EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 3/20/24

PIPELINE NEWS

• South Dakota Searchlight: Pipeline survey law, carbon as a public commodity argued at state Supreme Court

• KSFY: South Dakota Supreme Court hears CO2 pipeline arguments

• Iowa Capital Dispatch: Eminent domain bill advances in the House

• Cedar Rapids Gazette: Lawmakers, Iowa landowners continue push to restrict pipeline use of eminent domain

• KMA: Montgomery County board hears more pipeline feedback

• Dickinson County News: Proposed pipeline ordinance headed back to county supervisors

• Reuters: Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion to be complete by end of May – Alberta Premier

• OilPrice.com: Chinese Company Buys First Crude Cargo From Canadian Pipeline

• Reuters: Enbridge eyes 120,000 bpd expansion to Gray Oak, Texas oil pipeline by 2025

• Yahoo Finance: Oneok CEO explains why ‘bigger is better’ in the pipeline business

• U.S. Energy Information Administration: Natural gas intrastate pipeline capacity additions outpaced interstate additions in 2023

WASHINGTON UPDATES

• Press advisory: Rally at FERC tomorrow

• The Hill: How a Trump presidency could threaten Biden’s signature climate achievement

• E&E News: Biden Threatens Veto Of Bill To Scrap Climate Law Provisions 

• E&E News: 19 States, DC Defend EPA Methane Rule In Court

• Politico: ConocoPhillips CEO Calls Parts Of EPA Methane Rule ‘Unworkable’ 

• Houston Chronicle: Manchin, Sullivan criticize Biden administration LNG pause, expected auto rules at CERAWeek

• The Hill: Manchin: lawmakers are ‘so close’ to a permitting reform deal

• E&E News: Republicans embrace FERC as an ally against Biden energy agenda

• E&E News: Biden admin mounts defense of ‘clean’ hydrogen

• E&E News: DOE Backs Alaska Gas Exports Over Climate Objections

• E&E News: Green groups plot counterattack for GOP ‘energy week’

• Press release: Climate Power Launches “Climate Truth” Campaign, Ramping Up Efforts to Hold Big Oil and their MAGA Allies Accountable

STATE UPDATES

• NPR: No reprieve for ‘Cancer Alley’: Louisiana pollution correlates with preterm births

• WyoFile: Creeks tainted by drilling unable to sustain aquatic life, regulators say

• E&E News: Should NY adopt facility-specific emissions caps? Groups’ report says yes.

EXTRACTION

• Houston Chronicle: Fossil fuel protesters rally outside Houston’s CERAWeek energy conference

• Guardian: Court ruling erodes climate activists’ ability to defend themselves – as the planet heats up

• Associated Press: UN weather agency issues ‘red alert’ on climate change after record heat, ice-melt increases in 2023

• Reuters: Methane to become key criteria for future EU energy imports, official says

• Inside Climate News: Petrochemicals Are Killing Us, a New Report Warns in the New England Journal of Medicine

CLIMATE FINANCE

• E&E News: Change to SEC climate rule opens door to mischief, experts say

• The Hill: Texas schools pull $8.5 billion from BlackRock over fossil fuel ‘boycott’

• Grist: Connecticut wants to penalize insurers for backing fossil-fuel projects

• Press release: Google Employees Missed Out on $1 Billion Due to 401(k) Plan’s Investments in Fossil Fuels

• Greenpeace Canada: RBC’s new climate policy means it should stop financing oil sands giants

OPINION

• Bismarck Tribune: Tribune editorial: No winners in endless fight over pipeline

• Planet Detroit: Biden’s silence on Line 5 is a challenge for Michigan voters

• Broad and Liberty: Becky Corbin: Pipeline progress in Pennsylvania

• Calgary Herald: Alberta gives Ottawa some credit, a few jabs as TMX nears finish line

• Edmonton Journal: Trans Mountain shows Ottawa should let industry do the job

• Houston Chronicle: Big Oil blames climate change on the public, demands a slower energy transition
  

PIPELINE NEWS

South Dakota Searchlight: Pipeline survey law, carbon as a public commodity argued at state Supreme Court
JOHN HULT, 3/19/24

“Summit Carbons Solutions would move something of value from one place to another for a fee, and as such is entitled to survey private land and use eminent domain for its proposed pipeline. Either that, or Summit would merely move its own product to be buried underground, thereby making it ineligible to conduct surveys and use eminent domain. Questions that will define where the carbon dioxide pipeline company lands, legally speaking, between those two polarities are now in the hands of the South Dakota Supreme Court,” the South Dakota Searchlight reports. “Tuesday’s Supreme Court challenge from landowners folded several landowner lawsuits into one to decide three questions: Is the state’s law allowing pre-project access for surveys constitutional? Is carbon gas a commodity? Does Summit qualify as a “common carrier” of a commodity? If the high court rules for landowners on the last two questions, Summit would be unable to use eminent domain to force the construction of its pipeline… “Brian Jorde, the lawyer for the landowners, told the justices that South Dakota’s survey law is baldly unconstitutional in the face of a 2021 ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court called Cedar Point Nursery v. Hassid. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in that case that letting labor unions onto farmland in the interest of organizing constituted a “taking” of private property, inasmuch as it forced the farmland’s owner to let someone do something with their property it otherwise would not… “In light of that set of facts, Jorde argued, the survey law adjusted through the passage of HB 1185 is an even broader swipe at property rights… “On the eminent domain question, Jorde told the justices that only a “common carrier” of commodities is allowed to use the survey law. His clients do not believe Summit fits the bill… “The carbon itself isn’t a commodity, he said, at least not in the way Summit plans to use it. He said no court in the nation has pondered whether pumping a “commodity” underground, rather than using it, changes its status as a commodity… “Justice Kern asked Dublinske if Summit is amenable to offering a copy of its agreements with ethanol companies to the high court for review. It did not object to a private review at the trial court level, he said, and would offer it to the justices, as well… “ Jorde requested that the agreements be reviewable by his team, as well. “Otherwise, there could be an opinion referencing evidence that was never part of the record,” Jorde said.”

KSFY: South Dakota Supreme Court hears CO2 pipeline arguments
Beth Warden, 3/20/24

“The South Dakota Supreme Court heard cases on the Northern State University campus in Aberdeen on Tuesday,” KSFY reports. “One of the cases included rights for landowners and CO2 pipeline companies… “Attorney Brian Jorde, arguing on behalf of a landowner group, believes SB201 should be struck down as unconstitutional, as a violation of landowner rights. “It’s roving, unspecified, unconstrained, limitless, right?” said Jorde. “With the phrase ‘as necessary,’ they can examine and survey as necessary.” “…They’re a private carrier. They’re in a joint venture with the ethanol plants on a carbon management solution,” said Jorde… “The Supreme Court justices requested that Summit Carbon Solutions provide unredacted copies of agreements with ethanol plants within ten days. Depending on what those documents reveal, the South Dakota Supreme Court could issue a decision or arrange for additional arguments. A decision could take months or even over a year. While the Supreme Court reviews the case, landowner groups are organizing a rally on Monday in Pierre to refer SB201 to a vote… “The groups need to collect more than 17,000 signatures by June 24 to get it on the November ballot.”

Iowa Capital Dispatch: Eminent domain bill advances in the House
JARED STRONG, 3/19/24

“Legislation that would enable people to ask a court to decide whether a pipeline project deserves the power of eminent domain was approved by an Iowa House committee on Tuesday,” the Iowa Capital Dispatch reports. “House File 2522 is a diluted version of its initial incarnation, which would have allowed state legislators to halt the proceedings of hazardous liquid pipeline permits. Instead, it now gives people the opportunity to challenge the legitimacy of eminent domain proceedings in Polk County District Court before a ruling from state regulators… “The new bill would allow landowners and pipeline companies to seek earlier court decisions about whether eminent domain is appropriate for utility projects. As the law stands now, those who oppose pipeline projects must wait until the IUB rules on a permit and then challenge it in court. Opponents of the projects want state lawmakers to make it easier to appeal the IUB’s decisions in court. “If the Iowa Utilities Board approves Summit or Wolf, we know that we’re going to appeal,” Jess Mazour, of the Sierra Club of Iowa, told the Dispatch. “Right now in Iowa law, if you appeal, the only way to stop construction while you’re working your case through the court is to put up hundreds of millions of dollars as a bond.” “…It’s unclear when the whole House might take up the bill.”

Cedar Rapids Gazette: Lawmakers, Iowa landowners continue push to restrict pipeline use of eminent domain
Tom Barton, 3/19/24

“House lawmakers and landowners impacted by proposed carbon dioxide capture pipelines continue to push Senate Republicans for restrictions on the ability for private companies to use eminent domain to build the projects,” the Cedar Rapids Gazette reports. “…House File 2522 advanced out of the House Ways & Means Committee Tuesday on a 23-0 bipartisan vote… “The bill would allow an applicant before the Iowa Utilities Board seeking eminent domain, or landowners affected by an eminent domain proceeding, to petition a court for a declaratory order to determine their rights and the constitutionality of the eminent domain request. The court would be able to determine, before the Iowa Utilities Board makes a final decision, whether the use of eminent domain to involuntarily take land is warranted by the proposed project. That decision could be appealed to higher courts… “Opponents have been making weekly trips to the Capitol to urge lawmakers to enact stricter eminent domain restrictions. “We’ve had hurdles thrown in our way every single week for the past three years. But we’re still here,” Jessica Mazour with the Iowa Chapter of the Sierra Club told the Gazette. “…Mazour urged House lawmakers to pass but also strengthen the bill to provide a fair decision-making process during appeals, by making it easier for entities and counties to ask for a pause in construction if a pipeline project gets approved by the Iowa Utilities Board. “The only way to stop construction while you’re working your case to the court is to put up hundreds of millions of dollars in bond,” she told the Gazette. “And the counties don’t have hundreds of millions of dollars. Landowners don’t have hundreds of millions of dollars. My organization doesn’t have hundreds of millions of dollars to devote to stopping construction. … Can we strengthen it so that we have a fair shot in the courts during an appeal? Because we don’t want the pipeline to be built while we’re still waiting on a decision.” “…Opponents argue the private economic development projects do not meet the constitutional requirement for public use. Floyd County landowner Kathy Carter told the Gazette she and other impacted property owners have been under “immense” physical, mental, emotional and financial stress “pushing three years,” since they received notice the pipelines would be going through their property.” “…The bill is now eligible for debate and a vote in the full House.”

KMA: Montgomery County board hears more pipeline feedback
Mike Peterson, 3/19/24

“Montgomery County residents are once again calling for regulations governing carbon pipeline projects,” KMA reports. “Renewed calls for action were heard during Tuesday morning’s county board of supervisors meeting. Much of the discussion centered around recent reports that Summit Carbon Solutions plans to expand its carbon dioxide footprint in Iowa by 340 miles to include POET and Valero ethanol facilities… “West Township resident Jan Norris–one of the area’s vocal opponents of the proposed pipeline project–reiterated earlier calls for a local ordinance on pipeline projects. “Regardless of what you decide to do about the current project,” said Norris, “we must have meaningful conversations about local ordinances and our county zoning. Take Summit out of it. Other projects are coming, and we must have a hazardous liquid pipeline ordinance in place.” Garfield Township resident Bill Honeyman is a member of a steering committee formulating the county’s comprehensive plan. Honeyman expressed concerns over the potential for the pipeline and other renewable energy projects to negatively affect the county’s population growth. “CO2 pipelines are a hazard–and people know it,” said Honeyman. “If you listen to testimony from landowners, it’s staggering to see how many farmers had plans to build houses for children to come back to their farms, and continue their legacy. Because of this pipeline and the associated risk, those plans have been abandoned. That is a loss to the county.” Susie McDonald says her property was already impacted by the pipeline’s north-south route. With Summit’s proposed east-west expansion, McDonald says landowners would lose their freedoms. “It takes away all of our freedoms to do anything on our ground,” said McDonald. “And the easement–please make sure you read over your easements very thoroughly, because we are losing our freedoms to do whatever we want on our land.” “…Board members took no action or made no comments Tuesday. Back in July, the supervisors approved a resolution not to take action on its proposed ordinance after Summit sued Shelby County for taking similar action.”

Dickinson County News: Proposed pipeline ordinance headed back to county supervisors
3/19/24

“The Dickinson County Planning and Zoning Commission has recommended a proposed zoning ordinance for hazardous liquid pipelines move on to the county board of supervisors, but the commission generally agreed more time was needed before doing the same for zoning changes related to local wind turbine developments,” the Dickinson County News reports. 

Reuters: Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion to be complete by end of May – Alberta Premier
3/19/24

“Line fill of Canada’s Trans Mountain crude oil pipeline expansion will be complete by the end of May, with the first waterborne exports from the expanded system starting a month later, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said on Tuesday in an interview,” Reuters repots. “Her comments on the sidelines of the CERAWeek energy conference in Houston are in line with March 1 statements by oil producer MEG Energy(MEG.TO), opens new tab that Trans Mountain has called for 2.1 million barrels in April and the same amount of oil in May… “Asked for comment, Trans Mountain reiterated to Reuters that it expects to begin service on the pipeline expansion in the second quarter.”

OilPrice.com: Chinese Company Buys First Crude Cargo From Canadian Pipeline
Irina Slav, 3/20/24

“A Chinese company has bought a cargo of Canadian crude, to be shipped via the expanded Trans Mountain pipeline in May-June, Bloomberg has reported, citing trading sources who wished to remain unnamed,” OilPrice.com reports. “The buyer is Sinochem and the cargo is of 550,000 barrels of heavy crude produced by Suncor, the report added… “Yet even before the pipeline is completed warnings have started coming in that it will only give oil producers a short break before they run out of capacity once again. The reason: producers are already ramping up production in anticipation of the additional offtake capacity and it will only take a couple of years or so for the additional production to exceed the additional capacity. There are no other oil pipeline projects in the works in Canada and even the progress of the Trans Mountain expansion is something of a miracle after a series of delays and legal challenges from activists. These delays and challenges led to a sixfold increase in the project’s cost, from an original $3.4 billion to as much as $23 billion.”

Reuters: Enbridge eyes 120,000 bpd expansion to Gray Oak, Texas oil pipeline by 2025
Georgina Mccartney and Arathy Somasekhar, 3/19/24

“Energy pipeline company Enbridge (ENB.TO), opens new tab plans to expand capacity on its Gray Oak oil pipeline by 80,000 barrels per day (bpd) this year and could add another 40,000 bpd in 2025, an executive told Reuters on Tuesday. The company had originally planned to add 200,000 bpd to the Texas pipeline, but in February revised downward that target to between 100,000 bpd and 200,000 bpd… “Enbridge told Reuters it is not concerned about potential competition at the Corpus Christi hub, where Enterprise Products Partners is trying to secure licensing for its Sea Port Oil Terminal (SPOT) export project.”

Yahoo Finance: Oneok CEO explains why ‘bigger is better’ in the pipeline business
Julie Hyman, 3/19/24

“As CERAWeek continues, Yahoo Finance’s Julie Hyman is joined by Oneok (OKE) CEO Pierce H. Norton to discuss the company’s expansion and outlook on the energy market,” Yahoo Finance reports. “…When it comes to scale in the pipeline business, is bigger better? How do you think about the strategy behind that acquisition? PIERCE NORTON: Well, actually, Julie, bigger is better. And the reason is because it provides a lot of organic opportunities for you. So you get some interlace between the systems. One of the things that we wanted to do with Magellan is diversify our asset base. So we were already in gathering and processing, transmission of natural gas, and the movement of natural gas liquids, but we didn’t have refined products in the crude oil piece. And because if you overlay our assets, you can actually use some of the same pieces of pipe to move different products. So we’ve just expanded our footprint, and it’s a tremendous opportunity for our company, our employees, and our shareholders… “But if you really study it, it’s more about transformation than it is transition… “Well, meaning that you can use the same thing in maybe a different way. So you can use natural gas to form hydrogen or ammonia or those kinds of things. It’s just a tremendous opportunity for, I think, our country as far as energy goes, and especially be the midstream aspects, which is the pipelines… “So that really gets into the conversation about infrastructure, whether or not it’s pipelines, processing plants, fractionators, petrochemical plants, or even transmission lines, and the ability to build more electric generation in the United States. So I personally think we’ve got to think a little bit bigger.” 

U.S. Energy Information Administration: Natural gas intrastate pipeline capacity additions outpaced interstate additions in 2023
3/20/24

“In 2023, 5.2 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of natural gas intrastate pipeline capacity was added in the United States, according to our recently updated Natural Gas Pipeline Projects Tracker. Intrastate pipelines are within a single state (that is, they do not cross state lines) and are regulated by state agencies. Interstate pipelines cross state and international borders and are regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC),” according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. “Interstate pipeline capacity additions have declined since 2018 and totaled less than 1.0 Bcf/d last year. New capacity on pipelines crossing state lines accounted for 14% of total new capacity in 2023 compared with 65% in 2017. Nearly all the intrastate pipeline capacity additions in 2023 were located in Texas and Louisiana to serve natural gas demand in U.S. Gulf Coast markets, including liquefied natural gas (LNG) export demand. Intrastate projects included: Enterprise Products Partners’ Acadian Haynesville Extension; Kinder Morgan’s Eagle Ford Project; DTE Midstream’s Louisiana Energy Access Project (LEAP) Expansion Phases 1 and 2; Kinder Morgan’s Permian Highway Pipeline Expansion; Howard Energy Partners’ (HEP) Spears Expansion Project; WhiteWater Midstream’s Whistler Pipeline Expansion… “In 2023, the United States added 0.9 Bcf/d of natural gas interstate pipeline capacity, about 3% less than in 2022. Interstate projects included: TC Energy’s North Baja Xpress Project; TC Energy’s Alberta Xpress Project; Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company’s (TGP) East 300 Upgrade; and WBI Energy Transmission’s Grasslands South Expansion.”

WASHINGTON UPDATES

Press advisory: Rally at FERC tomorrow
3/19/24

“Outside the March 21 Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Meeting: WV farmer Maury Johnson responds to the Mountain Valley Pipeline’s abandonment of protocols to protect his organic farm & FERC’s inaction to protect landowners. Also, citizens ask why FERC is not following the lead of the Dept of Energy in holding off on permitting LNG terminals. WHAT: Press conference outside headquarters of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; WHO: featuring WV organic farmer Maury Johnson, whose property Mountain Valley Pipeline LLC took by eminent domain. His farm has been the center of an ongoing dispute about the organic farm protection protocols that MVP has decided not to follow, thus putting his farm and karst aquifer at severe risk. “It is time that FERC defend landowner rights,” he said, “and stop defending the fossil fuel bullies that threaten farms, families and communities every single day across the two Virginias and beyond.” Also, members of Beyond Extreme Energy, Extinction Rebellion DC, Third Act Virginia and the Institute for Policy Studies Climate Policy Program will be on hand. They want FERC to follow the lead of the Department of Energy, which is undertaking a year-long review of permitting LNG (liquefied natural gas) export terminals to gauge their impact on the climate and on the low-income and mostly African American communities where they are located, creating environmental injustice. In most cases, LNG export terminals need both a permit from FERC and an export license from DOE to operate. WHEN: Thursday, March 21 at 9:15 AM. WHY: The world is in a climate emergency and projects like the Mountain Valley fracked gas pipeline and LNG exports are contributing to the continued rise in greenhouse gas emissions. THIS MUST STOP.”

The Hill: How a Trump presidency could threaten Biden’s signature climate achievement
RACHEL FRAZIN, 3/20/24

“Democrats’ sweeping Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has fueled significant progress in the fight against climate change since its passage in 2022. But if former President Trump wins back the presidency in November, he’s likely to undermine those gains — or help a Republican Congress do away with the law entirely,” The Hill reports. “The IRA includes a suite of tax credits for carbon-friendly energy sources and electric vehicles as part of an effort to protect the climate. It also includes money for grants that subsidize climate-friendly or pollution-cutting projects and a program to punish oil and gas companies for leaks of planet-warming methane.  The law has been in Republicans’ crosshairs ever since it passed. If they win the White House and both chambers of Congress in the upcoming election, they’re likely to aim for at least a partial repeal. If they win the presidency but don’t get both houses of Congress — or need time to work out the specifics of a repeal — a second Trump administration could also use executive action to curtail the law’s reach. And some conservatives are already urging such action. “We need a strategy for Day One, thinking about how we can put the American taxpayer first,” Oliver McPherson-Smith, director of the Center for Energy and Environment at the America First Policy Institute, a right-wing nonprofit that includes several Trump administration alumni, told The Hill.  “I think an America First administration should scour every single IRA program and question ‘how can we save the American taxpayer dollars?’ in each and every one of them, and ‘how can we prevent the flow of money to the [Chinese Communist Party]?’”

E&E News: Biden Threatens Veto Of Bill To Scrap Climate Law Provisions 
KELSEY BRUGGER, HEATHER RICHARDS, 3/19/24

“The White House on Tuesday threatened to veto Republican legislation that would gut key pieces of Democrats’ signature climate law,” E&E News reports. “The bill, H.R. 1023, from Rep. Gary Palmer (R-Ala.) would repeal the Inflation Reduction Act’s methane fee and greenhouse gas reduction fund, administered by EPA. The White House said the legislation, which incorporated H.R. 1141 from Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas), would repeal programs that fight climate change and provide consumer savings. “The Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund will provide $27 billion for deployment of clean energy technologies that will cut energy costs and drive economic development in communities across the country and in various sectors of our economy including the power and transportation sectors,” the White House said in a statement. “The Methane Emissions Reduction Program provides $1.55 billion in investments to identify and help industry curb methane leaks from oil and natural gas production, helping to prevent energy waste and reducing harm to surrounding communities, including communities that are overburdened by pollution.”

E&E News: 19 States, DC Defend EPA Methane Rule In Court
Lesley Clark, 3/20/24

“A coalition of 19 Democratic-led states and the District of Columbia are defending the Biden administration’s new effort to reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas sector, arguing that the regulation targets an overlooked but dangerous super-pollutant,” E&E News reports. “Led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, the states and D.C. filed a motion Monday to intervene in support of EPA in lawsuits from Republican-led states that have the potential to take down the rule, a key component of the White House plan to tackle climate change.” 

Politico: ConocoPhillips CEO Calls Parts Of EPA Methane Rule ‘Unworkable’ 
BEN LEFEBVRE, 3/19/24

“The EPA’s methane rule has elements that are ‘unworkable,’ the head of oil giant ConocoPhillips said Tuesday,” Politico reports. “The EPA rule is meant to crack down on leaks of methane, a potent greenhouse gas that is also one of the main products of the oil industry. Details: ConocoPhillips Chief Executive Officer Ryan Lance said the EPA’s attempt to charge companies for the methane that leaks from their oil wells, pipelines, storage tanks and other infrastructure would run into problems with how to accurately measure the emissions. “There’s two or three things associated with the new rules of the EPA that are just unworkable,” Lance said to an audience of energy executives at the CERAWeek conference in Houston, specifically citing what he called problems with how to measure methane emissions. The EPA methane rule requires companies to directly measure their emissions and not rely on calculated estimates. ‘The technology is not there today,’ Lance continued. ‘You can see them in cameras leaking but you can’t quantify it… If you’re going to put a fee on something you have to quantify it, and the technology is not there to quantify it today.’”

Houston Chronicle: Manchin, Sullivan criticize Biden administration LNG pause, expected auto rules at CERAWeek
Claire Hao, 3/19/24

“Sens. Joe Manchin and Daniel Sullivan criticized Biden administration policies such as the pause on permitting for liquefied natural gas export projects and expected rules on tailpipe emissions Monday at the CERAWeek by S&P Global energy conference in downtown Houston,” the Houston Chronicle reports. “The critiques came after Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and senior climate adviser to the president John Podesta defended President Joe Biden’s energy and climate agenda to attendees at the conference, placing continued emphasis on the clean energy investment spurred by the passage of 2021’s Inflation Reduction Act. The West Virginia Democrat and Alaska Republican, however, sought to draw attention to the Biden administration’s perceived targeting of fossil fuels. Sullivan and three other Republican senators released an open letter to Podesta on Monday calling for an immediate reversal of the pause on permitting of new liquefied natural gas export projects.  “You cannot eliminate your way to a clean environment. You can innovate through technology,” Manchin said at Monday’s press conference. Sullivan portrayed the LNG pause as dangerous to national security, telling CERAWeek attendees it was a common concern at the recent Munich Security Conference on international security policy he attended with other members of Congress. “Every ally that we spoke to had major concerns about the Biden administration’s LNG moratorium. The most senior German officials, EU officials, everybody,” he said. 

The Hill: Manchin: lawmakers are ‘so close’ to a permitting reform deal
RACHEL FRAZIN, 3/18/24

“Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) said Monday that lawmakers are “so close” to reaching a deal to reform the nation’s system for approving infrastructure projects,” The Hill reports. “We are so close,” he said during an energy conference Monday, referring to progress toward compromise legislation on what has become known as “permitting reform.” “I want to get it done before we go out on the August recess,” he added… “But a deal has remained elusive as lawmakers have struggled to find agreement on sticking points including cost allocation for electric grid infrastructure.”

E&E News: Republicans embrace FERC as an ally against Biden energy agenda
Nico Portuondo, 3/20/24

“Republicans it seems couldn’t be happier with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission these days, so much so that they’re hoping to give the agency even more power to roll back President Joe Biden’s climate agenda,” E&E News reports. “Several of the most prominent energy bills from Republicans in both the House and Senate — from promoting liquefied natural gas exports to encouraging permits for new pipelines — have a common theme: Give FERC members sweeping authority to overturn key climate initiatives and thwart EPA and Department of Energy actions. Importantly, Republicans see the agency as more insulated from Biden administration political meddling. “There have been attempts by the administration to give a lot of power to the agencies like DOE and in particular EPA,” Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), told E&E. “But FERC is just less political. By its makeup it’s less political and by the powers that are granted it.” “…Amid all this, Republicans are also looking forward to a host of nominees to the commission, who will be getting a Senate hearing Thursday. They hope that FERC could be a guardian for the foreseeable future against Biden’s initiatives to wind down the use of fossil fuels. Two of the three new potential FERC commissioners have a history of supporting domestic fossil fuels, to varying degrees… “Even if Republicans fail in their bills to broaden the agency’s powers, as is likely under a divided Congress, they still see FERC as jeopardizing emissions reductions stemming from Biden’s climate agenda. “FERC is a completely captured agency,” Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), a climate hawk, told E&E. “The way it operates right now, it is a rubber stamp for fossil fuel projects.” “…When asked why they were pushing for FERC to have more authority, many Republicans told E&E the agency’s inherent independent nature and focus on grid reliability make it a better fit to make critical rulings on energy issues. “…In terms of transmission and energy mix, [FERC] is really important for us,” Capito told E&E. Moreover, she said, the agency has crucially served as a “bottleneck” on Biden administration actions, “sometimes undoing decisions.” “…Republicans, however, aren’t slowing down in their legislating to give the agency more power. A bill to reauthorize the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, H.R. 7655, recently passed a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee and would give FERC more overriding authority over other agencies to push through new pipeline permits.”

E&E News: Biden admin mounts defense of ‘clean’ hydrogen
Brian Dabbs, Shelby Webb, 3/20/24

“The Biden administration isn’t taking no for an answer on hydrogen energy. Following bleak forecasts for the low-carbon fuel from Exxon Mobil and Saudi Aramco at the CERAWeek by S&P Global conference, DOE Undersecretary for Infrastructure David Crane said Tuesday that hydrogen will be an “absolutely key pillar” in U.S. decarbonization for decades to come,” E&E News reports “Crane championed an emerging federal hydrogen offtake program designed to boost production of the fuel from DOE-sponsored hydrogen hubs, which are currently developing projects with $7 billion from the infrastructure law. Former Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, a key organizer of the offtake program, also said final plans for it would be publicized before the end of September. “The United States government is going to do what it takes to make hydrogen happen,” Crane said at the conference. “We know it’s not a smooth path — there are issues on permitting and things like that. We are going to try to tackle every issue that stands between hydrogen and commercial realization of hydrogen.” In an interview with E&E News, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm added that the Treasury Department would come out with a “final rule shortly,” referring to guidance for companies to obtain new hydrogen tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act known as 45V. The administration is evaluating 30,000 comments on a draft proposal, Granholm told E&E… “In January, DOE tapped the EFI Foundation, a think tank run by Moniz, to stand up the $1 billion hydrogen purchase program to ensure hydrogen produced at nationwide hubs can be sold… “We want the supply and delivery infrastructure and demand to work together in a way that builds markets, gets costs down, and ultimately allows the market to run with the hydrogen economy towards a low-carbon future,” said Moniz at the event with Crane… “A White House spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Sommers told E&E API would “work vigorously to ensure that the provisions that we support in the IRA sustain” if President Joe Biden loses reelection and former President Donald Trump returns to office. He said 45V would be “really important to maintain for the industry.”

E&E News: DOE Backs Alaska Gas Exports Over Climate Objections
NIINA H. FARAH, 3/20/24

“The Department of Energy is defending its decision to re-approve exports from a massive liquefied natural gas project in Alaska, even as the agency acknowledged the project would likely result in a net increase in global greenhouse gas emissions,” E&E News reports. “In a brief filed in federal court last week, DOE said it has broad discretion under federal law to deem Alaska LNG to be in the public interest, a finding that is being disputed by environmental groups. The agency’s determination predates its January decision to pause new LNG export approvals as it takes a closer look at the effect that shipping natural gas overseas has on climate change and energy costs.” 

E&E News: Green groups plot counterattack for GOP ‘energy week’
Emma Dumain, 3/19/24

“As House Republicans gear up for a four-day sprint of hearings and floor debate devoted to undermining President Joe Biden’s environmental agenda, environmental groups are preparing to fight back,” E&E News reports. “Leading green advocacy organizations are sending letters to lawmakers to push back against “energy week” and reinforcing talking points they’ll use in statements and social media posts as a counternarrative to the GOP’s. “House Republicans are wasting their energy trying to undo the big investments and even bigger ideas fueling the U.S. clean energy boom,” Joanna Slaney, associate vice president for government affairs at the Environmental Defense Fund, told E&E. EDF, which is dubbing the Republican effort “wasted energy week,” is shipping a letter to Capitol Hill with 80 co-signers representing some of the biggest groups in the green advocacy space, including the Clean Air Task Force, the National Wildlife Federation and Oceana. Shared first with E&E News, it calls for House lawmakers to specifically oppose H.R. 1023, the “Cutting Green Corruption and Taxes Act.” The bill would repeal the Inflation Reduction Act’s greenhouse gas reduction fund, which doles out grants for work against climate change. It also would repeal the IRA’s Methane Emissions Reduction Program, or MERP, which the Biden administration announced guidelines for during the COP28 climate summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, last December… “Gene Karpinski, president of LCV, wrote to House members Monday denouncing the bills coming to the chamber floor, accusing Republicans of choosing to “help oil and gas CEOs to advance their extreme agenda that is exacerbating the climate crisis and harming communities across the country and the world.”

Press release: Climate Power Launches “Climate Truth” Campaign, Ramping Up Efforts to Hold Big Oil and their MAGA Allies Accountable
3/19/24

“Today, Climate Power launched “Climate Truth,” a campaign to educate voters about Big Oil’s rampant profiteering and the industry’s close relationship with Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans, ramping up its efforts to hold the oil and gas industry accountable for their harmful disinformation and predatory practices.   The campaign kicked off earlier today on Truth Social, speaking truth to Trump’s climate lies by blasting him for giving Big Oil $25 billion in tax breaks as president at the expense of working families. In addition to holding Big Oil and Donald Trump’s feet to the fire, “Climate Truth” aims to target young people and people of color, who are disproportionately impacted by Big Oil’s disinformation. “Climate Truth” is the latest campaign in Climate Power’s efforts to educate Americans about President Biden’s climate accomplishments and remind them of Trump’s disastrous record… “Big Oil and their CEOs continue to make huge profits, funneling their extra cash to greenwash their records and bankroll Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans. Climate Truth aims to expose the oil and gas industry for what they are: rampant corporate profiteers who are willing to pollute our air and water for their own gain,” said Climate Power’s senior advisor for oil and gas, Alex Witt.”

STATE UPDATES

NPR: No reprieve for ‘Cancer Alley’: Louisiana pollution correlates with preterm births
Alejandra Marquez Janse, 3/18/24

“NPR’s Ailsa Chang speaks with Jessica Kutz, a reporter for The 19th, about a recent study that sheds light on how polluted air in Louisiana has affected pregnant people and their children,” NPR reports. “In a stretch of Louisiana near the Mississippi River, hundreds of oil factories have polluted the air for decades. It’s a highly toxic environment known as Cancer Alley. It’s one of the most polluted places in the world. And people who live in that area, particularly Black people with low incomes, have faced seriously elevated risks of cancer and respiratory disease. Now a new study has focused on how the toxic air may affect pregnant people and their children, potentially leading to low birth weights and preterm births. Jessica Kutz has been reporting on this for the nonprofit site The 19th and joins us now… “So the main findings of the study were that when you looked at census tracts that had high air pollution, there was also a higher rate of low birth weight and also preterm births.”

WyoFile: Creeks tainted by drilling unable to sustain aquatic life, regulators say
Angus M. Thuermer Jr., 3/20/24

“Two creeks tainted by decades of dumping from Moneta Divide oilfield drillers are officially “impaired” and unable to sustain aquatic life, state regulators say in a new report,” according to WyoFile. “Parts of Alkali and Badwater creeks in Fremont County are polluted to the point they don’t meet standards for drinking, consumption of resident fish or sustaining aquatic life, a report by the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality states. The agency listed 40.8 miles of the creeks as impaired in a biannual report required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Parts of the creeks are polluted by oilfield discharges, including hydrogen sulfide, ammonia and chloride. The industrial activity is responsible for low levels of oxygen in the water, turbidity and a black sludge that critics say is up to 6 feet deep. Arsenic also is present, but state monitoring couldn’t determine its origin. The report catalogs pollution downstream of discharge points where produced water — effluent from natural gas and oil production — flows from the 327,645-acre energy field operated mainly by Aethon Energy Operating in Fremont and Natrona counties. “They’re not putting the health and safety of these streams’ water quality, fish and downstream water users above the interests and profits of Aethon.”

E&E News: Should NY adopt facility-specific emissions caps? Groups’ report says yes.
Marie J. French, 3/19/24

“A new analysis finds that regulations to reduce emissions from each power plant and install sector-specific pollution limits would provide more benefits to disadvantaged communities than the policy Gov. Kathy Hochul’s administration is considering,” E&E News reports. “The analysis released Monday by Resources for the Future, a nonprofit research group, and the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance focuses on potential designs of a cap-and-trade-style program being developed by Hochul’s administration. The latest report from the ongoing project highlights how capping emissions from specific sectors — such as buildings, transportation and electricity — instead of one cap for the entire economy could change where pollution reductions occur, shift how costs impact consumers and influence what technology is adopted. The potential emissions effects of facility-specific limits on power plants were also modeled. The findings showed that with facility-specific and sector-specific caps, harmful particulate matter emissions from power plants within one mile of disadvantaged communities were reduced on average by 89 percent in 2030 compared to a 78 percent reduction with a single cap across all parts of the economy.”

EXTRACTION

Houston Chronicle: Fossil fuel protesters rally outside Houston’s CERAWeek energy conference
Rebekah F. Ward, 3/19/24

“Environmental activists rallied, shouted and sang at a “Festival for People & Planet” Monday to protest CERAWeek by S&P Global and actions by top oil and gas company executives attending the annual conference to talk growth in the energy industry,” the Houston Chronicle reports. “The small festival took place at downtown Houston’s Discovery Green, across the street from the Hilton Americas and George R. Brown Convention Center where CERAWeek is held. Protesters said fossil fuel industry leaders drive the big-budget meeting’s agenda, planning the growth of the sector while residents of nation’s energy capital who live on industrial fencelines are left out. “CERAWeek provides a pedestal for government decision-makers, ‘big oil’ CEOs and financiers to push dangerous projects like the HyVelocity Hydrogen Hub, carbon capture and chemical recycling on the Houston region without any community involvement whatsoever,” Dominic Chacón, regional coordinator for Texas Campaign for the Environment who organized the event, told the Chronicle… “The exclusion felt more personal to local environmentalists this time. At least two well-known advocates who are frequent speakers at government and nonprofit events were barred from buying CERAWeek tickets, even after raising thousands of dollars for the hefty entrance fee: Port Arthur Community Action Network founder John Beard and Fenceline Watch founder Yvette Arellano.” 

Guardian: Court ruling erodes climate activists’ ability to defend themselves – as the planet heats up
Sandra Laville, 3/19/24

“It took a matter of minutes in the court of appeal, where demonstrators were strangely absent, for the dial to shift once more on the rights of protest in England and Wales,” the Guardian reports. “The decision taken on Monday by the court of appeal to, in effect, find in favour of the attorney general, the Conservative government’s premier legal officer, has removed a defence for climate protesters that had been available on the statute books since 1971. Known as the “consent” defence, it allowed defendants on trial for criminal damage to argue that they honestly believed the owner of the property targeted would have consented if they had known of the damage and its circumstances. In the last year climate protesters successfully used this defence in crown court jury trials. Juries, having heard the evidence, acquitted nine people who targeted the London HQ of HSBC bank, several individuals who daubed paint on the headquarters of the Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats and Greens, and individuals protesting for Palestine Action. But after the string of not guilty verdicts, Victoria Prentis, the attorney general, stepped in, saying she wanted “clarity on the law as guidance for future cases” involving climate and environmental protesters, as she lodged an appeal on a point of law to the court of appeal. And on Monday three appeal court judges found in her favour, ruling that the defence, which is contained in the Criminal Damage Act 1971, is inadmissible for those who argue that the facts or effects of the climate crisis are a circumstance that can amount to lawful excuse.”

Associated Press: UN weather agency issues ‘red alert’ on climate change after record heat, ice-melt increases in 2023
JAMEY KEATEN AND SETH BORENSTEIN, 3/19/24

“The U.N. weather agency is sounding a “red alert” about global warming, citing record-smashing increases last year in greenhouse gases, land and water temperatures and melting of glaciers and sea ice, and is warning that the world’s efforts to reverse the trend have been inadequate,” the Associated Press reports. “…The Geneva-based agency, in a “State of the Global Climate” report released Tuesday, ratcheted up concerns that a much-vaunted climate goal is increasingly in jeopardy: That the world can unite to limit planetary warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) from pre-industrial levels. “Never have we been so close – albeit on a temporary basis at the moment – to the 1.5° C lower limit of the Paris agreement on climate change,” said Celeste Saulo, the agency’s secretary-general. “The WMO community is sounding the red alert to the world.”

Reuters: Methane to become key criteria for future EU energy imports, official says
Emma Farge, 3/19/24

“The European Union will increasingly use methane emissions as a criteria for deciding who it buys energy from in the future, an official said at a U.N. methane conference on Tuesday, urging other major importers to do the same,” Reuters reports. “Government officials, businesses and civil society groups are gathering in Geneva from March 18-21 for the biggest ever meeting on methane emissions reduction, with over 1,000 participants from 100 countries. Methane is the second-biggest cause of climate change after carbon dioxide and in the short term has a far higher warming effect despite having a much shorter lifespan in the world’s atmosphere than other gases.”

Inside Climate News: Petrochemicals Are Killing Us, a New Report Warns in the New England Journal of Medicine
Liza Gross, 3/18/24

“Use of petroleum-based chemicals skyrocketed during the postwar era, most of them entering the market with little concern for safety. Now, mounting evidence links petrochemicals to the rapidly rising prevalence of a slew of chronic and deadly conditions, a review published in the New England Journal of Medicine warned earlier this month,” Inside Climate News reports. “You can feel the effects of climate change, and know they’re connected to fossil fuels,” author Tracey Woodruff, a professor at the University of California, San Francisco who directs the Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment, told ICN. “But the idea that fossil fuels are also connected to these chemicals we’re exposed to, and are impacting our health, I thought, wow, there’s a really important link here.” Phasing out fossil fuels, Woodruff realized, wouldn’t just benefit the planet. It would also reduce the heavy toll hormone-scrambling petrochemicals are taking on health, particularly in low-income communities of color. For the new analysis, Woodruff reviewed nearly seven dozen studies linking exposure to fossil fuel-derived endocrine-disrupting chemicals, or EDCs, to an increased risk of a daunting array of health harms. 

CLIMATE FINANCE

E&E News: Change to SEC climate rule opens door to mischief, experts say
Avery Ellfeldt, 3/19/24

“Companies could be encouraged to use creative accounting to conceal major chunks of their planet-warming emissions under the Securities and Exchange Commission’s new climate rule, one business expert told a congressional committee Monday,” E&E News reports. “And that’s just one of the potential consequences of the revised regulation, said Alex Scott, an associate professor of supply chain management at the University of Tennessee. He testified at a field hearing in Lebanon, Tennessee, held by the House Financial Services Committee, alongside a small farm owner and an official from the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office. Lawmakers invited them to weigh in on the final rule, which Republicans say would harm Americans by increasing costs on both companies and consumers. “Investors should know that the SEC’s overreach will significantly hurt our economy while serving as a boon for special interest groups and far left activists,” said Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-Mich.), one of the rule’s most ardent opponents.”

The Hill: Texas schools pull $8.5 billion from BlackRock over fossil fuel ‘boycott’
SAUL ELBEIN, 3/19/24

“Texas’s public schools are pulling out billions of dollars that had been invested with asset manager BlackRock — a firm the state accused of boycotting fossil fuels,” The Hill reports. “On Tuesday, Aaron Kinsey (R), head of the state board of education, announced that his agency was pulling $8.5 billion out of management by BlackRock. The company’s “dominant and persistent leadership” in the environmental, social and governance (ESG) movement “immeasurably damages our state’s oil & gas economy and the very companies that generate revenues” for Texas’s Permanent School Fund (PSF), which supports the state’s public schools, Kinsey said in a statement. The fossil fuel industry contributed about $26 billion in state and local taxes in 2023 — about $1.8 billion of which went into the fund. That means fossil fuel money accounts for about 80 percent of the $2.2 billion annual budget of K-12 schools. (The total amount in the fund is about $53 billion, which is invested with thir-party asset managers like BlackRock.)  The anti-ESG campaign in Texas and elsewhere has hinged on the idea that asset managers that don’t invest in fossil fuels are risking their customers’ investments for the sake of politics — a case that Kinsey echoed. “The PSF will not stand idle as our financial future is attacked by Wall Street,” he wrote. “This bold action helps ensure our PSF remains in fact permanent and will continue to support bright futures and opportunities for generations of Texas students.” In its response, BlackRock accused Texas of also putting politics over profit. The decision to pull state assets from the company “ignores our $120 billion investment in Texas public energy companies and defies expert advice,” a BlackRock spokesman said in a statement. “As a fiduciary, politics should never outweigh performance, especially for taxpayers.”

Grist: Connecticut wants to penalize insurers for backing fossil-fuel projects
Jake Bittle, 3/19/24

“The nation’s insurance industry has gone haywire in recent years amid a succession of floods, fires, and other climate-fueled disasters,” Grist reports. “These catastrophes have forced carriers to pay out billions in claims, and many have responded by raising premiums in disaster-prone states like Florida and Oregon or leaving certain markets altogether. But many of these companies also provide coverage for fossil fuel projects, like pipelines and natural gas power plants, that would never be built without their backing. This gives the insurance industry a unique role on both sides of the climate crisis: insurers are helping make the problem worse by underwriting the very projects that warm the earth even as they bear the costs of mounting climate disasters and pass them on to customers. Legislation in Connecticut, the capital of the American insurance industry and home to several of its largest carriers, could make insurers pay for that contradiction. If passed, the bill, which just cleared a committee vote in the state senate, would move toward imposing a fee for any fossil-fuel projects companies insure in state. That revenue would go into a public resilience fund that could underwrite sea walls and urban flood protection measures. “It’s important to begin to hold [insurers] accountable for how they’ve played it both ways in terms of climate change,” Tom Swan, the executive director of Connecticut Citizen Action Group, an economic justice nonprofit that has joined several environmental organizations in lobbying the legislature to pass the bill along with several environmental organizations, told Grist.

Press release: Google Employees Missed Out on $1 Billion Due to 401(k) Plan’s Investments in Fossil Fuels
3/19/24

“Today, researchers at the University of Waterloo, in partnership with As You Sow, released a new report finding that Google employees could have earned an estimated $1.15 billion in additional returns, with the financial performance of the company’s retirement plan holdings “estimated to have been higher if they had divested from the Energy Sector ten years ago on an absolute and risk adjusted basis.” Google’s 401(k) employee retirement plan holds more than $2 billion invested in fossil fuels, with over 90% of plan assets held in funds from Vanguard, the top global investor in fossil fuels. The report analyzed Google’s employee 401(k) plan, estimating cumulative 10-year returns with and without fossil fuel energy sector investments, and found a difference of 9.15%, or 0.879% per year invested in favor of the fossil fuel-free portfolios. “Google’s retirement plan administrators must account for climate-related financial risk from the plan’s high-carbon energy investments, including declining value,” said Danielle Fugere, president and chief Counsel of As You Sow. “The fossil fuel sector is consistently trailing the S&P 500, even in the face of recent high oil prices. This trend will only be amplified as oil and gas and other fossil fuels are replaced globally by cheaper, cleaner energy sources. Companies must protect their employees’ life savings from these risks.” The findings follow an earlier analysis from the researchers looking at six major U.S. pension funds, estimating that the funds would have seen a return on their investments that was 13% higher on average over 10 years had they excluded fossil fuels. Other researchers have found similar impacts on passively invested index funds… “As You Sow also has a shareholder proposal with Alphabet, Google’s parent company, asking for a report describing how the company is protecting employees from climate risk embedded in its retirement plan investment options. The proposal explains that investments in high-carbon and deforestation-intensive industries that contribute to climate change and create systemic portfolio risk are poor long-term investments, particularly for younger beneficiaries whose retirement benefits are likely to be harmed due to climate-related financial losses.”

Greenpeace Canada: RBC’s new climate policy means it should stop financing oil sands giants
3/20/24

“RBC’s new corporate commitment to drop clients who lack an adequate net zero transition plan means the bank should stop financing Canada’s biggest oil sands companies, according to a report from Greenpeace Canada. Greenpeace is calling on RBC to drop oil companies like Suncor, Cenovus and CNRL whose net zero transition policies don’t meet the criteria set by the International Energy Agency to evaluate corporate action on climate. Greenpeace is also calling on the federal government to use the IEA criteria as the basis for new rules on climate finance.  “RBC is clearly feeling the heat from Indigenous, environmental and investor organizations to phase out fossil fuel financing, respect Free Prior and Informed Consent and ramp up investments in climate solutions,” said Keith Stewart, senior energy strategist with Greenpeace Canada and author of Walking the Talk: Why RBC is obligated to stop funding some of its biggest oil company clients. “If RBC’s new climate financing policy is to be treated as more than greenwash, they need to stop funding oil companies whose transition plans fail the test set by the International Energy Agency.” As the largest funder of fossil fuels in Canada and the fifth largest in the world, RBC has come under increasing pressure to phase out its funding of oil, gas and coal projects that fuel climate change, destroy biodiversity and violate the rights of Indigenous peoples.” 

OPINION

Bismarck Tribune: Tribune editorial: No winners in endless fight over pipeline
3/20/24

“Trial testimony ended last week in North Dakota’s attempt to receive $38 million in compensation from the United States for costs it incurred policing Dakota Access Pipeline protests,” the Bismarck Tribune Editorial Board writes. “Despite the end of testimony, a final verdict isn’t likely for several months. U.S. District Judge Dan Traynor will review additional summary documents from attorneys. When Traynor releases his decision it likely will be appealed by the losing side… “The state believes federal officials owe North Dakota $38 million for security costs. Federal officials believe the $38 million is an inflated price tag. Whoever loses the case will likely appeal, keeping at least one pipeline issue mired in the courts. As for the environmental review, it’s hard to think that the pipeline could be shut down after operating for nearly eight years. Still, the DAPL dispute has been filled with surprises through the years. The protests drew thousands of people from across the nation and overseas. The tribes hadn’t been so unified in decades. There’s a core of protesters willing to continue the fight for as long as necessary. Pipeline supporters shouldn’t assume that they will eventually win. In fact, everyone will lose something if the pipeline fight drags on for months or years. It’s time for compromise. Standing Rock needs a guarantee that if the pipeline leaks an alternate water supply will be provided, and that artifacts will be protected. North Dakota needs compensation, though $38 million might be steep. Energy Transfer, the company that built and operates the pipeline, needs the security of knowing the pipeline will continue to operate. Whether compromise can be reached anytime soon is a big unknown. If there’s no compromise in the near future it means there are no winners.”

Planet Detroit: Biden’s silence on Line 5 is a challenge for Michigan voters
Andrea Pierce, a citizen of the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians (LTBB), is a prominent Indigenous rights activist and lead organizer of Idle No More Michigan, a grassroots movement focused on Native rights and opposing Line 5/No Tunnel, 3/20/24

“…With seven months left before the general election, Biden will need Michiganders and Michigan tribal citizens to win. It is imperative that we acknowledge his shortcomings to each other and work together to forge coalitions that can shape the next Presidential term. One of those is his lack of action regarding Canadian corporation Enbridge Energy’s Line 5 pipeline, a faulty piece of infrastructure that jeopardizes the entire Great Lakes region,” Andrea Pierce writes for Planet Detroit. “President Biden has not totally ignored the dangers of fossil fuel infrastructure. His administration blocked the Keystone XL pipeline project that threatened tribal lands and ecological security… “However, there is still a 70-year-old ticking time bomb on the lake bed of the Mackinac Straits… “Enbridge hopes that we will trust them at their word and hand them the safeguarding of our lakes, whose shores contain 20% of the world’s fresh water. Those of us who live in the Great Lakes region aren’t buying those lies, but it appears Joe Biden has… “It is the job of the President of the United States to ensure a negligent corporate actor is not allowed to use American soil and water as a shortcut to Canadian oil profits or to protect the Canadian government’s addiction to pulling dirty crude out of First Nation territories… “Make your way to the shores of the bountiful Great Lakes, to the very Straits themselves, and find yourself a quiet moment. Then tell me why you are not fighting to protect these Great Lakes we call home. I dare you… “Join us in calling on President Biden to shut down Line 5 and stop the Enbridge Tunnel project. Email the White House using the script provided here, and let your voice be heard in the fight to protect Michigan’s future.”

Broad and Liberty: Becky Corbin: Pipeline progress in Pennsylvania
Becky Corbin previously served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and was Secretary of the Environmental Resources & Energy Committee, 3/20/24

“Discussions about the role of energy infrastructure in Pennsylvania are once again at the forefront of the minds of residents across the state as we approach the first anniversary of a tragic natural gas explosion that occurred in West Reading,” Becky Corbin writes for Broad and Liberty. “Much of the focus to date has been on pipelines, and concerns about the safety of this important piece of energy infrastructure have started to emerge. As regulators and elected officials at the state and federal level discuss new rules or protocols that may be needed, it is important to ensure we put the issue in proper perspective.  Pipelines are critical to Pennsylvania’s energy industry – which produced 7.5 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in 2022 and contributes $75 billion to Pennsylvania’s total gross domestic product annually. Numerous studies have also found that pipelines are the safest, most cost-effective, and most environmentally friendly method to transport oil and gas. In short, given this track record and the importance they play in moving forward the energy future of Pennsylvania and that of the country, we must be cautious about regulating them out of existence. Neither shutting down existing pipelines nor preventing the construction of new ones is a serious option in the Keystone State. Instead of pursuing such drastic and unrealistic steps, we must find ways to learn from the West Reading incident and identify any potential blind spots in the more than 93,000-mile-long pipeline network that currently exists in Pennsylvania, building upon its remarkably safe track record overall… “As regulators, lawmakers, and industry stakeholders continue this important dialogue on improving infrastructure resilience and emergency response protocols, it is imperative that we balance the vital role of pipelines in supporting Pennsylvania’s energy needs with the equally important mandate of safeguarding our communities.”

Calgary Herald: Alberta gives Ottawa some credit, a few jabs as TMX nears finish line
Chris Varcoe, 3/19/24

“Premier Danielle Smith is hailing the impending startup of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion this spring,” Chris Varcoe writes for the Calgary Herald. “While she’s grateful the federal government stuck with the project through thick and thin, don’t expect the premier to give Ottawa too many pats on the back for seeing the Trans Mountain expansion (TMX) through to the finish line. After all, three other proposed pipelines to move oil out of Western Canada were stymied, she points out.. “For years, oil producers and the provincial government have watched as a game of pipeline whack-a-mole played out. As new oil pipelines out of Western Canada popped up, they were hammered down and had to reset… “Enbridge’s Northern Gateway project to move oil from Alberta to Kitimat, B.C., was derailed in 2016 by the Trudeau government. TransCanada Corp.’s ambitious Energy East development to build a 4,500-kilometre pipeline to ship oil from Alberta and Saskatchewan to New Brunswick died in 2017. The company pulled the plug after facing political and environmental opposition, although federal officials blamed commercial factors. The Keystone XL project, designed to ship oil from Alberta to Nebraska, was swept into an intense political debate in the United States. It was already under construction when U.S. President Joe Biden nixed its permit in 2021. “Because of the uncertainty and because of the political decisions, all three of those (other pipelines) ended up getting cancelled. So it (TMX) became the last one standing, and probably wouldn’t have gone ahead because of the uncertainty if the federal government hadn’t stepped in to finish it,” said Smith. “We’re grateful that they did, but let’s remember Energy East got cancelled because of the uncertainty . . . Northern Gateway was approved and then the federal government cancelled it,” she said. “And Keystone XL, they never advocated for it when it got cancelled by Biden, so I think they were sort of obligated to step in . . . I’m glad that it’s finally gotten to completion, but it would have been better if all four had gone ahead.” “…The soaring costs, however, mean taxpayers will end up footing a hefty bill so Ottawa can sell Trans Mountain to the private sector, Eugene Kung, a staff lawyer with West Coast Environmental Law, told the Herald. “This project definitely has to be one of the biggest boondoggles in Canadian history,” Kung told the Herald.”

Edmonton Journal: Trans Mountain shows Ottawa should let industry do the job
Julio Mejia and Elmira Aliakbari are analysts at the Fraser Institute, 3/19/24

“According to the latest calculations, the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project, which the Trudeau government purchased from Kinder Morgan in 2018, will cost $3.1 billion more than the $30.9 billion projected last May, bringing the total cost to about $34 billion — more than six times the original estimate,” Julio Mejia and Elmira Aliakbari write for the Edmonton Journal. “This is yet another setback for a project facing rising costs and delays, underscoring the need for urgent policy reform. To understand how we arrived at this point, let’s trace the project’s history… “Once under government control, costs skyrocketed to $12.6 billion by 2020 and $21.4 billion by 2022 reportedly due to project safety and security requirements, financing costs, permitting costs, and crucially, more agreements with Indigenous communities. One year later, in 2023, the Trudeau government said the cost has risen to $30.9 billion. To recap, since the Trudeau government purchased the project from Kinder Morgan for $4.5 billion in 2018, the cost of the Trans Mountain expansion has ballooned (in nominal terms) to $34 billion… “When government attempts to build large-scale infrastructure projects, it often incurs cost overruns and delays due to a lack of incentives to build in an efficient and resourceful way. According to a study by Bent Flyvbjerg, an expert in this field, a staggering 90 per cent of 258 public transportation projects (in 20 countries) exceeded their budgets. The reason behind this phenomenon is clear: Unlike private enterprises, government officials can shift cost overruns onto the public without bearing any personal financial consequences… “Clearly, if policymakers want to help develop Canada’s natural resource potential — and the jobs, economic opportunity and government revenue that comes with it — they must enact regulatory reform and incentivize private investment.”

Houston Chronicle: Big Oil blames climate change on the public, demands a slower energy transition
Chris Tomlinson, 3/19/24

“Big Oil executives are falling back on what I call the Milli Vanilli defense, as they desperately try to justify their role in overheating the planet and slowing efforts to fight climate change,” Chris Tomlinson writes for the Houston Chronicle. “Gotta blame it on something. Blame it on the rain that was fallin’,” the hit song from 1989 says. “Blame it on the stars that didn’t shine that night. Whatever you do, don’t put the blame on you. Blame it on the rain.” The industry’s new communication strategy, repeated in various iterations at the CERAWeek by S&P Global confab in Houston, is about as authentic as Milli Vanilli’s vocals, which were lip-synced. The CEO of Saudi Aramco, owned by the Saudi Arabian government and the world’s largest oil company, declared that people in poorer countries want more oil and gas through 2045, regardless of what scientists say or how world leaders have promised to phase out fossil fuels. “My proposal is this: We should abandon the fantasy of phasing out oil and gas and instead, invest in them adequately reflecting realistic demand assumptions,” Amin Nasser told the conference. “We should ramp up our efforts to reduce carbon emissions, improve energy efficiency and introduce lower carbon solutions.” “…The consistency of Big Oil’s messaging is no coincidence. The industry frequently rolls out a new propaganda strategy at CERAWeek… “Exxon, the company that denied the climate crisis for decades and still spends millions lobbying lawmakers to block legislation to slow global warming, wants us to believe we are to blame and the companies that addicted the world to oil are innocent… “This public relations technique is known as deny, deflect and diffuse. The industry can no longer deny climate change, so it deflects responsibility onto the public. They also dilute accountability by claiming they are part of the solution.”