EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 3/14/24

PIPELINE NEWS

• WVTF: As Mountain Valley Pipeline Nears Completion, Some Residents Say Their Concerns are Being Ignored

• Transport Topics: House Panel Advances Pipeline Bill

• SooLeader: Indigenous leaders, environmental groups urging Army Corps to address Line 5 pipeline impacts

• Dogwood: Crown wants max jail time for hereditary chief

• North Dakota Monitor: PSC sets Monday meeting on Summit hearing schedule, Burleigh petition

• Mitchell Republic: Noem signs education bills, but talks China, agriculture and carbon pipelines at Mitchell town hall

• Billings Gazette: Southeast Montana carbon capture project raises concerns

• The Center Square: Coalition pushes legislation to advance carbon capture in Illinois

• Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Controversy, legal fights over Line 5 pipeline keep it in the news. We break the issues down.

• Canadian Press: Enbridge asks shareholders to reject call for more disclosure on indirect pipeline emissions

WASHINGTON UPDATES

• Press release: Sierra Club, Earthjustice Lawsuit Challenges SEC’s Weakened Climate Risk Disclosure Rule

• The Hill: 9 more states sue SEC over climate disclosure rule

• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: New study quantifies health impacts from oil and gas flaring in US

• E&E News: DOE awards $750M for ‘clean’ hydrogen technology’

STATE UPDATES

• Patch.com: Oil Spill Won’t Impact Long Beach, Officials Say

• Bloomberg: Failed Oil Well Plugs Are Silent Polluters That No One Watches

• Press release: California Bill Would Clamp Down on Dangerous Idle Oil, Gas Wells

• Press release: Governor Josh Shapiro’s Energy Plan Builds on Pennsylvania’s Legacy of Energy Leadership by Protecting and Creating Energy Jobs and Lowering Electricity Costs for Consumers

EXTRACTION

• SeekingAlpha: AT&T to buy carbon credits from planned Occidental direct air capture plant

• Carlsbad Current-Argus: $450M deal sees Atlas Energy buy Hi-Crush frack sand company, boost Permian Basin capacity

CLIMATE FINANCE

• E&E News: Why the SEC climate rule might not standardize emissions reporting

TODAY IN GREENWASHING

• Carbon Herald: EU Parliament Cracks Down On Greenwashing With New Consumer Protection Laws

• Enbridge: All chips in! Country’s favorite snack relies on Michigan

OPINION

• Montana Standard: Dan Bucks: Stop harmful leasing of federal lands

• San Diego Union Tribune: Carbon capture research offers hope for progress in climate emergency

• The Hill: Whether the government requires it or not, greenhouse gas disclosures are here to stay 
  

PIPELINE NEWS

WVTF: As Mountain Valley Pipeline Nears Completion, Some Residents Say Their Concerns are Being Ignored
ROXY TODD, 3/14/24

“The company building the Mountain Valley Pipeline, Equitrans Midstream Corporation, announced Monday they are merging with EQT, the company that originally created that spin-off company, and says they’re still on track to begin running gas through the pipeline by June. But some residents along the route in Virginia worry their concerns about pollution and safety aren’t being heard,” WVTF reports. “Since January 1st, there have been 42 citizen reports citing alleged pollution along the Mountain Valley Pipeline in Virginia. Radio IQ interviewed several people who filed complaints with the Department of Environmental Quality, or DEQ. “DEQ tends to come after the fact, And they’ll say, ‘well it looks ok,’” Kathy Chandler, whose property in Roanoke County is crossed by the MVP, told WVTF. “It’s been frustrating to say the least.” “After we file pollution incident reports to DEQ, none of us ever hear back from anyone within these regulatory agencies,” Kellie Ferguson, who lives in Giles County and is a community organizer with a group called Protect Our Water Heritage Rights (POWHR), told WVTF. A spokesperson with DEQ, Irina Calos, told WVTF the agency promptly investigates all reports, and in all of these 42 cases, inspectors found no evidence MVP had violated any laws… This doesn’t give Donna Pitt reassurance that her community of Giles County is safe from long-term effects of this pipeline. “Every day I drive past this,” Pitt told WVTF. “Every other week or so I test water and see what it’s done to this beautiful pristine environment. And I’m sick. And I’m just furious. I’m furious at politics. It’s almost like, well, we feel like we were sacrificed. Little old Appalachian town, what do they know?” “…Radio IQ reached out to Equitrans Midstream Corporation, the company building MVP, for clarity on this site, as well as other concerns residents have, but the company did not respond. A spokesperson with the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration told WVTF their agency is aware of this incident and has been regularly inspecting sites along the MVP, but didn’t provide additional details.”

Transport Topics: House Panel Advances Pipeline Bill
Jeff Duncan, 3/13/24

“A five-year update of federal pipeline safety operations was recently approved by a subcommittee in the U.S. House of Representatives,” Transport Topics reports. “This month, the Energy, Climate and Grid Security Subcommittee voted 14-10 along party lines to advance the Pipeline Safety, Modernization and Expansion Act amid pushback from Democrats. The bill would reauthorize safety programs at the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration… “The bill also would expand penalties for incidents in which pipelines have been damaged as well as prevent states from blocking certain pipeline operations. The bill would authorize operations each year through fiscal 2028. “Pipelines all over the country have been delayed and ultimately canceled as result of permitting challenges and lawsuits funded and backed by radical environmental groups,” Duncan said. “My draft legislation addresses this by strengthening penalties for damaging pipelines and incorporating permitting reform centered on safety, modernization and expansion. It improves [pipelines’] safety by updating PHMSA programs to reflect new technologies. It puts an end to ‘gas bans’ by protecting the American people’s right to choose the energy source that fits their needs.” “…Democrats on the panel, however, united in staunch opposition to the legislation. Committee ranking member Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), said, “Throughout this Congress, Republicans have shirked their duty to reauthorize the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s, or PHMSA’s, pipeline safety responsibilities. They never held an oversight hearing. They never made an effort to sit down and discuss shared priorities. Instead, they simply circulated a partisan draft bill focused more on building pipelines than safety, mere weeks before PHMSA’s authorization expired.” “…Last year, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved the bipartisan Promoting Innovation in Pipeline Efficiency and Safety Act of 2023. Its floor consideration has not been scheduled.”

SooLeader: Indigenous leaders, environmental groups urging Army Corps to address Line 5 pipeline impacts
3/13/24

“Today the Indigenous Women’s Treaty Alliance and environmental groups delivered a petition with 9,000+ signatures calling on the Army Corps of Engineers to conduct a robust environmental review of the Line 5 crude oil pipeline reroute,” SooLeader reports. “The petition builds on growing momentum to shut down Line 5 permanently. Two weeks ago, leaders of 30 Tribal Nations in the Great Lakes region sent a letter to President Joe Biden urging the United States to take action against the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline’s trespass on the Bad River Band’s sovereign territories… “During the petition delivery, the Indigenous Women’s Treaty Alliance brought attention to the cultural and environmental impacts of the Line 5 pipeline, the need for a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Line 5 reroute, and the urgent calls to shutdown and decommission the pipeline permanently. Ahead of the delivery, members of the Indigenous Women’s Treaty Alliance and allies met with the Army Corps and Congressional leaders… “Rene Ann Goodrich, Bad River Ojibwe, Native Lives Matter Coalition and Wisconsin Department of Justice MMIW Task Force Member: “Line 5 crosses over tribal treaty territory and one of those ceded territories is my own reservation of Bad River. The dangers that Line 5 brings to the water and environment is a huge and immediate concern. As a Bad River tribal member our way of life, historical homelands, cultural resources, subsistence, wildrice, medicines, fisheries, and water are in direct jeopardy of an imminent catastrophic oil spill. We call for the Line 5 shutdown and decommissioning, not simply re-routed, whereas it would still put the entire Great Lakes ecosystem at great risk and cause irreparable destruction. As sacred water carriers, we stand with the water and are calling for the Army Corps to conduct a proper EIS on Line 5 which will demonstrate that this pipeline is not ecologically feasible and should be immediately decommissioned, and for the Army Corps to reject permits for a re-route of Line 5.” 

Dogwood: Crown wants max jail time for hereditary chief
KAI NAGATA, 3/13/24

“B.C. crown prosecutors say they will seek up to 90 days in prison for a Wet’suwet’en hereditary chief. Dtsa’hyl was arrested and convicted of criminal contempt after impounding Coastal GasLink pipeline equipment. Dtsa’hyl warned the company it was trespassing on Fireweed clan territory,” Dogwood reports. “If granted, it would be the harshest sentence yet in the long-running jurisdictional dispute. The Wet’suwet’en say the Crown has no legal claim to their land and is resorting to force rather than negotiate with the traditional government. The TC Energy pipeline is protected by ex-military contractors and police who have used sniper rifles, dogs, chainsaws and axes to enforce a B.C. court injunction. “It’s important for all of us, as Gitxsan and Wet’suwet’en, to stand up to that,” Kloum Khun, head chief of Medzeyex (Owl House) and brother to Dtsa’hyl, told Dogwood… “Meanwhile, pipeline work camps have fueled drug trafficking, sexual violence, road accidents, disease transmission and driven up the cost of living across the region. The whole experience has leaders in nearby communities rethinking their support for TC Energy’s next project, the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission pipeline… “The trial of Gidimt’en land defenders including Sleydo’ will resume June 17. Sentencing for Chief Dsta’hyl will take place in Smithers on July 2. TC Energy has until November this year to make a “substantial start” on construction of the PRGT pipeline. If the company fails to meet that deadline, its certificate and permits will expire.”

North Dakota Monitor: PSC sets Monday meeting on Summit hearing schedule, Burleigh petition
Jeff Beach, 3/13/24

“North Dakota pipeline regulators will meet Monday to discuss a schedule for hearings in the Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline project,” the North Dakota Monitor reports. “The Public Service Commission agenda also includes a request to reconsider an earlier decision on pipeline zoning ordinances. The meeting is at 11 a.m. in the Capitol… “The project has recently expanded to include more than 50 ethanol plants but only one of the plants is in North Dakota — Tharaldson Ethanol at Casselton… “Emmons and Burleigh counties, on the main trunk of the pipeline, passed ordinances with tighter restrictions on where the pipeline could run. Summit argued that North Dakota zoning laws preempts those ordinances. The PSC sided with Summit on that question. But Emmons County is challenging the PSC ruling in court and Burleigh County petitioned the PSC to reconsider its order. That reconsideration is part of Monday’s agenda. The agenda also includes a discussion for a schedule and location for the rehearing on the permit.” 

Mitchell Republic: Noem signs education bills, but talks China, agriculture and carbon pipelines at Mitchell town hall
Erik Kaufman, 3/13/24

“Gov. Kristi Noem signed a pair of bills Wednesday morning that intend to improve the educational experience of South Dakota students by boosting teacher pay and improving reading proficiency,” the Mitchell Republic reports. “…On the topic of carbon capture pipeline, Noem said she was most concerned with fairness and what is constitutional. “The carbon pipeline — I may be for them, against them — whatever, I really don’t care. What I care about is that it’s a fair process and that we have an opportunity to participate in economic development,” Noem said. “If it goes forward, that is something that our ethanol plants, our farmers and our landowners here in South Dakota have an opportunity to participate in.” Noem noted that as governor she did not have the ability or desire to act unilaterally. “There have been a lot of signs around the state, there’s been a lot of advertising around the state about the governor has to do something,” Noem said. “Well, guess what. I’m not Xi Jinping, and I’m not going to force my will on people.”

Billings Gazette: Southeast Montana carbon capture project raises concerns
Tom Lutey, 3/12/24

“In the far southeast corner of Montana, a rare project to pump industrial carbon dioxide deep into public land is raising community concerns,” the Billings Gazette reports. “The Bureau of Land Management, over several meetings in the first week of March, took questions about a 156-square-mile carbon sequestration project sought by Denbury Carbon Solutions, a recently purchased subsidiary of ExxonMobil… “Locals aren’t sure they want their rolling plains to be the repository for pollution from areas that have benefitted. “Zooming out to the bigger picture, this is not a solution. It’s just a Band-Aid to a giant problem that we didn’t create,” rancher Liz Barbour told the Gazette. “That’s one of my first issues. This isn’t part of Montana’s industry. All this CO2 is coming out of Wyoming. We don’t need to assume Wyoming’s waste out in the middle of nowhere, where that industry has nothing to do with our community.” “…The pollution would be piped in from Wyoming where several hundred miles to the southwest ExxonMobil and Texas-based Contango have sour gas sweetening plants, which convert raw methane into usable commercial gas. The process involves removing the carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide, which makes methane sour. Those contaminants, toxic to humans, are hard on pipelines. The origins of the gas haven’t received significant discussion in Montana, where Denbury was still fielding questions about the pollution’s origins during BLM’s public meetings this March — this after several months of project work and considerable public interest. Community members are raising concerns about highly erosive soil in the project area, threats to the surface water used to support livestock, wildlife, and the area’s fossil-rich landscape… “Community members tell Lee Montana newspapers that the word was slow to get out about Denbury’s carbon sink. In Wyoming, where the pollution originates, the sequestration project is anything but lowkey. Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon is counting on Denbury’s Greencore Pipeline, the conduit to Carter County, and other sequestration efforts to save the Cowboy State’s fossil fuel economy from climate change policies… “There’s no shortage of doubters in either state about whether pumping carbon dioxide into the ground is beneficial. The spectrum of skeptics ranges from the people who believe climate change is a hoax to folks like Dan Dinstel in Carter County, who thinks climate change is unavoidable and estimates that all the carbon dioxide expelled related to creating this project in Montana’s remote southeast corner surely outnumbers the 150 million tons Denbury expects to deposit here. “I do not see the benefits of this project, OK, if you look at the at the big picture. There will not be a net gain of CO2 sequestration,” Dinstel told the Gazette. “You take the energy from the fossil fuels that are part of the construction of the pipe, for all the jet planes that are flying back and forth between here and there in Texas, negotiating this project. All the gas that’s being burned analyzing this thing. The steel that’s being constructed, all of that. I say, I see a net loss in carbon capture with this project, as well as all in other projects.” Dinstel suspects that ExxonMobil is pursuing the sequestration project because of the lucrative 45Q federal tax credit for carbon sequestration… “Just multiply $85 a ton by 150 million, as Dinstel has, and the golden government carrot on a truly short stick becomes apparent for the stakeholders in Wyoming’s fossil fuel economy.”

The Center Square: Coalition pushes legislation to advance carbon capture in Illinois
Catrina Petersen, 3/13/24

“Democratic state lawmakers, business, labor and agriculture groups are pushing legislation that would advance carbon capture and storage projects in Illinois,” The Center Square reports. “Two measures, Senate Bill 3311 and House Bill 569, would create the Climate and Landowner Protection Act. During a news conference Wednesday in Springfield, the group claimed that this will help Illinois reach its clean energy goals. However, scientist Sallie Greenberg confirmed that the separation of other chemicals from the emitted carbon actually uses energy. “Depending on where you are separating your carbon from dictates whether or not you need additional energy resources to do that,” said Greenburg, who conducted a study for the General Assembly. Mark Denzler, the president and CEO of the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, is in support of the legislation… “House Bill 4835, currently in the House Energy and Environment Committee, seeks a temporary statewide moratorium on construction of carbon dioxide pipelines until the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has adopted revised federal safety standards and the state has finalized a study regarding the safety setbacks required in the event of pipeline rupture or leak… “Fosdick said there may be a few ethanol plants who are storing carbon on their own property and have smaller pipelines, but the push nationwide is that Illinois is one of the few locations that, they believe, has the right geology to do this on a massive scale. Fosdick has a family farm in Logan County and denied major pipeline projects from using the land to store carbon. Outside of being a landowner, she has worked closely with the Coalition to Stop CO2 Pipelines.”

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Controversy, legal fights over Line 5 pipeline keep it in the news. We break the issues down.
Caitlin Looby, 3/13/24

“Line 5 has become a household name in the Great Lakes region, creating intense concern over its potential risk to water quality and its infringement on tribal rights,” the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. “This weekend a documentary will open in select theaters nationwide highlighting the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa’s long history of activism and resistance as well as its ongoing legal battle with Enbridge Energy over the Line 5 oil pipeline. “Bad River” will show at AMC Mayfair Mall in Wauwatosa as well as in Madison, Ashland and Chicago. Here, we break down what you need to know about its history, its controversies and its legal battles… “Environmental groups and tribes across the region say that the Line 5 pipeline, which was meant only meant to last 50 years, is one of the biggest threats to the Great Lakes. Tribes across the region contend that the oil pipeline is infringing on tribal sovereignty and treaty rights, and have urged the Biden administration to speak out against the pipeline… “Line 5 has even garnered attention from the United Nations. Last year, an advisory body recommended that the two countries shut down the pipeline, and asked Canada to reconsider its support… “The two parties are awaiting a ruling from a federal appeals court that heard oral arguments in February. They are also waiting to see whether the U.S. federal government files an amicus brief on behalf of the fossil fuel company or Bad River Band… “Enbridge argues that thousands of jobs and billions in economic output will be lost if Line 5 is shut down. The company also says oil prices would rise and Ohio refineries would be put at risk. However, one report, from PLG Consulting in Chicago, found that the energy market could adapt without shortages or price increases. Another report by Environmental Defence Canada found that shutting down Line 5 would raise prices by under 2 cents per liter.”  

Canadian Press: Enbridge asks shareholders to reject call for more disclosure on indirect pipeline emissions
Amanda Stephenson, 3/13/24

“Energy giant Enbridge Inc. is urging shareholders at its upcoming annual meeting to vote against a proposal calling on the company to do more to disclose the climate impact of its pipeline business,” the Canadian Press reports. “The shareholder proposal filed by Investors For Paris, a group that aims to hold publicly traded companies accountable for their net-zero promises, calls on Enbridge to disclose the “Scope 3” or end-use emissions produced by the oil and natural gas it transports in its pipeline network. “If a company’s financial viability is dependent on scope 3 emissions being released — as is the case with Enbridge — then it is critical that investors have a full and complete picture of these emissions,” the proposal states. The term “Scope 3” refers to emissions that a company is indirectly responsible for, such as the greenhouse gases generated when a customer uses the company’s product. Most major Canadian energy firms currently disclose the emissions they produce themselves in their day-to-day business operations, but have been far more reluctant to take accountability for end-use emissions, such as those produced when consumers burn fossil fuels in their cars. Including Scope 3 emissions in their climate disclosures would massively increase the size of the carbon footprint that energy companies must report to investors and the public… “In its response to this year’s proposal, Enbridge said it is currently unable to accurately and reliably track third-party use of the oil and natural gas it transports for customers… “We will proceed with further enhancements to our Scope 3 reporting where accepted definitions for our business exist and decision-useful data is available,” the company said. In urging shareholders to vote against the proposal, Enbridge also warned investors to be wary of environmental activists who acquire shares in a company in order to bring forward a proposal solely for the purpose of campaigning for change. “Shareholder proposals have become part of the toolkit employed by certain environmental activists to gain publicity in pursuit of their objectives,” the company stated.

WASHINGTON UPDATES

Press release: Sierra Club, Earthjustice Lawsuit Challenges SEC’s Weakened Climate Risk Disclosure Rule
3/13/24

“Today, the Sierra Club and the Sierra Club Foundation, represented by Earthjustice, filed a lawsuit against the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit over its final rule requiring public companies to disclose climate-related risks to their businesses and plans to manage or mitigate them. The final rule will yield much less information about companies’ exposure to climate-based risks than the proposed rule would have… “The Sierra Club and the Sierra Club Foundation manage millions of dollars in investments for their respective organizations, including employee 401Ks. In addition, the Sierra Club represents millions of members and supporters, many of whom have significant investments of their own. These investors cannot adequately manage their investments without complete information on publicly-traded companies’ vulnerability to climate-related risks, including greenhouse gas emissions profiles. By allowing companies to selectively report their emissions, the SEC has fallen short of its statutory mandate to protect investors, maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets, and promote capital formation… “Ben Jealous, Executive Director of the Sierra Club: “While the SEC’s final climate disclosure rule will provide investors with some much needed information, the Commission’s arbitrary decision to remove robust emissions disclosure requirements and other key elements from the proposed rule falls short of what the law requires. Through legal action, we hope to ensure that all investors, including the Sierra Club and its members, have the information they need to evaluate companies’ climate-related risks, make smart investment decisions, and protect their assets for decades to come.” “…Investors need complete information about a company’s exposure to climate-related financial risks through a full accounting of their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in order to better determine whether a company’s business practices align with their transition plans and/or emissions reduction targets. The final rule removes this requirement and may open investors to misleading and incomplete information. “

The Hill: 9 more states sue SEC over climate disclosure rule
RACHEL FRAZIN, 3/13/24

“Nine states this week sued the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over a rule that requires publicly traded companies to disclose some climate-related information to potential investors,” The Hill reports. “The lawsuit, led by the state of Iowa, comes after 10 states separately sued the SEC over the rule last week. The rule in question requires publicly traded companies to reveal risks that climate change may pose to their business. It also requires some large and midsize companies to disclose how much carbon dioxide is emitted by their operations. Its opponents are arguing that the rule creates unnecessary burdens for businesses and forces them to reveal information that they may need to keep confidential. “Not only will this mandate impose costly red tape on businesses, but it will devastate our supply chain and hurt Iowa family farms,” said Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird (R) in a written statement. Her suit was joined by Arkansas, Idaho, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Utah, as well as a group called the American Free Enterprise Chamber of Commerce. The states on the previous lawsuit are West Virginia, Georgia, Alabama, Alaska, Indiana, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Wyoming and Virginia.”

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: New study quantifies health impacts from oil and gas flaring in US
3/12/24

“A new study led by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Institute for the Environment, Boston University School of Public Health and the Environmental Defense Fund finds that pollution from oil and gas venting and flaring results in $7.4 billion in health damages, more than 700 premature deaths, and 73,000 asthma exacerbations among children annually. Researchers also conclude that emissions are underreported and controlling emissions is not only profitable for operators, but also can significantly improve public health in surrounding communities… “According to the study, published in GeoHealth, flaring and venting activities contribute an estimated $7.4 billion in health risks and 710 premature deaths annually in the U.S. Of those deaths, 360 are attributable to fine particulate matter (PM2.5), ozone (O3) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Fine particulate matter is widely known to cause adverse health effects, but researchers say impacts from O3 and NO2 should not be overlooked. “Our research shows that oil and gas flaring can have substantial health impacts, and that a large portion of these impacts come from NO2 and O3, two air pollutants which are commonly not considered in health impact assessments,” said co-author Jonathan Buonocore, an assistant professor of environmental health at Boston University School of Public Health… “Researchers also found the air quality health burdens of flaring and venting fall disproportionately on low-income, Hispanic and Native American communities. Of the total early deaths caused by flaring and venting, one in three occurred in low-income census tracts, 30% occurred in Hispanic/Latino census tracts, and 10% occurred in Native American census tracts. Of the 73,000 childhood asthma cases, 40% occurred in Hispanic/Latino census tracts. “This research provides more evidence of the problem of excessive venting and flaring in the oilfield,” said Hillary Hull a co-author of the study and director of research and analytics at the Environmental Defense Fund. “This practice wreaks havoc on our climate, worsens quality of life and creates more health risks for people who live near this activity. State and national policies designed to put an end to this dangerous practice are sorely needed to protect the health and well-being of these communities.”

E&E News: DOE awards $750M for ‘clean’ hydrogen technology
Christian Robles, 3/13/24

“The Department of Energy will use $750 million from the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law to fund “clean” hydrogen research and development projects related to electrolyzers — a device that uses electricity to split hydrogen from water — fuel cells and manufacturing processes,” E&E News reports. “DOE’s Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office will allocate the funding to 52 different hydrogen projects reflecting six broad categories. The largest category, accounting for $316 million across eight projects, is research to boost electrolyzer manufacturing. Other categories seek to address electrolyzer supply chain needs, lower electrolyzer costs, support fuel cell manufacturing and develop recycling methods for materials used to make hydrogen… “The awardees include DOE’s national laboratories and big-name companies like Cummins, General Motors and Plug Power… “However, many in the hydrogen industry say companies will struggle to help DOE achieve its climate goals if proposed tax rules for a new hydrogen production tax credit are finalized. Environmentalists have long argued that proposed rules are necessary to ensure hydrogen production results in low to zero emissions.”

STATE UPDATES

Patch.com: Oil Spill Won’t Impact Long Beach, Officials Say
Rachel Barnes, 3/12/24

“An oil spill that occurred off the coast of Huntington Beach last week caused concern among city officials in Long Beach,” Patch.com reports. “The spill reportedly happened at about 6:50 p.m. on Thursday nearly 3 miles off the coast near the oil platforms named Emmy and Eva. The oil sheen was seen on the water in a 2.5-mile-long stretch across the coast. Long Beach health authorities said they have been closely monitoring the situation and do not anticipate any impacts to the Long Beach coastline or local waterways… “In the event of any unexpected impact to Long Beach, protective measures will be initiated promptly to mitigate the situation and safeguard the environment and community,” city officials said in a statement.

Bloomberg: Failed Oil Well Plugs Are Silent Polluters That No One Watches
Bobby Magill and Drew Hutchinson, 3/13/24

“Sarah Stogner plucked a piece of cement off a rusted steel pipe jutting from the ground on a West Texas ranch. The chunk, part of the plug for a long-dormant oil well, crumbled in her hand,” Bloomberg reports. “Stogner manages the Antina Ranch, which spans an old oil field southwest of Midland. Today, it’s dotted with abandoned wells, many of which were plugged long ago to prevent the wells from polluting the air and water. Stogner and ranch owner Ashley Watt have found more than 100 failed plugs and are battling Chevron in court over their cleanup. “You can see the gas bubbles coming up,” Stogner, an oil and gas attorney, told Bloomberg as she watched water puddle atop a plugged but leaking well in December. Some plugs fail because the cement used to seal them has deteriorated, or the metal well casing has corroded. Petroleum geologists say wastewater disposal from the fracking boom—particularly in the oil-rich Permian basin—could also be pressurizing aquifers beneath the old wells, forcing plugs to blow. Nobody knows for sure, or how big the problem could be, because few people are watching… “There’s no consensus on what should happen after they’re plugged. Some scientists and analysts say long-term monitoring is needed. The Interior Department recommends that states monitor up to 5% of the wells they’ve used federal infrastructure money to plug, but few do. “As an industry, we do not yet understand the long-term performance of our plugging practices,” Dwayne Purvis, principal adviser at Purvis Energy Advisors in Fort Worth, Texas, told Bloomberg. “We know that our cement is brittle, that steel left in the hole can corrode, and that interfaces between steel, cement and rock can separate. We know that the risk of failure must increase with time.” “…A lot of money is at stake. Plugging an abandoned well can cost between $15,000 and $200,000; most run thousands of feet deep. If a plug fails or leaks, re-plugging it can run between $200,000 and $2 million, or more, Dan Arthur, president and chief engineer of ALL Consulting, a Tulsa, Okla., firm that serves the oil and gas industry, told Bloomberg.”

Press release: California Bill Would Clamp Down on Dangerous Idle Oil, Gas Wells
3/12/24

“Assemblymember Gregg Hart (D-Santa Barbara) introduced a bill today that would substantially increase oil companies’ requirements to plug and clean up idled oil and gas wells across the state. California currently has more than 40,000 wells that sit idle, but existing laws do little to force operators to plug these dangerous wells. The bill is sponsored by the Center for Biological Diversity. It’s backed by more than 100 public health, labor and environmental groups, who sent a letter of support for the bill to speed well cleanup and protect communities. “This bill will keep Californians from being saddled with the toxic costs of leaky, dangerous idle wells,” said Hollin Kretzmann, an attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity’s Climate Law Institute. “California’s crackdown on polluters has to start before oil companies try to offload their cleanup duties onto the public. Oil companies need to stop delaying and avoiding their responsibilities to plug idle wells, and this bill will make them do it.” Assembly Bill 1866 would require operators to plug a significant portion of their existing idle wells or be subject to penalty. The largest operators will be required to plug 20% of their idle wells per year, while medium and small operators must plug 15% and 10% per year, respectively. The law would also eliminate the option to pay an idle well fee, allowed under existing law to avoid plugging requirements. These requirements would result in the top five operators — California Resources Corporation-Aera, Chevron, Berry Petroleum, Sentinel Peak Resources, and E&B Natural Resources Management Corp — plugging more than 4,200 idle wells in just the first year of the law’s implementation. “AB 1866 is necessary to solve the idle oil well crisis in California. This proactive solution will protect taxpayers, create thousands of jobs, and safeguard communities,” said Assemblymember Hart. “Idle oil wells in California act as a major source of methane gas emissions, ground water contamination and air pollution. The facts are clear — this serious problem is getting worse and can’t be ignored.”

Press release: Governor Josh Shapiro’s Energy Plan Builds on Pennsylvania’s Legacy of Energy Leadership by Protecting and Creating Energy Jobs and Lowering Electricity Costs for Consumers
3/13/24

“Today, Governor Josh Shapiro kicked off a new era of energy leadership in Pennsylvania, unveiling his plan to protect and create nearly 15,000 energy jobs, lower utility bills for Pennsylvania households, and take real action to address carbon pollution… “Following the recommendations of the Governor’s RGGI Working Group, which brought together labor leaders, environmental advocates, and industry to evaluate the merits of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), the Governor is proposingthe Pennsylvania Climate Emissions Reduction Act (PACER) to establish a Pennsylvania-specific cap-and-invest program that allows Pennsylvania to determine its own cap on carbon and invest directly in lowering consumers’ electricity bills. If passed, PACER would take Pennsylvania out of RGGI and give the Commonwealth control over its own energy future… “Governor Shapiro’s plan also recognizes the critical importance of carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) in meeting our emissions reductions goals, and he is urging the General Assembly to pass enabling legislation to create a legal and regulatory framework for CCUS in Pennsylvania. This will help our state reduce emissions from the largest industrial sources and create good-paying, clean energy jobs in the process.”

EXTRACTION

SeekingAlpha: AT&T to buy carbon credits from planned Occidental direct air capture plant
Carl Surran, 3/13/24

“Occidental Petroleum (NYSE:OXY) +1.4% in Wednesday’s trading as its 1PointFive carbon capture unit said AT&T (T) agreed to purchase carbon dioxide removal credits as part of the company’s commitment to reduce carbon emissions and become carbon neutral in its global operations by 2035,” SeekingAlpha reports. “AT&T (T) said it will buy the credits from Stratos, 1PointFive’s first large-scale direct air capture facility currently under construction in Texas; financial details were not disclosed. Stratos is designed to capture up to 500K metric tons/year of CO2 when fully operational and is expected to be the largest facility of its kind in the world.”

Carlsbad Current-Argus: $450M deal sees Atlas Energy buy Hi-Crush frack sand company, boost Permian Basin capacity
Adrian Hedden, 3/12/24

“Two sand providers for the oil and gas industry announced a $400 million merger last week, increasing proppant capacity in the Permian Basin as it continues to out-produce any other shale deposit in the U.S.,” the Carlsbad Current-Argus reports. “Atlas Energy Solutions said March 5 it completed its acquisition of Hi-Crush Inc. in a deal valued at $450 million in total that was announced Feb. 27. The sale included $150 million in cash, $175 million in stock shares and $125 million in deferred cash payments. The combined company had a capacity of 28 million tons of proppant, which is combined with water and chemicals and pumped underground during fracking operations to break up underground rock formations to allow oil and gas extraction. Fracking was credited with the recent boom in fossil fuel production throughout southeast New Mexico and West Texas.”

CLIMATE FINANCE

E&E News: Why the SEC climate rule might not standardize emissions reporting
Avery Ellfeldt, Benjamin Storrow, 3/13/24

“A landmark disclosure rule approved last week by the Securities and Exchange Commission was supposed to provide investors with a new tool to check whether public companies could back up their climate promises with actual data. But whether the regulation will deliver the information investors are seeking remains an open question,” E&E News reports. “The SEC will not require companies to follow a single, rigid standard for reporting planet-warming emissions. Instead, Wall Street’s top financial regulator will give companies leeway over how to calculate the information. Analysts told E&E the move represents a significant improvement over the status quo, in which a growing number of companies use different emissions accounting standards to voluntarily report their output of climate pollution. But they warned investors may still find it hard to compare emissions reports across companies, with firms likely using slightly different methodologies to calculate and report them. “Is this going to lead to perfect comparability across all companies on emissions reporting? No,” Janet Ranganathan, a managing director at the World Resources Institute, where she co-founded the group’s Greenhouse Gas Protocol, told E&E. But it is “still going to add a lot of value, and it’s still going to meet some of [the SEC’s] primary objectives of providing investors with more risk information than they would have had otherwise.” “…Some environmental groups and watchdog organizations in turn have criticized companies for using different accounting techniques to embellish their reductions.”

TODAY IN GREENWASHING

Carbon Herald: EU Parliament Cracks Down On Greenwashing With New Consumer Protection Laws
Sasha Ranevska, 3/13/24

“This week, the EU Parliament took a significant vote in favor of approving a set of consumer protection laws targeting greenwashing,” the Carbon Herald reports. “…In March 2023, the European Commission put forward a suggested “Directive on Green Claims” to tackle the issue of providing consumers with trustworthy and authentic information, following a recent study that revealed that over 50% of environmental claims made by companies in the EU were ambiguous or deceptive and 40% lacked any supporting evidence… “The directive aimed to regulate the spread of private eco-labels. It also stipulated that new labels could only be introduced at the EU level and could only be approved if they showcased higher environmental aspirations compared to current label programs… “The new laws will require companies to verify any product marketing claims that suggest environmental benefits, such as being “biodegradable” or “less polluting,” before they can use them on the market.” 

Enbridge: All chips in! Country’s favorite snack relies on Michigan
3/13/24

“…March 14 is also National Potato Chip Day, and the “chip” has deep roots in the Great Lakes State,” according to Enbridge. “…Michigan’s entire manufacturing industry —from potato chips to medicines and automobiles—relies on affordable and reliable sources of energy to make and deliver their products. “We generally don’t give much thought to how they got into our hands. The reality is that Line 5 transports safely approximately 540,000 barrels per day of light crude oil, light synthetic crude and natural gas liquids, all of which play a critical role in the production and transportation of potato chips and thousands of other items, like eyewear, medicines, and even kayaks that some of us will put in the water this upcoming summer,” continued Meneghini.

OPINION

Montana Standard: Dan Bucks: Stop harmful leasing of federal lands
Dan Bucks is former director of the Montana Department of Revenue, 3/12/24

“Decisions in the coming months around managing federal lands in Montana will affect the Montana economy and environment for a long time,” Dan Bucks writes for the Montana Standard. “The choice is between two visions for our state’s future. One vision is that of a sustainable economy with shared prosperity among our citizens and small business owners based on resource conservation, renewable energy, and outdoor recreation. The other is one of attempting to revive a mineral extraction economy that is in decline and primarily benefits a handful of investors and corporations. Some might say we can pursue both pathways. But when it comes to managing federal lands, leasing lands for crude oil production can endanger conservation and outdoor recreation activities. Researchers at the Idaho-based Conservation Economics Institute have documented that conservation attracts people and businesses while intensive oil and gas development repels them. In comparing these two economic futures, there’s no competition. Outdoor recreation is a powerhouse of economic growth, employing over 27,000 people in Montana in 2021 — 5.4% of our workforce and more than twenty times the 1,300 employees working in oil and gas extraction that same year. Beaverhead County alone employed more workers in outdoor recreation than the entire Montana oil and gas extraction industry!… “The hard truth is that Montana’s crude oil resources are weak compared to other U.S. locations… “As a result, over the past decade, dormant federal leases totaling an area more than twice the size of Glacier National Park have threatened adequate management of those lands for important conservation and recreational uses in our state… “The [BLM] should make certain that any leases offered are for lands with a strong likelihood of producing oil and gas that do not have other important values, such as conservation and recreation. This informed approach to leasing and many other important policy changes have been proposed in BLM’s oil and gas leasing rule released in July 2023.”

San Diego Union Tribune: Carbon capture research offers hope for progress in climate emergency
Josh Franklin is the CEO of Carbon Blade and resides in Encinitas, 3/13/24

“As someone deeply concerned about the state of our planet and the urgent need to address climate change, I’ve been closely following the development of carbon capture technologies,” Josh Franklin writes for the San Diego Union Tribune. “…The only way to achieve this monumental task is through decarbonation and large investments in direct air capture… “While there have been significant investments in direct air capture technologies, many of the current approaches remain expensive due to their energy intensity and the requirement for large support infrastructure. Nevertheless, the involvement of researchers from two top local universities, UC San Diego and the University of San Diego, should give confidence that direct air capture has the potential for meaningful environmental impact… “The advancement of direct air capture is not only a solution to the imminent challenge of increased concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, but it also offers economic opportunities… “Some critics argue that investing in direct air capture technologies could inadvertently prolong our reliance on fossil fuels by providing a temporary technological Band-Aid instead of addressing the root causes of carbon emissions. The use of carbon dioxide for enhanced oil recovery is of particular concern for many individuals who view total decarbonization as the only solution to reducing carbon emissions. However, carbon capture can serve as a bridge to a renewable energy future, offering a way to offset emissions from sectors that are difficult to decarbonize… “In the end, whether it’s through supporting innovative technologies like direct air capture or advocating for policies that incentivize carbon capture and storage, each of us has a role to play in the fight against climate change.”

The Hill: Whether the government requires it or not, greenhouse gas disclosures are here to stay 
Victor B. Flatt, the Coleman P. Burke Chair in Environmental Law at Case Western Reserve University School of Law, teaches climate disclosure in the private sector, and is a member scholar of the Center for Progressive Reform, 3/13/24

“Last week, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) released its long-awaited final rule requiring publicly traded companies to report certain climate risks and greenhouse gas emissions as part of their financial risk disclosures,” Victor B. Flatt writes for The Hill. “The rule significantly cut back from the disclosure requirements in the proposed draft, dropping the requirement for Scope 3 emissions reporting (related to corporate supply chains and customers) and linking Scopes 1 and 2 emissions to company determinations of materiality… “Since the draft rule dropped in 2022, it has faced a barrage of objections to requiring numeric greenhouse gas emissions information on grounds of relevancy and expense, as well as questions on whether it aligns with the SEC’s statutory charge… “While political bluster may win the battle and even affect the law, it will likely not win this war. Even if the Supreme Court strikes down the rule as beyond the SEC’s powers, the information it was designed to elicit is already here and will continue to be made public. The European Union is far ahead of the U.S. on climate disclosure requirements, and many U.S. companies will be forced to meet those requirements. California is also preparing to require specific emissions disclosures. Investors are not dropping their demands… “The Supreme Court may find that the SEC doesn’t have the power to require this specific reporting of emissions, but the cat is already out of the bag. Companies can — and do — produce this information, and investors are demanding it, indicating it is material almost by definition. Companies will continue to report more and detailed greenhouse gas emissions information over time, even if the rule goes by the wayside.”