EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 6/5/23

PIPELINE NEWS

• NPR: A closer look at the Mountain Valley Pipeline greenlit in debt ceiling deal

• The American Prospect: Manchin’s Pipeline Payoff Strangles Future Permitting Reform Negotiations

• WV News: ‘This is the most valuable pipeline in America’: Sen. Manchin visits Bridgeport, West Virginia, Mountain Valley Pipeline site

• Bloomberg: Mystery Trader’s Debt-Ceiling Windfall Sparks Insider Concerns

• KXNET: Public Service Commission hosts 5th hearing about CO2 pipeline project

• KCUR: Pipelines that would store CO2 beneath Midwest states make some landowners nervous

• Pipeline Fighters Hub: Victims & First Responders from Satartia, MS CO2 Pipeline Rupture Speak Out Alongside Landowners During Federal CO2 Pipeline Public Safety Meeting

• Seeking Alpha: Enbridge slashes tolls for Mainline system, setting up pipeline price war

• Pipestone Star: Pipeline reroute project possible

• WPDE: Pamplico residents continue to fight natural gas pipeline

• Bloomberg: A $4 Billion Oil Pipeline Creates a Climate Dilemma for Africa

WASHINGTON UPDATES

• Reuters: Biden signs debt limit bill, avoiding U.S. default

• The Hill: Manchin thanks GOP for permitting reform in debt deal

• New York Times: Biden’s Debt Deal Strategy: Win in the Fine Print

• New York Times: The Debt Limit Deal and Climate Action

• E&E News: House Republicans to dissect EPA power plant rule

• Carbon Herald: NETL Creates Expansive Carbon Capture Pipeline Route Planning Database

• InsideClimate News: Federal Hydrogen Program Is Cutting Out Local Groups, Threatening Climate Goals, Advocates Say

• E&E News: House Republicans to host another anti-ESG hearing

• Yale Climate Connections: Report card: Biden’s accomplishments on climate justice

• E&E News: EPA promised clarity, transparency after Ohio train derailment. But some air monitors didn’t work.

STATE UPDATES

• Associated Press: Oregon youths’ climate lawsuit against US government can proceed to trial, judge rules

EXTRACTION

• Bloomberg: Trudeau Is Betting $9 Billion on a Plan to Clean Up the World’s Dirtiest Oil

• CBC: This company wants to turn Canada’s oceans into a carbon-capture engine. Here’s how

• Washington Post: Breweries are starting to capture carbon — from beer

• TIME: IEA Head Fatih Birol Wants The Fossil Fuel Industry To Set Climate Targets

• Axios: Top COP28 official: Oil, gas should be at the climate table

• Washington Post: Diplomats agree to craft a draft global plastics treaty

• Reuters: Exxon CEO says 5-year program could double its shale output

• NPR: Boom-bust cycles are normal for the U.S. oil industry, but that may be changing

• InsideClimate News: Disruptive Climate Protests Spur Police Raids in Germany and the US

• Associated Press: Berlin police record jump in angry motorists attacking road-blocking climate activists

• Financial Times: The money behind the coming wave of climate litigation

CLIMATE FINANCE

• Bloomberg: Citi’s Jane Fraser Interrupted by Protesters During Bernstein Event

• E&E News: A new energy battleground: Insurance for LNG terminals

• Edie: Are major asset managers greenwashing with their net-zero targets?

OPINION

• The Messenger: Why Didn’t the Senate Block the Debt Ceiling Bill’s Awful Climate Provisions?

• CleanTechnica: The Math Of Squashing Pipelines & Stopping Global Heating

• NOLA.com: State senator: Carbon capture is poised to bring economic prosperity

• The Hill: Billions in hydrogen tax credits could be given to polluters

• The Tyee: The Lie of a Cleaner Oilsands

• Wall Street Journal: Can the Climate Heal Itself? Dissenters from the catastrophe consensus on warming are worth listening to.

PIPELINE NEWS

NPR: A closer look at the Mountain Valley Pipeline greenlit in debt ceiling deal
Dave Mistich, 6/4/23

“The federal government finally managed to raise the debt ceiling to avoid default and potential economic catastrophe at the 11th hour, but the bill which achieves that, dubbed the Fiscal Responsibility Act, does a lot more than just lift the debt limit,” NPR reports. “It also expands work requirements for some benefit recipients, ends the moratorium on federal student loan repayment and fast tracks the long-stalled, controversial Mountain Valley pipeline across West Virginia and into Virginia. NPR’s Dave Mistich takes a look at that natural gas line, the controversy surrounding it and why it’s included in this legislation. DAVE MISTICH, BYLINE: Maury Johnson was in a bit of a rush earlier this week. He was in the middle of a four-hour drive, barreling down the road from his home in Monroe County, W. Va., toward Washington, D.C… “The 62-year-old former teacher and farmer had planned on a relaxing Memorial Day to kick off the summer. Instead, Johnson learned that legislation to lift the nation’s debt ceiling included a section that would greenlight the Mountain Valley Pipeline, so he packed up again and got back on the road. JOHNSON: I’ve been up there a lot this spring – two weeks, one week, and I was home for a few days and back up there for 2 1/2 weeks just lobbying, talking to Congress and telling how bad this is. MISTICH: First proposed in 2014, the more than 300-mile Mountain Valley Pipeline, or MVP, stretches across the heart of West Virginia and into Virginia. It cuts through a national forest and through Johnson’s property. Work on the MVP has been off and on since 2018, as landowners and other opponents have brought a number of court challenges against the project. Johnson says the construction that has been accomplished has caused all sorts of problems. JOHNSON: Just myself, I have documented 240 or more water resource problems all across the state, all the way from Mobley, W. Va., where this thing starts, all the way to the top of Peters Mountain on the border of Virginia and Monroe County.”

The American Prospect: Manchin’s Pipeline Payoff Strangles Future Permitting Reform Negotiations
JAROD FACUNDO, 6/2/23

“Tucked inside the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA), which purportedly focuses on federal spending, were some critical handouts for Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), including an expedited approval process for the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP),” The American Prospect reports. “…The pipeline’s inclusion, The Washington Post reported earlier this week, was a returned favor from the White House in exchange for Manchin’s vote for the Inflation Reduction Act. Other reports from Fox, according to people close to negotiations, suggest that House Republicans led the way on the MVP, which Manchin helped clinch only toward the end of negotiations… “But there were other reasons why the GOP might have seen it in their interest to give up the pipeline: The political turn of events that passage will set in motion could hold back the cause of clean energy for years, in a boost for the fossil fuel industry… “But now the Fiscal Responsibility Act has cannibalized Manchin’s bill, enacting primarily the elements attractive to conservatives and pro-fossil fuel interests, while leaving the key ask for clean-energy advocates behind. This leaves environmental justice groups and progressives without leverage for future permitting reform negotiations… “The administration did not appear to secure promises from Manchin for future votes in exchange for the pipeline… “In exchange for the NEPA alterations and the Pipeline Payoff, Democrats received a study on transmission line expansion that won’t be finished for years… “Everyone involved in the process knows that a study is Washington-speak for not actually doing anything. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has reportedly given his word to President Biden to engage in discussions for a broader permitting reform down the road. But as Heatmap’s Robinson Meyer has explained, it’s hard to see how that can come together now. The elements of a permitting deal that would be attractive to Republicans and Manchin have already passed. Meanwhile, one of the most critical components for connecting renewable energy to the grid was kicked down the road. What Democrats and climate advocates would have to give up in a compromise would likely be too great, or would nullify the climate benefits of transmission reform. As Dana Johnson, senior director of strategy and federal policy for WE ACT for Environmental Justice, told the Prospect: “I’m not sure that we have a bargaining chip and I’m not sure that anyone will come back to the table and work on a stand-alone [permitting reform] bill … There is no incentive.”

WV News: ‘This is the most valuable pipeline in America’: Sen. Manchin visits Bridgeport, West Virginia, Mountain Valley Pipeline site
Amelia Pearson,  6/2/23

“In light of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, Senator Joe Manchin is visiting the work grounds of the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) throughout the state of West Virginia,” WV News reports. “Manchin, who spearheaded the effort to include MVP support in the bill, is excited to see the pipeline up and running and for West Virginia to see an economic boom and a job increase. In a press event on June 3, Manchin visited the MVP construction site in Bridgeport, West Virginia and discussed how the passage of the bill was a “team effort.”

Bloomberg: Mystery Trader’s Debt-Ceiling Windfall Sparks Insider Concerns
Austin Weinstein and Geoffrey Morgan, 6/4/23

“The US government’s move to greenlight a 300-mile natural gas pipeline as part of legislation to stave off a Treasury default shocked just about everyone, except for a mystery trader who somehow appears to have seen it coming,” Bloomberg reports. “On Wall Street, analysts had mostly expected vague promises on energy permits to be included in a bill to raise the US debt ceiling. Yet, options trading suggests something bigger may have been in the Offing. On May 24 — several days before an agreement was announced — a huge bullish bet was made on Equitrans Midstream Corp., data compiled by Bloomberg show. The company is deeply involved in the long-delayed Mountain Valley Pipeline. The wager involved snapping up 100,000 call options on the firm’s stock. It proved prescient and wildly profitable within just a few days… “On paper, the bet appears to have earned $7.5 million through Friday. It has some asking whether more than skill and luck played a role. “My questions are: Who’s the trader? How sophisticated are they? And what are their connections to the government?” Donald Sherman, chief counsel at the ethics watchdog Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, told Bloomberg. He added the bet raises the specter of whether the parameters of the debt deal had somehow leaked out ahead of time. Digging into whether a trade is improperly based on confidential information is notoriously difficult, especially when it involves market-moving news from inside the government. The rules are also rife with gray areas and ambiguities. Officials, including members of Congress, are barred from trading on confidential information they learned in their position. But if, for example, someone overhears a Congressional staffer loudly mention a piece of information on the train, they’re likely in the clear.”

KXNET: Public Service Commission hosts 5th hearing about CO2 pipeline project
Christina Randall, 6/2/23

“North Dakota landowners piled inside the auditorium at the North Dakota Heritage Center on Friday,” KXNET reports. “The North Dakota Public Service Commission — also known as PSC — held an additional public hearing regarding the proposed carbon dioxide pipeline in North Dakota… “CO2 is a whole different animal. It is not at all like other pipelines and there is too little known about it,” said Susan Doppler, a Bismarck resident against the CO2 pipeline project. Many landowners are worried about the risks of having a CO2 pipeline so close to Bismarck. And Summit Carbon Solutions says with any pipeline there is a risk. “Pipelines are under pressure, our pipeline is under pressure and so anything under pressure even a water line there is a risk associated with that but the risk is much less in my opinion than the gas pipelines that run through Bismarck. Much less than the railroads that run through Bismarck,” Jimmy Powell, the chief operating officer of Summit Carbon Solutions, told KXNET… “And landowners are frustrated with the company — stating that Summit Carbon Solutions is impossible to work with. “And Summit is, you can’t work with Summit,” said Doppler… “Then there is the question of transparency. North Dakotans believe Summit Carbon Solutions is purposely keeping vital information about the pipeline from the public… “Because there are so many unknowns about the CO2 pipeline, many North Dakotans wish the pipeline project would just disappear. “We would like to see the pipeline go away. But that’s not likely to happen. Change the route but that isn’t the answer either because then someone else has to deal with it,” said Doppler.

KCUR: Pipelines that would store CO2 beneath Midwest states make some landowners nervous
Chandler Johnson, 5/30/23

“Karen Brocklesby describes herself as a farm wife and a mother — but over the past several months, she’s also become somewhat of an activist,” KCUR reports. “Brocklesby lives in Christian County, Illinois. She’s one of many rural landowners there fighting to keep a company called Navigator Ventures LLC from injecting carbon dioxide beneath her farmland. “This potential for damaging the water for the future – to me, it just is foolishness. Especially in areas that are good farming areas,” Brockelsby told KCUR. Brockelsby has a list of concerns about carbon sequestration… “Landowners like Brockelsby have been organizing for months to stop companies from acquiring the land rights they need to store carbon. “I would like to slow them down to the point where they give up on Illinois entirely,” Brockelsby told KCUR… “Demonstration projects like ADM have been able to prove points, over time, that this absolutely can be done successfully and safely,” Navigator spokesperson Elizabeth Burns-Thompson told KCUR. But whereas ADM is storing around a million metric tons of carbon, Burns-Thompson has said that Navigator will capture 15-million metric tons each year. And that makes landowners like Brockelsby nervous. “I mean what they’re doing at ADM I think is, like, 3% of what they’re proposing to do here in my neighborhood,” she told KCUR. mLarge scale sequestration projects have been done before. The problem, John Harju of the Energy and Environmental Research Center at the University of North Dakota, told KCUR,  is that there haven’t been that many. “There’s not a lot of on the ground projects. And, you know, where do you go look at a few projects to build confidence that this does work?” Harju told KCUR… “But landowners there have questions, and many are concerned about a North Dakota law that could compel them to sell pore space beneath their land to pipeline companies. State Sen. Jeff Magrum told KCUR landowners should have the right not to sell, especially as they grapple with worries over safety.”

Pipeline Fighters Hub: Victims & First Responders from Satartia, MS CO2 Pipeline Rupture Speak Out Alongside Landowners During Federal CO2 Pipeline Public Safety Meeting
6/1/23

“Landowners and advocates from a half-dozen states converged on Des Moines, IA this Wednesday, May 31 and Thursday, June 1 to attend the U.S. Dept. of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) “Public Meeting on Carbon Dioxide Pipeline Safety” to be held at the Des Moines Marriott Downtown. The Public Meeting focused on the thousands of miles of proposed carbon dioxide (CO2) pipeline projects that are pushing for permits and suing landowners via eminent domain to gain access to their land, and inform PHMSA’s current rulemaking it has undertaken to update federal carbon pipeline safety regulations. During the event, Bold Alliance hosted a separate panel after the conclusion of the first day’s program featuring a number of first responders and victims from the 2020 Denbury carbon pipeline rupture in Satartia, Mississippi. SPEAKERS: Gerald Briggs (Fire Coordinator, Warren County, MS); Jack Willingham (Yazoo County EMA Director); DeEmmeris “Debrae” Burns (Satartia victim); Dan Zegart (Journalist) View the recording: “Satartia First Responders & Victims Panel”: https://fb.watch/kUwjWi2gE- Bold Alliance also delivered a petition during the event urging U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and PHMSA to issue a ruling that assures current regulations apply to pipelines carrying CO2 in all phases, and clear up the confusion and misinformation being spread by CO2 pipeline developers on what actions states, counties, and municipalities may undertake to protect their communities against the dangers of a CO2 pipeline rupture and other concerns. The petition included over 2,200 signatures and hundreds of written comments from concerned citizens. “Carbon pipelines are dangerous and there are too many unknowns to proceed with any pipeline approval process in any state. Too many lives and communities are at risk. We need PHMSA to put people, communities and infrastructure ahead of these greedy carbon pipeline land grabs,” said Jessica Mazour, Iowa Sierra Club. “Carbon pipeline companies and their unproven projects for carbon capture are due to government funding and greedy, out-of-state and foreign investors. Nebraska has zero state regulations or state agency that would give due process to landowners facing eminent domain on these types of pipelines.  The risk is ALL on the landowner/farmer, not to mention the small rural communities not equipped to handle ruptures that will kill people and livestock. These companies want our land, water and energy to run the pipelines. We need PHMSA to put the rural people first who have worked the land all their lives and deserve to be treated fairly and with respect,” said Shelli Meyer, impacted landowner and Nebraska Easement Action Team organizer.

Seeking Alpha: Enbridge slashes tolls for Mainline system, setting up pipeline price war
Carl Surran, 6/2/23

“Canada looks poised for a pipeline price war, Bloomberg reported Friday, as Enbridge (NYSE:ENB) has sharply cut the rates it charges producers to ship crude on its Mainline system before the rival Trans Mountain pipeline starts up next year,” according to Seeking Alpha. “The cost to send heavy crude from the Hardisty, Alberta, oil hub to terminals in Flanagan, Illinois, will drop ~12% to $28.80/cm on July 1, based on current exchange rates, Enbridge (ENB) said in a regulatory filing. Most of the 590K bbl/day of additional capacity on Trans Mountain will be reserved under long-term contracts, and its route from Alberta to the Pacific Coast near Vancouver allows producers to diversify their sales away from U.S. refiners. By contrast, the 3M bbl/day Mainline system does not offer long-term contracts and connects to the U.S. Gulf Coast refiners that already take most of Canada’s crude. But the Trans Mountain expansion project is behind schedule and plagued by rapidly rising costs, some of which likely will be passed on to shippers via higher tolls, which have not yet been released.”

Pipestone Star: Pipeline reroute project possible
Sirrina Martinez, 6/2/23

“Oklahoma-based Magellan Midstream Partners is considering rerouting a pipeline in Pipestone County after operation of a pipeline under federal property ceased operation Oct. 1,” the Pipestone Star reports. “The pipeline that runs through a portion of the northwest section of the Pipestone National Monument and through the center of the Pipestone Creek Unit of the Northern Tallgrass Prairie National Wildlife Refuge was decommissioned due to concerns about a potential spillage impacting the quarries at the Monument and the wildlife refuge area. According to a permit packet sent to the Pipestone County Star the decommissioned section of the line was abandoned in place to avoid disturbing potential culturally and environmentally significant sites. Magellan submitted a permit application to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) on April 10 for the reroute. Garrison Haning, director of government and media affairs with Magellan, told the Star that the reroute request is based on of the request made by Gov. Tim Walz and seven other Midwest governors for a waiver that would facilitate higher ethanol blends. “If finalized by the U.S. EPA, this action essentially mandates two new boutique grades of gasoline that facilitates E15 (15 percent ethanol blend), which are not currently available in Minnesota or South Dakota,” Haning told teh Star. “While Magellan had originally planned to decommission the Pipestone segment of the line, the Midwest governors’ request may significantly limit available fuel for the area. For this reason, and to help ensure stable fuel supply in the region, Magellan began developing reroutes in the area.” “…Documents in the permit packet show that Magellan Midstream Partners has been in contact with the 23 tribes affiliated with the Pipestone National Monument, as well as other stakeholders in the area. Currently, the packet is awaiting review and approval by the Minnesota PUC.”

WPDE: Pamplico residents continue to fight natural gas pipeline
Shawnia Butler, 6/3/23

“For about three years now, Pamplico residents have been fighting a natural gas pipeline from being placed in their backyards,” WPDE reports. “Today the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League held an informational meeting in the Pamplico Library, about the proposed Dominion Energy pipeline. Neighbors were able to voice their concerns and opinions while gaining more knowledge on the impact the pipeline will have. Dominion energy says the pipeline would be along Old River Road near Kingsburg in Florence County. They also said the natural gas pipeline will meet current and future customer needs. BREDL Executive Director Kathy Andrews feels differently, she says not only will this contaminate the water but the wildlife drinking from it. “You drinking water comes from the Great Pee Dee River so think about it, there’s a possibility of water contamination a real possibility of toxic water contamination, devastating explosions, they’ve happened across the country and health problems,” Andrews told WPDE. Her team is suing the department of health and environmental control for granting Dominion Energy a 401-water permit. The defense league is also trying to keep DHEC from allowing Dominion Energy to obtain a 404 permit which will allow them to fill material into wetlands.”

Bloomberg: A $4 Billion Oil Pipeline Creates a Climate Dilemma for Africa
Fred Ojambo and Laura Millan, 6/5/23

“Nelson Mugisha’s rural farming community near the shores of Uganda’s Lake Albert is lush and green — and woefully underdeveloped. Now, more than 15 years after oil was discovered in the area, a $4 billion pipeline project promises to change everything,” Bloomberg reports. “The consortium behind the project — which includes the Ugandan and Tanzanian governments, France’s TotalEnergies SE and China’s Cnooc Ltd. — say the 900-mile East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline, or EACOP, will create thousands of jobs and generate billions of dollars in government revenues. Opponents, including Ugandan activists, European parliament members and Western environmental groups, argue that the project — which will involve drilling hundreds of oil wells in and around nature reserves — will destroy delicate ecosystems and increase emissions at a time when the world should be moving away from fossil fuels. They have already convinced several banks and insurers to withhold support for the pipeline, delaying the project’s financial close — now expected to happen later this year… “The involvement of foreign companies — often based in developed nations with ambitious climate targets — further complicates the picture… “Environmentalists have raised concerns that endangered animals like elephants and chimpanzees will be impacted as the pipeline cuts through four nature reserves.”

WASHINGTON UPDATES

Reuters: Biden signs debt limit bill, avoiding U.S. default
Trevor Hunnicutt, 6/3/23

“President Joe Biden on Saturday signed a bill that suspends the U.S. government’s $31.4 trillion debt ceiling, averting what would have been a first-ever default with just two days to spare,” Reuters reports. “…Biden signed the bill at the White House a day after hailing it as a bipartisan triumph in his first-ever Oval Office address to the nation as president. The bill signing, which was closed to the press, marked a low-key, symbolic end to a crisis that vexed Washington for months, forced Biden to cut short an international trip in Asia and threatened to push the United States to the brink of an unprecedented economic crisis. “Thank you to Speaker McCarthy, Leader Jeffries, Leader Schumer, and Leader McConnell for their partnership,” the White House said in a statement announcing the bill’s signing, naming the Democratic and Republican leaders of the House and Senate. Officials later released a ten-second clip of Biden silently signing the document at the White House. “It was critical to reach an agreement, and it’s very good news for the American people,” Biden said on Friday. “No one got everything they wanted. But the American people got what they needed.”

The Hill: Manchin thanks GOP for permitting reform in debt deal
SARAH FORTINSKY, 6/4/23

“Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) thanked Republicans on Sunday for helping secure permitting reform in the debt ceiling bill, a provision he has long fought to pass despite some pushback from factions of both parties,” The Hill reports. “ “Oh, I say thank you. Absolutely. A big thank you for [Speaker] Kevin McCarthy [R-Calif.] and his leadership team. Our Republican colleagues in the Senate, all of us, have spearheaded this thing from day one,” Manchin said on “Fox News Sunday” with Shannon Bream… “It became a political football last year,” Manchin said on Sunday. “We took it out of that arena and now good policy has come through.” “…The bill was passed by both chambers this week and was signed into law by President Biden Saturday, just two days before the Treasury’s deadline of June 5.”

New York Times: Biden’s Debt Deal Strategy: Win in the Fine Print
Jim Tankersley, 6/3/23

“Shalanda Young couldn’t sleep. A small team of Biden administration officials had spent the past two days in intense negotiations with House Republicans in an attempt to avert a catastrophic government default. Ms. Young, the White House budget director, had been trading proposals on federal spending caps with negotiators deputized by Speaker Kevin McCarthy, whose Republican caucus was refusing to raise the nation’s $31.4 trillion borrowing limit without deep cuts,” the New York Times reports. “Now, as she scrolled Netflix in search of “bad television” to distract her racing mind, Ms. Young had a sinking feeling. What if she cut a deal to reduce spending and raise the debt limit, only to see Republicans attempt to force through much deeper cuts when it came time to pass annual appropriations bills this fall? At work the next morning, Ms. Young asked her staff how to stop that from happening. They settled on a plan, which in essence would penalize Republicans’ most cherished spending programs if they failed to follow the contours of the agreement. Then they forced Republicans to include that plan in the legislative text codifying the deal. That approach reflected a broader strategy President Biden’s team followed in the debt limit negotiations, according to interviews with current and former administration officials, some Republicans and other people familiar with the talks… “In pursuit of an agreement, the Biden team was willing to give Republicans victory after victory on political talking points, which they realized Mr. McCarthy needed to sell the bill to his conference. They let Mr. McCarthy’s team claim in the end that the deal included deep spending cuts, huge clawbacks of unspent federal coronavirus relief money and stringent work requirements for recipients of federal aid. But in the details of the text and the many side deals that accompanied it, the Biden team wanted to win on substance. With one large exception — a $20 billion cut in enforcement funding for the Internal Revenue Service — they believe they did. The way administration officials see it, the full final agreement’s spending cuts are nothing worse than they would have expected in regular appropriations bills passed by a divided Congress. They agreed to structure the cuts so they appeared to save $1.5 trillion over a decade in the eyes of the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. But thanks to the side deals — including some accounting tricks — White House officials estimate that the actual cuts could total as little as $136 billion over the two enforceable years of the spending caps that are central to the agreement.”

New York Times: The Debt Limit Deal and Climate Action
Manuela Andreoni and Brad Plumer, 6/2/23

“President Biden and Congress have wrangled a big political deal to raise the country’s debt ceiling. Tucked into that deal are some changes to how the government approves new projects that bear on the country’s climate goals, whether pipelines or bus lanes,” the New York Times reports. “While these tweaks are fairly modest, they’re part of a broader push by many lawmakers for something known as permitting reform, which could affect how quickly the United States cleans up its climate pollution… “The debt ceiling deal would surely speed up one thing. That’s the Mountain Valley Pipeline. It’s a big win for the established oil and gas producers and their champion in the Senate, Joe Manchin III, a West Virginia Democrat. How polluting the pipeline would be is a matter of debate. But opponents say a new gas pipeline, which would operate for decades, defies the scientific consensus that the world needs to move quickly away from fossil fuels in order to slow down climate change. So would renewable energy projects get built faster? That’s unclear. One section of the bill is designed to speed up energy projects of all kinds, polluting or not, by designating a lead agency to oversee environmental reviews and requiring that they are completed in one to two years. In theory, that could speed up oil and gas projects as well as renewables. But those deadlines could prove tough to enforce, and some experts say those changes would have only a modest impact. It doesn’t resolve the most urgent question. Most significantly, the bill leaves unsettled whether the permitting of new transmission lines will be accelerated… “Democrats had floated a proposal to encourage new transmission lines that would connect different parts of the country but that was stripped out. Instead, the bill mandates that the issue be studied. There have been many such studies already. So the debt ceiling deal may end up delaying efforts to modernize the grid. While lawmakers say they will revisit transmission later, critics say this was a missed opportunity at a time when the United States needs to move far more quickly. Some worry that Congress may have missed its best shot to encourage new power lines.”

E&E News: House Republicans to dissect EPA power plant rule
Emma Dumain, 6/5/23

“Congressional Republicans will continue their campaign to pick apart the Biden administration’s environmental platform this week, this time taking aim at recent actions to dramatically reduce emissions from gas- and coal-fired power plants,” E&E News reports. “The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment, Manufacturing and Critical Materials will hold a hearing Tuesday morning titled “Clean Power Plan 2.0: EPA’s Latest Attack on America’s Electric Reliability.” According to a joint statement from Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) and Bill Johnson (R-Ohio) — the chairs of the full committee and subcommittee, respectively — the hearing will focus on new burdens on electric generation and the rule’s impact on natural gas plants. “Energy is foundational to our way of life in America. It’s because of our abundant and reliable energy resources that we have led the way in lifting people out of poverty, raising the standard of living, and reducing emissions,” they wrote. “President Biden’s rush-to-green, so-called climate agenda is reversing this progress by shuttering reliable baseload power sources, raising costs, and threatening energy blackouts.”

Carbon Herald: NETL Creates Expansive Carbon Capture Pipeline Route Planning Database
Petya Trendafilova, 6/2/23

“The National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) announced on May 31st it has created a much-needed and expansive Carbon Capture and Storage Pipeline Route Planning Database to help guide routing decisions and increase transportation safety during the development of carbon capture pipelines,” the Carbon Herald reports. “To ensure a safe and reliable CO2 transport network, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) has been working with the U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, the U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management… “The Carbon Capture Pipeline Route Planning Database is a comprehensive, national, big data resource that helps accelerate the country’s energy transition. With more than 90 gigabytes of spatial data, arranged in more than 40 data layers, and millions of individual features, the database provides critical insights into the complex social, environmental and regulatory variables that will be encountered during CCS deployment projects. It also supports NETL’s ongoing work to develop a Smart Route Planning Tool, which will use machine learning algorithms to identify optimal routes for CO2 transport that are not only technically viable but also socially and environmentally responsible… “NETL announced the CCS Pipeline Route Planning Database just a day after a group of more than 150 climate and advocacy organizations sent a letter to President Joe Biden to block the authorization of all new carbon dioxide pipelines due to the lack of robust safety regulations which eventually threatens the lives of communities. As carbon capture and storage pipelines carry the hazardous CO2 gas and other contaminants, potential ruptures pose a threat to people that could get exposed to those gases. That is why planning and responsible build-out of that infrastructure is critical to ensure all issues regarding safety are being addressed.”

InsideClimate News: Federal Hydrogen Program Is Cutting Out Local Groups, Threatening Climate Goals, Advocates Say
Nicholas Kusnetz, 6/2/23

“As a key piece of President Joe Biden’s climate agenda takes shape, environmental groups are warning that his administration is undermining its own goals by shielding a federal grant program from public scrutiny,” InsideClimate News reports. “The Energy Department’s $8 billion clean hydrogen program is poised to begin funding projects later this year, but officials have refused to disclose information about who has applied or how applicants plan to use the public money. Some of the nation’s largest environmental groups joined with local organizations in a letter sent last month to Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, saying that the lack of transparency was leaving communities “entirely in the dark about planned projects, with little to no opportunity to meaningfully weigh in.” The clean hydrogen program was established by the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law to help finance the construction of “hubs” around the country that would produce and use the climate-friendly fuel. The goal is to help cut carbon pollution from sectors of the economy that will be difficult to electrify, like heavy manufacturing and long-haul transport. But many scientists and climate advocates have warned that new hydrogen projects could also have local impacts and safety risks that need to be disclosed and addressed, and might fail to substantially cut climate pollution if they are not developed properly. “It’s a huge opportunity there that we’re really excited about,” Pete Budden, who leads state and regional-level hydrogen policy work for the Natural Resources Defense Council, one of the groups that signed the letter, told ICN. But “there’s risks that if we do it wrong we can delay other climate action and we can even increase emissions if we’re using dirty hydrogen. We want to make sure that there’s an appropriate level of scrutiny on these plans.” “…In interviews, several local environmental groups around the country struck a common theme in response: Their organizations have either not been included in planning hub proposals, or have been asked to provide support too late in the process to help shape them. Annie Regan, campaign director for PennFuture, a Pennsylvania environmental watchdog that signed the letter to Granholm, told ICN an applicant in the region didn’t approach local advocacy groups until a few weeks before submitting their proposal.  What’s more, she told ICN, the Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub—which includes the state of West Virginia, the gas driller EQT and other companies—required them to sign a non-disclosure agreement, or NDA, before sharing details about their proposal. “If you have to sign an NDA to see the full plan, it’s not a sign of good community input,” Regan told ICN. PennFuture declined to sign the non-disclosure agreement or lend its support to the proposal.”

E&E News: House Republicans to host another anti-ESG hearing
Nico Portuondo, 6/5/23

“The House Oversight and Accountability Committee will take its second shot at lampooning environmental, social and governance investing practices during a hearing this week,” E&E News reports. “The session is just one cog in a broader Republican campaign to label ESG, which involves considering issues such as workplace diversity and carbon emissions when investing, as out of touch and potentially economically damaging leftism. The event will be the second ESG hearing from the committee in less than a month and is a joint effort between Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy and Regulatory Affairs Chair Pat Fallon (R-Texas) and Subcommittee on Healthcare and Financial Services Chair Lisa McClain (R-Mich.). “No administration should be able to impose damaging restrictions that burden American energy companies [and] disincentivize investment,” said Fallon and McClain. “The Biden Administration has routinely prioritized its progressive ESG schemes over the real economic, energy, and national security interests of the United States,” they said.

Yale Climate Connections: Report card: Biden’s accomplishments on climate justice
CAMERON OGLESBY, 6/2/23

“With President Joe Biden’s election came a slew of promises related to climate justice: During his campaign, Biden made commitments to reduce oil and gas drilling, transition the country toward renewable energy and electric vehicles, and center environmental justice in all aspects of federal climate policy and finance,” according to Yale Climate Connections. “…Halfway through the term, how is the Biden presidency doing on its climate justice commitments? We asked organizers and experts across the U.S. South and Appalachia to share their communities’ priority areas and offer feedback. We then used that information to grade the administration on a scale ranging from “A” for awesome to “D” for disastrous. Bottom line: Despite the administration’s notable accomplishments, many in the Gulf Coast, Appalachia, and mid-Atlantic remain concerned about what the next two years will mean for climate justice in their communities and across the U.S… “But Peggy Shepard, co-founder and executive director of WE ACT for Environmental Justice — one of the most well-known environmental justice advocacy organizations in the U.S. — raised concerns that although 40% of clean energy investments are going to frontline communities, approximately 60% of those funds are being directed through states rather than to community organizations or municipalities directly. In addition, many of the communities with the greatest need don’t have much capacity or the connections needed to apply for grants, Shepard and other advocates warned… “Bryan Parras, longtime Houston-area environmental justice advocate and son of White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council member Juan Parras, told YCC the South and the Gulf Coast remain industry hot spots, home to heavily polluting oil and gas extraction and refining. “It’s hard to say with certainty if it’s been a complete wash or if these communities will see real progress. I think that’s still to be determined,” Parras told YCC.”

E&E News: EPA promised clarity, transparency after Ohio train derailment. But some air monitors didn’t work.
Ellie Borst, Kevin Bogardus, 6/1/23

“Federal and state officials engaged in a tense back-and-forth over how to alert the public about a problem in their response to the fiery February train wreck and chemical spill in East Palestine, Ohio,” E&E News reports. “Though EPA officials have repeatedly reassured the public that detected chemical concentrations in the air, water and soil — including for butyl acrylate — are below levels of concern, hand-held detectors used to screen homes may not have been sensitive enough to sniff out butyl acrylate at low levels in the air, according to records obtained by E&E News under a public records request. Meanwhile, mistrust of the federal agency and its state counterparts lingers in East Palestine as the massive cleanup continues… “Drafts of a statement show officials learned of the air monitoring concern on March 10. An update, dated March 31, was posted on EPA’s website and emailed outside the agency. Messaging about the devices was edited by federal and state officials in that interim period, according to emails. The final notice says “no long-term effects are expected from potential short-term exposure from butyl acrylate” but warns residents about possible skin irritation and respiratory conditions, such as asthma, may be exacerbated. It also says the chemical “can generally be smelled at levels far below levels of health concern.” Misti Allison, an East Palestine resident, found the update when a friend posted it on Facebook. She told E&E the lack of direct communication underlines the community’s need “for more transparent and easy-to-understand information.” “…Others did not know about an issue with the detectors, including Rep. Bill Johnson (R-Ohio), whose congressional district includes East Palestine and has been in the town often to monitor the response.”

STATE UPDATES

Associated Press: Oregon youths’ climate lawsuit against US government can proceed to trial, judge rules
6/2/23

“A federal judge ruled on Thursday that a lawsuit brought by young Oregon-based climate activists can proceed to trial years after they first filed the lawsuit in an attempt to hold the nation’s leadership accountable for its role in climate change,” the Associated Press reports. “U.S. District Court Judge Ann Aiken ruled that the plaintiffs can amend their case, known as Juliana v. United States, and go to trial. A previous trial was halted by U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts days before it was to begin in 2018. Aiken wrote in her decision, “It is a foundational doctrine that when government conduct catastrophically harms American citizens, the judiciary is constitutionally required to perform its independent role and determine whether the challenged conduct, not exclusively committed to any branch by the Constitution, is unconstitutional.” The 21 plaintiffs, who were between the ages of 8 and 18 when the lawsuit was filed in 2015, will move forward on the question of whether the federal government’s fossil fuel-based energy system, and resulting climate destabilization, is unconstitutional. “Today’s ruling from Judge Aiken is our legal system working the way it should: a fair and well-reasoned application of the law in a vitally important constitutional case where children’s lives are at stake,” the plaintiffs’ attorney, Julia Olson, told AP.”

EXTRACTION

Bloomberg: Trudeau Is Betting $9 Billion on a Plan to Clean Up the World’s Dirtiest Oil
Robert Tuttle and Brian Platt, 6/5/23

“Canada is staking billions of dollars of public money on an oil industry plan to transform one of the world’s dirtiest crudes into one of the cleanest. But it’s relying on a technology with a checkered track record to prolong the life of a business critics say belongs in the history books,” Bloomberg reports. “…Under pressure to neutralize carbon emissions by mid-century while also supporting the domestic oil industry, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government has so far pledged C$12.4 billion ($9.1 billion) in tax credits for building carbon capture systems. That includes a massive project that aims to suck up an annual 10 million metric tons of carbon emissions produced by the massive equipment at oil sands sites by 2030… “That’s if it works. Though carbon capture and storage technologies have been around for decades, efforts to scale them up have faced problems ranging from geological limitations to debilitating technical faults to prohibitive costs, leaving a trail of expensive, underperforming and sometimes failed projects in their wake… ““They’ve had decades to get it right and yet it’s struggled,” Bruce Robertson, Sydney-based analyst at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, an environmental research group, told Bloomberg. “We’ve only got a limited amount of money and there are probably better ways to spend it.” Robertson authored a report that examined 13 major carbon capture schemes which together account for about two-thirds of emissions ever trapped. Of those, three have performed close to or as anticipated; Sleipner and Snohvit projects in Norway and Shell’s Quest project in Alberta. The rest have either failed to achieve their targets, were shut down, never took off or there was insufficient data on their performance. Notable poor performers include the carbon capture component of Chevron Corp.’s Gorgon liquefied natural gas project, which started operation more than three years behind schedule and failed to meet its initial targets… “The equipment will also be used to extract CO2 from steam generators at well sites, which are used to force up deeper tar deposits. So-called amine wash technology will scrub the CO2 from flue gas, transport it south through a new 400 kilometer (250 mile) pipeline to Cold Lake, where it will be injected more than 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) underground into an aquifer called the Basal Cambrian Sandstone formation. Construction of the pipeline is expected to begin in 2026 and Imperial Oil Ltd. expects its Cold Lake gas flue facility to be among the first sites to deploy the technology later this decade… “The oil sands industry is betting that the deployment of carbon capture will keep costs down as emissions levies rise, but it’s also calling for more support to keep up with the US, which last year announced plans to provide operating subsidies for carbon-capture systems too… “Even if Canada’s expensive carbon capture experiment succeeds, say critics, the end product is still a barrel of oil produced via open pit mines and processing facilities that have devastated local ecosystems — a barrel of oil that will be burned and emit CO2. 

CBC: This company wants to turn Canada’s oceans into a carbon-capture engine. Here’s how
Malone Mullin, 6/5/23

“You might pop a Tums after a night of pizza and wings, and Will Burt thinks oceans could benefit from the same strategy,” CBC reports. “Burt is the chief oceans scientist with Nova Scotia-based Planetary Technologies, a company that’s looking at ways to pump antacids into the sea to increase its alkalinity — and neutralize all the carbon it stores from the atmosphere in the process. “…Burt, who spoke Tuesday at the Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society congress in St. John’s, wants to eventually use wastewater treatment plants to carry out the deacidification process, by adding large amounts of magnesium hydroxide — already an ingredient in wastewater treatment — to the pipelines feeding water back into the sea. But Gerald Singh, an assistant professor at the University of Victoria, cautions that the onus of proving that a climate change solution works needs to be placed on the companies flogging it. “Part of the problem [is that it’s] untested at scale,” Singh told CBC. “And there’s a number of potential risks with that. Any time you play around with the acidity of the ocean, there’s potential impacts on marine life.”

Washington Post: Breweries are starting to capture carbon — from beer
Charlie Scudder, 6/3/23

“The fresh, doughy aroma around the conical fermentation tanks at Austin Beerworks is a sign that trillions of yeast cells are turning the sugary, hoppy liquid inside into beer. But there’s another byproduct: carbon dioxide,” the Washington Post reports. “Fermentation releases CO2 as the yeast breaks down sugar to create alcohol. At most wineries and breweries, it is released into the atmosphere. But a growing number of craft breweries are starting to collect that gas, not only reducing CO2 emissions — even if by tiny amounts — but also reusing it to give beer its characteristic white foam. Until recently, Clinton Mack, Austin Beerworks’s cellar manager, had to truck in carbon dioxide in tanks 10,000 pounds at a time. But now, he’s using techniques developed by NASA to capture the naturally produced CO2 and dissolve the molecules into his brews. “The technology isn’t simple,” Mack told the Post, “but it’s, like, why aren’t we using it?”

TIME: IEA Head Fatih Birol Wants The Fossil Fuel Industry To Set Climate Targets
JUSTIN WORLAND, 6/1/23

“Fatih Birol has spent much of the last few years as head of the International Energy Agency (IEA) laying out a path for the world to decarbonize its energy use,” TIME reports. “…In a May 25 interview at his office in Paris, Birol told me he is “disappointed” in the energy industry’s lackluster response to climate change. “When they talk, they recognize the importance of climate change,” he told TIME. “But when you look at the numbers there is a major gap.” To address that gap, Birol tells TIME that the IEA is spearheading a push to get the companies to commit to data-driven targets ahead of the upcoming U.N. climate conference known as COP28 to be held in Dubai this November. “Oil and gas companies need to make some commitments in order to be taken seriously,” he told TIME… “To that end, Birol has identified two concrete goals that energy companies should take to align with the net zero ambition. First, oil and gas companies need to commit to cutting emissions from their operations and supply chains—so-called Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions—by 60% by 2030. An analysis from the IEA found that nearly 15% of global emissions come from the business of getting oil and gas out of the ground and transporting it to consumers. Second, Birol told TIME fossil fuel companies need to commit to ramping up their investment in clean energy technologies. Last year, oil and gas companies devoted about 5% of their spending to areas outside of their traditional fossil fuel supply business, according to an IEA analysis. That low percentage not only means less capital is flowing into clean technologies but also that the companies aren’t fully utilizing their expertise in a way that could benefit the transition. “They have huge engineering experience, they know how to run major, complex projects,” Birol told TIME. “If we can get them on board, they can really help us to reach our targets.”

Axios: Top COP28 official: Oil, gas should be at the climate table
Andrew Freedman, 6/5/23

“The upcoming United Nations climate summit in Dubai will be aimed at closing the gap between Paris Agreement’s climate goals and global emissions commitments, according to COP28 director-general Majid al-Suwaidi,” Axios reports. “Why it matters: COP28 is viewed as a last ditch effort to limiting warming to the most ambitious Paris target of 1.5°C (2.7°F) above preindustrial levels by 2100, by bending the trajectory of emissions sharply downward. Yes, but: Many climate scientists already view that target as out of reach because of the cumulative impact of human-caused greenhouse emissions, and recent trends.  In an interview with Axios prior to his departure for pre-COP28 talks in Bonn, Germany, al-Suwaidi said this COP will stand out… “As al-Suwadi explains to Axios, “we can’t say that Paris is a success if today we know we’re off track for achieving the goals of Paris. So it’s incumbent upon us to say, how do we get back on track?” “…The incoming COP presidency has come under harsh criticism for both its oil and gas ties, as well as its welcoming stance to the sector worldwide. “We know that we’re an oil and gas producing country, we have a COP president who is the CEO of an oil and gas company. We understand why that may appear to people outside, as you know, challenging,” al-Suwaidi told Axios. “However, we don’t see it that way.” Bringing the industry into the UN climate summit’s fold is conditional, and is based on the view that oil and gas companies must be part of any climate change solutions, al-Suwaidi told Axios. “We can’t have an exclusive conversation that misses out the whole constituency who are really arguably, who are best placed to help you solve the problem… We’re asking them to come and say what they’re going to do to address the climate challenge.”

Washington Post: Diplomats agree to craft a draft global plastics treaty
Maxine Joselow, 6/5/23

“Negotiators from nearly 200 countries agreed Friday to craft a draft treaty aimed at ending global plastic pollution, Angela Charlton and Jennifer McDermott report for the Associated Press,” according to the Washington Post. “The diplomats, who gathered in Paris for five days of United Nations-backed talks, agreed to produce the initial draft before their next meeting in Kenya in November. While environmentalists cautiously welcomed this outcome, they expressed concern that some countries and fossil fuel companies could try to weaken the document.  More than 99 percent of plastic is made with chemicals sourced from fossil fuels. Countries with big petroleum industries, including the United States, had sought to let countries come up with their own pledges for reducing plastic pollution, rather than setting across-the-board limits.”

Reuters: Exxon CEO says 5-year program could double its shale output
6/1/23

“Exxon Mobil Chief Executive Darren Woods told an energy industry conference on Thursday he aims to double the amount of oil produced from its U.S. shale holdings over a five-year period using new technologies,” Reuters reports. “We are beginning to see the signs of some very promising new technologies” that will “significantly improve recovery” volumes, Woods said at the Bernstein Strategic Decisions conference. Exxon currently recovers about 10% of shale resources from its operations. A first wave of new shale technology could come by fracking along much longer lateral well segments, and keep the fracks open so more resources flow, he said. “My challenge to the organization was to double recoveries and to find technologies that could unlock that,” he said. “There is still a lot of oil being left on the ground.”

NPR: Boom-bust cycles are normal for the U.S. oil industry, but that may be changing
Camila Domonoske, 6/5/23

“In the Permian Basin, America’s busiest oil-producing region, business is good. It’s not quite booming, though — and that’s on purpose. Producers are aiming for steady growth,” NPR reports. 

InsideClimate News: Disruptive Climate Protests Spur Police Raids in Germany and the US
Kristoffer Tigue, 6/2/23

“A series of police raids in Germany and the United States this week are resparking the debate over what is and isn’t an acceptable form of protest, as climate activists frustrated by the slow progress of their governments to curb rising carbon emissions continue to block traffic, target art installations and generally disrupt day-to-day public life,” InsideClimate News reports. “On Wednesday, German police raided 15 properties linked to a climate activist group, making no arrests but seizing bank accounts and other assets as part of a larger criminal investigation that includes allegations of members trying to sabotage an oil pipeline. That same day, U.S. police arrested three environmental justice activists in Atlanta and charged them with money laundering and charity fraud. Those arrests were made in relation to ongoing protests over the controversial plan to build a large law enforcement training facility—nicknamed “Cop City” by activists—in some of Atlanta’s old-growth forest, which environmentalists want to protect. And last week, a federal grand jury indicted two climate activists after they smeared paint on the protective case of a famous Edgar Degas sculpture in the National Gallery of Art back in April. Both of those activists face two counts related to conspiracy and damaging property, with each charge carrying a maximum sentence of five years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. The news—especially the large-scale raid in Germany—prompted harsh criticism from the climate activist community, many of whom accused their political leaders of attempting to criminalize peaceful protest while propping up the fossil fuel industry. Some countries and a number of conservative states in the U.S. have adopted a slew of laws in recent years that level harsh penalties on protesters. “We’ve seen similar crackdowns here in the U.S., from terrorism charges and the murder of Tortuguita in Atlanta to recent conspiracy charges against climate protestors right here in D.C.,” Jade Olson, a spokesperson for the D.C. chapter of the climate group Extinction Rebellion, told Inside Climate News. “This backlash isn’t surprising because we pose a threat to the fossil fuel corporations currently running our politics and economy.” Increasingly disruptive protests have also opened a rift within the climate movement. While many history scholars have pointed to the significance of civil disobedience in Western society and the broader fight for human rights, recent research also suggests that the aggressive tactics used by some climate groups have been counterproductive.”

Associated Press: Berlin police record jump in angry motorists attacking road-blocking climate activists
6/1/23

“Figures released Thursday by German police showed a sharp increase in the number of violent attacks on climate protesters in Berlin recorded this year compared with 2022,” the Associated Press reports. “Police in the capital said they opened 66 investigations into motorists suspected of committing crimes against members of the activist group Last Generation during the first five months of 2023. Eighteen such investigations were launched during all of last year. Last Generation’s tactic of blocking streets has drawn ire from some drivers, who have used force to clear activists off the road. Some tabloid newspapers have suggested that doing so constitutes a form of self-defense. But Berlin daily Tagesspiegel, which first reported the new attack figures, quoted a police spokesperson as saying there was no indication motorists were becoming more radical; instead, an increasing number of blockades could be the reason for the rise in attacks, the spokesperson told AP… “The activists themselves have refused to file criminal complaints when attacked, meaning the figures are based on incidents observed by police… “Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called the protesters’ tactic of gluing themselves to roads “nutty” and last week authorities raided the homes of suspected members across Germany as part of an investigation into allegations that the group is a “criminal organization.”

Financial Times: The money behind the coming wave of climate litigation
Camilla Hodgson, 6/5/23

“…At the end of 2022, the company that operated the well settled a years-long legal fight with over 15,000 Indonesian farmers who had brought a class action suit against it,” the Financial Times reports. “…But it was not only the Indonesians who were relieved when the settlement was finally reached. Harbour Litigation Funding, a UK-based firm that provides financing for complex lawsuits in return for a share of the proceeds, spent more than £17mn on the case, a budget that included money for a boat and the off-road motorbikes needed to reach farmers in remote locations and recruit them to the action. In return, Harbour took £43mn, or just over two-fifths, of the award… “Maurice MacSweeney, director of legal finance and sales planning at Harbour, told FT PTTEP “put up quite a fight” and notes that companies with “deep pockets” make bringing such challenges difficult for those without the financial firepower… “But the growing interest in cases seeking compensation for climate and environmental damage, and the new focus of market regulators on corporate greenwashing, is turning legal fights into a business opportunity… “While some have welcomed this development, others point out that investors have different priorities to non-profits and claimants and that their fees are not always transparent… “There are also fears that profit-seeking funders will cherry-pick cases based on the likelihood of victory or the potential size of the payout, rather than for maximum environmental or societal impact… “Alex Cooper, a lawyer at research group the Commonwealth Climate and Law Initiative, told FT a wave of big corporate climate cases was “probably two to three years off . . . But I think it’s on the way.” “…If even some of the US cases were successful, “you almost certainly are talking about the largest tort award in US history — this would be easily over $1tn,” Lee Wasserman, director of philanthropic group the Rockefeller Family Fund, told FT. The fund has donated to EarthRights International, a non-profit that is involved in several of the lawsuits. “We’re very close to the moment when a number of [law] firms take that leap” and start representing clients in such cases, and then the fossil fuel industry will be facing hundreds, not dozens, of cases, he told FT.

CLIMATE FINANCE

Bloomberg: Citi’s Jane Fraser Interrupted by Protesters During Bernstein Event
Paige Smith, 6/2/23

“Citigroup Inc. Chief Executive Officer Jane Fraser was briefly interrupted by protesters during her comments at the Bernstein conference in New York,” Bloomberg reports. “A representative for Citigroup confirmed the protests were related to fossil fuels. A webcast of the Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference cut out after a disturbance came from the audience as Fraser spoke. The audio resumed more than 15 minutes later with a Bernstein host explaining that protesters had caused the interruption.” 

E&E News: A new energy battleground: Insurance for LNG terminals
Mike Soraghan, 6/5/23

“Environmentalists have been pushing insurance companies for years to stop writing policies for fossil fuel companies. Now, they’re opening a new front in their fight — natural gas exports,” E&E News reports. “A coalition led by Public Citizen and Rainforest Action Network is launching a campaign to get insurers to stop covering liquefied natural gas terminals along the Gulf Coast. Exhibit A for the groups will be Freeport LNG, about 70 miles south of Houston. The facility had an explosion nearly a year ago, and campaigners have obtained an insurance certificate showing that some of the world’s largest insurers have issued policies to the Texas export facility. While those companies haven’t committed to stop insuring all fossil fuel companies, they do have broad goals for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. Covering giant LNG export terminals, in the environmentalists’ opinion, violates at least the spirit of those goals. “Insurers aren’t going to make changes to how they cover fossil fuels, and especially LNG, on their own,” Kerrina Williams, an organizer with Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy group, told E&E. “Pressuring the industry to make the changes is vital to slowing climate change.” The groups want to make it difficult, or at least much more expensive, for LNG exporters to get insurance for the facilities that take natural gas, refrigerate it to temperatures so low it turns into a liquid and load it onto ships. They want insurance companies to stop underwriting new plants and the expansion of existing ones. The insurers and the exporters themselves defend LNG as a valid — and needed — part of the transition to lower-emissions energy. AXA SA, which in 2015 became the first multinational underwriter to rule out new investments in the coal industry, insures Freeport LNG. AXA spokesperson Baptiste Denis told E&E the firm doesn’t exclude LNG projects but has ceased underwriting new “greenfield” oil and gas development by companies without sufficient climate transition plans. “The energy transition cannot be achieved without the energy sector,” Baptiste told E&E. “The AXA Group’s energy policy aims to exclude activities with high environmental and social risks, while supporting energy sector players on their transition path.” Daphne Magnuson, spokesperson for the Center for LNG, which represents LNG companies, told E&E LNG is a “net positive” for the environment because it replaces high-emissions fuels such as coal. “This seems like a desperation move by groups that don’t like natural gas no matter how many benefits it brings to people,” Magnuson told E&E.

Edie: Are major asset managers greenwashing with their net-zero targets?
Sarah George, 6/5/23

“Are major asset managers greenwashing with their net-zero targets? That is according to a major new analysis from ShareAction, covering the environmental policies of 77 of the world’s largest asset managers. Collectively, these businesses manage more than $77trn of assets – more than a quarter of the global total,” Edie reports. “Almost one-third (29%) of the asset managers covered by the analysis have set no interim emissions goals at all. Of the assets managed by these firms, just 26%, in terms of their value, is covered by the interim climate targets they have set on the road to net-zero by mid-century. This undermines the credibility of the long-term net-zero targets plus the firms’ ability to deliver against them, ShareAction is warning… “For firms with interim targets but some exclusions, the most common loopholes are around Scope 3 (indirect) emissions. This is concerning given that, in many sectors, Scope 3 emissions account for the vast majority of the total climate footprint. One such sector is fossil fuels. But less than one-quarter (23%) of the asset managers assessed have commitments to restrict investment in coal across all their funds. The proportion is even lower (13%) for those restricting investment in unconventional oil and gas, including fracking and oil sands. ShareAction found that European asset managers are more likely to restrict fossil fuel financing than their counterparts in other continents… “This week, shareholders at ExxonMobil rejected more than one-dozen shareholder resolutions relating to emissions goals, clean energy investments and climate reporting. Several had been filed by Follow This, with support from shareholders, including resolutions on Scope 3 emissions… “Chevron also rejected a proposal to reduce Scope 3 emissions from the customer use of its products. Both firms held their meetings online, partly to prevent protests from environmentalists.”

OPINION

The Messenger: Why Didn’t the Senate Block the Debt Ceiling Bill’s Awful Climate Provisions?
Robert D. Bullard (Ph.D.) is often described as the “father of environmental justice.” He is the former dean of the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs at Texas Southern University (TSU) and currently is distinguished professor of urban planning and environmental policy and director of the TSU Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice; Larry Shapiro is associate director for program development at the Rockefeller Family Fund, 6/2/23

“The debt ceiling bill passed by Congress contains two awful climate and environmental policy provisions. One would weaken the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and the other would approve the controversial Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP),” Robert D. Bullard and Larry Shapiro write for The Messenger. “When it passed the House of Representatives earlier this week, it was likely already too late to preserve NEPA protections, but the Senate had a clear opportunity to vote to remove the Mountain Valley Pipeline provisions. They failed us — and the bill passed late Thursday with both provisions intact. It’s now headed to the president’s desk to become law… “Rather than allowing for adequate environmental review of the project or the courts to decide on the pipeline, the debt ceiling bill instead forces it through to fruition, essentially with no questions asked… “Schumer and Biden made a terrible deal with Manchin to secure his vote in favor of the Inflation Reduction Act, which included support for “permitting reform” and the pipeline. It’s worth noting that Schumer received $302,600, and Manchin received $60,350 in campaign contributions from individuals and a political action committee associated with NextEra Energy, one of the pipeline developers, according to the New York Times. It’s also worth noting that Schumer has opposed a far smaller pipeline that was slated for his home borough of Brooklyn. It seems he was willing to protect his own constituents and neighbors but not the people in West Virginia and Virginia from risks of water pollution and harm to the environment and wildlife, as well as furthering climate change… “Rather than solving a capacity issue, it seems it’s more about profits for fossil fuel corporations. Bypassing pending court cases, stripping away environmental reviews and fast-tracking pet projects for the continued benefit of the fossil fuel industry driving climate change is terrible policy and precedent… “The vast majority of voters want to see Congress take immediate action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to put the country on a sustainable path. We cannot get there by investing in renewable energy alone, and we must also reduce our consumption of fossil fuels. The Senate blew its chance to do just that. Advocates, philanthropists and voters will remember this.”

CleanTechnica: The Math Of Squashing Pipelines & Stopping Global Heating
David Lapp-Jost, 6/2/23

“A Google search for “carbon footprint” might yield 188 million results, including a continuous stream of daily Google News results explaining why you should cut salmon or chicken from your diet, wash clothes more sustainably, or check the emissions of your grocery list. At the same time, googling “pipeline protest” yields maybe 11 million results, or “coal mine protest” 5 million results, with far less representation of prominent news sources and sites. In this discrepancy of coverage and discussion, we see a grievous misunderstanding, because it is collective action — including action against fossil fuels — and not small changes to personal behavior that can meet the challenges of our time,” David Lapp-Jost writes for CleanTechnica. “An individualistic approach to environmental justice — focusing on personal emissions and “starting with small steps” at home — too often serves as a distraction. It can absorb attention from caring, environmentally conscious people who need to be acting to build movements and implement environmentally and socially responsible policies at local, regional, and national levels. Indeed, the term “carbon footprint” itself is a BP invention — placing the responsibility for climate change on small consumers. But it is only through collective power and organizing that companies like BP can be kept from baking our planet — not through individual steps. In the absence of social housing, transit, regulatory, environmental protection, and energy policies, the steps individuals take to reduce consumption accomplish too little… “Tangible action on the environmental crisis is social. It looks less like greening your house, and more like going to city council meetings and pushing for dense public housing projects and public transit; acting against homelessness and developing climate-friendly housing… “And perhaps the epitome of a social, organizing approach to fighting fossil fuels is obstructing coal mines and pipelines. When we look at real resistance to fossil fuel projects, we see the truest contrast of reduced consumption versus climate organizing… “Even in the case of pipeline or coal mine protests that do not realize long-term delays in projects, protests can massively increase costs in ways that affect fossil fuel industries… “Stand With Standing Rock delivered even more important benefits later. It powered a surge of mobilization of Native American organizing and cultural and land-rights actions that extends far beyond fossil fuel protests. It directly activated and politicized Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez by her own account, and electrified a generation of young leftists. The blow to the industry of course increased the insurance costs of future projects and generated huge negative publicity for fossil fuels… “We need people to be responsible citizens in the face of climate change. But to understand that responsibility primarily or even solely in terms of personal living habits diverts us from extraordinarily effective steps we can take — collective, powerful action that is the best hope we have for meeting the crisis.”.

NOLA.com: State senator: Carbon capture is poised to bring economic prosperity
BOB HENSGENS, Abbeville, 6/4/23

“Conversation in Louisiana surrounding carbon capture and storage is reaching a fever pitch as our state legislative session nears a close and the EPA’s open comment period on the administration of Class VI injection well primacy is underway,” Bob Hensgens writes for NOLA.com. “Louisianans are excited about what this innovative and transformative technology means and the jobs it will maintain and bring our great state. As chairman of the Louisiana Senate Natural Resources Committee, it was exciting to see our committee unanimously advance Senate Resolution 123, memorializing the Legislature’s belief that our state’s army of scientists and energy professionals are up to the task at hand… “Years of coordination with the EPA, over a decade of proactive legislative efforts here in Baton Rouge and investments committed from the energy sector have led Louisiana to where we are today: on the brink of finally receiving the necessary permissions to advance CCS projects that will not only maintain our $54 billion energy sector for years to come, but introduce new jobs and economic opportunity in my home of Vermilion Parish and beyond.”

The Hill: Billions in hydrogen tax credits could be given to polluters
Sara Gersen is a senior attorney on Earthjustice’s Right to Zero campaign and co-author of “Reclaiming Hydrogen for a Renewable Future,” 6/1/23

“Forget the breathless marketing. Hydrogen today is far more a climate threat than a climate solution,” Sara Gersen writes for The Hill. “Hydrogen production has a greater annual carbon footprint than the entire nation of Germany. That’s because almost all hydrogen is produced from fossil fuels. As of 2021, 55 percent of hydrogen in the U.S. was being used by the oil and gas industry to refine crude oil, further contributing to a cooked planet, crop failures and extreme weather. U.S. chemical companies produce millions of tons of hydrogen each year by cracking the methane in natural gas, using a process that pumps lung-damaging air pollution into communities like Louisiana’s River Parishes and Richmond, Calif. The fossil fuel industry often produces this gas through fracking, which has been linked to serious health consequences such as preterm births and asthma. The passage of the Inflation Reduction Act established historic levels of climate funding, but it also created a multibillion-dollar tax credit for low-carbon hydrogen production and gave the Treasury Department one year to figure out how to implement the statute’s carbon limits. That means the Biden administration is now responsible for implementing a tax credit system that could either clean up America’s dirty hydrogen production, or dig us a deeper hole in the climate crisis. The stakes couldn’t be higher… “In a bid to benefit from the new subsidies, polluters are urging the Treasury Department to use accounting gimmicks to characterize hydrogen made with fossil fuels as “low carbon.” The administration should reject this industry giveaway. Otherwise, the federal government will lavish billions of public dollars on hydrogen production that worsens both the climate crisis and the air quality crisis in some of America’s most overburdened communities… “The Biden administration must ensure that hydrogen tax credits flow to truly clean solutions that will shift us from the old polluting ways of powering our communities to a zero-emissions future.”

The Tyee: The Lie of a Cleaner Oilsands
Andrew Nikiforuk, 6/5/23

“In May 2022 a tailings pond at Imperial’s Kearl Lake facility started leaking toxic waste into groundwater and outside its lease boundaries. The foul water, the product of bitumen mining, contained arsenic, sulphates and hydrocarbons and other fish-killing pollutants such as naphthenic acids. Exposure to these chemicals can deform frogs and poison fish. But no one reported the leak to water users living downstream of the massive oilsands project for nine months,” Andrew Nikiforuk writes for The Tyee. “As a result, regulators and industry treated many Northwest Territories communities (13 of 16 communities directly depend on drinking water that flows from the Athabasca River into the Mackenzie Basin) as though they did not exist… “Imperial’s pollution scandal also shed light on one of Canada’s biggest and most long-standing environmental embarrassments, giving a lie to government claims that steady progress is being made towards a well-regulated oilsands that is less polluting… “The massive dams, all temporary structures not designed for long-term storage, are porous and are located over aquifers or by rivers. They are designed to leak laterally. As a consequence, companies must maintain constant monitoring and pumping programs of their containment systems to prevent seepage into groundwater, peatlands and rivers and eventually into Wood Buffalo National Park, a UNESCO world heritage site and the world’s second largest park. Its wetlands and bufflalo lie directly downstream of the project… “The mining continues at a fevered pace, using three barrels of water to make one barrel of bitumen. Now government and industry propose to rid themselves of the tailings waste problem with the cheapest possible solution — by minimally treating wastewater by filtering it through petroleum coke (a bitumen byproduct) with the goal of releasing that water into the Athabasca River. Yet many scientists, Métis, First Nations and the government of the Northwest Territories are entirely opposed to the poorly researched idea. They want to see more scientific research and believe other options, including the full treatment of water contaminated by mining waste to drinking standards, should be considered. In the meantime, bile duct cancers are increasing downstream of the project.”

Wall Street Journal: Can the Climate Heal Itself? Dissenters from the catastrophe consensus on warming are worth listening to.
Andy Kessler, 6/4/23

“Stop with all the existential-crisis talk,” Andy Kessler writes for the Wall Street Journal. “President Biden said, “Climate change is literally an existential threat to our nation and to the world.” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also talks about the “existential threat” of climate change. National security adviser Jake Sullivan identifies an “accelerating climate crisis” as one reason for a “new consensus” for government picking winners and losers in the economy. Be wary of those touting consensus. But what if the entire premise is wrong? What if the Earth is self-healing? Before you hurl the “climate denier” invective at me, let’s think this through. Earth has been around for 4.5 billion years—living organisms for 3.7 billion. Surely, an enlightened engineer might think, the planet’s creator built in a mechanism to regulate heat, or we wouldn’t still be here to worry about it… “What about negative feedback loops?.. “Earth has warmed, but I’m convinced negative feedback loops will save us. Dismissing the Iris Effect or detuning it isn’t science. Sadly, climate science has morphed into climate rhetoric. And note, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen explained in April that green spending “is, at its core, about turning the climate crisis into an economic opportunity.” Hmmm. “Catastrophic,” “existential” and “crisis” are cloudy thinking. Negative feedback is welcome.”