding the use of present tense in the statute language meant a pipeline must be present and operational in order for a trespass violation to occur… “At least one other Aitkin County conviction of a Line 3 protester is also currently under review by the Minnesota Court of Appeals.”

North Dakota Monitor: Man sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for damaging energy facilities in the Dakotas
3/10/25

“A Canadian man who pleaded guilty last fall to shooting at energy facilities in North Dakota and South Dakota was sentenced Monday to 25 years in prison,” the North Dakota Monitor reports. “Cameron Monte Smith, 50, also was ordered to pay more than $2 million in restitution after being convicted in U.S. District Court of two counts of destruction of an energy facility… “Smith also used a rifle to shoot a transformer and pump station of the Keystone Pipeline in eastern South Dakota’s Clark County in July 2022, court records show. The damage disrupted the pipeline, operated by TC Energy, which carries oil from Canada through North Dakota and South Dakota to facilities in Illinois and Texas.”

WFMJ: Court hearing scheduled in lawsuits filed following explosion at Realty Building
Zach Mosca, 3/10/25

“A hearing has been scheduled in connection with several civil suits filed following the explosion at the Realty Building in downtown Youngstown in May of 2024,” WFMJ reports. “According to court records, a hearing has been set for Monday, March 17… “The plaintiffs include several residents of the apartments that were housed on the upper floors of the building, as well as an employee at the Chase Bank on the lower floor of the building who were injured after the blast and suffered property damage and lost wages… “The suits slam Enbridge Gas Ohio for having an unsupervised crew working on a gas line in the basement, and building owners Yo Properties LLC for not securing the premises following the explosion allowing for alleged thefts to occur.”

Delaware Valley Journal: Lower Makefield, Yardley Drinking Water Tests Clean After Jet Fuel Leak
Linda Stein, 3/11/25

“The leak of jet fuel in Bucks County made big headlines, but the latest water testing confirms the impact has been small,” the Delaware Valley Journal reports. “Testing in Lower Makefield, Falls Township, and Yardley Borough by Pennsylvania American Water officials found no hydrocarbon compounds in samples of its source water… “A pipeline carrying jet fuel was found to have leaked in neighboring Upper Makefield, sending crowds of concerned citizens to pack public meetings… “Elected officials continue to call for the pipeline to be shut down. “This past Friday, I met with the residents of the Upper Makefield Task Force to continue our fight together in addressing this urgent community crisis,” Bucks County Republican U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick posted on X. “It has been over a month since the Sunoco Pipeline leak and our community still faces uncertainty. That’s unacceptable. I immediately renewed my call for PHMSA to shut this pipeline down. Until there’s undeniable proof it’s safe, it must stay offline—anything less is reckless and irresponsible.” A meeting with Sunoco, Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is scheduled for March 11 at 7:30 p.m. at The Crossing Church, 1895 Wrightstown Road, Washington Crossing.”

KFOR: Logan County landowner says pipeline project left groundwater contaminated with dangerous chemicals
Spencer Humphrey, 3/11/25

“A Logan County landowner says hydraulic fluid from an oil pipeline project is still contaminating his land near the Cimarron River, despite claims from the oil company that cleanup efforts met environmental standards,” KFOR reports. “Lane Garrett and his family bought their land along the banks of the Cimarron River 16 years ago.. “Phillips 66 went through the courts to condemn part of the family’s land, securing an easement to build the oil pipeline. “They said we’re going to put a pipeline in on your place,” Garrett told KFOR. “We ended up losing. It was kind of like, all right, well, y’all win. Come on out.” “…But with the work came a mess… “Hydraulic fluid—and a lot of it—was seeping into their pasture… “But as the Garrets pushed for answers up the chain at Phillips 66, they kept getting that same response… “They’re just burying it so someone can come and take a topsoil sample and go, ‘Oh, this is all clean,’” William Garrett told KFOR.”

KOSA: Pipeline explosion after attempted robbery of petroleum products
3/10/25

“On March 5, at about 11:30 p.m. a pipeline in Reeves County caught fire and exploded,” KOSA reports. “According to the Reeves County Sheriff’s Office, two vacuum trucks were attempting to steal petroleum products from a station designed for pipeline maintenance. However, a combination of violated safety protocols, and the buildup of static electricity combined with the high pressure of the pipeline caused a fire and detonation… “No arrests have been made yet, but Reeves County Sheriff’s told KOSA the criminal investigation is ongoing and those involved will be prosecuted on multiple charges.”

World Pipelines: Summit Midstream announces US$90 million acquisition of Moonrise Midstream
Alfred Hamer, 3/11/25

“Summit Midstream Corp. has announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Summit Midstream Holdings, LLC (SMP Holdings), has acquired Moonrise Midstream, LLC from Fundare Resources Company Holdco, LLC for a total consideration of US$90 million, including US$70 million in cash and US$20 million in SMC equity,” World Pipelines reports. “…Expands Summit’s gathering and processing footprint in the DJ Basin with ~80 miles of natural gas gathering pipeline, ~25 miles of crude oil gathering pipeline and 65 million ft3/d of additional processing capacity, expandable to ~100 million ft3/d with modest capital investment.”

WASHINGTON UPDATES

New York Times: Supreme Court Rejects an Effort to Block States From Suing Oil Giants
Austyn Gaffney, 3/10/25

“The Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear an argument that aimed to restrict states from suing oil companies for financial damage related to climate change,” the New York Times reports. “The argument was brought to the high court by 19 Republican attorneys general, representing states including Alabama and West Virginia, who were trying to prevent other states, led by Democrats, from pursuing lawsuits against the oil industry. Those states include California, Connecticut, Minnesota, New Jersey and Rhode Island. Those Democratic-led states have sued major fossil fuel companies for allegedly deceiving the public for decades about the effects of their greenhouse gas emissions. Now, with the Supreme Court’s official rejection, those cases can proceed. “This was never anything more than an attempt to run interference, help the defendants in our cases avoid accountability, and play politics with the Constitution,” Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison told the Times. He filed his state’s deception suit in 2020. There are dozens of pending cases designed to force fossil fuel companies to pay monetary damages related to climate change, Michael Gerrard, the director of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia University, told the Times.”

New York Times: U.S. Energy Secretary Pledges to Reverse Focus on Climate Change
Brad Plumer, 3/10/25

“Before a packed crowd of oil and gas executives on Monday, Chris Wright, the new U.S. energy secretary, delivered a scathing critique of the Biden administration’s energy policies and efforts to fight climate change and promised a “180 degree pivot,” the New York Times reports. “…I wanted to play a role in reversing what I believe has been a very poor direction in energy policy,” Mr. Wright said as he kicked off the CERAWeek by S&P Global conference in Houston, the nation’s biggest annual gathering of the energy industry. “The previous administration’s policy was focused myopically on climate change, with people as simply collateral damage.” Mr. Wright’s speech was greeted with enthusiastic applause. It was quite different from a year ago, when Jennifer Granholm, the energy secretary during the Biden administration, told the same gathering that the transition to lower-carbon forms of energy like wind, solar and batteries was unstoppable… “Mr. Wright, however, was dismissive of renewable power, which he said played only a small role in the world’s energy mix… “Beyond the obvious scale and cost problems, there is simply no physical way wind, solar and batteries could replace the myriad uses of natural gas,” Mr. Wright said. Mr. Wright has argued that there is a moral case for fossil fuels, saying they are crucial for alleviating global poverty and that moving too quickly to cut emissions risks driving up energy prices around the world. He has denounced efforts by countries to stop adding greenhouse gas to the atmosphere by 2050, calling that a “sinister goal.”

Globe and Mail: Canadian oil and gas could be excluded from U.S. tariffs, Trump’s Energy Secretary says
Jeffrey Jones, 3/11/25

“The United States could remove its tariffs on Canadian oil and gas imports and return to free energy trade between the two countries, the U.S. energy secretary said on Monday,” the Globe and Mail reports. “Sec. Chris Wright told reporters at a global energy conference in Houston that there are active talks within the administration of President Donald Trump and with trading partners about the tariff issue, which has fractured relations between the U.S. and Canada. Asked if there is a possibility of an agreement that would eliminate energy tariffs, Mr. Wright said, “that latter scenario is certainly possible. So – too early to say, but I would say active dialogue within the administration, and with the administration in Canada and Mexico and all of our trade partners.” Last week, the Trump administration moved forward with 25-per-cent tariffs on most imports from Canada, and 10-per-cent tariffs on energy… “Alberta Premier Danielle Smith travelled to the CERAWeek conference to hammer home the message with U.S. officials and executives that her province’s exports are key to North American energy security… “She told the Globe and Mail she believes U.S. producers and refiners were successful in persuading Mr. Trump to, at the least, consider a smaller tariff on Canadian energy, given the highly integrated nature of the two markets.”

Reuters: US energy secretary promises executives faster industry development
Arathy Somasekhar and Liz Hampton, 3/9/25

“In one of his first meetings with oil and gas executives since being confirmed as U.S. energy secretary, Chris Wright said he intended to speed up permitting and support the industry, attendees told Reuters. “…They’re in a hurry,” said Bob Dudley, former CEO of British oil major BP, told Reuters as he exited the dinner. “They don’t want things to be slowed by years and years and years of permitting. The world needs to move fast, and the United States is known as being a very slow country.” Dudley, who now chairs the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative, an industry-led organization that aims to accelerate the response to climate change, told Reuters he anticipated an emphasis on nuclear development and faster permitting from Wright… “Sunday’s dinner included U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, as well as CEOs from Baker Hughes, Occidental Petroleum, TotalEnergies, Williams Companies, Petrobras, EQT Corp and Gunvor Group Ltd.”

Natural Gas Intelligence: DOE Progresses Natural Gas Export Permitting Fast Lane with Delfin LNG Extension
Jacob Dick, 3/10/25

“Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Chris Wright said that the Trump administration is continuing its strategy of accelerating U.S. LNG development with a new federal authorization for the proposed Delfin LNG project,” Natural Gas Intelligence reports. “Delfin LNG LLC has been working for more than a decade to construct the first floating LNG (FLNG) export terminal in the United States. The 13 million ton/year (Mt/y) capacity project design consists of a deepwater port about 50 miles south of the Louisiana coast that would connect four FLNG units to existing onshore pipeline infrastructure. However, while the firm previously told DOE officials it had secured enough binding and tentative supply contracts to sanction at least one vessel, the project faced regulatory uncertainty from the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD) and President Biden’s DOE.”

Energy Intelligence Group: Absent Fee, What’s Left to Drive US Methane Reduction?
Bridget DiCosmo, 3/7/25

“Congress last week scrapped a federal rule underpinning the methane waste “fee” in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), although the oil and gas industry still faces a host of commercial incentives and policy drivers to cut methane emissions,” Energy Intelligence Group reports.

Inside Climate News: Rollbacks Gut Environmental Justice Gains, Former EPA Official Says
Aman Azhar, 3/10/25

“For more than a decade, Matthew Tejada was at the forefront of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s environmental justice efforts. Originally hired by the Obama administration to lead environmental justice efforts as the director of the Office of Environmental Justice, he later became deputy assistant administrator and helped launch the Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights created under the Biden administration. Before leaving the agency at the end of 2023, Tejada worked to integrate environmental justice into EPA’s regulatory and enforcement work, ensuring that historically underserved communities—those disproportionately burdened by pollution—had a voice in federal policy decisions,” Inside Climate News reports. “…Tejada, who was involved in setting up institutional mechanisms to roll out funding for the underserved communities across the United States, now watches with growing concern as those gains are being rolled back by the agency’s current leadership. The new management, he told ICN, is dismantling years of progress, cutting funding and abandoning efforts to engage vulnerable communities in decision-making processes.”

Utility Dive: Utilities may subsidize data center growth by shifting costs to other ratepayers: Harvard Law paper
Ethan Howland, 3/10/25

“Utilities may subsidize data center growth by shifting the costs of serving the facilities to residential and other ratepayers, according to a paper released March 5 by the Harvard Electricity Law Initiative,” Utility Dive reports. “The paper comes as American Electric Power, Dominion Energy, FirstEnergy and other utility companies are moving to serve data center developers such as Amazon, Google and Microsoft. Late last month, PPL subsidiaries Kentucky Utilities and Louisville Gas and Electric, for example, proposed a $3.7 billion plan to add power supplies for data centers. Typically, the cost of building power plants and transmission lines needed to broadly serve utility customers are shared by ratepayers. However, ratepayers may end up paying for the costs to serve data center owners, a narrow set of customers, according to the paper by Eliza Martin, a legal fellow at Harvard Law School’s Environmental and Energy Law Program, and Ari Peskoe, director of Harvard Law School’s Electricity Law Initiative. “The subjectivity and complexity of ratemaking conceals utility attempts to funnel revenue to their competitive lines of business by overcharging captive ratepayers,” Martin and Peskoe said in the paper, Extracting Profits from the Public: How Utility Ratepayers Are Paying for Big Tech’s Power… “Without systematic changes to prevailing utility ratemaking practices, the public faces significant risks that utilities will take advantage of opportunities to profit from new data centers by making major investments and then shifting costs to their captive ratepayers,” Martin and Peskoe said. “The industry’s current approaches of luring data centers with discounted contracts or lopsided tariffs is unsustainable.”

STATE UPDATES

WVIT: CT officials hope to stop President Trump’s energy tariff
Mike Savino, 3/10/25

“…Officials in Connecticut are making a push to stop President Donald Trump’s tariffs from impacting energy prices in the state,” WVIT reports. “…Connecticut is about to be hit by a tsunami of electricity and gasoline skyrocketing prices,” U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) said during a press conference outside the state capitol. He and state Consumer Counsel Claire Coleman said Connecticut relies heavily on electricity, natural gas and gasoline from Canada. They’re also sending a letter urging the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission not to impose the tariff if Trump doesn’t reverse course… “ISO-New England, which oversees the region’s grid, has asked FERC for permission to collect tariffs on energy imported into the wholesale market. But Coleman argued ISO-New England doesn’t have a way to collect the tax. She also said there’s confusion about who, if anyone, is the proper company to impose the tariff… “She added she’s also lobbying the Treasury Department to abandon the plan.”

KULR: Tariff delay raises questions for Billings oil refineries
Justin Dubail, 3/7/25

“President Donald Trump has delayed tariffs on Canada and Mexico for at least another month. This postponement raises questions about the potential impact on Billings, particularly regarding gas prices,” KULR reports. “Montana imports a significant amount of crude oil from Canada, which is crucial for the state’s four oil refineries, with three located in the Billings area… “John Brewer, President and CEO of the Billings Chamber of Commerce, expressed concern over how the tariffs might impact the community and consumers. “Tariffs will increase the cost of crude oil and it is likely for that cost to cascade to the pump price,” Brewer told KULR. “In Billings, all three refineries process primarily Canadian crude oil. President Trump has shared publicly that he expects a ‘transition period’ […] How long that ‘transition period’ lasts is uncertain.” Brewer also referenced a statement from the American Fuels and Petrochemical Manufacturers Association: “The United States is energy secure, in part because of our trade relationships with Canada and Mexico. Imposing tariffs on energy, refined products and petrochemical imports will not make us more energy secure or lower costs for consumers.”

Cleveland.com: Activists protest at Ohio Statehouse over oil and gas extraction, wastewater injection
Jake Zuckerman, 3/7/25

“More than 40 people gathered outside the Ohio Statehouse on Thursday to voice their opposition to oil and gas extraction and wastewater injection in Ohio,” Cleveland.com reports. “Braving wind and bitter cold, they criticized state lawmakers for allowing the gas industry to drill for natural gas underneath state parks and public lands. And they lashed out at regulators for what they described as overly lax oversight of injection wells, where operators inject toxic brine deep underground at high pressure… “The Thursday event, hosted by the Buckeye Environmental Network, spanned the better part of the day and included speakers with personal experience living near injection wells, and Justin Nobel, who wrote a book about the industry’s radioactive waste “spilled, spread, injected, dumped, and freely emitted across America.” “…Any changes the activists seek would likely face a tough run inside the Statehouse. Republican lawmakers who hold supermajorities in both legislative chambers recently passed legislation opening state parks to fracking; declaring methane gas as “green energy” despite its inherently climate change-causing properties; and allowing gas utilities to charge customers for the infrastructure costs of extending gas pipelines to speculative economic development sites.”

Louisiana Illuminator: Advocates want light shed on power plans for Meta’s Louisiana data center
Elise Plunk, 3/7/25

“Environmental and consumer protection advocates are calling for transparency into how Meta will power a massive new data center in Northeast Louisiana,” the Louisiana Illuminator reports. “…Listing Meta and Laidley as parties on the application would require them to disclose information such as anticipated energy demand from the data center and the number of local jobs it would create… “The Alliance for Affordable Energy and the Union of Concerned Scientists filed a joint motion Wednesday with the Public Service that argues for the requirements. Entergy has placed the cost of the new power facilities at $3 billion, an expense consumer advocates fear will be passed along to ratepayers… “An administrative law judge has scheduled a hearing for March 25 on whether to add Meta and Laidley to Entergy’s application.”

Dubuque Telegraph Herald: Farley biodiesel plant operations paused amid industry uncertainty
Konrad Strzalka, 3/8/25

“A Dubuque County biofuel plant has paused operations due to what its general manager said are unfavorable and uncertain federal policies,” the Dubuque Telegraph Herald reports. “Farley-based Western Dubuque Biodiesel has been idle since late December, general manager Tom Brooks told the Herald. Twenty-two people work at the plant, which produced 35 million gallons of biodiesel in 2024. Uncertainty in the industry led to the decision to pause production, Brooks told the Herald. A federal biodiesel tax incentive expired at the end of 2024, and while a new clean fuel production credit is now in place, industry leaders say it incentivizes the usage of used cooking oil and animal fats over the soybean oil used at plants such as Western Dubuque Biodiesel… “Brooks said none of his employees have been laid off despite the paused production… “Farley Mayor Jay Hefel told the Herald market uncertainties affect many industries during a presidential transition, but he said he’s optimistic that the biodiesel plant will be up and running soon.”

EXTRACTION

Washington Post: Canada’s Liberals pick ex-central banker Carney to replace Trudeau
Amanda Coletta, 3/9/25

“Mark Carney earned acclaim for steering countries on two continents through economic turmoil. On Sunday, Canada’s Liberals chose the former central banker to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as the nation faces economic warfare and threats to its sovereignty from President Donald Trump,” the Washington Post reports. “…He prevailed over three candidates, including former deputy prime minister and finance minister Chrystia Freeland. Carney is expected to formally replace Trudeau as prime minister in the next week. A federal election must be held by October but may come sooner… “In his victory speech in Ottawa on Sunday, Carney said Canada is facing “the most important crisis of our lives.” “America is not Canada, and Canada never, ever will be part of America in any way,” he said to applause. “We didn’t ask for this fight, but Canadians are always ready when someone else drops the gloves. So the Americans, they should make no mistake: In trade, as in hockey, Canada will win.”

The Hill: Canada slaps electricity tariffs on New York, Minnesota, Michigan
Tobias Burns, 03/10/25

“The government of Ontario is applying a 25 percent surcharge starting Monday on electricity exports to three U.S. states in response to U.S. tariffs on Canada,” The Hill reports. “This surcharge will affect electricity sales for 1.5 million homes and businesses across Michigan, Minnesota and New York, the Ontario government said. In total, it could cost up to $400,000 per day. New market rules are going into place requiring Canadian electricity sellers to add a $10 per megawatt-hour surcharge, equivalent to a quarter of the electricity’s average value, to the cost of power for sales to the U.S., according to a statement from Ontario’s Office of the Premier… “We will not stand by as our vital electricity exports are taken for granted,” said Stephen Lecce, head of Ontario’s Ministry of Energy and Electrification.”

E&E News: CERAWeek: Energy reality shoves aside green transition
Shelby Webb, Jason Plautz, 3/10/25

“The rhetorical whiplash between the climate-conscious Biden administration and President Donald Trump’s pledges to ramp up fossil fuel production will take center stage this week as the world’s energy leaders gather in Texas,” E&E News reports. “The annual CERAWeek conference will be a chance for some executives to celebrate what they consider a return to energy reality. “For years now, I’ve been calling for a more balanced discussion about energy,” said Chevron CEO Mike Wirth during an earnings call in late January. “We’re finally beginning to see it.” “…Over the past several years, conversations about an energy transition at CERAWeek and in the energy industry have been trending away from climate commitments and renewable targets that became a rallying cry several years ago amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The oil and gas industry has largely been welcoming the shift in how elected officials and energy analysts are talking about the global energy mix… “Mona Dajani, global co-chair of the energy sector with the Baker Botts law firm, pointed to London-based BP as a case study in how some companies went from embracing the energy transition to shuffling its priorities back toward fossil fuels… “The one thing that hasn’t changed is the science, the physics and the atmospheric chemistry,” Mark Brownstein, senior vice president of energy with the Environmental Defense Fund, told E&E. “Climate change is continuing to bear down on countries and companies around the world. And so the challenge is how to achieve access, affordability and security of energy supply alongside the imperative to decarbonize the energy system?”

E&E News: CERAWeek: Natural gas pitched as tonic for power-hungry AI
Shelby Webb, Jason Plautz, 3/11/25

“Energy and technology leaders issued a warning on Monday to investors and regulators: the U.S. needs to generate far more electricity to power data centers and lead in the global race to develop artificial intelligence,” E&E News reports. “Energy Secretary Chris Wright told the thousands gathered at CERAWeek by S&P Global that the Trump administration’s “180-degree pivot” away from Biden-era clean energy policies means it will need to “work at warp speed” to both remain competitive in AI and keep the lights on as demand is projected to balloon… “John Ketchum, president and CEO of power generation giant NextEra, said his company expects to see a 55 percent increase in power demand over the next 20 years, compared with a 9 percent increase over the past 20 years. Ketchum said 17 percent of that increase would likely come from data centers… “Wright pitched natural gas as an obvious way to help meet that hunger for power — as did Chevron CEO Mike Wirth… “But some power generators said renewable energy was often cheaper and quicker to build than natural gas plants… “Larry Fink, founder and CEO of BlackRock investment advisers, said conversations he’s heard from tech companies have shifted away from a mandate to be powered by renewable energy only.”

NPR: U.S. tanker is leaking fuel in the North Sea after a collision with a container ship
Lauren Frayer, Fatima Al-Kassab, 3/10/25

“Dramatic TV footage shows a U.S.-flagged oil tanker spewing black smoke and flames after a collision with a container ship loaded with cargo off Britain’s North Sea coast,” NPR reports. “U.K. Coastguard and firefighting helicopters were hovering over the burning ships, as lifeboats ferried survivors away. The chief executive of a nearby port told local media there was a “massive fireball” following the collision… “The U.S. tanker’s operator, Florida-based Crowley Maritime, said in a statement on social media that its vessel, the MV Stena Immaculate, was struck while anchored off the North Sea coast near Hull in East Yorkshire. It says the vessel was carrying jet fuel, which is now leaking into the sea. A member of the United Kingdom’s parliament representing the area, Graham Stuart, expressed concern in a statement about the collision’s “potential ecological impact.”

Bloomberg: Alberta Moves Ahead With Major Expansion of Direct Oil Sales
Robert Tuttle, 3/10/25

“Alberta’s government is moving ahead with plans to allow oil sands producers to pay their royalties in bitumen, letting it turn around and sell those barrels in a major expansion of the government’s role in the market,” Bloomberg reports. “The Alberta Petroleum Marketing Commission will sell the volumes it collects to “spur private sector investments,” according to a government release… “This will give government the ability to seek new deals on Alberta’s energy resources internationally, making the province one of the largest global heavy oil market players and maximizing the return for Albertans,” the government said.”

Press release: Whitecap Resources and Veren to combine in a $15 billion transaction to create a leading Canadian light oil and condensate producer
3/10/25

“Whitecap Resources Inc. and Veren Inc. are pleased to announce a strategic combination to create a leading light oil and condensate producer with concentrated assets in the Alberta Montney and Duvernay. The combined company will be the largest Alberta Montney and Duvernay landholder, a prominent light oil producer in Saskatchewan and will leverage the combined asset base and technical expertise to drive improved profitability and superior returns to shareholders. The companies have entered into a definitive business combination agreement (the “Agreement”) to combine in an all-share transaction valued at approximately $15 billion, inclusive of net debt… “The combined company will have an enterprise value of $15 billion1 and 370,000 boe/d2 (63% liquids) of corporate production with significant overlap across both unconventional and conventional assets. The combined company becomes the largest Canadian light oil focused producer and the seventh largest producer in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin, with significant natural gas growth potential.”

OPINION

Mitchell Republic: Miskimins: Landowners get a win but pipeline situation is precarious
Paul Miskimins, District 20 senator, 3/10/25

“House Bill 1052 passed by a wide margin in the Senate this past week. I congratulate those who stood in favor of property rights and their victory on this issue. I cannot condone the actions taken by Summit Carbon Solutions and the lack of respect they showed for landowners during this process,” Paul Miskimins writes for the Mitchell Republic. “While opponents to the pipeline claim there are easy workarounds, the reality is that in many cases, “going around” obstacles are not feasible… “No one can predict the long-term future of ethanol, and assuming that it will thrive without this pipeline is uncertain… “It was my hope that we could have found a balanced solution that respected landowner rights while securing South Dakota’s economic future. I hope that opportunity has not passed us by.”

Reuters: Oil execs head to CERAWeek with a case of Trump buyer’s remorse: Bousso
Ron Bousso, 3/10/25

“Energy executives travelling to the U.S. oil capital of Houston for an annual gathering this week may have cheered President Donald Trump’s return to the White House, but they are learning that you should be careful what you wish for,” Ron Bousso writes for Reuters. “This year’s CERAWeek conference promised to be a show of force for the fossil fuel sector following the re-election of Trump, whose “drill, baby, drill” slogan resonated with oil and gas companies that felt frustrated by his predecessor Joe Biden’s perceived animosity toward the industry. Instead, the conference is set to be dominated by talk of Trump’s tariffs, sanctions and aggressive drive to end the war in Ukraine, which have together created turmoil in financial markets and clouded the outlook for the global economy and energy prices… “Lower energy prices were at the heart of Trump’s election campaign, but if this price level is sustained over a long period of time, many companies will be forced to rethink investment plans and dividends, in particular U.S. shale drillers that are highly sensitive to oil prices, putting in question Trump’s U.S. oil production aspirations… “So if oil prices are any gauge of the likely mood, CERAWeek may be a gloomy event… “With Trump, energy companies will have to get used to operating in a roller coaster environment and, what may be even more uncomfortable, get used to having their advice go unheeded.”

Houston Chronicle: At CERA Week, Trump administration should tell energy leaders that curbing methane leaks is good for business
Mark Brownstein is the senior vice president of energy at the Environmental Defense Fund, 3/10/25

“…With energy squarely at the center of a shifting geopolitical landscape, this year’s event will focus heavily on access, affordability and security – so much so that it might be tempting for some to dismiss climate change as yesterday’s news. That would be a mistake,” Mark Brownstein writes for the Houston Chronicle. “While politics may have changed, science hasn’t. Heat-trapping emissions from production and use of fossil fuels are rising along with ever more severe weather events around the world. CERAWeek attendees will doubtless extol the many very real benefits of fossil fuels. What they – nor any of us – can afford to ignore are the rising costs coal, oil and gas are imposing on the planet… “Each year, oil and gas operators in the U.S. alone lose $3.5 billion worth of methane through leaks, flaring and other releases to meet the annual energy needs of 19 million homes, according to our analysis at the Environmental Defense Fund… “Secretary Wright routinely says that global warming caused by emissions from fossil fuels and other sources is a genuine problem, then champions the future of those fuels without addressing the pollution they produce. America’s next chapter should be about energy leadership – a portfolio of solutions that puts us on course for a strong economy with less waste and pollution. Getting the methane issue right is a good place to begin.”

WyoFile: Methane reduction is an economic driver right under Wyoming’s nose
Pete Gosar is an Albany County commissioner and a contributor to Western Leaders Voices, 3/10/25

“Methane — the primary component of natural gas — is a powerful pollutant. More than 80 times as potent as carbon dioxide in the short term, methane is a leading contributor to the climate crisis. U.S. oil and gas operations emit approximately 16 million metric tons of it each year through venting, leaking and flaring. This loss amounts to approximately $2 billion worth of wasted natural gas annually, which is costly to both local economies and the health of our climate,” Pete Gosar writes for WyoFile. “Reducing methane emissions is one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to mitigate climate change impacts while also increasing taxpayer revenue to fund infrastructure projects, schools, public safety services and other community needs. Fortunately, the demand for technologies and services to decrease this pollution has never been higher. New research shows that methane mitigation jobs are on the rise across the nation and in Wyoming.”

Urban Milwaukee: We Energies Plan for More Gas Plants Is a Mistake
John Imes is Cofounder & Director of Wisconsin Environmental Initiative (WEI), 3/9/25

“…We Energies’ plan to build massive new methane gas plants is a costly misstep that threatens to lock in high energy costs, undermine clean energy goals and leave ratepayers footing the bill for outdated infrastructure,” John Imes writes for Urban Milwaukee. “At a time when clean energy and storage solutions are proving to be more reliable and cost-effective, doubling down on fossil fuel dependency is a financial and environmental mistake Wisconsin simply can’t afford. We Energies has publicly committed to reducing carbon emissions by 80% by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Yet, its proposed gas plants move in the opposite direction — locking in long-term fossil fuel reliance when cleaner, cheaper alternatives are available. One of the key justifications for these plants is the anticipated electricity demand from data centers. However, rapid advancements in AI-driven efficiency — such as DeepSeek — could dramatically cut data center energy consumption. If We Energies locks in billions for gas plants just as these efficiency gains accelerate, Wisconsin ratepayers could be left footing the bill for infrastructure that is no longer needed… “The choice is clear: Do we cling to outdated, expensive fossil fuel infrastructure, or do we embrace a smarter, more resilient clean energy future?”