EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 5/2/25

PIPELINE NEWS

• Associated Press: Midwest carbon dioxide pipeline could face new hurdle as some Iowa lawmakers question eminent domain

• Des Moines Register: 12 Iowa GOP senators say they’ll oppose budget to force vote on eminent domain bills

• Radio Iowa: A dozen Republicans won’t vote on state budget until Iowa Senate has pipeline vote

• Iowa Capital Dispatch: Iowa legislative session heads to overtime

• E&E News: Army Corps: Mountain Valley extension permit is ‘emergency’

• VPM: Public comment period open for Mountain Valley Pipeline’s Southgate extension

• Winston-Salem Journal: Kernersville families, schools were not notified about planned pipeline expansion

• Rhino Times: Oak Ridge Pipeline Opponents Give Commissioners An Earful

• WBUR: Mass. orders utilities to spend less ratepayer money on natural gas pipelines

• Hart Energy: TC Energy Expects Spate of New Project Announcements Later This Year

• PV Magazine: From oil & gas to hydrogen highways: The next evolution of global pipeline networks

WASHINGTON UPDATES

• Associated Press: Justice Department sues Hawaii, Michigan, Vermont and New York over state climate actions

• Bloomberg: Trump DOJ Sues to Block States’ Blaming Big Oil for Climate Harm

• Press release: Justice Department Files Complaints Against Hawaii, Michigan, New York and Vermont Over Unconstitutional State Climate Actions

• Bloomberg: GOP Plans Billions in Oil, Gas Sales to Help Pay for Trump’s Tax Bill

• E&E News: Natural Resources releases reconciliation text

• E&E News: White House plans high-tech NEPA reviews

• Heatmap: The Cagey Congressional Committee Quietly Deciding the Fate of the IRA

• E&E News: Burgum wants to pay fossil companies when government halts projects

• Politico: Reps. Vasquez, Zinke to launch caucus to oppose public lands sales

• Grand Junction Daily Sentinel: Up for debate: Bureau of Land Management’s future HQ

STATE UPDATES

• Daily Montanan: Governor signs suite of bills changing Montana’s environmental laws

• E&E News: Interior green-lights Wyoming carbon storage project

• Leesville Leader: Legislators reject all but one carbon capture bill

• The Cool Down: State senators make unanimous vote on controversial development ban affecting 1 million residents: ‘This legislation is necessary’

• Florida Politics: Lawmakers approve bill that restricts oil activity within 10 miles of Big Bend, Panhandle shores

• Ojai Valley News: Federal public comment period opens on oil drilling in California coastal waters

• E&E News: Elon Musk’s xAI in Memphis: 35 gas turbines, no air pollution permits

• Texas Tribune: Can Texas clean up fracking water enough to use for farming? One company thinks so.

• Inside Climate News: Plans Advance for Huge New Exxon Plastics Plant in Texas

• FOX Weather: Crews race to clean up oil spill along Louisiana coastline

EXTRACTION

• Canadian Energy Centre: Alberta oil sands projects poised to grow on lower costs, strong reserves

• BBC: CO2 capture project hopes to bring ‘quality’ jobs

• Montel: Critics see no room for carbon capture in German power

OPINION

• The Cap Times: DNR approved Line 5; it’s time to move ahead

• Edmonton Journal: Carney needs to build a pipeline

• Forbes: The Battle Over The Constitution Pipeline

• The Hill: Stop gambling taxpayer dollars on Arctic drilling delusions

• Offshore Magazine: Operators need to modernize offshore spill management
  

PIPELINE NEWS

Associated Press: Midwest carbon dioxide pipeline could face new hurdle as some Iowa lawmakers question eminent domain
Hannah Fingerhut, 5/1/25

“A proposed carbon-capture pipeline that would traverse through several Midwestern states could face more hurdles in Iowa as a dozen Republican state senators try to force the issue to a vote,” the Associated Press reports. “Summit Carbon Solutions already will likely have to readjust plans for their estimated $8.9 billion, 2,500-mile (4,023-kilometer) project after South Dakota’s governor signed a ban on the use of eminent domain — the government seizure of private property with compensation — to acquire land for carbon dioxide pipelines. Now, after several proposals advanced through the Republican-controlled Iowa House, 12 GOP state senators have told their Republican leaders that they will not vote on any budget, which the Legislature is constitutionally required to approve, until they bring a pipeline bill to the floor. “The people of South Dakota emphatically stated that eminent domain will never be granted for this pipeline to cross South Dakota, and it is past time for lowa to do the same,” the senators wrote in a joint letter, saying they believe “addressing eminent domain is more important than the budget or any other priority for the 2025 session.” “…Some Midwest farmers, despite loyalty to the ethanol industry, have voiced strong opposition to the pipeline since its inception, objecting to its presence on or near their land and questioning the safety of having the pipeline in their backyards… “Iowa state Sen. Kevin Alons told AP the senators who are forcing the issue want an amendment to the bill that mimics South Dakota’s new law, but it remains to be seen what provisions, if any, would be included in a final version or whether Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds would give it her signature… “You chose to try to trample on the rights of citizens of Iowa and South Dakota,” state Rep. Steven Holt told AP of Summit, “and now the chickens are coming home to roost.”

Des Moines Register: 12 Iowa GOP senators say they’ll oppose budget to force vote on eminent domain bills
Marissa Payne, 5/1/25

“Twelve Republican state senators have declared they will vote against further budget bills until Iowa Senate leaders allow a floor vote on legislation limiting the use of eminent domain for carbon capture pipelines,” the Des Moines Register reports. “The letter comes as tensions have flared in the Senate over bringing House-backed eminent domain bills to a floor vote as pressure mounts to protect landowners’ property rights before lawmakers adjourn the 2025 legislative session. Lawmakers stop getting paid for their expenses after May 2, but eminent domain is among the issues delaying the Legislature from passing a budget for fiscal year 2026, which starts July 1… “Democrats often reject GOP budget bills and have joined in the chorus of lawmakers calling for eminent domain legislation to reach a floor vote in the Senate, where the bills have died for several sessions. Senators wrote in the letter that the threat of eminent domain has loomed for more than three years for many Iowa landowners who oppose use of the power for private projects. The senators said they are committed to voting on House File 639 as it passed the House… “In an interview with the Des Moines Register, Sen. Sandy Salmon, R-Janesville said approximately 800 Iowa landowners face the threat of losing their property rights over a private rather than public use project. “This is a project that never should have been approved, and it’s very plain to everyone involved and the public that that’s the case, so we’re really hoping and pushing for those private property rights to get put in place this session,” Salmon told the Register… “The issue has gained traction in Iowa this session after landowners waged a successful fight to pass similar bills in South Dakota. Voters made the issue central and ousted 14 Republican incumbents who backed Summit’s use of eminent domain during the state’s June 2024 primary elections. Some Iowa voters are now looking to put the issue at the forefront in the 2026 midterm elections.”

Radio Iowa: A dozen Republicans won’t vote on state budget until Iowa Senate has pipeline vote
Kay Henderson, 5/2/25

“Twelve Republicans in the Iowa Senate say they will not vote for any state spending bill until they get a chance to vote on a bill limiting carbon pipeline developers ability to seize land from unwilling property owners,” Radio Iowa reports. “It means the Senate’s GOP leaders do not have enough Republican votes to pass their state spending plans. “This is important,” said Senator Kevin Alons of Salix, one of the 12 Republicans who’re pressuring GOP leaders on the pipeline issue. “It’s our number one priority and the budget is the must do and it’s what we’re going to use to get a vote on the topic of eminent domain.” During a recent speech on the Senate floor, Senator David Sires of Cedar Falls said it’s time to pass meaningful protections for landowners. “We are witnessing the dangerous misuse of public power for private gain,” Sires said… “The House has repeatedly passes pipeline restrictions over the past three years, but the senate has never voted on any of them.”

Iowa Capital Dispatch: Iowa legislative session heads to overtime
Robin Opsahl, 5/1/25

“Two major roadblocks remain before Iowa lawmakers can pass the state’s budget and end the 2025 legislative session — pipelines and paraeducator pay, among a few other spending priorities,” the Iowa Capital Dispatch reports. “Iowa lawmakers will not receive most session per-diem payments after Friday — a milestone meant to spur legislators to approve budget bills and end the session. While Republicans hold a trifecta of control at the Statehouse, there are still disagreements between the two chambers on funding and policy proposals. One of the major pieces of policy that remains up for discussion is the use of eminent domain in carbon sequestration pipeline projects… “Sen. David Rowley, R-Spirit Lake, told the Dispatch Senate discussion on the use of eminent domain in pipeline projects has “been a long time coming” as Senate discussions on similar measures have failed to advance for the past three years. “We had a lot of pushback over the years and and we felt this year, it was getting strung out as well, so we took this measure to do everything we can to bring it to the floor,” Rowley told the Dispatch… “Rowley told the Dispatch he has had many discussions with landowners who would be affected by the Summit project, many of whom are concerned about the potential health risks posed by a CO2 pipeline on their property… “Senator Sandy Salmon, R-Janesville, said in an interview with the Iowa Capital Dispatch the letter was sent as public pressure has been building for Iowa lawmakers to take action on this issue. “By and large, the public has become quite aware of it now, and and really don’t see the need for eminent domain to be used for this project,” Salmon told the Dispatch. “It’s a private project. It’s for private use. It’s not a public use project, and our Constitution requires it be a public use in order to have eminent domain used.” The fact that South Dakota now has a law banning the use of eminent domain for carbon dioxide pipeline has also helped “build the momentum to put the same type of prohibitions on CO2 pipelines here in Iowa,” Salmon told the Dispatch.”

E&E News: Army Corps: Mountain Valley extension permit is ‘emergency’
Carlos Anchondo, 5/2/25

“A water-related permit for the Mountain Valley pipeline extension project in Virginia and North Carolina fits under President Donald Trump’s “energy emergency” executive order, the Army Corps of Engineers said,” E&E News reports. “The MVP Southgate natural gas project would be an expansion of the 303-mile Mountain Valley pipeline, which started up in June 2024 after Congress included it in a debt ceiling deal. The existing conduit travels from West Virginia to southern Virginia. In a public notice Wednesday, the Army Corps’ Norfolk District said a permit for MVP Southgate under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act is “subject to special emergency permitting procedures.” Section 404 regulates the discharge of dredged or fill material into U.S. waters. Environmental and advocacy groups, who reject the idea that an energy emergency exists, told E&E they want to see a robust review process for MVP Southgate.”

VPM: Public comment period open for Mountain Valley Pipeline’s Southgate extension
Patrick Larsen, 5/1/25

“Public comment on the Mountain Valley Pipeline Southgate extension, which was once denied a key permit in Virginia, is underway. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released public notices on the project Wednesday,” VPM reports. “…The USACE Wilmington and Norfolk districts found that MVP’s permit request falls under President Donald Trump’s executive order declaring a national energy emergency, and may be subject to shorter public comment and agency review timelines. There’s confusion among advocates about how Trump’s order would affect those timelines. Russell Chisholm, director of the regional nonprofit Protect Our Water, Heritage, Rights, told VPM he sees the order as attempting to reduce public input. “It appears to me that through these executive orders — not just the one on permitting and this so-called energy emergency — the goal is to further invisibilize, erase and ignore environmental justice communities,” Chisholm told VPM… “However, notices for the extension posted by the Wilmington and Norfolk districts both note: “The applicant has requested that, where practical, the project review be completed under standard permitting procedures.” The posted public comment period is 30 days — twice as long as the 15 days required under law and regulation.”

Winston-Salem Journal: Kernersville families, schools were not notified about planned pipeline expansion
Chaewon Chung, 5/2/25

“About half a mile from Union Cross Elementary School in southeastern Forsyth County, an underground pipeline hums quietly beneath the surface, built to carry enough natural gas each day to power over 2 million homes,” the Winston-Salem Journal reports. “Operated by Williams Company, the pipeline is now slated for a major expansion — a project that will lay a second pipe alongside the original to push even more gas through the region. The school with more than 400 students was unaware of the expansion plan when the Winston-Salem Journal approached parents… “The pipeline proposal hasn’t just flown under the radar for families. The school district was left in the dark, too… “Since the Williams proposal for expansion was submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in October 2024, environmental groups such as Appalachian Voices and the Sierra Club have called for greater transparency and due diligence from both Williams and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Those efforts have often been met with what they describe as limited public engagement and a lack of clear accountability, leaving many feeling that their concerns are being overlooked in the decision-making process. “The basic premise is, unless you are a directly impacted landowner who has to be facing eminent domain from the threat of this project, if it’s permitted and built, you would have absolutely no idea this was coming,” Caroline Hansley, campaign organizing strategist at Sierra Club told the Journal. According to Hansley, while there are other populated sites near the proposed pipeline expansion, including public and private schools, houses of worship, and daycare centers, there’s no requirement for those communities to be informed, aside from directly impacted landowners. Without a formal requirement or pressure from local officials, she added, there’s little reason for a company like Williams to actively engage with the communities along the pipeline route.”

Rhino Times: Oak Ridge Pipeline Opponents Give Commissioners An Earful
Scott D. Yost, 5/1/25

“Residents of the town of Oak Ridge showed up in force at the Guilford County Commissioners meeting on Thursday evening, May 1, to voice their strong opposition to a proposed natural gas pipeline that would cut through their community,” the Rhino Times reports. “They cited threats to safety, water quality, the climate and more. The proposal is part of Williams Transco’s Southeast Supply Enhancement Project, which seeks to expand natural gas infrastructure across several southeastern states. During the public comment portion of the meeting — which kicks off every regular Guilford County Board of Commissioners meeting — about a dozen speakers warned of dire consequences if the pipeline is approved. The commissioners do not have the ultimate say but the pipeline opponents want the board to adopt a resolution opposing the project. The section of pipeline planned to pass through Oak Ridge has stirred deep concern among homeowners, environmental advocates, faith leaders and others… “Austin Goldman, who is a trustee with Oak Ridge First Baptist Church, told commissioners that the congregation’s main building is just 300 feet from the current pipeline. “We are in the blast zone,” he said, citing Williams’ own guidance that in the event of an imminent explosion, residents would have just 30 seconds to escape.”

WBUR: Mass. orders utilities to spend less ratepayer money on natural gas pipelines
Miriam Wasser, 5/1/25

“Massachusetts officials are overhauling a natural gas program they blame for driving up customers’ bills and encouraging utilities to make unnecessarily costly repairs,” WBUR reports. “The program, known as the Gas System Enhancement Plan, or GSEP, gives gas companies a financial incentive to replace leaky natural gas pipelines. But state officials claim it “lack[s] any meaningful incentive for cost containment,” and has resulted in overcharging ratepayers for work that could have been completed at a lower cost. In an order released this week, the state Department of Public Utilities outlined several changes to the program that it says will save ratepayers money and help the state slash planet-warming emissions, without jeopardizing safety… “Massachusetts has about 21,000 miles of underground natural gas pipelines, many of which are old and prone to leaks. While gas utilities are required by law to maintain a safe system and fix cracked or corroded pipes, a growing body of research in the 2010s showed leaks were far more prevalent than previously realized… “In 2014, lawmakers created GSEP to boost efforts replace and repair pipelines… “Gas utilities have charged ratepayers $6.2 billion for GSEP over the last decade, and the program accounts for one of the biggest surcharges on customer’s monthly bills. The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office estimates that 8-11% of what customers pay monthly now goes toward funding the program… “Several other states with similar mechanisms for gas pipeline repairs, including Illinois and Maryland, have also sought to reign in their programs in recent years.”

Hart Energy: TC Energy Expects Spate of New Project Announcements Later This Year
5/1/25

“Canadian pipeline operator TC Energy is forecasting an uptick in capital project announcements later this year and into next, as coal-to-gas conversions and data center growth drive natural gas demand in North America,” Hart Energy reports. “…The growing demand for electricity from data centers dedicated to artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency is in particular creating opportunities for energy companies. Calgary-based TC said on May 1 that the current slate of new project opportunities is among the most robust it has seen in decades. Over the past six months, it has sanctioned approximately CA$4 billion (US$2.9 billion) of new capital projects. CEO François Poirier said TC expects an “increased cadence” of project announcements in the second half of 2025 and into 2026… “TC Energy, which remains bullish on power demand growth, announced on Thursday new natural gas and nuclear electricity generation projects worth CA$2.4 billion (US$1.73 billion)… “It has forecasted natural gas demand in North America to grow by 40 Bcf/d over the next decade. TC Energy — which operates natural gas pipelines in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico — sees its greatest opportunity in the U.S., where it has a significant presence in jurisdictions like the U.S. Midwest and Virginia, where there are large clusters of data centers under development.”

PV Magazine: From oil & gas to hydrogen highways: The next evolution of global pipeline networks
Nikhil Mansukhani, Managing Director, Man Industries Ltd., 5/2/25

“The global pursuit of net-zero emissions is accelerating the shift from fossil fuels to cleaner energy carriers, with hydrogen emerging as a linchpin in this transformation,” PV Magazine reports. “Unlike traditional fuels, hydrogen produces no carbon emissions at the point of use, offering a compelling pathway to decarbonise industries such as steel, chemicals, aviation, and heavy transport sectors, historically resistant to change due to their high energy intensity. To facilitate this transformation, governments and industries are making significant investments in hydrogen production and infrastructure, aiming to meet the growing demand for this versatile energy carrier. Market estimates suggest that India’s green hydrogen sector is expected to grow to $8 billion by 2030, with the potential to grow to $340 billion by 2050. To capitalise on this potential, the government has pledged to achieve an annual green-hydrogen output of 5 million metric tonnes by 2030. As hydrogen production scales, a pressing challenge emerges: how do we transport it efficiently and safely over long distances? This is where pipeline infrastructure, once the backbone of the oil and gas economy, must evolve to support the hydrogen economy of the future… “Hydrogen’s low molecular weight and high diffusivity increase the risk of leaks, while its interaction with steel can cause hydrogen embrittlement—a process that degrades pipeline materials, compromising safety and reliability. These complexities necessitate advanced pipeline materials, enhanced safety systems, and thorough engineering redesigns… “India’s proactive approach not only supports its domestic goals but also contributes to the broader global hydrogen infrastructure, positioning it as a key player in this emerging market. Through the National Green Hydrogen Mission, the country is developing a nationwide pipeline network that will connect renewable energy-rich regions with key industrial clusters, ensuring efficient delivery of green hydrogen to end-users. The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) is also working to ensure that India’s existing natural gas pipeline network can accommodate hydrogen transmission. Steel grades such as X52 to X70, which are commonly used in gas pipelines, are being tested for their compatibility with hydrogen.”

WASHINGTON UPDATES

Associated Press: Justice Department sues Hawaii, Michigan, Vermont and New York over state climate actions
Alexa St. John, 5/1/25

“The U.S. Justice Department filed lawsuits against four states this week, claiming their climate actions conflict with federal authority and President Donald Trump’s energy dominance agenda,” the Associated Press reports. “The DOJ on Wednesday filed lawsuits against Hawaii and Michigan over their plans for legal action against fossil fuel companies for harms caused by climate change. On Thursday, the DOJ sued New York and Vermont, challenging their climate superfund laws that would force fossil fuel companies to pay into state-based funds based on previous greenhouse gas emissions… “The DOJ lawsuits, which legal experts called unprecedented, mark the latest of the Trump administration’s attacks on environmental work and raises concern over states’ abilities to retain the power to take climate action without federal opposition. The DOJ’s four filings said the state efforts undermine the federal government while ”increasing energy costs and disrupting the national energy market.” It said the states’ plans and policies are unconstitutional, violate the federal foreign affairs power and are preempted by the Clean Air Act — a federal law authorizing the Environmental Protection Agency to regulate air emissions… “It said Wednesday that Hawaii and Michigan battling oil and gas companies for alleged climate damage conflicts with EPA authority and obstructs the agency’s discretion to regulate greenhouse gases… “A spokesperson for New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, told AP the governor “believes corporate polluters should pay for the damage done to our environment — not everyday New Yorkers. We will not back down, not from Big Oil, and not from federal overreach.” “…While this week’s suits are consistent with Trump’s plans to oppose state actions that interfere with energy dominance, “it’s highly unusual,” Michael Gerrard, founder and faculty director of the Columbia University Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, told The Associated Press of the cases of Hawaii and Michigan. “What we expected is they would intervene in the pending lawsuits, not to try to preempt or prevent a lawsuit from being filed. It’s an aggressive move in support of the fossil fuel industry.”

Bloomberg: Trump DOJ Sues to Block States’ Blaming Big Oil for Climate Harm
Bob Van Voris, Sakura Murakami, 5/2/25

“The Trump administration sued to block New York and three other states from trying to collect billions of dollars from oil companies for damage caused by climate change,” Bloomberg reports. “…The US claimed the state laws and planned legal actions interfere with federal policy on greenhouse gas regulation and violate the Constitution… “The suits were filed less than two months after the US Supreme Court rebuffed a bid by a group of 19 Republican-led states to block five Democratic states, including California and New Jersey, from seeking billions of dollars from Exxon Mobil Corp., BP Plc, Chevron Corp. and other oil companies… “In a statement reacting to the Justice Department suit, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel told Bloomberg the oil companies don’t need the government’s help in defending themselves in court and should wait for the state to file suit. “Donald Trump has made clear he will answer any and every beck and call from his Big Oil campaign donors, but this latest favor is perhaps the most surprising debasement of both the White House and DOJ yet,” she told Bloomberg… “The complaint against Hawaii cited a local press report this week that quoted Governor Josh Green saying the state would file a climate change suit Thursday. Court records didn’t show a suit filed by late morning local time.”

Press release: Justice Department Files Complaints Against Hawaii, Michigan, New York and Vermont Over Unconstitutional State Climate Actions
5/1/25

“The Justice Department today filed complaints against the states of New York and Vermont over their “climate superfund laws.” In separate actions, the Justice Department yesterday filed lawsuits against the states of Hawaii and Michigan to prevent each state from suing fossil fuel companies in state court to seek damages for alleged climate change harms. President Trump recently directed Attorney General Pamela Bondi to take action to stop the enforcement of state laws that unreasonably burden domestic energy development so that energy will once again be reliable and affordable for all Americans. These lawsuits advance President Trump’s directive in Executive Order 14260, Protecting American Energy from State Overreach. “These burdensome and ideologically motivated laws and lawsuits threaten American energy independence and our country’s economic and national security,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The Department of Justice is working to ‘Unleash American Energy’ by stopping these illegitimate impediments to the production of affordable, reliable energy that Americans deserve.” “…According to the complaints filed yesterday in the U.S. District Courts for the District of Hawaii and the Western District of Michigan, Hawaii and Michigan intend to sue fossil fuel companies to seek damages for alleged climate change harms. The government alleges that these anticipated actions are preempted by the Clean Air Act and violate the Constitution. Such lawsuits burden energy production, force the American people to pay more for energy, and make the United States less able to defend itself from hostile foreign actors. Complaints filed today in U.S. District Courts for the Southern District of New York and for the District of Vermont challenge expropriative laws passed by New York and Vermont. These “climate superfund” laws would impose strict liability on energy companies for their worldwide activities extracting or refining fossil fuels. The laws assess penalties for those businesses’ purported contributions to harms that those states allegedly are experiencing from climate change. The New York law seeks $75 billion from energy companies, while the Vermont law seeks an unspecified amount. Today’s complaints allege that the New York Climate Change Superfund Act and the Vermont Climate Superfund Act are preempted by the federal Clean Air Act and by the federal foreign affairs power, and that they violate the U.S. Constitution. The Justice Department seeks a declaration that these state laws are unconstitutional and an injunction against their enforcement.”

Bloomberg: GOP Plans Billions in Oil, Gas Sales to Help Pay for Trump’s Tax Bill
Ari Natter, 5/1/25

“House Republicans plan to raise more than $15 billion in revenue through increasing US oil, gas and coal lease sales, as well as other measures, to help pay for President Donald Trump’s massive tax cut package, according to a document seen by Bloomberg. The document, prepared by the House Natural Resources Committee, details plans to mandate at least four sales in the coastal plain of Alaska’s Arctic Arctic National Wildlife Refuge within the next 10 years, and resume lease sales in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. Republicans also plan to resume quarterly onshore oil and gas lease sales as well as mandate new off shore leases sales, according to the document… “In addition, the legislation, which is slated to receive a vote in by the committee next week, includes a measure streamlining the federal permitting process for big projects, with a goal of major environmental reviews being completed in one year.”

E&E News: Natural Resources releases reconciliation text
Garrett Downs, 5/1/25

“The House Natural Resources Committee on Thursday unveiled its portion of the Republicans’ massive energy, tax and national security package ahead of a markup next week,” E&E News reports. “The legislation would mandate quarterly onshore oil and gas lease sales, new offshore lease sales in the western Gulf of Mexico and Alaska’s Cook Inlet and four new sales in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The bill would also return oil and gas royalties to pre-Inflation Reduction Act rates. That law raised onshore and offshore royalty rates to 16.67 percent from 12.5 percent for 10 years. Offshore royalties were capped at 18.75 percent. The proposal would introduce some narrow changes to the permitting process to accelerate timelines for energy projects. Those changes would limit environmental assessments and impact statements. The legislation takes language from the “Public Land Renewable Energy Development Act.” The bill would streamline permitting for renewable energy projects on public land and create a revenue-sharing model.”

E&E News: White House plans high-tech NEPA reviews
Hannah Northey, 4/30/25

“The White House is moving ahead with President Donald Trump’s plan of accelerating and infusing environmental reviews with technology — even as the guideposts for conducting those reviews continue to change,” E&E News reports. “The Council on Environmental Quality on Wednesday announced that it has established an internal “permitting innovation center” to helm the process of revamping and shortening agency reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, for everything from pipelines to mines and power plants. Katherine Scarlett, CEQ’s chief of staff, told agency heads in a memo that the council would lead the center, which was created in response to a directive that President Donald Trump inked in April… “The center will be responsible for ensuring data feeding into environmental reviews is processed more quickly; that agencies are leveraging technology; and that legal departments across the government have the support, funding and technology to defend permit decisions and environmental documents.”

Heatmap: The Cagey Congressional Committee Quietly Deciding the Fate of the IRA
Robinson Meyer, 5/1/25

“One of the most important fights over the Inflation Reduction Act’s survival has finally arrived. But it’s not playing out in the open. It’s happening behind the closed doors of a powerful House committee in charge of tax policy,” Heatmap reports. “The House Ways and Means Committee is writing its version of Republicans’ budget reconciliation bill, the centerpiece of President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda. The committee could release that text as soon as mid-May. And other than a few broad outlines — the text will extend Trump’s tax cuts for the wealthy, and it will increase the deficit by no more than $2.8 trillion — nobody has any idea what it will say. Whatever the final text, though, will give us the first real sense of how likely the Inflation Reduction Act’s tax credits are to survive in the Trump tax bill. After months of speculation and tea leaf-reading, the House Ways and Means Committee’s draft will represent an opening position of sorts for Republican leadership — and illustrate just how close to repeal the majority is willing to get…”

E&E News: Burgum wants to pay fossil companies when government halts projects
Heather Richards, 4/30/25

“Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said Wednesday the White House’s National Energy Dominance Council is mulling a plan to force the U.S. government to pay a penalty to energy companies if a president cancels fossil fuel or mining projects,” E&E News reports. “Future administrations should not be able to say, “No, with the stroke of a pen we’re going to kill this pipeline project,” even though that company has $3 billion in the ground,” Burgum said at the Hill and Valley Forum, in a nod to former President Joe Biden’s decision in 2021 to cancel a permit for the Keystone XL pipeline. “We’re working on a plan at NEDC where we’ve got to have sovereign risk insurance — not against a foreign country but against our own,” he said. Burgum continued: “If you put capital into a project that’s related to fossil fuels or a project related to critical minerals and mining … if somebody comes along in the future administration with an executive order, if they want to wipe out what you’ve invested in, they’ve got write you a check to pay you for your lost capital.”

Politico: Reps. Vasquez, Zinke to launch caucus to oppose public lands sales
Josh Siegel, 5/125

“Reps. Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) and Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.) are teaming up to launch a bipartisan public lands caucus as Republicans eye selling off federal land as a possible revenue raiser in their mega budget reconciliation bill,” Politico reports. “The duo hopes the bipartisan show of force helps squash any potential GOP effort to sell any public lands — located mostly in the West — to help build more affordable housing to address a nationwide shortage. They are launching the caucus of more than 10 members, most of whom represent western states and districts. Reps. Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) and Mike Simpson (R-Idaho) are co-chairs of the caucus, which has the support of the League of Conservation Voters, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, Outdoor Recreation Roundtable and other conservation groups.”

Grand Junction Daily Sentinel: Up for debate: Bureau of Land Management’s future HQ
Nathan Deal, 4/30/25

“The Bureau of Land Management’s future is up in the air regarding where it will call home, and opinions are divided on whether its headquarters should return to Grand Junction and stay there,” the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel reports. “Jeff Hurd (R-Grand Junction), representing Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District in the U.S. House, introduced a bill in February that would relocate the BLM headquarters from Washington, D.C., to Grand Junction — for the second time, as was the case in 2020 — and require congressional approval to move it again. Using that bill as background, the Steamboat Institute — a Colorado-based bipartisan organization hosting various debates at college campuses around the country — hosted a debate at Colorado Mesa University on Tuesday evening to go over both sides of the discussion. On one side, William Perry Pendley, the conservative former BLM acting director in the latter years of Donald Trump’s first presidency; and on the other, Mary Jo Rugwell, the director of the Public Lands Foundation and the former BLM state director in Wyoming who retired in 2019 after 35 years in the bureau.”

STATE UPDATES

Daily Montanan: Governor signs suite of bills changing Montana’s environmental laws
Micah Drew, 5/1/25

“Three state representatives joined Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte for a bill signing ceremony for five new laws making changes to the Montana Environmental Policy Act,” the Daily Montanan reports. “ …The suite of laws came as a direct response to the decision in the Held vs. Montana lawsuit, in which a district court judge found that the state could not limit the analysis of greenhouse gas emissions during the environmental review process. When the Montana Supreme Court upheld the ruling last December, incoming Republican legislative leaders told the courts to “buckle up” and brought a number of bills aimed at changing the judicial system as well as addressing the Held decision. “In the Held v. Montana court case, they tried to twist MEPA into something it was never meant to be — a tool to deny permits and block development,” House Speaker Brandon Ler, R-Savage, said at the signing ceremony. “With the signing of this MEPA reform package, we’re making it clear that Montana’s environmental policy is about reform decision making, not weaponizing and litigation.” Earlier during the session, House Democrats pushed back against many of the bills related to MEPA, including one brought by Ler. “Montanans expect us to defend their Constitutional right to breathe clean air and drink clean water, and that’s exactly what House Democrats did,” said Rep. Jonathan Karlen, D-Missoula, in a press release. “But some Republican politicians are determined to erode what makes Montana the last best place. We will continue to fight those efforts every step of the way.” “…The majority of bills introduced, including the five signed on Thursday sponsored by Republicans, put sideboards on the environmental review process and clarified the state’s existing laws… “Left unchecked, the rulings would have impacted our energy sector at a time when Americans have seen the cost of electricity soar nearly 30% over the last four years,” Gianforte said.”

E&E News: Interior green-lights Wyoming carbon storage project
Carlos Anchondo, 5/1/25

“A carbon storage project in southeastern Wyoming would not have a ‘significant impact’ on the environment, the Bureau of Land Management said Wednesday,” E&E News reports. “The decision clears the path for Tallgrass Energy to use 480 acres of underground federal ‘pore space’ for permanent CO2 sequestration. BLM, an Interior Department agency, issued both the finding of no significant impact and a decision record authorizing the ‘right-of-way’ for Tallgrass Energy’s Southeast Wyoming CO2 Sequestration Project. The project ‘will not result in a significant impact on the human, natural and physical environment,’ Timothy Novotny, field manager for BLM’s Rawlins Field Office, wrote in the finding. The decision comes roughly a month after BLM issued a similar finding of no significant impact for another Tallgrass Energy project in Wyoming’s southwest corner. The Southwest Wyoming CO2 Sequestration Project is being developed by Moxa Carbon Storage, a wholly owned subsidiary of Tallgrass Energy.”

Leesville Leader: Legislators reject all but one carbon capture bill
Nolan McKendry, 5/1/25

“Legislators rejected seven bills on Tuesday that would have greatly hindered the development of carbon capture and sequestration, a major blow to Louisiana constituents concerned about eminent domain and CO2 leaks,” the Leesville Leader reports. “…Senate Bill 73, from Sen. Mike Reese, R-Beauregard, passed without objection. The bill requires the commissioner of conservation to give significant weight to local government input when making decisions on carbon dioxide sequestration projects that involve public comments or hearings… “Opposition to the restrictive bills included industry and parish leaders from all over Louisiana, such as Anna Johnson, president of the West Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce, Ray Gregson, executive director of the River Regions Chamber of Commerce, Michael Hecht, president & CEO of Greater New Orleans and representatives from the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, Entergy, the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association and Landowners Association. The technology is a potential “game changing opportunity,” according to the River Region Chamber of Commerce… “Beyond economics, the chamber argued CCS is a proven, safe technology that has operated in the U.S. for decades, with more than 200 million tons of CO₂ safely stored underground since the 1970s… “There are currently over 20 bills filed which would’ve greatly limited the technology. Some of them function to give landowners and local communities more power in refusing carbon capture, others impose heavy regulations on the technology itself. Much of the testimony from witnesses expressed concerns on the use of eminent domain, which several bills aimed to address. “You have to give it back to people and let them have the right to vote,” Renne Savant, representing the Louisiana CO2 Alliance, told the Leader… “Roland Hollins, an Allen Parish Police Jury member, said that parishes are “being forced to take this poison that we don’t want.”

The Cool Down: State senators make unanimous vote on controversial development ban affecting 1 million residents: ‘This legislation is necessary’
Catherine Wilkins, 5/2/25

“Lawmakers have voted to ban carbon capture near the only water source for nearly 1 million people in Central Illinois — but the new bill is limited,” The Cool Down reports. “State senators decided unanimously to forbid carbon sequestration near the Mahomet Aquifer, according to Illinois Public Media. The ban is in response to contamination concerns raised by residents… “A late modification to the ban limited the area that would prohibit carbon storage. The original plan included the aquifer’s project review area, while the amended bill only included the Mahomet sole source aquifer area. One organization, Illinois People’s Action, supported the bill until the last-minute change. In response, the organization hosted a rally in protest. “We cannot in good conscience support this amendment knowing it is not less than an attempt to gut the original intent of the bill,” organizer Brent Lage said. The bill is headed to the House.”

Florida Politics: Lawmakers approve bill that restricts oil activity within 10 miles of Big Bend, Panhandle shores
Drew Dixon, 4/30/25

“The House has approved a bill that calls for limiting oil activity in certain environmentally sensitive areas of Florida,” Florida Politics reports. “Representatives had already approved the measure, but had to revisit the bill (HB 1143) after the Senate took up the issue last week. Senators adopted the House bill language, but added amendment language before approving it, kicking it back to the House for another review. The House bill was sponsored by Rep. Jason Shoaf, a St. Joe Republican whose House District 7 includes multiple counties in the Big Bend area along the northern Gulf Coast… “Florida has some of the most beautiful coastlines, springs and rivers. We experienced an oil spill 15 years ago, I believe last week,” Shoaf told FP. “It became a real grassroots effort to prohibit this activity this close to an area of critical state concern, an area that the state is investing millions and millions (of dollars) trying to restore the oyster industry. I felt it was our duty to step in and stop this and protect this area.” “…The bill is now headed to Gov. Ron DeSantis for review.”

Ojai Valley News: Federal public comment period opens on oil drilling in California coastal waters
Kimberly Rivers, 4/30/25

“On April 30, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior, announced a public-comment period open now through June 16 to receive input ‘in preparation of a National (Outer Continental Shelf — OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Program’ that would govern oil and gas leasing in federal waters off the American coastline, including off the California coast, starting in 2029,” Ojai Valley News reports. “A current oil and gas leasing program for U.S. federal waters is in effect until 2029. Two areas off the Ventura County coastline — the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary and the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary — would each typically be exempt from this type of program. However, the public-comment announcement for the new leasing program states that all areas will be studied in preparation for the new program. This effectively leaves open the possibility these National Marine Sanctuaries will be subject to lease sales for new oil and gas exploration and drilling.”

E&E News: Elon Musk’s xAI in Memphis: 35 gas turbines, no air pollution permits
Ariel Wittenberg, 5/1/25

“Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company is belching smog-forming pollution into an area of South Memphis that already leads the state in emergency department visits for asthma,” E&E News reports. “None of the 35 methane gas turbines that help power xAI’s massive supercomputer is equipped with pollution controls typically required by federal rules. The company has no Clean Air Act permits. In just 11 months since the company arrived in Memphis, xAI has become one of the largest emitters of smog-producing nitrogen oxides in Shelby County, an area whose air is already considered unhealthy due to smog. The turbines spew NOx at an estimated rate of 1,200 to 2,000 tons a year — far more than the gas-fired power plant across the street or the oil refinery down the road. That’s according to calculations by the Southern Environmental Law Center, which used turbine manufacturer spec sheets to estimate emissions. Just 3 miles away is Boxtown, a secluded neighborhood that officially became part of the city of Memphis in 1968, the year that the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel downtown… “Today, more than 90 percent of residents living in Boxtown’s ZIP code are Black, with a median household income of $36,000, according to the Census Bureau… “XAI’s main product is Musk’s chatbot, Grok, which also generates images… “Boxtown residents told E&E they have been paying for the images with their health… “Many see xAI as just the latest example of Memphis designating their community as a “sacrifice zone,” KeShaun Pearson, who leads the nonprofit Memphis Community Against Pollution, told E&E. Both his grandmothers died of cancer in their 60s, and Pearson blames pollution for their deaths. “It’s amazing when you grow up and realize how redlining has allowed these industries to kill your family,” he told E&E. “Elon Musk is a representation of the oligarchy we already knew was operating under Jim Crow. It’s a familiar evil.” “…They put our lungs and our air on the auction block and sold us to the richest man in the world,” state Rep. Justin Pearson, a Democrat and KeShaun Pearson’s brother, said at a protest Friday.”

Texas Tribune: Can Texas clean up fracking water enough to use for farming? One company thinks so.
Carlos Nogueras Ramos, 5/1/25

“On any given day, energy companies across the vast Permian Basin in West Texas inject millions of gallons of water into the dry brown earth, breaking up layers of rock on the hunt for crude oil,” the Texas Tribune reports. “As oil and gas are extracted, water flows back up. It is all but unusable — unless treated.Often referred to as produced water, the grimy backwash is full of dirt, minerals and hundreds of chemicals, some of which can be radioactive. Companies must dispose of it somehow. Most, with state permission, inject it underground. Increasingly, oil producers are cleaning it up just enough to reuse it for more fracking. Now, amid a growing water crisis, there is interest in oil country — and Austin — to clean the water further for agriculture and other industries. Texas Pacific Water Resources is one company leading the effort. The West Texas company says it has developed methods to clean the water sufficiently to be released into bodies of water that can be used by farmers. And it’s seeking state permission to expand its operation, with the hope of sending millions of gallons up the Pecos River to parched farm land. “We’ve seen in testing the soil and the crops that no contamination was detected,” Adrienne Lopez, a research manager at Texas Pacific, told the Tribune. “The soil’s been perfectly healthy, as well as the plants.” “…Meanwhile, supporters of cleaning fracking water, however, caution this effort is years away from saving the state from its water crisis… “Decisions regarding produced water discharge should not be driven by urgency, Jennifer Walker, senior director of the Texas Coast and Water Program at the National Wildlife Federation, told the Tribune. She told the Tribune questions remain about how reliable the treatment methods are, whether there is enough energy to sustain them and the costs. “We need to take our time and be really, really careful about this and build a lot of trust around it if this is the path that we’re going to go down,” she told the Tribune.”

Inside Climate News: Plans Advance for Huge New Exxon Plastics Plant in Texas
Dylan Baddour, 5/1/25

“Plans for a large new plastics plant on the Gulf Coast of Texas crept forward on Tuesday evening when officials at a small, rural school district moved to enter into tax break negotiations with ExxonMobil, the project developer,” Inside Climate News reports. “The Calhoun County Independent School District board voted unanimously at a public hearing to begin developing the terms for an agreement with Exxon on its plan to build a $10 billion complex nearby… “Exxon, world’s largest private oil company, has proposed to build a “world scale” plastics plant in Calhoun County, population 20,000, according to the tax abatement application it filed with the district in December. The project would pipe in gas from the Permian Basin to produce up to 3 million annual tons of plastic polyethylene pellets for export, primarily to Asia, according to the 97-page application, making it potentially among the largest such plants on earth. It would not be Exxon’s only such plant on the Gulf Coast of Texas, alongside others in Beaumont, Baytown and Gregory. The project follows a period of steep growth in U.S. plastics production, fueled by cheap gas from the oilfields of Texas and beyond… “Exxon, which reported nearly $34 billion in profits in 2024, is seeking a 50 percent reduction in its school district property taxes for 10 years, beginning in 2031, when the project would come online. It’s one of hundreds of similar agreements under various programs across Texas.”

FOX Weather: Crews race to clean up oil spill along Louisiana coastline
Andrew Wulfeck, 4/30/25

“Nearly 200 personnel are working to contain an oil spill along the coast of Louisiana that threatens to pollute marshes around Plaquemines Parish,” FOX Weather reports. “According to the U.S. Coast Guard, the agency was alerted to a leaking well about 20 miles southeast of Venice over the weekend… “The agency reports that more than 23,000 gallons of oily water have been collected so far, and drone video shows streaks of a brownish-black substance along the shoreline… “Officials remain concerned about the potential impact on wildlife, including birds, fish and other species that inhabit the marshlands… “Officials have not disclosed what may have triggered the well to start leaking, nor whether elevated water levels from the Mississippi River are complicating containment and cleanup efforts.”

EXTRACTION

Canadian Energy Centre: Alberta oil sands projects poised to grow on lower costs, strong reserves
4/30/25

“As geopolitical uncertainty ripples through global energy markets, a new report says Alberta’s oil sands sector is positioned to grow thanks to its lower costs,” according to the Canadian Energy Centre. “Enverus Intelligence Research’s annual Oil Sands Play Fundamentals forecasts producers will boost output by 400,000 barrels per day (bbls/d) by the end of this decade through expansions of current operations. “Existing oil sands projects deliver some of the lowest-breakeven oil in North America at WTI prices lower than $50 U.S. dollars,” said Trevor Rix, a director with the Calgary-based research firm, a subsidiary of Enverus which is headquartered in Texas with operations in Europe and Asia… “A recent sector-wide reserves analysis by McDaniel & Associates found the oil sands holds about 167 billion barrels of reserves, compared to about 20 billion barrels in Texas… “Added pipeline capacity through expansion of the Trans Mountain system and Enbridge’s Mainline have added an incentive to expand production, Rix said.”

BBC: CO2 capture project hopes to bring ‘quality’ jobs
Louise Parry, 5/1/25

“A company behind one of the UK’s first carbon capture projects hopes to provide “high quality green jobs” in the region,” the BBC reports. “Mission Zero’s direct air capture plant at Wretham in Norfolk will remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and use it to create limestone building materials… “It previously had to import manufactured CO2, but will now also be able to use the gas captured on site by the Mission Zero system, which the two companies claim is a world first… “The UK emitted an estimated 406.2 million tonnes of greenhouse gases in 2022, whereas Mission Zero’s plant is able to remove 250 tonnes of CO2 per year.”

Montel: Critics see no room for carbon capture in German power
Nathan Witkop, 5/2/25

“Friedrich Merz’s Christian Union (CDU/CSU) coalition with Social Democrats (SPD) plans to tender for up to 20 GW of gas-fired generation by 2030 to improve energy security as Germany shuts down ageing coal stations. It also hopes to pass a law by summer to enable CCS for gas plants and industrial emissions,” Montel reports. “In our view, CCS does not make sense for electricity generation,” Fabian Huneke, an electricity system expert for the Agora Energiewende think tank, told Montel. “The costs for capturing CO2 are so high that it only pays off with a certain number of full-load hours.” Estimates ranged from 1,500-4,000 hours of operation needed per year for CCS in conjunction with a gas-fired power plant, Huneke told Montel. “We see that as the energy transition progresses, fewer and fewer power plants get so many full-load hours. That makes investment in CCS-power plants expensive and raises system costs. The technology should instead be focused on industry.” “Any proposal to add carbon capture or direct air capture will simply increase… carbon dioxide in the air,” Stanford University professor Mark Z Jacobson told Montel. Policies that promoted CCS or direct air capture for electricity should be abandoned, according to a paper he recently co-authored with researchers who compared the technologies against clean energy alternatives in 149 countries for the journal Environmental Science & Technology. “Both require lots of energy and even in the best case of using renewable energy, that… can no longer be used to replace a fossil fuel source and its corresponding CO2, pollution and mining.”

OPINION

The Cap Times: DNR approved Line 5; it’s time to move ahead
Neil Sickich, 5/1/25

“Dear Editor: Last fall the Wisconsin DNR issued the permits for the Enbridge Line 5 relocation project. After a more than four-year review, several public comment periods, several public hearings and an environmental review document that was hundreds of pages long, the DNR decided the Line 5 project met all environmental standards to move forward,” Neil Sickich writes for The Cap Times. “Sadly, opponents of the project are now not only using the legal process to try and reverse the DNR permits, but they are also trying to get the federal government to stop the project by using absurd arguments that could impact any construction project throughout our region. I have personally worked on Enbridge projects as well as countless other pipeline projects in and outside of Wisconsin… “I have complete confidence the Line 5 relocation project will be done safely and with minimal impact on the environment.”

Edmonton Journal: Carney needs to build a pipeline
Chris Rudnisky, 5/2/25

“Keith Gerein has it wrong, again. The Liberals don’t need to rely on the Bloc or the NDP if instead they do what the majority of Canadians want them to do: Achieve energy independence (build a pipeline that allows Canada to use its own oil and gas instead of importing it), eliminate the discount we have to sell our oil assets at, prevent a hostile neighbour from stopping domestic oil and gas transmission and increase our ability to export cleaner natural gas to countries that burn coal to generate electricity,” Chris Rudnisky writes for the Edmonton Journal. “All of these things will increase jobs and wealth in Canada, reduce global emissions and simultaneously blunt the impact of Trump’s whims. If our prime minister does this, he will find an overwhelming majority of MPs vote in favour, and in so doing, would earn my vote too.”

Forbes: The Battle Over The Constitution Pipeline
Daniel Markind, 5/1/25

“In 2020, following a bitter eight-year fight, Williams Corporation canceled its plans to build the Constitution Pipeline,” Daniel Markind writes for Forbes. “…Fought tooth and nail by the administration of then New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) refused to issue the pipeline a Water Quality Certificate (WQC) under Section 401 of the Federal Clean Water Act, even though the existing pipeline infrastructure could have easily accommodated and allowed a new gas source with little extra fanfare. The Cuomo administration essentially claimed that, by depriving the project of the ability to move gas through New York to New England, where it was (and still is) most needed, this would somehow encourage and accelerate New York State’s conversion to so-called “green” or renewable energy as a whole. In effect, New York claimed the right to dictate energy policy for all of New England, whether the citizens who actually reside in that region accepted and agreed with New York’s energy policies, or not… “Enter the Trump Administration. On Friday, March 14, President Trump met with current New York Governor Kathy Hochul to try to get the pipeline project back on track… “Environmentalists howled… “As President Trump pushes for a resurrection of the Constitution Pipeline, northeast governors like Maura Healy of Massachusetts and Ned Lamont of Connecticut face enormous pressure over high energy costs. If the Constitution Pipeline ever gets built, it will be another signal of a massive shift in United States policy toward economic and environmental realism and away from “Green New Deal” idealism.”

The Hill: Stop gambling taxpayer dollars on Arctic drilling delusions
Steve Ellis is president of Taxpayers for Common Sense. Patrick Berry is president and CEO of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers, 4/30/25

“Congress is once again floating the idea of using projected oil and gas revenues from leasing in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to offset rising deficits. But new lease sales in the Refuge aren’t just a bad fiscal bet — they also threaten one of Alaska’s most dependable economic engines: outdoor recreation,” Steve Ellis and Patrick Berry write for The Hill. “…The Arctic Refuge’s coastal plain is not just a remote stretch of wilderness; it’s a vital ecosystem owned by all Americans that sustains Alaskan livelihoods through hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation. Hunters and anglers rely on the Arctic Refuge’s habitat, home to migrating caribou, nesting waterfowl, and fish species like Arctic char and Dolly Varden trout. This isn’t empty land — it’s an economic anchor for the region. Outdoor recreation provides stable jobs and reliable revenue for Alaskan communities. The most recent data highlights that outdoor recreation accounts for nearly 5 percent of Alaska’s economy — it added more than $3 billion to the state economy in 2023 and supports 6 percent of Alaska’s jobs. By pushing speculative oil leases, lawmakers are jeopardizing the reliable revenue that outdoor recreation generates for local communities and the country. Sacrificing one sector’s proven economic gains for uncertain drilling prospects is fiscally irresponsible and shortsighted.”

Offshore Magazine: Operators need to modernize offshore spill management
Árpád Török is the founder and CEO of FullSulate Ltd., leading the development and global B2B marketing of sustainable technologies for oil spill remediation and environmental risk mitigation, 4/30/25

“In the offshore oil and gas industry, one of the most persistent risks to operations, reputation and ecosystems remains oil spills. This is not because the industry lacks solutions, but rather because it consistently fails to implement them. Despite a surge in technological advancement, Europe’s offshore oil spill response remains fragmented legally, operationally and technically,” Árpád Török writes for Offshore Magazine.