EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 4/25/24

PIPELINE NEWS

• Exxon Knews: Big Oil’s fight to limit CO2 pipeline safety

• Public News Service: New hearings, same arguments on both sides for ND pipeline project

• Times Citizen: Sups hear pipeline eminent domain objection

• WWTV: Activists speak about Line 5, say tunnel continues to present risks

• Bronx Times: Advocates, local electeds oppose gas pipeline proposal that may increase emissions in Hunts Point

• Financial Post: Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion opens soon, but questions remain

• Bnamericas: Mexico’s pipeline projects to boost US natgas exports

WASHINGTON UPDATES

• CBS News: White House Considering National Climate Emergency Declaration [VIDEO]

• E&E News: Climate rule barrage caps Biden’s green agenda

• E&E News: EPA unleashes power plant climate blitz

• Associated Press: Tough new EPA rules would force coal-fired power plants to capture emissions or shut down

• E&E News: Forests Trap Less Carbon Than Before, EPA Says 

STATE UPDATES

• Carbon Brief: Alaska refuge drilling could threaten polar bears with ‘lethal’ oil spills

EXTRACTION

• Penn State University: Estimating Emissions Potential Of Decommissioned Gas Wells From Shale Samples 

• WOKV: Triumph Gulf Coast surpasses $550m mark in BP oil spill settlement grant awards to North Florida

CLIMATE FINANCE

• Facebook: Stop the Money Pipeline: BREAKING: 100s of climate activists have shut down Citibank’s Global HQ, demanding that the bank stops financing coal, oil, and gas.

• E&E News: Investors to big banks: Show us how you’ll meet climate goals

TODAY IN GREENWASHING

• Enbridge: Guests surprised with gas gift cards, from Krist Oil, Subway, Enbridge

OPINION

• Columbus Dispatch: Fracking is destroying Ohio parks, people. We must wake up and kick oil gas industry out.
  

PIPELINE NEWS

Exxon Knews: Big Oil’s fight to limit CO2 pipeline safety
Emily Sanders, 4/24/24

“A carbon dioxide pipeline rupture in the small village of Satartia, Mississippi, sent nearly 50 people to the hospital with “zombie”-like conditions in 2020, and now another major leak from a pipeline in Sulphur, Louisiana, has once again exposed the risks carbon dioxide pipelines pose to communities in their path,” according to Exxon Knews. “…While regulators are working to craft updated safety rules for these pipelines, major fossil fuel companies and their trade groups — including Chevron, ConocoPhillips, the American Petroleum Institute, and the Liquid Energy Pipeline Association — have launched a lobbying blitz to scale back regulations and target the regulators themselves so they can construct new pipelines as quickly as possible… “According to the U.S. Department of Energy and financial industry estimates, it could take up to 96,000 miles of new carbon dioxide pipelines — enough to wrap around the earth four times — to transport just 15 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions… “On March 6, the Liquid Energy Pipeline Association arranged a meeting with the White House Office of Management and Budget, which is currently reviewing the draft carbon dioxide safety rules. Also present at the meeting were representatives from ExxonMobil, BP, Chevron, Marathon, TC Energy, Kinder Morgan, Phillips 66, and Valero, along with representatives from the Department of Transportation. “THE ADMINSTRATION [sic] SHOULD AVOID AN OVERLY BROAD OR UNSUBSTANTIATED CO2 PIPELINES RULEMAKING THAT RISKS DELAY AND IMPERILS FINALIZATION,” reads the all-caps intro to the lobbying group’s talking points for that meeting… “The urgency of this issue reemerged this month after a carbon dioxide leak from a pipeline in Sulphur, Louisiana, co-owned by ExxonMobil and Denbury, a carbon capture developer that owns the country’s largest carbon dioxide pipeline network… “While the proper procedure is to evacuate, local fire chief Todd Parker told EK changing winds near the leak made that impossible. “For the homes that were affected, they had to drive through the release to be able to get out, so we couldn’t evacuate them,” Parker told EK. He told EK it took more than two hours for pipeline operators to stop the leak, which was called in by a resident who reported seeing “white clouds” coming from the pipeline… “Often you need the knowledge gaps to be filled before you can fully fill the regulatory gaps,” Bill Caram, executive director of Pipeline Safety Trust, an organization that advocates for stronger regulations on pipeline safety, told EK. “Right now, CO2 pipelines are relatively rare and relatively rural, and we’re moving toward building a lot more CO2 pipelines closer to communities. I don’t think we are ready to do that safely.” “…Maggie Coulter, senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity’s Climate Law Institute, told EK advocacy groups are particularly concerned about the industry’s attempts to keep data about potential pipeline leaks hidden from the public… “Caram of Pipeline Safety Trust told EK that given the risks that carbon dioxide pipelines pose to communities across the country, the companies involved shouldn’t be allowed to dictate their own safety standards. “It’s like the difference between a speed limit of 55 MPH as opposed to a sign saying ‘please drive safely,’” Caram told EK. “We need something specific to hold them to.”

Public News Service: New hearings, same arguments on both sides for ND pipeline project
Mike Moen, 4/25/24

“A round of public testimony wrapped up this week as part of renewed efforts by a company seeking permit approval in North Dakota for an underground pipeline carrying carbon emissions. Economic benefits were again touted but the plan still has opponents,” Public News Service reports. “Last year, North Dakota’s Public Service Commission denied a permit request from Summit Carbon Solutions, which wants to build a maze of pipelines in several Midwestern states… “Skott Skokos, executive director of the Dakota Resource Council, told PNS they remain unconvinced it would be a worthwhile project. “It felt like déjà vu,” Skokos told PNS. “I don’t think Summit did anything to relax the concerns of the public.” Company officials have submitted a new application with a revised route as they try to ease concerns about safety and landowner rights… “However, skeptics restated their concerns about potential ruptures and lasting negative effects on the landscape. Skokos pointed out large carbon-capture projects like these have yet to prove themselves, noting smaller initiatives are not as likely to rile up opponents. He pointed to the Red Trail ethanol plant in North Dakota. “They’re storing it, basically, almost on-site, next to the facility and they’re not affecting a bunch of landowners in the process,” Skokos told PNS… “The company has run into similar opposition and permitting headwinds in other states, including South Dakota.”

Times Citizen: Sups hear pipeline eminent domain objection
Elaine Loring, 4/24/24

“Iowa Falls resident Robert Nazario addressed the Hardin County Board of Supervisors about eminent domain and the proposed CO2 pipeline during their meeting Monday,” the Times Citizen reports. “As you guys know, the legislative session is over” Nazario began. “So much good came out of that, but eminent domain protection did not come out of that.” “…Nazario noted that other counties are passing ordinances and passing setbacks. “We need more, and you guys are aware of that.” He said groups across Iowa are fighting eminent domain, and the pipeline. “It’s (the pipeline) not necessary. If it wasn’t for the Federal tax credits involved here, these pipelines would not be built. They’re going after it because we are taking upwards of billions of dollars. And it originates right here in our county. The citizens implore you to speak out… you are the legislative branch of this county.” “…The whole thing has been stacked against the landowners, and community folks see it as a rural issue, but it’s not. It involves all of us. Safety is a huge concern, but it’s the unconstitutionality. Now we’re on hold again until next April when the legislative session meets again, and something can be passed. Continue to fight for us, please.” The Supervisors thanked Nazario for his comments.”

WWTV: Activists speak about Line 5, say tunnel continues to present risks
Sheldon Krause, 4/24/24

“Environmental groups hosted an event Wednesday discussing Line 5, saying that continuing to operate the pipeline poses unnecessary risks to the Great Lakes,” WWTV reports. “…But environmental advocates and speakers at the event have argued that the tunnel project is too complex for the company to undertake and overall presents too many challenges and uncertainties. The event was held in Traverse City by the Groundwork Center and Oil and Water Don’t Mix… “Brian O’Mara, an engineer and environmental consultant, said that he didn’t believe the tunnel itself would be safe to construct in the first place. O’Mara raised concerns about the quality of the rock around the pipe and safety of oil tunnels in general. “This tunnel would be through crummy crappy rock which will be pushed in with all the groundwater. It will destroy the pipeline if it isn’t already destroyed,” he said. “And once that happens, the tunnel will collapse.” Holly Bird, an attorney and indigenous activist, said that Line 5′s continued operation is in violation of tribal sovereignty. “The waters are a huge way of life,” she said. “We have ceremonies around it, we have entire ways of life surrounding the water — and any encroachment on that is a violation of the treaty.” Speakers also said that a massive investment into fossil fuel infrastructure didn’t make sense in a time when most of the world is moving towards renewable energy sources. “Do we really want to be the last state to build an oil tunnel? I don’t think so,” said Denise Keele, a professor at Western Michigan University. Keele also argued that the economic impacts of worsened climate change would outweigh potential profits from continuing their use.”

Bronx Times: Advocates, local electeds oppose gas pipeline proposal that may increase emissions in Hunts Point
Emily Swanson, 4/25/24

“Environmental advocates and local elected officials are sounding the alarm about a proposed expansion of a gas pipeline, which they say would increase the state’s dependence on fossil fuels and increase greenhouse gas emissions in Hunts Point.” the Bronx Times reports. “If approved, the expansion — proposed by the Iroquois Pipeline Company — “would be completely undermining” the state’s climate goals, Emily Skydel, senior NYC organizer for the nonprofit advocacy group Food and Water Watch, told the Times. Officially called the Iroquois Company Enhancement by Compression (ExC) project, the expansion would add new compressor stations along its 414-mile route — two in the Hudson Valley region and two in Connecticut — allowing more gas to be pumped into New York via two of its utility customers, National Grid and Con Edison, which has a station in Hunts Point. If approved, the project is expected to be in service by January 2027… “Environmental advocates, along with dozens of elected officials, have undertaken monthslong efforts to block the state permits. A December 2023 letter to Gov. Kathy Hochul imploring her to ensure the permits are denied was signed by over 60 lawmakers from across the state and New York City officials, including Bronx state senators Gustavo Rivera and Nathalia Fernandez. If the expansion goes ahead, it would “put New Yorkers at great risk and run fully astray of our state’s climate goals,” according to the letter. “Continued investments in fossil fuels perpetuate our dependence on a dirty energy future.” “…This gas isn’t needed,” Skydel told the Times, adding that the Iroquois Company is “misleading” the public about the need for expansion.”

Financial Post: Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion opens soon, but questions remain
Naimul Karim, 4/24/24

“After billions of dollars’ worth of cost revisions, several protests from environmentalists and the discovery of about 250,000 artifacts during construction, Canada is just a week away from the commercial start of a new pipeline that was initially proposed 12 years ago to provide oil producers access to better prices and newer markets,” the Financial Post reports. “Oil is already flowing in some sections of the 1,150-kilometre pipeline owned by the federal government’s Trans Mountain Corp., but all shippers will be subject to the new tariff and tolls starting next month for the pipeline connecting Alberta and British Columbia with a capacity of 590,000 barrels per day… “But as Trans Mountain nears the end of construction on a project that has been more than a decade in the making, plenty of questions remain about its next steps and the future of Canada’s oil industry. The cost to build the new pipeline was initially estimated in 2017 to be around $7.4 billion. Since then, the cost has ballooned to about $34 billion, leading to some criticism from the industry. For example, Tristan Goodman, who heads the Explorers and Producers Association of Canada association, in February said the increase was “ridiculous” and a failure of the government’s approach… “Now, industry insiders expect the pipeline to be saturated within two years, so some expect more pipelines will be needed in the future… “Maki, though, was more cautious about calls for more pipelines. He thinks it is something that should be explored, but believes existing pipelines can be optimized or “tweaked” to get a “little bit more” out of them. “What every operator should (ask) first before they talk about building a whole new pipeline is: What can I do to the existing network I have? What can I do to make it run better?” he told the Post. “For example, more horsepower on the system or some modifications to the pumps. All of that doesn’t involve adding a whole bunch of pipes or a new pipeline.” Maki added it would be “tough to see” new pipelines being constructed in the current environment… “But analysts told the Post that selling it at a profit won’t be easy considering the government has spent billions more than it initially expected on the project.”

Bnamericas: Mexico’s pipeline projects to boost US natgas exports
4/25/24

“Mexico’s gas pipeline project portfolio is improving the outlook for US natural gas exports.” according to Bnamericas. “We expect US natural gas exports by pipeline to grow by almost 1 Bcf/d over the forecast period, mainly because of increased natural gas exports to Mexico. We expect several pipelines in Mexico – Tula-Villa de Reyes, Tuxpan‒Tula, and Cuxtal Phase II connecting to the Energía Mayakan pipeline on the Yucatán Peninsula – to reach full service in 2024-25,” said the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) in its April outlook report… “There are two other projects not mentioned by the EIA report, perhaps due to their early stage of construction. The US$4.5bn Southeast Gateway offshore pipeline in the Gulf of Mexico is led by Canadian midstream firm TC Energy, while the 800km Sierra Madre pipeline is part of Mexico Pacific’s US$14bn Saguaro Energía LNG project, where construction is yet to start in Sonora state’s Puerto Libertad port. The first is under construction, while the second is awaiting the green light to begin works. Together, they will add more than 1,500km of gas pipelines to the country’s network that will help transport a combined 4.1Bf3/d from the US to their final destinations, namely the Yucatán Peninsula and the northern Pacific coast.”

WASHINGTON UPDATES

CBS News: White House Considering National Climate Emergency Declaration [VIDEO]
4/23/24

“The White House is considering declaring a national climate emergency to unlock federal powers and stifle oil development, according to a Bloomberg report. Meanwhile, the Biden administration is announcing several projects this Earth Week. Columbia University Climate School professor Dr. Melissa Lott joins with analysis,” CBS News reports.

E&E News: Climate rule barrage caps Biden’s green agenda
Jean Chemnick, 4/25/24

“The Biden administration will release four pollution rules Thursday that could largely remove coal from the U.S. power grid by the early 2030s,” E&E News reports. “EPA Administrator Michael Regan told E&E the coordinated release of standards for carbon dioxide, mercury, wastewater and legacy pollution would give utilities and regulators clarity about the pollution controls power plants will need in the long run… “The four rules — which use Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act authorities — are legally separate. But they all involve compliance deadlines that kick in in the 2020s and 2030s — years when the power sector will face decisions about when to retire aging coal units and how to compensate for that lost generation. They are the last major pieces of EPA’s power sector strategy for President Joe Biden’s first term — a regulatory push centered on coal-fired power… “Under the final rule, coal plants that plan to operate long-term will get two additional years to install carbon capture and storage systems relative to the proposal’s deadline of 2030… “The final rule also eliminates “clean” hydrogen as a benchmark technology for setting the natural gas pollution standards. And it applies the toughest standards to more gas plants, redefining “baseload” plants as those that run 40 percent of the time (rather than the proposed rule’s 50 percent threshold).”

E&E News: EPA unleashes power plant climate blitz
Jean Chemnick, Sean Reilly, Miranda Willson, 4/25/24

“EPA finalized a suite of rules Thursday that will crack down on pollution from fossil fuels electricity generation — and may hasten the transition to zero-emissions power,” E&E News reports. “The package includes final carbon dioxide standards for existing coal- and future gas-fired power plants and rules for air toxics, wastewater and legacy pollution from coal facilities. The climate rule stands to be the first time existing U.S. power plants will be regulated for greenhouse gases, following the failure of previous attempts that were scuttled by the courts… “It doesn’t use green hydrogen as a benchmark technology for future gas-fired units — though utilities can still use hydrogen blending to comply with the rule. And it changes some key deadlines for when fossil fuels plants have to add carbon capture systems, or retire. It also requires more gas plants to install carbon capture technologies by lowering the trigger from a 50 percent run-time to 40 percent… “Environmentalists predict that most utilities will opt to retire coal-fired power plants rather than make the investments that are needed to keep them running throughout the 2030s.”

Associated Press: Tough new EPA rules would force coal-fired power plants to capture emissions or shut down
MATTHEW DALY, 4/25/24

“Coal-fired power plants would be forced to capture smokestack emissions or shut down under a rule issued Thursday by the Environmental Protection Agency,” the Associated Press reports. “…The rules are a key part of President Joe Biden’s pledge to eliminate carbon pollution from the electricity sector by 2035 and economy-wide by 2050… “The plan is likely to be challenged by industry groups and Republican-leaning states. They have repeatedly accused the Democratic administration of overreach on environmental regulations and have warned of a looming reliability crisis for the electric grid… “Coal plants that plan to stay open beyond 2039 would have to cut or capture 90% of their carbon dioxide emissions by 2032, the EPA said… “Rich Nolan, president and CEO of the National Mining Association, told AP that through the latest rules, “the EPA is systematically dismantling the reliability of the U.S. electric grid.” “…Multiple power companies have indicated that (carbon capture and storage) is a viable technology for the power sector today, and they are currently pursuing those CCS projects,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan told reporters Wednesday… “Jim Matheson, CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, called the EPA rule “unlawful, unrealistic and unachievable,” adding that it faced a certain court challenge… “Still, the regulation is expected to lead to greater use of carbon capture equipment. Only a handful of projects are operating in the country despite years of research.”

E&E News: Forests Trap Less Carbon Than Before, EPA Says 
Marc Heller, 4/23/24

“Forests in the U.S. may be losing some of their edge as a bulwark against climate change, EPA’s latest greenhouse gas inventory suggests,” E&E News reports. “In its annual report on greenhouse gases by sector, the agency said forests sequestered 787 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2022, down from 844.2 million metric tons the prior year and from 974 million in 1990. While the forest-related numbers have fluctuated from year to year, they reflect a downward trend during the period and were partly to blame for an overall decline in the carbon sequestration attributable to land use including agriculture, EPA said. Total carbon sequestration in the land use and forestry category fell by 11 percent from 1990 to 2022. The report carries mixed messages for the role land is playing in easing the effects of the warming climate. Depending how farmland and forests are managed — and what nature throws at them through disasters — fields and forests have untapped potential to slow the progress of climate change.”

STATE UPDATES

Carbon Brief: Alaska refuge drilling could threaten polar bears with ‘lethal’ oil spills
DAISY DUNNE, 4/24/24

“Fossil-fuel drilling in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) could put polar bears at risk of “lethal” oil spills, new research suggests,” according to Carbon Brief. “…On his first day in office, US president Joe Biden suspended drilling inside the ANWR pending a review. In 2023, his administration cancelled the seven oil and gas licences issued for the reserve under Trump… “The new study, published in Biological Conservation, uses modelling to examine how a series of “worst-case scenario” oil spills could impact polar bears that use the refuge to raise young and feast on bowhead whale carcasses. The research finds that a serious oil spill inside ANWR could expose up to 38 bears to lethal levels of oil and dozens more to harmful levels. The risk of exposure to oil spills could be worsened by climate change, which is forcing polar bears to spend greater amounts of time on land in summer as sea ice melts away, the study lead author tells Carbon Brief… “For each spill site, the researchers simulated an underwater pipeline release of 4,800 barrels of oil every day for six days, totalling 28,000 barrels. They then tracked the path of the oil spill for 50 days… “They found that a spill at Brownlow Point would be the most deadly, exposing up to 38 bears to lethal levels of oil. Meanwhile, a spill at Anderson Point would expose up to 28 bears, while a spill at Camden Bay would expose up to 19 bears… “The study is “well-conceived and significant” Prof Andrew Derocher, a polar bear researcher at the University of Alberta in Canada, who was not involved, told Carbon Brief… “I believe that no jurisdiction is prepared for a significant oil spill in the Arctic. Our ability to respond is limited by preparedness, infrastructure and staff.”

EXTRACTION

Penn State University: Estimating Emissions Potential Of Decommissioned Gas Wells From Shale Samples 
Matthew Carroll, 4/22/24

“Extracting natural gas from shale formations can provide an abundant, lower-carbon footprint fossil fuel, but also creates concerns over increased methane emissions,” according to Penn State University. “A team led by Penn State researchers has developed a new tool that can estimate the emission potential of shale wells after they are no longer active. The findings, published in the journal Science of the Total Environment, revealed that methane begins diffusing from the shale formation after a well is decommissioned and that this represents a notable source of methane emissions—comparable to the most significant emissions during drilling and operation of the well.”

WOKV: Triumph Gulf Coast surpasses $550m mark in BP oil spill settlement grant awards to North Florida
4/23/24

“Triumph Gulf Coast recently achieved the milestone of distributing over $550 million in grant awards originating from the BP oil spill settlement,” WOKV reports. “The funding aims to bolster the local workforce in North Florida, with a substantial portion directed towards educational initiatives… “The grant funds have been spread across public school districts, state colleges, and universities in the eight-county region encompassing Bay, Escambia, Franklin, Gulf, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton, and Wakulla, come with specific requirements… “The Triumph Gulf Coast funds originate from a settlement with BP over the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster, with a mandate to promote recovery, diversification, and enhancement in the impacted Panhandle counties… “Overall, the Triumph Gulf Coast grants signify a concerted effort to not only strengthen the region’s workforce but also to increase household incomes and foster economic growth in the wake of the environmental disaster.”

CLIMATE FINANCE

Facebook: Stop the Money Pipeline: BREAKING: 100s of climate activists have shut down Citibank’s Global HQ, demanding that the bank stops financing coal, oil, and gas.
4/24/24

“…This nonviolent direct action only comes after we have asked Citi politely FOR YEARS to stop financing the fossil fuel companies that are killing our planet. Our message now is clear: if you keep funding the fossil fuel companies disrupting our climate and our lives, we will disrupt your ability to do business.”

E&E News: Investors to big banks: Show us how you’ll meet climate goals
Avery Ellfeldt, 4/24/24

“Under pressure from climate-concerned investors, Wall Street banks have set splashy emissions goals, touted near-term targets and committed to disclosing their carbon footprints. But the investors and advocates who pushed for those moves still aren’t satisfied. Now they’re turning up the heat and calling on the largest U.S. banks to show their climate-related work — and prove they’re making good on their promises,” E&E News reports. “They’ve made the long-term commitments, they’ve set the near-term targets, they’re disclosing their financed emissions now on an annual basis,” Ben Cushing, who leads the Sierra Club’s finance campaign, told E&E. “But investors, rightly, are concerned that banks don’t actually have the plans in place to achieve those targets and commitments, and so they’re asking for more information about how they are going to do that,” Cushing added… “Between now and late May, shareholders will vote on a range of resolutions that are meant to prod the banks forward on the issue, in large part by requesting in-depth reports on everything from their climate-related lobbying to how their fossil fuel financing is impacting underserved communities.

TODAY IN GREENWASHING

Enbridge: Guests surprised with gas gift cards, from Krist Oil, Subway, Enbridge
4/24/24

“With the inflation rate in Michigan hovering around 3.1% for the year, the average gallon of regular gasoline about $3.60, according to AAA, it’s nice to get a helping hand—at an unexpected place like a neighborhood gas stop,” according to Enbridge. “Hundreds of surprised guests learned, there’s nothing like a complimentary sandwich and a gift card to brighten one’s day, especially a damp, dreary day… “More than 200 customers received a $25 gas gift card, as well as a sandwich and bottle of water or soda. Adding to the festivities, sister stations 106.7 WHTO and 101.5 WJNR were broadcasting live from the two-hour event… “Much like the product safely transported every day through Enbridge Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac, gas is a daily essential. We are happy the gift cards can provide for a little extra fuel as Michiganders hit the roads this spring.”

OPINION

Columbus Dispatch: Fracking is destroying Ohio parks, people. We must wake up and kick oil gas industry out.
Cathy Cowan Becker, Jess Grim, Jenny Morgan, Loraine McCosker, Terri Sabo, Anne Sparks and Melinda Zemper are steering committee members of Save Ohio Parks, 4/24/24

“…People who live within one mile of a fracked well can experience significant health problems, including heart problems, increased cancers and asthma attacks, low birth weights and fertility issues,” Cathy Cowan Becker, Jess Grim, Jenny Morgan, Loraine McCosker, Terri Sabo, Anne Sparks and Melinda Zemper write for the Columbus Dispatch. “Children who live within a mile of a well pad experience 5 to 7 times the lymphoma cases compared to children who live five miles away… “According to analysis by FracTracker Alliance, more than 1,400 oil and gas incidents (accidents, spills, fires, explosions) have occurred in Ohio over the last five years, refuting the oil and gas industry’s claims of insignificant numbers. Each “incident” releases dangerous chemicals and methane into the air and/or water, endangering humans and all living things… “A decade of fracking shows jobs promised by the oil and gas industry never materialized… “The gas and oil industry reaps massive profits from Ohio, yet people who live here see little benefit. Adding insult to injury, oil and gas is not pivoting in a meaningful way toward investing in clean energy—a necessity for Ohio’s future —because it fears it cannot continue raking in lucrative profits if it does… “The fossil fuel industry and Ohio politicians in bed with it want to keep gas and oil dark money, PAC money and its campaign donations flowing. But Ohio must stop thinking of natural gas as an asset to exploit and create a statewide sustainable energy transition plan that Ohioans — and our children and grandchildren — deserve… “We call on Ohio environmental organizations, companies dedicated to clean energy and lawmakers to create a strategic plan now to rapidly expand Ohio renewable energy and phase out oil and natural gas in order to attain net zero energy production and consumption by 2030.”