EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 8/30/23

PIPELINE NEWS

• Iowa Capital Dispatch: Landowner says Summit’s agent threatened him with eminent domain

• KELO: South Dakota hearing will happen on Summit permit

• Hancock County Journal-Pilot: Most in favor of litigation against CO2 pipeline

• Energy News Network: A developer chose a rural carbon sequestration site to avoid controversy. It didn’t go well.

• Simon Conway: The Iowa Utilities Board is Holding a Hearing on Carbon Pipelines

• InForum: Pipeline spill impacts wetland near Williston

• Press release: Indigenous Leaders Urge Canada to Pull Support for Line 5 Pipeline

• Bloomberg: Trans Mountain Reroute Does ‘Irreparable Harm,’ Local Group Says

• Canadian Press: New Route, Engineering Glitches Could ‘Significantly’ Raise Trans Mountain Costs

• Workers World: Protect Wet’suwet’en land!

• Alaska Beacon: Trans-Alaska Pipeline System operator report examines its work on environment, social issues

• Prairie Public Broadcasting: Natural gas pipeline to be ‘cleaned’

STATE UPDATES

• University of North Dakota: EERC awarded $12.5 million grant for carbon storage hub

• Colorado Sun: Residential development in Erie, Longmont stalled after wells plugged decades ago start leaking oil and gas

• Denver Gazette: Loveland approves first oil drilling plan with restrictions

EXTRACTION

• Guardian: Burning Man attendees roadblocked by climate activists: ‘They have a privileged mindset’

• Canadian Press: Suncor’s revised focus on oil production proof of need for emissions cap: Guilbeault

• J.S. Held: Carbon Capture & Storage: New Criteria Created for Crediting Carbon Geostorage

CLIMATE FINANCE

• InsideClimate News: At Case Western, Student Activists Want the Administration to Move More Decisively on Climate Change

• Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA): Royal Bank of Canada is falling short on climate change pledges

OPINION

• The Cap Times: Line 5 a threat to Wisconsin waters

• Houston Chronicle: Give thanks to the pipeline operators who keep our homes cool

• Bleeding Heartland: Summit Carbon’s pledge to permanently sequester CO2 is fraying at the edges

• Cody Enterprise: Editorial: Carbon capture technologies necessary for future

• The Hill: How Democrats’ climate change agenda is blocking real change for America

• The Gauntlet: The masculinization of Alberta’s oil industry propaganda: A dangerous trend threatening a sustainable future
  

PIPELINE NEWS

Iowa Capital Dispatch: Landowner says Summit’s agent threatened him with eminent domain
JARED STRONG, 8/29/23

“A Cherokee County landowner claims that a carbon dioxide pipeline company’s agent pressured him explicitly with the threat of eminent domain during easement negotiations for the project,” the Iowa Capital Dispatch reports. “Richard Davis ultimately declined the agreements and is now subject to eminent domain requests by Summit Carbon Solutions, which told the Iowa Capital Dispatch the agent’s alleged tactics were improper… “He said a Summit land agent attempted to persuade him to sign voluntary easements by noting that if the company sought forced easements through eminent domain, it was likely his compensation would only be “a fraction” of what the company had offered. He said the agent also told him the company was certain to succeed with its eminent domain requests… “Wright County landowner Verle Tate also testified on Tuesday that agents told him: “If you don’t take this, then we’ll probably go to eminent domain, and you probably won’t get much for your land.” “…A total of about 40 landowners of some of those parcels were expected to testify at the start of Summit’s evidentiary hearing, which began Aug. 22 in Fort Dodge. Those landowners’ testimonies are expected to continue into next week, said Don Tormey, a spokesperson for the IUB. After the initial landowners, Summit will present its witnesses. The remaining landowners subject to eminent domain will testify in the later part of the hearing, which could go for weeks or months. Landowners who have testified so far have objected to the project for various reasons, including potential damage to their land and the underground tiling that drains it; the threat to public safety posed by a pipeline leak, and the use of eminent domain for a project they don’t view as a public utility.”

KELO: South Dakota hearing will happen on Summit permit
Bob Mercer, 8/29/23

“The hearing scheduled for next month will go ahead after all on the permit application from SCS Carbon Transport for the South Dakota portion of the route of its proposed carbon-dioxide pipeline,” KELO reports. “Landowners opposed to the pipeline crossing their properties in South Dakota wanted the state Public Utilities Commission to set aside the application. The reason, according to the landowners’ attorney, Brian Jorde of Omaha, Nebraska, is that the North Dakota Public Service Commission has already rejected Summit’s application there. The sides presented arguments Tuesday to the South Dakota commission. State Treasurer Josh Haeder, who’s replacing commission chair Kristie Fiegen because she said she has a conflict of interest in the matter, used a baseball analogy in calling for the landowners’ request to be denied. “We’re in the bottom of the ninth inning in a very long and complex process,” said Haeder, who described himself as a Minnesota Twins fan. “It’s time to finish the game.” Jorde argued that because Summit needed to file a new application in North Dakota that will take six to seven months to be considered, “At this point, there isn’t a viable path forward.” “…The vote was 3-0 to discard the landowner’s request.”

Hancock County Journal-Pilot: Most in favor of litigation against CO2 pipeline
Joy Swearingen, 8/30/23

“Most comments were favorable toward Hancock County’s approach to the CO2 pipeline proposed to cross the county. A hearing was held at the end of the county board meeting Aug. 22,” the Hancock County Journal-Pilot reports. “At the beginning of the session, which moved into the large courtroom, Hancock County Board chairman Mark Menn stressed that the hearing was not a time for residents to voice concerns about the pipeline. It was set to let residents comment on the county’s approach to the proposed pipeline and the cost to the county. About 30 attended the meeting, with 10 addressing the board… “Hancock is part of a group of central Illinois counties who are sharing the cost of litigation challenging the pipeline… “According to State’s Attorney Bobi James, the county has spent close to $50,000 so far for its share of the legal costs. “That being said, I support what you are doing, and if you need a donation I will make it,” said Tim Etter of rural Hamilton, after expressing his concern for the pipeline that will come 636 feet from his home… “Rusty Dowdall said the pipeline goes between his house and his son’s home. “I support 110 percent what you are doing,” Dowdall said. “The issue for me is my kids and my grandkids. We would be farming over that pipeline.” “…Lane Sinele, whose farm is not near the pipeline, supported the county board’s litigation. Sinele stressed that when the cost is spread around the county, the small portion of tax money he pays into the county’s tort immunity fund, that is used toward this litigation, “is going to be pennies.”

Energy News Network: A developer chose a rural carbon sequestration site to avoid controversy. It didn’t go well.
Kari Lydersen, 8/29/23

“The company seeking to build one of the nation’s largest carbon sequestration projects in Indiana was trying to avoid a “PR disaster” by locating in a rural farming area, a company executive said at a community meeting recently,” Energy News Network reports. “But that decision has not preempted controversy over both the project itself and the company’s larger strategy. Local opposition is quickly snowballing in the small towns around Terre Haute as the EPA considers whether to approve injection well permits crucial for a federal loan guarantee. Wabash Valley Resources says it wants to build a fertilizer plant that will bring jobs to rural Indiana. It aims to use petroleum coke or other feedstocks to create hydrogen and then anhydrous ammonia while sequestering carbon dioxide emissions 4,500 feet below ground in Vigo and Vermilion counties, about 12 miles from the plant. Residents feel the company and the federal government are making them “guinea pigs,” as several said, in a project aimed at taking advantage of lucrative federal grants and tax incentives… “Many local farmers had never heard about the concept, and were outraged that the company did little outreach and the government gave them little notice about their chance to weigh in… “We understand that once landowners learned it was going in their backyard, there was a short ramp to learn about carbon storage,” Wabash Valley spokesperson Greg Zoeller told ENN. “Admittedly, we could have done better initial outreach to the landowners. We hoped the EPA information session would ease most of their concerns.” “…Wabash Valley Vice President of Operations Rory Chambers was asked why the carbon couldn’t be sequestered at the gasification plant site. He responded that injecting carbon there — under a river and closer to Terre Haute — would be a “PR disaster.” “Admittedly a little self-servedly I said, ‘Well if I put it in my plant site, this plume will clip the north side of Terre Haute and I end up with 3,000 angry people,” Chambers said. By sequestering the carbon around Universal, “If there are a few mad people, here I can talk to individuals…and calm them down,” Chambers said. “My god, if there’s 3,000, I’ll never be able to convince them.” As outrage erupted in the room, Chambers continued: “It’s not because you’re rubes, I don’t think you’re rubes,” he said, adding that he himself does not have a college education.

Simon Conway: The Iowa Utilities Board is Holding a Hearing on Carbon Pipelines
8/28/23

“Anna Ryon, a lawyer representing landowners pro bono in the hearing, is in studio to tell Simon how it’s going and why it isn’t the most fair situation,” Simon Conway reports. 

InForum: Pipeline spill impacts wetland near Williston
8/29/23

“A spill of produced water has impacted a wetland area near Williston, according to the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality,” InForum reports. “Henry Hill Oil Services notified state agencies on Monday, Aug. 28, that produced water had spilled from a pipeline it operates in Williams County, about 26 miles northeast of Williston. It’s estimated 10,000 barrels or 420,000 gallons of produced water spilled, some of which impacted a wetland area, the Department of Environmental Quality said in a news release… “The cause of the spill is under investigation. North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality employees have been on site to oversee remediation.”

Press release: Indigenous Leaders Urge Canada to Pull Support for Line 5 Pipeline
8/29/23

“This week, as United Nations Member States prepare to review Canada’s human rights record as part of the Universal Periodic Review, Indigenous communities and their allies are urging the government of Canada to respect their rights and oppose the Line 5 oil pipeline. Owned and operated by the Canadian company Enbridge, Line 5 is a dangerous 70-year-old pipeline carrying crude oil and gas from Canada through Anishinaabe territories in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ontario. Indigenous communities have repeatedly called for the decommissioning of Line 5 to protect their human rights to life, culture, a healthy environment, and free, prior, and informed consent. Earlier this month, an international human rights expert appointed by the UN Human Rights Council released a report in which he recommends that Canada “cease construction or operation of the Coastal GasLink, Trans Mountain and Line 5 pipelines, until the free, prior and informed consent of the Indigenous Peoples affected is secured.” To date, the government of Canada has supported Line 5 despite its dangers. Canada’s government has sought to shield Enbridge from shuttering Line 5, invoking the 1977 Transit Pipeline Treaty with the US and making legal submissions in US courts to keep the pipeline operating. This week, as part of the Universal Periodic Review, Indigenous communities are asking Canada to put the safety of people ahead of corporate profits by rescinding the invocation of Article IX of the 1977 Transit Pipeline Treaty and honoring its obligations under the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Whitney Gravelle, President of Bay Mills Indian Community, released the following statement: “Canada’s support of Line 5 is a disaster in the making for the entire Great Lakes region. An oil spill would poison our fish, harm our sacred sites, contaminate our drinking water — and ultimately destroy our Indigenous way of life. In the last 50 years, Line 5 has been the source of more than thirty oil spills, releasing over a million gallons of toxins into the environment. Every minute Line 5 continues to operate extends the likelihood of further catastrophic oil spills along its route. The rights of Indigenous people should be respected by all sovereigns, both domestically and abroad. Line 5 violates these rights, and Canada must revoke its consent for Line 5.”

Bloomberg: Trans Mountain Reroute Does ‘Irreparable Harm,’ Local Group Says
Robert Tuttle, 8/29/23

“Trans Mountain Corp. is seeking to alter the route of its controversial oil pipeline in order to prevent another costly delay at the expense of “irreparable harm” to the local community’s cultural and spiritual rights, an indigenous group in British Columbia said,” Bloomberg reports. “The Stk’emlúpsemc te Secwépemc Nation, known as the SSN, is calling for regulators to deny Trans Mountain’s request to abandon a less-intrusive tunneling technique through a section of the indigenous land. Approval of the request would contravene SSN’s previous agreement for construction, but could potentially save the government-owned company from further delays and rising costs.”

Canadian Press: New Route, Engineering Glitches Could ‘Significantly’ Raise Trans Mountain Costs
Amanda Stephenson, 8/30/23

“The Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion project has run into another construction-related hurdle that could delay its completion,” the Canadian Press reports. “…In its regulatory filing, Trans Mountain Corporation said it has run into engineering difficulties related to the drilling of a tunnel in B.C. and wants to alter the route slightly for a 1.3-kilometre stretch of pipe, as well as the construction method. But the filing documents illustrate how the company is facing opposition from the Stk’emlupsemc te Secwepemc Nation, whose traditional territory the pipeline crosses and who had agreed to the originally proposed route and construction method. The documents state that between May and July 2023, Trans Mountain met and corresponded several times with the First Nation’s leadership, who continued to express concern that the pipeline project was deviating from its previously agreed-upon route and construction method. In its filing, TMX urged the regulator to make a decision as soon as possible to avoid construction delays that could result in “significantly increased construction costs” for the project. It also warns of costs and impacts to “various third parties who are relying on the timely completion” of the project… “Its projected price tag has since spiraled, first to $12.6 billion, then to $21.4 billion, and most recently, to $30.9 billion as of March of this year. The latest figure prompted one analyst to critique the project as a “catastrophic boondoggle”… “A report from the Parliamentary Budget Officer last year found the federal government stands to lose money from its investment in the pipeline, and suggested that if the project were cancelled at that time, the government would need to write off more than $14 billion in assets.”

Workers World: Protect Wet’suwet’en land!
Will Hodgkinson, 8/29/23

“New details have emerged about the militarized campaign of state and corporate persecution targeting land defenders of the Wet’suwet’en First Nation in so-called Canada,” Workers World reports. “The third annual Peace and Unity Summit was held August 15-16 in Gidimt’en Clan territory, home of the Wet’suwet’en First Nation. Wet’suwet’en leaders detailed how private security operatives and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have attacked and terrorized Indigenous activists using tactics taken directly from a U.S. counterinsurgency “playbook” written by David Petraeus, retired U.S. Army general and an architect of U.S. invasions in Afghanistan and Iraq. For over a decade, the Wet’suwet’en First Nation has resisted the Coastal GasLink Pipeline project, which would devastate the yintah, the Wet’suwet’en unceded homeland. Coastal GasLink is a partnership between the Canadian fossil fuel company TC Energy and the private equity giant Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. (KKR), which bought a 65% stake in the project in 2019. In 2018, Coastal GasLink got an injunction against protesters, allowing Canada’s settler authorities to occupy sovereign Wet’suwet’en territory. Since then, Wet’suwet’en land defenders have endured a coordinated onslaught of surveillance, intimidation, and brutality. Over the past four years, RCMP SWAT teams have raided the land defenders’ camp three times, arresting over 75 land defenders, as well as journalists covering the protests… “Given the information revealed by Wet’suwet’en leaders, it appears Petraeus used old contacts to “solve” the “problems” posed by Indigenous resistance to Coastal GasLink. RCMP Superintendent John Brewer commands the Community-Industry Response Group (C-IRG), the taskforce assigned to quash Indigenous resistance to corporate pipelines, mining, and other settler resource-extraction on Indigenous lands. As C-IRG commander, Brewer oversaw the RCMP occupation of Wet’suwet’en land. Prior to this assignment, he served on Petraeus’s staff as Senior NATO Police Adviser in Afghanistan. The roles of Petraeus and Brewer in persecuting the Wet’suwet’en highlights the links between Western imperialism overseas and the ongoing settler colonial occupation and genocide of Indigenous nations on Turtle Island… “These men are trained to kill where they have been fighting, they probably killed before and now they’re pointing guns at Indigenous people,” said Gitxsan leader Hup-Wil-Ax-A Kirby Muldoe, describing threats from police and corporate security trained in counterinsurgency tactics. 

Alaska Beacon: Trans-Alaska Pipeline System operator report examines its work on environment, social issues
YERETH ROSEN, 8/29/23

“An inaugural environmental, social and governance report issued by the operator of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System summarizes what the company said was overall positive work “as caretaker, steward, and operator” of the 800-mile oil line and its Valdez marine terminal,” the Alaska Beacon reports. “The 19-page report, released last week by Alyeska Pipeline Service Co., covers a wide variety of metrics from 2022, the system’s 45th year of operation. Subjects covered include greenhouse gas emissions from operating the system, which are trending down; notable repair and maintenance projects; freshwater use; Alaska Native hire and employee diversity; and worker injuries, which increased somewhat in 2021 and 2022 after falling substantially over the past two decades… “A requirement for recruiting and hiring a significant number of Alaska Natives has been in effect over Alyeska’s entire lifetime. Under an Alaska Native Utilization Agreement first signed in 1996 and renewed since then, the targets became more specific, listing 20% Native hire for Alyeska and its contractors and other goals, Egan said… “Major environmental events in 2022 included a response to “unprecedented challenges” from heavy spring snow that, combined with freeze-thaw cycles and glaciation, damaged equipment at the Valdez terminal’s storage tanks, the report said. The damage allowed hydrocarbon fumes to vent from the storage tanks, contrary to Clean Air Act requirements, regulators said at the time. Other environmental work over the year included 12 integrity inspections and digs, one of them on a steep ridge at Keystone Canyon about 80 miles north of the Valdez terminal, the report said… “A significant percentage of the workforce believes that a serious incident is imminent, according to Alyeska survey data. It appears that the key element of Safety Culture – a commitment to safety as the overriding priority – has been replaced with a business focus on budget, which has strained resources and compliance,” the RCAC report said. Risks are exacerbated by staff reductions at the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation and other agencies that regulate the terminal, the RCAC report said.

Prairie Public Broadcasting: Natural gas pipeline to be ‘cleaned’
Dave Thompson, 8/29/23

“A major natural gas pipeline that runs through North Dakota will be at reduced capacity for a few days in September,” Prairie Public Broadcasting reports. “TC Energy will be using what are called in the industry “pigs” to clean the Northern Border pipeline. “Think of a cleaning tool, like a really high-tech grill brush,” North Dakota Pipeline Authority executive director Justin Kringstad told PPB. Kringstad said once that “pig” goes through, a second device – called a “smart pig”—will check for leaks. “Think of that like a ‘super computer’ that they run through,” Kringstad told PPB. “It puts a magnetic field, or current, along the inside of the pipeline. They’re able to detect anomalies — any type of corrosion, dings — any issues will get flagged by that system running through.”

STATE UPDATES

University of North Dakota: EERC awarded $12.5 million grant for carbon storage hub
8/29/23

“The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) awarded $12.5 million to the University of North Dakota Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) for the Prairie Compass Direct Air Capture (DAC) Hub. In the first phase of the project, the team will perform an initial engineering study on the potential to economically scale DAC technology in North Dakota while also studying the number of direct U.S. jobs and other economic opportunities that Prairie Compass DAC Hub would create. DAC is a technology solution that has been proven and deployed by Climeworks to remove carbon dioxide (CO2) directly from ambient air. Climeworks is the first company to bring to market DAC technology in combination with permanent underground storage (DAC+S) of the CO2 captured. Climeworks is currently operating the world’s largest and only commercial DAC+S facility, “Orca,” in Iceland. The Prairie Compass DAC Hub will combine Climeworks’ DAC technology with permitted geologic CO2 storage facilities in North Dakota to demonstrate commercial-scale DAC with storage consistent with DOE’s Carbon Negative Shot goal. The initial feasibility work will focus on Minnkota Power Cooperative’s permitted CO2 storage facility near Center, North Dakota, and the potential for Minnkota to provide support services to the project. If successful in its first phase, the Prairie Compass DAC Hub would be eligible to apply for additional DOE funds to support DAC+S deployment to capture and store 1 million metric tons of CO2 annually by 2030, roughly equivalent to taking 200,000 cars off the road each year.”

Colorado Sun: Residential development in Erie, Longmont stalled after wells plugged decades ago start leaking oil and gas
Mark Jaffe, 8/28/23

“On the edge of Longmont there is an alfalfa field destined to be filled with homes. A school and the city recreation center and museum are close by. Houses flank one side of the parcel. Costco is just to the north. There is just one problem — the black oil bubbling up in the middle of the plot,” the Colorado Sun reports. “The oil and its pungent odor come from an old well plugged and abandoned almost 27 years ago and now buried beneath the surface. Its existence was unknown to the property owner, the Longmont-based Diamond G Concrete Co… “The state Energy and Carbon Management Commission, formerly the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, allows the public to refer potential orphan wells to the commission’s Orphan Well Program for plugging and remediation. That option had, however, never been exercised until Aug. 24, when Diamond G Concrete asked the commission to plug the well in its alfalfa field… “Diamond G’s attorney David Neslin called it a “unique situation” and a case involving “exceptional circumstances.” The commission voted unanimously to add Diamond G’s well, Tanaka 1-11, to the approximately 458 wells and 1,147 sites on the state’s orphan well list, but it hardly looks like it is unique or exceptional… “The story of the Tanaka 1-11 and William H. Peltier #1 wells is one of how Colorado’s oil and gas past can weigh on its home building future and a reminder of what may be lurking beneath the surface of the Front Range.”

Denver Gazette: Loveland approves first oil drilling plan with restrictions
Scott Weiser, 8/28/23

“The city of Loveland approved its first conditional well-pad application to drill and frack 15 bore holes on a pad about six miles east of the city center,” the Denver Gazette reports. “Significant conditions were placed on the conditional approval, including the use of all-electric drilling equipment and requiring the use of low-emitting Tier IV diesel engines for fracking equipment that cannot be electrified… “A city news release on the approval Monday said the application process took more than a year to complete, with extensive consultation with city departments and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. “The file on this matter is extensive and addresses issues such as emergency response, landscaping, interim reclamation, storm water controls, noise mitigation, dust mitigation, and air quality protections,” said Development Services Director Brett Limbaugh in his decision letter. “City staff put forward 23 conditions of approval that are now binding on this operator. Additional conditions this permit requires are, in some cases, more protective than state regulations.” The company had originally submitted applications for two drill sites, but withdrew an application for a site that would have directionally drilled under McWhinney’s planned 140-acre mixed-use Centerra South community located west of I-25 and south of Highway 34… “The city’s standards are more stringent than state standards, something made possible by the passage of Senate Bill 19-181… “Other conditions include a 24-hour point of contact for citizen complaints and air monitoring, including pre-drilling baseline testing and ongoing monitoring with weekly reports to the city.”

EXTRACTION

Guardian: Burning Man attendees roadblocked by climate activists: ‘They have a privileged mindset’
Michelle Lhooq, 8/28/23

“The road into Burning Man is a rural, two-lane highway winding through north-west Nevada. Approximately 80,000 people make an annual pilgrimage to the beloved bacchanal, many hauling trailers and RVs across miles of scorching desert in order to make it to their fabled Gomorrah,” the Guardian reports. “This year, however, climate activists temporarily halted the influx of eager festivalgoers, blocking the road with a 28-foot trailer and causing a bumper-to-bumper traffic jam for over an hour. They clashed with outraged Burning Man attendees as well as Nevada rangers. In recent years, Burning Man has drifted from its hippy roots and become better known for luxury RVs, wild orgies, and Silicon Valley bros. Protestors from the Seven Circles –a coalition of activists representing the climate groups Extinction Rebellion, Rave Revolution, and Scientist Rebellion – demanded that Burning Man ban private jets and single-use plastics, as well as unlimited generator and propane use. Signs painted with the slogans “Burners of the world, unite!”, “Mother Earth needs our help” and “System change” were erected around the blockade, while four activists chained themselves to the trailer and locked arms through PVC pipes… “ People in the cars stuck behind them initially believed there had been an accident, and they emerged from their vehicles asking if everyone was OK. The protesters scrambled to erect their signs and flags amid the confusion, and when onlookers realized it was a climate protest, many quickly became incensed, huffing back to their cars frustrated at the inconvenience. “They’re delusional, it’s idiocy,” fumed Molly, a festival attendee. “They think they’re going to fix climate change by blocking Burning Man? I don’t care what their argument is, they can go fuck themselves.”

Canadian Press: Suncor’s revised focus on oil production proof of need for emissions cap: Guilbeault
8/29/23

“Recent statements by the CEO of a major oilsands company further the case for federal regulations to cap greenhouse-gas emissions in the oil and gas sector, Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault said,” the Canadian Press reports. “In an interview with The Canadian Press, Guilbeault called the Aug. 15 comments by Suncor CEO Rich Kruger “disappointing,” particularly in the middle of a summer when “tens of thousands of Canadians”  were forced to flee wildfires and global temperatures hit record highs in July. “To see the leader of a great Canadian company say that he is basically disengaging from climate change and sustainability, that he’s going to focus on short-term profit, it’s all the wrong answers,” Guilbeault told CP. “If I was convinced before that we needed to do regulation, I am even more convinced now.” This fall, Guilbeault intends to publish draft regulations to cap emissions from oil and gas production and then force them downward over time… “Guilbeault hasn’t yet said exactly what the first cap will be, but the Emissions Reduction Plan published in 2022 included a cut of more than 40 per cent to oil and gas emissions by 2030. Kruger, who only took over as Suncor CEO in April, told investors during Suncor’s second-quarter results conference call that the company had a “disproportionate”  focus on the longer-term energy transition to low-emitting and renewable fuels… “Today, we win by creating value through our large integrated asset base underpinned by oilsands,” he said. He promised a “revised direction and tone” focused more on the immediate financial opportunities in the oilsands.

J.S. Held: Carbon Capture & Storage: New Criteria Created for Crediting Carbon Geostorage
Steven Andersen, 8/28/23

“The International Emissions Trading Associate (IETA) has released its High Level Criteria for Crediting Carbon Geostorage Activities. The criteria will govern activities where carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction and removal activities are undertaken for the purposes of developing tradable credits,” according to J.S. Held. “The release of the criteria in late 2022 follows a year-long consultation process with business stakeholders, experts, developers, investors, and project host countries… “ These include six core components: Applicability conditions; Project boundary and leakage;  Baseline; Additionality; Non-permanence and liability; Monitoring… “10 Criteria & Checkpoints for Safe Carbon Capture: Political Acceptability; Significant and cost-effective for national climate mitigation; Aligned with national development priorities and policy aims… “Carbon capture should only be credited where the host country has undergone robust stakeholder consultation and costs/benefits are accepted… “Regardless of the precise volumes of carbon capture needed in a future net-zero world, deployment of this technology is expected to grow significantly. IETA’s methodological components and safeguards offer a roadmap to ensure that carbon capture technology can scale-up in a way that considers environmental and social impacts. It also offers a framework for robust crediting of stored CO2, which is critical for ensuring offset integrity.”

CLIMATE FINANCE

InsideClimate News: At Case Western, Student Activists Want the Administration to Move More Decisively on Climate Change
Danish Bajwa, 8/29/23

“As the fall semester approaches, student groups at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland continue pushing for divestment from fossil fuels, among other environmentally conscious measures, as part of a larger movement that has extended throughout the nation’s college campuses,” InsideClimate News reports. “Over 100 colleges and universities in the United States have been led by student organizations in committing to divest from fossil fuels and work toward more environmentally friendly practices… “Case Western continues to promote a climate action plan students feel is insufficient to address their climate concerns. The university’s 2020 updated plan promised a 50 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Believing the plan didn’t go far enough, students formed a coalition between CWRU’s Student Sustainability Council and the university’s Sunrise Movement Chapter in September of 2022 to put forth the Green New Deal for Case Western,  a document outlining the students’ more ambitious environmental plans as well as the steps needed to reach them… “A big part of this transition, the 20 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the climate action plan, comes from a company’s transition from burning coal to natural gas in order to produce the electricity that we buy from them,” Nathan George, a second-year economics student and coordinator for the Sunrise Movement at Case Western, told ICN “But in reality, natural gas is not that much cleaner than coal. So it’s misleading to suggest that this is a real, true step towards sustainability.” 

Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA): Royal Bank of Canada is falling short on climate change pledges
8/29/23

“RBC’s climate and sustainable finance program fails to address ending fossil fuel expansion and excludes significant segments of its business from climate targets,” according to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA). “RBC’s 2030 interim emission reduction goals are focused on intensity rather than absolute emissions, meaning RBC could achieve its targets without any reduction in the actual amount of financed emissions. The bank’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions in lending by 2050 conflicts with Canada’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions in the economy, because investments must precede implementation. RBC’s Sustainable Finance Framework and Net-Zero Plan are not based on climate policy, but rather on the demands of a client base—an oil and gas industry that is increasingly speculative in its character. The Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) has a sustainable finance credibility problem, according to a new Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) briefing. While RBC has in recent years announced policies outlining a climate and sustainable finance plan, when taken together they represent a lackluster commitment to achieving its net-zero goals. RBC’s plans fail to update its strategy to end fossil fuel expansion and lack meaningful target dates. The plans also include exemptions of significant segments of its business from stated climate targets, thus making it difficult to achieve its stated net-zero finance goals. Today’s briefing is the first in a series that will further examine RBC’s climate pledges. “Given RBC’s outsized role in funding the fossil fuel industry and its position at the top of Canada’s banking industry, it is reasonable to expect RBC to set and meet high standards,” said Mark Kalegha, IEEFA energy finance analyst and co-author of the report. “The bank should be a policy leader.”

OPINION

The Cap Times: Line 5 a threat to Wisconsin waters
Jean Brooks, Fort Atkinson, 8/29/23

“Enbridge Line 5 pipeline goes through upper Wisconsin from western Canada to eastern Canada,” Jean Brooks writes for The Cap Times. “This is a direct line and very little of the petroleum products are used in Wisconsin. Pipeline spills into the waters of northern Wisconsin, which includes the valuable Great Lakes, would be reckless and damaging. It is long past time to reconsider the benefits of piping oil products from western Canada to eastern Canada by going through a precious and valuable waterway.”

Houston Chronicle: Give thanks to the pipeline operators who keep our homes cool
Gary Buchler, Porter, 8/30/23

“Regarding “Texas pipeline operators triggered deadly 2021 blackouts while chasing profits, lawsuit alleges,” (Aug. 11): After reading Chris Tomlinson’s series and other articles in this paper that have shed a negative light on the pipeline industry I retired from, I want to take a moment to just say thanks to all of the hard-working men and women of the pipeline industry,” Gary Buchler writes for the Houston Chronicle. “… realize the pipeline industry, as do all industries, has its flaws but let’s not lose sight of all the hard work that is done to operate and maintain these facilities. So the next time Mr. Tomlinson and other Chronicle writers sit down in their air-conditioned and heated homes and offices to write a disparaging article about the pipeline industry, take a moment and just say thanks.” 

Bleeding Heartland: Summit Carbon’s pledge to permanently sequester CO2 is fraying at the edges
Nancy Dugan, 8/27/23

“During the August 15 Director’s Cut webcast, Dr. Lynn Helms, Director of North Dakota’s Department of Mineral Resources, was asked about the Public Service Commission’s August 4 decision to deny Summit Carbon Solutions’ North Dakota pipeline permit,” Nancy Dugan writes for Bleeding Heartland. “…We’ve got to find a way for carbon capture and utilization to become a part of North Dakota’s economy, or we will leave billions of barrels of oil in the ground. So, not a great decision, I guess, in terms of the potential for problems with transportation of carbon dioxide to the Bakken oil field. And that is going to be, really, a driving force for us, you know, resources, as well as for state government, because there are billions of barrels of oil at stake, and we’ll have to see what kind of proposals come down the line for that. When asked if the commission’s decision to deny Summit’s North Dakota permit would affect CO2 storage facilities, Helms responded, “We had received a draft application for three storage facilities that were going to store the carbon dioxide that was going to come in from that pipeline. And so, we regulate that area. Undoubtedly, that’s going to be postponed.” “…According to research conducted by the Pipeline Fighters Hub, these sites were previously identified by Summit Carbon Solutions in its February 7, 2022, permit application to the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission (p. 27). The Pipeline Fighters Hub’s extensive research speculates that Summit may have targeted storage sites at a northerly location in North Dakota because of their proximity to the existing Souris Valley 14-inch CO2 pipeline, which “runs from the Dakota [Great Plains] Synfuels Plant to a CO2 EOR operation at the Weyburn oilfield in southern Saskatchewan.” “… [Summit’s] Powell’s words also contradict the comments of Helms. Based upon Helms’ statements, it appears that North Dakota is in dire need of CO2 from the proposed Summit Carbon pipeline for enhanced oil recovery in the Bakken oil field… “Summit’s story is showing signs of wear, but the weave of its narrative is now tangled into a tight knot, fused by a seemingly endless supply of money.”

Cody Enterprise: Editorial: Carbon capture technologies necessary for future
John Malmberg, 8/29/23

“Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon isn’t often on the same page as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, but they recently found common ground on the need for advancing carbon capture technologies,” John Malmberg writes for the Cody Enterprise. “…Gordon said he disagrees with the current administration’s climate measures, but said Wyoming is in agreement when it comes to developing and deploying carbon capture technologies. Earlier this year Gordon said the EPA must work with states that meet the needs of the states, rather than issue edicts that will destroy Wyoming jobs and communities. This is where the University of Wyoming and the Wyoming Legislature need to step up and make it a top priority to fund and develop advanced carbon capture technologies… “Now the carbon capture technologies need to be advanced to the point where those Wyoming resources can be used.”

The Hill: How Democrats’ climate change agenda is blocking real change for America
Mandy Gunasekara is director of the Independent Women’s Forum’s Center for Energy and Conservation and a visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation, 8/29/23

“In the face of Maui’s devastating wildfires that have claimed more than 100 lives, with many still  unaccounted for, climate activists are exploiting the tragedy to advance their agenda. But declaring a climate emergency at the behest of the climate lobby would do nothing except make life more expensive for everyday Americans,” Mandy Gunawekara writes for The Hill. “Extremist climate groups made their goal clear when President Biden briefly stopped on the island to assess the damage: The president must declare a national climate emergency. The chorus includes versions of “if not now, then when?” alongside demands for action “now” and even some claims that it’s now normal for people to choose between burning in fires or jumping into the ocean. A Biden-declared climate “emergency” won’t address the root cause of the Maui tragedy, which was mostly due to poor planning, incompetent leadership and distracted priorities. The leaders of Lahaina were well aware of an “extremely high risk of burning” since a 2014 report both defined the problem and proposed a number of mitigation measures… “Herein lies the ugly truth: If the climate lobby gets its way, a climate emergency declaration stands to make matters worse. In fact, the consequences of an all-encompassing, climate-themed distraction are already obvious… “Declaring a national climate emergency would bestow up to 148 new statutory powers to President Biden and his bureaucrats… “The draft resolution that has been introduced by Senate Democrats is much broader. It foresees a climate emergency declaration as a means to stop racism, fix inequality, curb the use and development of fossil fuels and create more bureaucracies. The loudest voices argue that Biden could make a declaration without Congress. This precedent would fast-track the implementation of many climate activist demands, such as banning crude oil exports, halting further offshore oil and gas development, or forcing companies to build more wind and solar. Planet-saving rhetoric aside, none of these policies will make communities safer or more resilient — only more expensive.”

The Gauntlet: The masculinization of Alberta’s oil industry propaganda: A dangerous trend threatening a sustainable future
Josie Simon, 8/29/23

“Alberta’s oil industry has adopted a new style in its marketing and propaganda efforts with an increasingly masculine tone. Marketing products such as the “I Love Oil” stickers and apparel featuring rugged, masculine imagery and slogans that appeal to traditional notions of toughness and independence have become common,” Jose Simon writes for The Gauntlet. “Such marketing is targeted almost exclusively towards men, tapping into the gendered cultural values of this demographic. This shift in style indicates how the industry seeks to assert power and dominance as it faces the growing threat of green technologies and climate change… “In the past, the industry relied on public relations campaigns characterized by a benign facade of professionalism. However, their new approach, marked by an aggressive and ruthless style, employs vulgar and provocative language and imagery to appeal to a specific demographic… “This tactic creates a divide, framing environmentalists and those pushing for alternative energy forms as weak, feminized and anti-Albertan. The industry has smartly wedged rural lifestyles to the power and independence that oil represents, cementing the idea that supporting oil is necessary for upholding these traditional values. The result is the development of a powerful us-versus-them mentality that taps into regional ideologies to create a loyal following.  By framing oil development as a matter of provincial identity and masculinity, these campaigns risk exacerbating existing divisions between urban and rural communities and different regions of the country… “Further, the industry’s current approach risks alienating the younger and more diverse demographics who prioritize environmental and social responsibility. As we move towards a more inclusive and sustainable future, the industry’s reliance on outdated and exclusionary marketing tactics may be an obstacle rather than an advantage. As a resilient and tight-knit community, let us tap into our spirit of innovation and cooperation as we navigate these unprecedented times. Together, we can chart Alberta’s sustainable and prosperous future, showcasing our imaginative spirit and commitment to progress for future generations.”