EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 12/5/24
PIPELINE NEWS
Illinois Coalition to Stop CO2 Pipelines: Victory for Illinois and Iowa Landowners: Wolf Carbon Pipeline Withdraws Permit Application in Iowa
WCBU: Carbon capture pipeline opponents celebrate permit withdrawal for project that would have bisected Peoria, Tazewell counties
Bismarck Tribune: Burleigh County to appeal Summit carbon pipeline decision
KFYR: Burleigh County to appeal Public Service Commission ruling on CO2 pipeline
Brookings Register: Carbon pipeline discussion set in Brookings County
Power Magazine: North Dakota Carbon Capture Project in Limbo After Canada Group's Exit
Terre Haute Tribune-Star: Wabash Valley Resources opponents seek hearing on wastewater discharge permit
Seeking Alpha: Williams CEO pledges 'very large lawsuit' against Energy Transfer in pipeline fight
E&E News: PJM boosts gas in contentious grid plan
Post Independent: Pipeline proposal south of Rifle open for public comment
Renewables Now: Enbridge takes measured steps into hydrogen
Bloomberg: Home of Canada’s Oil Sands Chases $71 Billion Data Center Opportunity
GlobalData: ONEOK completes NGL fractionation and pipeline expansion projects
Bloomberg: Who Will Clean Up Shell’s Mess in Nigeria?
Noozhawk: From the Santa Barbara Oil Spill to Today: The Mission of the Environmental Defense Center
WASHINGTON UPDATES
InsideEPA: D.C. Circuit’s CEQ Ruling Hangs Over Rare High Court NEPA Arguments
E&E News: Gorsuch agrees to step back from NEPA case
E&E News: Biden official to lawmakers: LNG study coming mid-December
The Hill: Congressional Democrats call on Biden to disburse remaining IRA climate funds before leaving office
Reuters: Biden pushes out over $100 billion in clean energy grants as term winds down
E&E News: Reality of repealing green credits sinks in for divided GOP
Iowa Capital Dispatch: Biodiesel production ‘in jeopardy’ waiting for guidance on sustainable aviation fuel tax credit
Reuters: Biden administration will not finalize clean fuel tax credit guidance
Reuters: Rising LNG terminal costs to make new US projects less competitive, says analyst
Politico: Stansbury Touts Grijalva Support
Politico: GOP Leads With Energy
Washington Post: What Trump’s Second Administration Could Mean For Environmental Justice
Fieldnotes: Big Oil’s Plan for GOP Control
E&E News: Fossil fuels enriched Trump’s DOE pick
STATE UPDATES
Press release: Lawsuit Targets Duke Energy’s Decades of Climate Deception, Harm to North Carolina Town
Floodlight: Venture Global’s ‘carbon bomb’ LNG plant on hold — for now
Telluride Daily Planet: BLM Adds Protections For Gunnison Sage-Grouse Habitat
Colorado Sun: Colorado’s first biomass energy plant closed, set for auction as owner files for bankruptcy protection
EXTRACTION
The Hill: Vanuatu blasts US, China for asking Hague to continue status quo for climate change harms
Bloomberg: Oil Seen Below $60 by Middle of New Trump Term, Survey Shows
Guardian: Exposure to air pollution increases infertility risk, US study finds
Daily Trust: Bayelsa community cries for help as oil spill pollutes farmlands, water
CLIMATE FINANCE
Net Zero Investor: AP7 blacklists two oil firms over Paris Agreement breaches
TODAY IN GREENWASHING
BayToday: Enbridge donation a gift that 'will save your life'
Halton Hills Today: Enbridge donates hundreds of alarms to Halton Hills Fire Dept.
OPINION
Colorado Newsline: Despite Trump, Colorado’s environmental work will continue
The Hill: 4 value propositions for climate action under Trump
PIPELINE NEWS
Illinois Coalition to Stop CO2 Pipelines: Victory for Illinois and Iowa Landowners: Wolf Carbon Pipeline Withdraws Permit Application in Iowa
12/2/24
“Today, Wolf Carbon Solutions U.S., LLC filed a request to withdraw their petition for a Hazardous Liquid Pipeline permit with the Iowa Utilities Commission. The company cited delays and regulatory uncertainties as key factors in its decision… “In November of 2023 Wolf withdrew its request to build a 260-mile long pipeline through Illinois, after receiving a recommendation of denial from the Illinois Commerce Commission. At that time, Wolf stated it would refile its application with the ICC soon after the first of the year, but never followed through. Since that time, Public Act 103-0651 established a moratorium on CO2 pipelines until the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration completes its rulemaking to improve safety and oversight or July 1, 2026, whichever comes first… “Wolf’s withdrawal of its application in Iowa is evidence the project may now be completely dead”, said Pam Richart, Eco-Justice Collaborative and Coordinator of the Coalition to Stop CO2 Pipelines. “The cancellation is a significant victory for landowners and communities along Wolf’s route through all nine Illinois counties that would have been affected. The decision by Wolf to withdraw its application, coupled with Navigator's cancellation of its project in October of 2023, show how landowners and local governments can stop corporations like Wolf when CO2 pipeline projects threaten private property and public health." "...I was so happy to hear the news that Wolf had withdrawn its application in Iowa, that I immediately shared it with others along its route through Pekin "said Elton Rocke, landowner. That dangerous CO2 pipeline would have passed right by an elementary school and a prison. Could first responders have saved all children and inmates, if Wolf's pipeline were to rupture? I'm not so sure they could have done that, which is what we told Wolf. It's good to know this project isn't going anywhere, at least for now." Citizens Against Predatory Pipelines (CAPP) President Joyce Harant said "CAPP, landowners who resisted signing land easements, and our allies worked very hard to stop the Wolf CO2 pipeline permit application from being approved in Illinois. We are pleased to see Wolf withdraw in Iowa. However, CAPP remains wary and ready to act as long as taxpayer funded 45Q tax credits are available to entice Wolf and CO2 producers to criss-cross Illinois with CO2 pipelines, capture and sequestration(CCS) infrastructure. We will continue to hold Wolf and other companies accountable for making their project proposals transparent, research based and committed to the highest standards for the public's safety.”
WCBU: Carbon capture pipeline opponents celebrate permit withdrawal for project that would have bisected Peoria, Tazewell counties
Tim Shelley, 12/4/24
“Opponents of a controversial carbon capture pipeline slated to run through Peoria, Stark, and Tazewell counties are "cautiously" declaring victory after developer Wolf Carbon Solutions withdrew its permit application in Iowa this week,” WCBU reports. “...This comes after the company withdrew its application for the Mt. Simon Hub pipeline before the Illinois Commerce Commission last year. Dean Ferguson, president of Wolf Carbon Solutions U.S., said a new Illinois filing would happen in early 2024, but that never materialized. Pam Richart is coordinator for the Coalition to Stop CO2 pipelines. "I think they're saying at this time they're not going to move forward, but I'm not sure that they're ever going to move forward," Richart tolCBU of this week's Iowa withdrawal. "I'm wondering if it's really their way of saying, 'You know, unless something really changes, we're done.” “...ADM, the commodities and agricultural processing giant, operates the country's first carbon storage project in Decatur. But it's recently run into its own round of regulatory issues after leaks were discovered. ADM also is seeking federal EPA sequestration permits for two projects in Macon County, Illinois… “Opponents of carbon capture often allude to the 2020 pipeline rupture in Sartaria, Mississippi that hospitalized 45 people when advocating for more federal and state regulation of carbon capture pipelines. Illinois paused pipeline development this summer to give the federal government time to catch up with new rules. "We don't have the best practices in place to ensure that people are protected from a potential rupture or leak, and that's a concern, so those who are working on our coalition are going to continue to fight pipelines for that reason," Richart told WCBU… “As for Illinois, Richart told WCBU there's still a number of carbon capture initiatives she and others are monitoring. There's also legislative efforts regarding aquifers.”
Bismarck Tribune: Burleigh County to appeal Summit carbon pipeline decision
Zachary Weiand, 12/4/24
“Burleigh County is planning to challenge a recent state permit approval for a major carbon dioxide pipeline set to route just a few miles north of Bismarck,” the Bismarck Tribune reports. “The County Commission on Wednesday voted unanimously to move forward with an appeal of a recent North Dakota Public Service Commission approval of a permit application for Summit Carbon Solution's five-state carbon dioxide pipeline. The County Commission went into executive session to discuss its legal options before voting. The county must file its appeal to the decision in court by Dec. 15… “The appeal follows another lawsuit in North Dakota related to the pipeline project. Emmons County filed a challenge against the PSC's decision over the authority of local ordinances. Summit has argued these ordinances make it impossible to build the line through Burleigh and Emmons counties. County governments maintain there are still potential routes. The court case has been on hold, though it is expected to resume now that the PSC has made a decision… “The County Commission has had contentious relations with Summit since 2022, when Summit initially proposed a route that would have seen the pipeline coming as close as 2 miles north and 3 miles east of Bismarck's extraterritorial area… “Still, the County Commission has regularly voiced concerns over potential safety issues associated with the pipeline. Similar concerns have been expressed by pipeline opponents in other parts of North Dakota and in the other four states where the project is proposed. The coalition is ideologically diverse, ranging from environmentalists to those expressing skepticism or denial of the scientific consensus on climate change.”
KFYR: Burleigh County to appeal Public Service Commission ruling on CO2 pipeline
Michael Anhalt, 12/4/24
“The Burleigh County Commission met for an executive session Wednesday and has agreed to appeal a decision made by the Public Service Commission (PSC) to approve a permit for the Summit Carbon Solutions CO2 pipeline route,” KFYR reports. “County Commissioner Wayne Munson said the PSC disregarded Burleigh County’s efforts to establish ordinances to keep the pipeline at least 10 miles away from Bismarck city limits and to move the route one to four miles away from county schools, homes, public recreation areas and other occupied structures, depending on the classification… “The PSC ruled that our ordinances don’t need to be enforced. They are bypassing all of the work that we did to protect our residents, which is why we’ve decided to take this action against the PSC,” said Burleigh County Commissioner Wayne Munson… “Commissioner Munson told KFYR he and the other commissioners are in lockstep regarding the safety of Burleigh County residents.”
Brookings Register: Carbon pipeline discussion set in Brookings County
Mondell Keck, 12/4/24
“The proposed construction of a CO2 pipeline across South Dakota — including through Brookings County — will be the subject of an informational meeting that’s planned in January,” the Brookings Register reports. “On Tuesday morning, Brookings County Commission Chairman Larry Jensen said the pipeline discussion is expected take place during the regular county commission meeting on Jan. 7, the same day two new commissioners — Doug Post of Volga and Dave Miller of Brookings — are sworn into office… “Because of that, however, the pipeline discussion might be delayed to later in January so that Post and Miller have time to become acclimated to their new responsibilities, Commission Department Director Stacy Steffensen told the Brookings Register on Tuesday afternoon. The overall issue has been simmering for months not only in Brookings County, but in other parts of South Dakota as well… “The PUC plans public hearings in January… “In a sign of the uphill battle Summit could be facing, South Dakota voters on Nov. 5 rejected Referred Law 21, with 59% opposing the measure to 41% supporting it. RL 21, put on the ballot by state lawmakers, sought to establish pipeline-related rules, give a new source of income to counties via a surcharge and establish a “landowner bill of rights.” That referendum was also unpopular in Brookings County, where 58% of the voters opposed RL 21, with 41% in support of it.”
Power Magazine: North Dakota Carbon Capture Project in Limbo After Canada Group's Exit
Darrell Proctor, 12/4/24
“A Canada-based energy group reportedly has withdrawn from a $2 billion carbon capture project in North Dakota. Project Tundra, which aimed to capture carbon dioxide from flue gas from two coal-fired units at the 705-MW Milton R. Young Station near Center, North Dakota, is now in limbo just two months after securing more than $4 million in funding from the U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE),” Power Magazine reports. “TC Energy Corp., headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, reportedly said it will shift its focus to projects better aligned with the company’s commercial interests… “The exit comes as Minnkota Power Cooperative, the project lead, said it would not reach a final investment decision on Tundra by the end of the year, according to Politico’s E&E News service… “Reports said Minnkota has acknowledged the company will be challenged to raise funds to continue to the project. Officials also have said Tundra’s increasing costs, and an uncertain regulatory environment, may not make it viable moving forward… “Project Tundra was the last of three projects picked by the DOE in late 2023 under the agency’s Carbon Capture Demonstration Projects’ program. Others include Calpine’s Baytown Carbon Capture Project in Baytown, Texas, and Calpine’s Sutter Decarbonization Project near Yuba City, California.”
Terre Haute Tribune-Star: Wabash Valley Resources opponents seek hearing on wastewater discharge permit
Sue Loughlin, 12/3/24
“Opponents of an ammonia fertilizer plant/carbon sequestration project are requesting a public hearing related to Wabash Valley Resources’ request for a permit renewal to discharge storm, and eventually process wastewater, into the Wabash River,” the Terre Haute Tribune-Star reports. “WVR is seeking what the state describes as a minor permit renewal to discharge up to 4.16 million gallons per day of stormwater, sanitary wastewater and process wastewater into the Wabash River, Coal Creek and an unnamed tributary to the river, according to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management… “Janet Strole Cianteo, of Concerned Citizens Against Wabash Valley Resources, told the Tribune-Star the group is seeking a public hearing to learn more. “This should be known to all residents who are concerned about water and protecting our Wabash River, Coal Creek and the unnamed tributary to the Wabash River. We have this area and wetlands to protect,” she told the Tribune-Star. Emails have been sent to local officials requesting assistance in obtaining an IDEM hearing, she told the Tribune-Star. Deborah Sitarski also has requested an IDEM hearing and would like more information about the impact on the Wabash River and any potential impact on drinking water. Those contacting IDEM want to know “what this is about and how this will affect us,” Sitarski told the Tribune-Star… “ IDEM states that it will determine whether to conduct a public hearing based on comments and rationale for the request.”
Seeking Alpha: Williams CEO pledges 'very large lawsuit' against Energy Transfer in pipeline fight
12/4/24
“Williams plans to bring a "very large lawsuit" against Energy Transfer (ET) after a legal dispute between the companies delayed construction of the Louisiana Energy Gateway project, CEO Alan Armstrong told Argus in an interview on Tuesday,” Seeking Alpha reports. “Energy Transfer (ET) is the only company in "pipeline history" to have defied industry norms over pipeline crossings in a bid to block competitors' projects, Armstrong told Argus, and he hopes the lawsuit would "stop the industry from spiraling into that kind of behavior." Energy Transfer (ET) tried to block Williams (WMB) and other pipeline companies from building new gas pipelines across its own Tiger pipeline in Louisiana's Haynesville shale, arguing that projects by Williams and others proposed an excessive number of crossings under and over its own pipelines; opponents argued Energy Transfer was just attempting to control market share… “Energy Transfer (ET) lost cases to Williams (WMB) in lawsuits spanning parishes across Louisiana, but the litigation pushed back Louisiana Energy Gateway's in-service date from late 2024 to H2 2025.”
E&E News: PJM boosts gas in contentious grid plan
Peter Behr, 12/5/24
“The power needs of data centers run by America’s technology giants will open the door to new natural gas-fired generation under a strategy advanced by the largest U.S. grid operator, pushing aside carbon-free wind and solar projects,” E&E News reports. “PJM Interconnection, which manages the high-voltage grid serving 65 million people in the mid-Atlantic and Ohio River Valley, has approved changes to how it decides which new power plants can connect to the system… “PJM expects to bring its Reliability Resource Initiative (RRI) to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission this month. The plan would allow a new round-the-clock gas generator to “jump the queue,” moving in front of some renewable energy projects that have been waiting for years for permission to connect to the PJM grid… “Under PJM’s proposed system for ranking and approving projects, natural gas plants have a much higher score because of their ability to operate around the clock, in contrast with wind and solar plants… “But the PJM strategy built around new gas plants will require building new gas pipelines through eastern U.S. states, often against stiff opposition from residents. “There is no additional pipeline capacity to be able to increase production” from the Appalachian gas fields, David Braziel, CEO of Houston-based RBN Energy, told E&E.”
Post Independent: Pipeline proposal south of Rifle open for public comment
12/4/24
“The White River National Forest and Bureau of Land Management Colorado River Valley Field Office are seeking feedback on a proposal for new natural gas and water pipelines south of Rifle,” the Post Independent reports. “...The project, led by TEP Rocky Mountain LLC and Grand River Gathering LLC, would reduce truck traffic by delivering produced water into an existing management system and transporting natural gas to markets nationwide… “If approved, the pipelines would cross 2.9 miles of National Forest System lands, 2.1 miles of BLM-managed lands, and 2.1 miles of private property… “The proposal does not include new oil or gas development, but the pipeline system could support future projects.”
Renewables Now: Enbridge takes measured steps into hydrogen
Plamena Tisheva, 12/5/24
“Enbridge Inc, a major North American energy infrastructure company that is growing its renewables footprint in a disciplined manner, is taking a measured approach to the emerging hydrogen sector,” Renewables Now reports. “In an interview with Renewables Now, company spokesperson Gina Sutherland confirmed Enbridge’s commitment to investing in renewables and low-carbon technologies. On the role of hydrogen in its long-term vision, the spokesperson said that the company is progressing cautiously in building its expertise. “Our approach is to develop our capability slowly on several fronts and scale that up as market demand increases,” the representative told RN. Calgary, Canada-based Enbridge is currently involved in several small hydrogen projects on its natural gas distribution system in Ontario and Quebec… “Enbridge is also exploring how hydrogen could be integrated into its extensive natural gas infrastructure. “We’re excited by the potential of hydrogen and have several studies underway that are examining how hydrogen can be transported on our natural gas systems. With about half our business being natural gas, there’s potential to support future growth using hydrogen in our existing infrastructure,” the spokesperson told RN.”
Bloomberg: Home of Canada’s Oil Sands Chases $71 Billion Data Center Opportunity
Kevin Orland, 12/4/24
“The Canadian province of Alberta, home to the world’s third-largest crude reserves, is making a push to become a hub for artificial intelligence data centers and sees the potential to attract C$100 billion ($71 billion) in investments,” Bloomberg reports. “The government is planning to introduce legislation, make regulatory changes and roll out new services to encourage technology companies to build data centers in the province. The strategy seeks to take advantage of Alberta’s abundance of natural gas for power generation, low taxes and cold climate, which could reduce firms’ cooling costs… “The government has set a goal of having C$100 billion worth of data center infrastructure complete or under construction within the next five years, Alberta Technology and Innovation Minister Nate Glubish told Bloomberg.”
GlobalData: ONEOK completes NGL fractionation and pipeline expansion projects
12/5/24
“Natural gas transmission company ONEOK has announced the completion of two key projects, the MB-6 NGL fractionator in Mont Belvieu, Texas, and the full looping of the West Texas NGL pipeline system,” GlobalData reports. “The MB-6 fractionator, with a capacity of 125,000bpd, increases ONEOK's total fractionation capacity to more than one million barrels per day, reducing reliance on third-party services. The full looping of the West Texas NGL pipeline system has increased its capacity to 515,000bpd. Planned pump stations set for completion by mid-2025 will boost the capacity further to 740,000bpd… “ONEOK has also agreed to sell three interstate natural gas pipelines – the Guardian pipeline, Midwestern gas transmission and Viking Gas Transmission – to DT Midstream for $1.2bn. This move is part of ONEOK's strategy to optimise its asset portfolio. The combined 1,300-mile pipeline network has a total capacity of more than 3.7 billion cubic feet per day.”
Bloomberg: Who Will Clean Up Shell’s Mess in Nigeria?
Paul Tullis, Samuel Ajala, Abdulwaheed Sofiullahi, and Marcello Rossi, 12/3/24
“In better times, Wir-Le Agbaalor worked his family’s small farm every day—weeding, watering or harvesting his cassava. But for more than a year now, he’s had little to show for his efforts because his fields have been covered in a thick, sticky coat of black crude oil,” Bloomberg reports. “A section of the Trans-Niger pipeline lies hidden in a copse about 100 feet from his land in the Niger River Delta. Built by Royal Dutch Shell Group in 1965, the link can transport 180,000 barrels a day and has been the source of countless spills over the years… “Agbaalor’s family earned about 95,000 nairas ($57) a week selling its produce at the market in nearby Port Harcourt, some 280 miles southeast of Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial capital. But this year, Agbaalor, 46, didn’t bother planting because there’s little chance of harvesting anything. “When our soil is destroyed, it’s gone forever,” he told Bloomberg as a car emblazoned with Shell’s logo passes by… “For any future spills, Agbaalor and other potential claimants risk a tough slog. In January, Shell announced the sale of SPDC to a local consortium called Renaissance Africa Energy Co. for $1.3 billion… “And the company says it can simplify its portfolio by exiting onshore oil production in the Niger Delta—among Shell’s most emissions-intensive operations, according to consulting company Wood Mackenzie Ltd… “Civil society watchdogs and attorneys who’ve faced Shell in court see something else at work: Getting the subsidiary off the parent company’s books could absolve Shell of future liability for malfunctions at SPDC’s installations. And the costly task of decommissioning infrastructure that’s no longer profitable—but still dangerous—may instead fall to Renaissance… “The World Wildlife Fund says the oil spilled in the first five decades of production—by Shell and dozens of others—in the Niger Delta equaled one Exxon Valdez disaster every year. “
Noozhawk: From the Santa Barbara Oil Spill to Today: The Mission of the Environmental Defense Center
12/3/24
“In this interview, Noozhawk spoke with Betsy Weber, Assistant Director at Environmental Defense Center, to learn more about how the nonprofit uses legal action to protect our coastal environment,” Noozhawk reports. “...The Environmental Defense Center works to defend nature and advance environmental justice on California’s Central Coast through advocacy and legal action… “The Environmental Defense Center (EDC) was founded in 1977, born as a response to the devastating 1969 Santa Barbara Oil Spill. The horrific images and painfully slow recovery led to the passage of some of our most important and enduring environmental laws at the state and federal levels – laws including the Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, National Environmental Policy Act, and the California Coastal Act… “In 1977, the doors were opened at EDC, providing the people of the south-Central Coast of California an environmental watchdog, an advocate, and a legal voice to counter the power of oil companies and other corporate polluters. Almost 50 years later, EDC still advocates, educates, and provides free and low-cost legal services to community groups working to protect the environment throughout Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo Counties, having represented more than 140 organizations to date… “EDC is leading the fight to stop Sable Offshore from restarting ExxonMobil’s old drilling equipment including the same corroded pipeline that ruptured nearly 10 years ago spilling more than 450,000 gallons of oil into the ocean… “If this project is approved, another oil spill will be all but inevitable. This is one of the most urgent threats to our communities and environment, and we are fighting on many levels to ensure the history of oil spills isn’t repeated… “EDC is the only nonprofit public interest environmental law firm between Los Angeles and San Francisco. For nearly five decades, EDC has represented more than 140 community groups, providing them with free and low-cost legal services and helping to empower them with the tools necessary to fulfill their specific mission.”
WASHINGTON UPDATES
InsideEPA: D.C. Circuit’s CEQ Ruling Hangs Over Rare High Court NEPA Arguments
12/3/24
“The Supreme Court is slated to hold oral arguments next week in a National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) suit that focuses on whether federal agencies must study ‘reasonably foreseeable’ effects over which they lack statutory authority to regulate, the first NEPA suit the high court has heard in two decades,” InsideEPA reports. “But the Dec. 10 oral arguments come against the backdrop of the recent bombshell appellate decision finding that the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) lacks authority to issue binding NEPA implementing rules. Ted Boling, a former long-time CEQ NEPA official now with Perkins Coie, told InsideEPA that the Nov. 12 decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit tanking CEQ’s NEPA regulatory authority in Marin Audubon Society v. Federal Aviation Administration, et al., could arise at the Supreme Court when it hears arguments in Seven County Infrastructure Coalition, et al. v. Eagle County, Colorado, et al.”
E&E News: Gorsuch agrees to step back from NEPA case
Lesley Clark, 12/5/24
“Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch has agreed to recuse himself from an upcoming case that could limit the scope of environmental reviews of major projects like dams and pipelines,” E&E News reports. “In a letter Wednesday, the clerk of the court wrote that “consistent with the code of conduct” for justices, Gorsuch “has determined that he will not continue to participate” in the case that could lead to a narrowing of the scope of National Environmental Policy Act reviews. Gorsuch did not provide details on the recusal. But he has a close relationship with the billionaire owner of Denver-based Anschutz, an oil and gas company that stands to benefit if environmental reviews were narrowed. Environmental groups, including Accountable.US and Greenpeace USA, wrote to the court in October arguing that the case presents a conflict of interest for Gorsuch. They asserted that the case — which will be heard Tuesday — could weaken one of the avenues for challenging industry-backed projects, “likely benefiting Anschutz, whose company’s drilling proposals have required Environmental Assessments at least 86 times.”
E&E News: Biden official to lawmakers: LNG study coming mid-December
Nico Portuondo, Carlos Anchondo, 12/5/24
“The Department of Energy’s long-awaited study on liquefied natural gas exports will be issued in the coming weeks, one of DOE’s lieutenants told lawmakers at a House hearing Wednesday,” E&E News reports. “Brad Crabtree, head of the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, said a final report on climate and economic impacts of LNG exports will be released sometime in mid-December… “The forthcoming update of our economic and environmental analysis is both robust and comprehensive,” he said, adding that it will include a 60-day comment period. With less than 50 days remaining until President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in, it’s unclear exactly what a second Trump administration might do with the remaining days of the public comment period. On the campaign trail, Trump said he would end DOE’s pause on LNG export approvals as a Day 1 action.”
The Hill: Congressional Democrats call on Biden to disburse remaining IRA climate funds before leaving office
Zack Budryk, 12/4/24
“Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) called on President Biden in a letter Wednesday to ensure climate-related Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) funds are disbursed before he leaves office in January,” The Hill reports. “...They were joined on the letter by Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.), Interior Secretary Deb Haaland’s successor in the House. The letter is also signed by Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and 46 other House members, including Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl Grijalva (D-Az.), and Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), who has announced his candidacy to succeed Grijalva. “To avoid future politicization or manipulation of climate programs, we ask that your agencies move expeditiously to disburse key climate and clean energy programs at the White House and the Department of Energy (DOE), the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Department of Transportation, the Department of the Treasury, the Department of the Interior, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the General Services Administration, and the U.S. Postal Service,” the members wrote… “While a full repeal of the law is likely to be a complex process that would encounter pushback due to potential job losses in Republican districts, the White House and Republican Congress would have broader latitude in determining how funds are disbursed, including altering eligibility criteria.”
Reuters: Biden pushes out over $100 billion in clean energy grants as term winds down
Valerie Volcovici, 12/3/24
“U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration has awarded over $100 billion in grants created by its signature climate law, the Inflation Reduction Act, a senior administration official told Reuters. “...When funds are obligated, they are protected,” the official told Reuters. “They are subject to the terms of the contract, so when those contracts are signed and executed, this becomes a matter of contract law more than matter of politics.” The official told Reuters the administration is on track to exceed its goal of “obligating” over 80% of IRA grant funding by the end of Biden’s term next month… “In August, 18 Republican House members wrote to House Speaker Mike Johnson asking him not to gut the law’s incentives because it would jeopardize major investments. Some of Trump’s close allies have also benefited from the IRA, particularly its provisions boosting carbon capture and sequestration, as well as clean hydrogen.”
E&E News: Reality of repealing green credits sinks in for divided GOP
Andres Picon, Emma Dumain, 12/5/24
“House Speaker Mike Johnson has made clear he supports taking a “scalpel,” not a “sledgehammer,” to the Democrats’ 2022 climate law,” E&E News reports. “But as the prospect of doing away with billions of dollars of energy and climate subsidies in the Inflation Reduction Act in the next Congress is looking closer to becoming a reality, GOP lawmakers — and business groups with a stake in that funding — are amplifying concerns that such an effort would be misguided. “You can’t throw the baby out with the bathwater, and there are some things in the IRA worth preserving and many things worth throwing away, and intelligent people should decide between the two,” Rep. Nick LaLota (R-N.Y.), one of more than a dozen House Republicans who earlier this year came out in favor of protecting some of the climate law’s clean energy incentives, told E&E. Slightly echoing Johnson (R-La.), he advocated a “scalpel, not a hatchet” approach. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) told E&E Wednesday morning that while “no final decisions have been made,” Republicans are looking to use the first of two planned reconciliation bills to implement permitting reform and potentially roll back the Inflation Reduction Act’s $7,500 electric vehicle tax credit and other clean energy incentives during the first 30 days of the next Congress… “The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the American Petroleum Institute and other organizations aligned with big business and fossil fuels originally opposed the climate law but have since said they want stability in government investment. They have said they plan to put pressure on the incoming administration to preserve certain energy incentives.”
Iowa Capital Dispatch: Biodiesel production ‘in jeopardy’ waiting for guidance on sustainable aviation fuel tax credit
Cami Koons, 12/4/24
“Biofuel producers and politicians are urging the U.S. Department of the Treasury to issue guidance on a tax credit for sustainable aviation fuel and other low-carbon biofuels,” the Iowa Capital Dispatch reports. “The credit, known as 45Z, is part of the Biden-Harris administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, and would credit fuel producers up to $1.75 per gallon for sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF, and up to $1 per gallon for other sustainable transportation fuel. Eligibility for the program was set to begin in 2025, but advocates and fuel producers are growing weary as the end of the year approaches and they still don’t know the final guidelines for the credits. Monte Shaw, executive director of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, told the Dispatch fuel producers in Iowa are slowing production, “if not shutting down” while waiting for this guidance. “The reality is we need (the) Treasury to issue 45Z guidance immediately,” Shaw told the Dispatch. “Simply put, biodiesel production is in jeopardy as we speak.” “...Despite President-elect Donald Trump’s talk of gutting the Inflation Reduction Act, advocates for the biofuels industry believe the tax credit can be preserved and only fear delays to the program’s implementation.”
Reuters: Biden administration will not finalize clean fuel tax credit guidance
Jarrett Renshaw, 12/3/24
“Biden administration officials will not finalize highly anticipated guidelines on new clean fuel production tax credits aimed at the airline and biofuel industries before they leave in January, three sources told Reuters, casting doubt on the future of a key piece of the U.S. president’s climate agenda,” Reuters reports. “The tax credit, the engine behind President Joe Biden’s ambitious plan to generate 3 billion gallons in production of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) by 2030, was due to become effective Jan. 1, but a lack of detailed guidance from the U.S. Treasury would render the program dormant… “Ethanol producers in particular are hoping SAF will provide market growth, amid stagnant demand for the corn-based fuel as a gasoline additive. The biofuel industry is now pushing lawmakers to extend existing blender tax credits that were set to expire at the end of the year to deal with the uncertainty, according to multiple interviews with industry executives… “The delay in establishing guidelines for SAF is due to political squabbles between agriculture lobbyists and environmentalists over how to ensure the program can achieve its climate targets, Reuters has previously reported.”
Reuters: Rising LNG terminal costs to make new US projects less competitive, says analyst
Curtis Williams, 12/3/24
“Rising costs of building and equipping new U.S. liquefied natural gas plants will reduce the competitiveness of U.S. gas exports, LNG analysts at Poten & Partners predicted on Tuesday,” Reuters reports. “U.S projects have faced rising construction costs, with Venture Global’s Plaquemines export plant under construction in Louisiana over budget by $2.3 billion, and Golden Pass LNG, a joint venture between Exxon Mobil and QatarEnergy, more than $2 billion over its original budget… “The Biden administration’s export permitting pause likely will keep global LNG prices higher for longer and benefit existing exporters, Feer said at Poten’s Global LNG Outlook conference. Feer added that for the firms proposing new export plants along the U.S. Gulf Coast, landing new customers will present a greater risk than regulation, and that even if the incoming Trump administration removed all the regulations, finding customers will still be a challenge. Among other risks facing LNG exporters is political pressure in China limiting its switch away from coal, potentially lifting its LNG demand by 5% over the next decade… “There is this idea that China will switch from coal to gas. We think that is very unlikely… that will make China dependent on the U.S. or Qatar, that’s expensive and a potential risk to their national security, so I don’t see that happening,” Feer said.”
Politico: Stansbury Touts Grijalva Support
Josh Siegel, 12/4/24
“Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) is telling colleagues that she has the backing of outgoing House Natural Resources Chair Raúl Grijalva as she weighs a long-shot bid to succeed him,” Politico reports. “As ME reported on Tuesday, Stansbury’s office said she is “taking a serious look” at entering the race against Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), the presumptive favorite. In messages to colleagues, Stansbury said Grijalva asked her if she’d consider running with his support after he dropped out.”
Politico: GOP Leads With Energy
Josh Siegel, 12/4/24
“Senate Republicans are looking to tackle energy as one of their top priorities in a reconciliation bill within the first 30 days of the Trump administration, incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune outlined at a private GOP conference meeting on Tuesday,” Politico reports. “...Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), who is set to be the No. 2 Senate Republican, told Politico that lawmakers are discussing directing the Interior Department to hold more oil and gas lease sales and reopen lands for drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge as part of the first reconciliation bill. That would be in line with the measures in Republicans’ 2017 reconciliation bill. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) told Politico Republicans are discussing including permitting measures alongside the energy provisions, saying they “go together and they unify the conference.” Sullivan told Politico permitting is “a little more challenging” because reconciliation measures must have a budget nexus, but he insisted it’s “not impossible.”
Washington Post: What Trump’s Second Administration Could Mean For Environmental Justice
Amudalat Ajasa and Anna Phillips, 12/4/24
“Over the past four years, the Biden administration said it has funneled hundreds of billions of dollars to help towns and neighborhoods most harmed by pollution,” the Washington Post reports. “The money, largely through the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, paid for electric school buses to replace diesel-burning vehicles, brought solar to tribal lands and funded local groups to clean up their communities. It all came out of a promise President Joe Biden made to devote 40 percent of money dedicated to cutting pollution to the heavily poor, often non-White areas that shoulder a disproportionate burden. Now, as President-elect Donald Trump’s transition team prepares for a second term, this approach — called Justice40 — could be on the chopping block… “In an email, Trump transition spokeswoman Taylor Rogers did not specifically address how the new administration would change the federal government’s approach to environmental justice. But she told the Post Lee Zeldin, Trump’s choice to lead EPA, “will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions that will be enacted in a way to unleash the power of American businesses, while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards, including the cleanest air and water on the planet.” Some of Trump’s allies have suggested the term ‘environmental justice’ could be redefined to include economic programs that will have the most impact on disadvantaged Americans’ lives.”
Fieldnotes: Big Oil’s Plan for GOP Control
Julia Kane, 12/3/24
“This past August, some of the country’s most powerful oil and gas executives gathered at a swanky Houston hotel to discuss what they would do if their well-financed efforts to secure Republican control of Washington succeeded,” Fieldnotes reports. “Fieldnotes obtained internal documents revealing the details of that closed-door meeting, which were reported on by the Washington Post last month… “The strategy is laid out in the “2025 Policy Roadmap,” a plan drawn up by the American Exploration & Production Council, or AXPC. AXPC is a trade organization made up of ExxonMobil subsidiary XTO Energy, ConocoPhillips, and more than two dozen other oil and gas corporations. Each of these companies pays the group a quarter-million dollars a year to lobby on their behalf. Taken together, the ideas outlined in AXPC’s roadmap would obliterate some of the government’s most powerful levers for tackling the climate crisis and protecting public health. And given AXPC’s ties to the MAGA movement, there’s good reason to believe its member corporations will get most if not all of what they want from Trump and his congressional allies… “AXPC really wants to kill the methane fee… “For more than a century, the fossil fuel industry has benefited from a tax carveout available only to oil and gas corporations that allows them to write off approximately 85% of the cost of drilling new wells. But in 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act changed how these deductions, known as intangible drilling costs, or IDCs, work… “AXPC sees two ways to achieve its preferred outcome: Congress could pass legislation narrowly targeting IDCs, or it could repeal the corporate alternative minimum tax entirely… “According to the internal materials, AXPC’s “key permitting priority” is “creating a standard of judicial review for claims brought under the National Environmental Policy Act,” which would limit which agency decisions environmental groups can challenge in court… “Many in the GOP want to take a wrecking ball to climate regulations, but investors would prefer they leave some in place—albeit without any teeth—so that corporations can sell LNG to the EU under the region’s new methane rules. Similarly, “overly biased” permitting decisions could leave oil and gas projects vulnerable to litigation.”
E&E News: Fossil fuels enriched Trump’s DOE pick
Scott Waldman, 12/4/24
“President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Energy has amassed a fortune in the fossil fuel business, sits on the board of a nuclear reactor company and has played a notable role in the development of geothermal power,” E&E News reports. “It’s a lengthy job history, and helps explain why Trump tapped Chris Wright for the job. But it’s unclear how much Wright will distance himself from these interests if the Senate ultimately agrees to let him run the Energy Department. And even if he does, critics say, Wright still will be in position to boost the oil and gas industry that made him a mint. His biggest potential conflict of interest is with Liberty Energy, a Colorado-based business that provides hydraulic fracturing services. Wright founded the company in 2011 and serves as its CEO and board chair. He also holds about 2.6 million shares in Liberty — worth more than $40 million based on the current stock price… “Wright has used his position as a fracking CEO to attack EVs and has made it clear that he views climate policies as a waste. In an investor filing from August, Wright’s Liberty stated that “Electric vehicles are not “climate policies” or part of an “energy transition.”
STATE UPDATES
Press release: Lawsuit Targets Duke Energy’s Decades of Climate Deception, Harm to North Carolina Town
12/4/24
“The town of Carrboro sued Duke Energy Corp. today for the company’s decades-long role in a nationwide climate deception scheme that has worsened the climate crisis, harmed the community and cost the town millions of dollars. The lawsuit seeks to hold Duke Energy accountable for the damages inflicted on Carrboro by the corporation’s campaign to delay the transition from planet-heating fossil fuels to renewable energy… “We have to speak truth to power as we continue to fight the existential threat that is climate change. The climate crisis continues to burden our community and cost residents their hard-earned tax dollars,” said Carrboro Mayor Barbara Foushee. “Duke Energy’s knowledge of the environmental injustice being caused by the use of fossil fuels has unfairly plagued our community for decades. Historically underserved and marginalized communities are facing disproportionate impacts and health risks that are associated with climate change. This was not an easy decision to make but I believe that we must be courageous as we call out these injustices and seek change and accountability.” Today’s lawsuit says Duke Energy’s top executives have known for more than 50 years about the risks from fossil fuels but have been ringleaders of a widespread campaign to mislead the public about its climate harms and increase reliance on coal and gas for electricity… “Duke Energy, the third largest-polluting corporation in the U.S., has spent millions on industry front groups and PR firms to deceive the public about the science of climate change and block action to combat it, causing Carrboro and its residents significant harm, the lawsuit said.”
Floodlight: Venture Global’s ‘carbon bomb’ LNG plant on hold — for now
Pam Radtke, 12/4/24
“Environmental groups are declaring a temporary victory after the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission rescinded its approval of CP2, a $10 billion liquefied natural gas terminal planned for southwest Louisiana,” Floodlight reports. “The Nov. 27 decision will require Venture Global to perform an additional study examining the cumulative impacts of nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter emissions from the terminal in Cameron Parish. FERC approved construction of the terminal in June. Venture Global has already filed a schedule for the additional study, anticipating FERC will once again approve CP2 in July. Opponents of the plant have labeled it a “carbon bomb” that would emit greenhouse gasses equivalent to 1.8 million gasoline-powered cars — more than the total number of vehicles registered in the state of Louisiana. The groups that filed the challenge — including For a Better Bayou, Fishermen Involved in Sustaining Our Heritage (FISH), Natural Resources Defense Council and the Sierra Club — welcomed the delay, but said FERC needs to do even more environmental analyses on CP2. “While the pause on construction may offer the community some temporary relief, it is, at best, a short-term fix to a much deeper problem. FERC’s original authorization was deeply flawed,” Megan Gibson, senior attorney for the Southern Environmental Law Center, which filed the rehearing request on behalf of the groups, told Floodlight. Except for agreeing that more air pollution analysis was needed, FERC rejected all other arguments, including that the agency failed to require an analysis of greenhouse gas emissions on environmental justice communities, and that the loss of wetlands in the coastal area would not be significant.”
Telluride Daily Planet: BLM Adds Protections For Gunnison Sage-Grouse Habitat
Sophie Stuber, 12/3/24
“The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recently released its Record of Decision (ROD) and Approved Resource Management Plan (RMP) Amendment for the Gunnison sage-grouse,” the Telluride Daily Planet reports. “...The BLM’s new amendment will increase the buffer zone around Gunnison sage-grouse habitat to one-mile, designate three new Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) and limit surface disturbances on BLM lands in sage-grouse habitats.”
Colorado Sun: Colorado’s first biomass energy plant closed, set for auction as owner files for bankruptcy protection
Jason Blevins, 12/4/24
“The pioneering biomass plant in Gypsum — the first in the state to begin converting shredded beetle-kill trees into electricity — has shut down and its owner has filed for bankruptcy protection citing more than $40 million in debt,” the Colorado Sun reports. “The closure has terminated wildfire mitigation efforts in Colorado’s forests and reveals the growing struggle of burning biomass for electricity as demand grows for more affordable renewable energy options like solar and wind. The highest bidder for the plant and the 94-acre property along the Eagle River in Gypsum — revealed last week in Colorado U.S. Bankruptcy Court — is an Illinois-based real estate firm that proposes paying $2.45 million. The trustee in charge of the sale said the Urban Investment Research Corp. bested four potential bidders — and 22 who expressed interest in the plant and its assets — and the commercial real estate owner would not renew a contract to sell electricity to Holy Cross Energy.”
EXTRACTION
The Hill: Vanuatu blasts US, China for asking Hague to continue status quo for climate change harms
Zack Budryk, 12/4/24
“The island nation of Vanuatu criticized representatives for major emitters like the U.S. and China for their remarks during International Court of Justice (ICJ) proceedings that will determine states’ international obligations to address climate change,” The Hill reports. “On Wednesday, representatives for the U.S. spoke during proceedings in the Hague, defending the status quo after Vanuatu called for the court to issue an opinion holding the nations responsible for the most emissions responsible… “Representatives for China made similar arguments, with Foreign Ministry legal adviser Ma Xinming saying that Bejing “hopes that the court will uphold the U.N. climate change negotiations mechanism as the primary channel for global climate governance.” “...Vanuatu, an archipelago of 82 islands, earlier this week opened proceedings by calling for an opinion holding “a handful of readily identifiable states” accountable… “ICJ opinions are not legally binding and the U.S. and China do not fully acknowledge the court’s authority. However, a finding siding with Vanuatu could serve as a major precedent for lawsuits citing the impacts of climate change.”
Bloomberg: Oil Seen Below $60 by Middle of New Trump Term, Survey Shows
David Wethe, 12/4/24
“Banks are gearing up for US oil prices to fall below $60 a barrel by the middle of President-elect Donald Trump’s new term in office, according to a survey from law firm Haynes Boone LLP,” Bloomberg reports. “West Texas Intermediate, the US benchmark, is expected to drop to $58.62 a barrel by 2027, the mean estimate of 26 banks participating in the survey that was released Wednesday. WTI settled at $69.94 yesterday. Trump has said he’ll push shale producers to ramp up output, telling supporters pump prices will fall even if it means operators “drill themselves out of business.” Crude prices in the US have dropped about 2.4% so far this year amid concerns about a looming global surplus… ““If prices drop further, our experts wouldn’t be surprised if producers start paring 2025 budgets to curb drilling,” Alex Ljubojevic, director of Enverus Intelligence Research, said in a report this week.”
Guardian: Exposure to air pollution increases infertility risk, US study finds
Tom Perkins, 12/4/24
“Maternal and paternal exposure to common air pollutants may increase the risk of infertility because it can be detrimental to egg, sperm and embryo development, new research in the US finds,” the Guardian reports. “Previous papers have established that air pollution exposure probably contributes to infertility, but it has been unclear whether the toxins affected men or women because both parents face similar exposures. That also made it difficult to establish when in the conception process damage occurred. The new study looked at about 1,400 men and women attempting to have a child through in vitro fertilization. That allowed researchers to look at donor oocytes, which turn into eggs, and sperm that were developed in isolation from each other, and in physically different areas. It was generally assumed that air pollution harmed women more, but the new research shows paternal exposure is a problem, too. “We don’t usually think about the male partners’ exposures in the preconception window, but we and others are increasingly showing that male exposures are important, both in terms of fertility, and potentially later in child health outcomes,” Audrey Gaskins, an Emory University researcher and study lead author, told the Guardian… “Exposure to organic carbon, which is a component of particulate matter, during ovarian stimulation, the period in in vitro fertilization when ovulation is medically induced, seemed to increase the likelihood that eggs would not survive. The pollutant also seemed to impact folliculogenesis and spermatogenesis, which are critical steps in egg and sperm development.”
Daily Trust: Bayelsa community cries for help as oil spill pollutes farmlands, water
Bassey Willie, 12/4/24
“Madam Nikki is from Ogboinbiri community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, where an oil spill recently occurred,” the Daily Trust reports. “Nikki, who spoke in Ijaw language, told Daily Trust: “Cassava, cocoyam, plantain are all dying. As a result it is posing a great challenge to feed our children. Apart from crops affected; our fishing nets and traps have all been soiled by crude oil. We cannot drink the river water due to the crude oil; even to bathe our children is a problem now.” She lamented that as an elderly woman, when she used the water, it seriously causes itching on her body, adding, “As I am here talking to you, my body is itching because of crude oil on the water. We are the closest community to Ogboinbiri and suffering the negative impact; without any benefits.” “...Madam Nikki is not the only one who feels the pain of the spill, as the people of Ogboinbiri community, have been forced to drink from the polluted stream and live in degraded environment due to the over three months oil spill from an oil installation in the area. Also, for over four months, farmers in the areas have had their businesses nosedive over pollution of farm lands, as crops and other arable farm produce are in decline. The spill has been attributed to an alleged untamed leak from the facility operated by Oando PLC in the community. The current spill, which is the 4th in three months, showed an excavated spill point exposing the ruptured section of the Ogboinbiri/Tebidaba pipeline operated by indigenous company Oando which inherited the facility from Italian multinational outfit, Agip. Residents of the community told Daily Trust that water, farmlands, fishing gears, swamps, crops and the environment generally have been polluted, without any option for them to get alternatives for cleaner sources of drinking water… “It was also learnt that the spill, which has spread for about a week now, has impacted adversely on the Apoi Creek and swathes of marshland and farmlands of Apoi clan in Southern Ijaw with communities such as Keme-Ebiama, Kokologbeni, Gbaraun, Apoi affected and also as far as Ukubie.”
CLIMATE FINANCE
Net Zero Investor: AP7 blacklists two oil firms over Paris Agreement breaches
Aysha Gilmore, 12/4/24
“The Swedish fund, which manages assets worth $99.8bn, has blacklisted EOG Resources and MEG Energy Corp due to their "large-scale operations without transition plans," Net Zero Investor reports. “AP7 excludes companies that breach the UN Global Compact's ten principles or the Paris Agreement. It also blacklists firms involved in the development or production of nuclear weapons. The fund said its decision to exclude the US energy company EOG Resources was based on its oil operations, while Canadian firm MEG Energy Corp was blacklisted due to its oil sands operations. Both companies were deemed to be in violation of the Paris Agreement for failing to develop climate transition plans. Charlotta Dawidowski Sydstrand, head of environmental, social and governance (ESG) at AP7, emphasised that blacklisting does not mean the pension fund halts engagement with the companies in question. Speaking to Net Zero Investor, she said: "Blacklisting is one of the tools in our active ownership strategy, but it does not mean an end to dialogue with the companies in question. AP7 blacklists companies that fail to comply with international norms related to human rights, labour rights, and environmental sustainability… “In total, AP7 has excluded 110 companies. Of these, 53 are fossil fuel companies, which have been excluded based on Paris Agreement violations. While another ten oil and coal companies are blacklisted under other criteria.”
TODAY IN GREENWASHING
BayToday: Enbridge donation a gift that 'will save your life'
12/4/24
“On Tuesday, Enbridge Gas Inc. and NBFES announced they are working together to improve home safety and to reduce fire and carbon monoxide-related deaths down to zero,” BayToday reports. “NBFES received 250 combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms through Safe Community Project Zero, a public education campaign with the Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council (FMPFSC) that will provide more than 14,500 alarms to residents in 75 communities across Ontario. This year, Enbridge Gas invested $450,000 in Safe Community Project Zero, and over the past 16 years, the program has provided more than 101,000 alarms to Ontario fire departments.”
Halton Hills Today: Enbridge donates hundreds of alarms to Halton Hills Fire Dept.
Herb Garbutt, 12/4/24
“...In an effort to make sure everyone is protected, Enbridge has donated 264 combination smoke/carbon monoxide detectors to the Halton Hills Fire Department,” Halton Hills Today reports. “The donation was part of Enbridge’s Safe Community Project Zero, a public education campaign with the Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council that will provide more than 14,500 alarms to residents in 75 Ontario communities. Over the past 16 years, the program has donated more than 101,000 alarms across the province. “The Halton Hills Fire Department would like to extend our gratitude to Enbridge for their generous donation of combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms,” said Halton Hills Fire Chief Jon Rehill.”
OPINION
Colorado Newsline: Despite Trump, Colorado’s environmental work will continue
Sammy Herdman has an environmental policy master's degree from the University of Denver and works at the Regional Air Quality Council, 12/3/24
“...By electing Donald Trump president for the second time, American voters rejected federal progress towards climate change mitigation, land conservation, species protection, pollution reduction, and every other substantial environmental goal for at least the next four years,” Sammy Herdman writes for Colorado Newsline. “However, Trump’s vehement environmental antagonism didn’t win over Colorado voters, who rank climate change, natural resources and the environment as top political concerns. So, it will come as a relief to most Coloradans that some of the state’s environmental priorities (climate change, public lands, and clean air) may advance without federal support, or can at least be prevented from excessive backsliding. Colorado will keep working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, despite the Trump administration’s promises to retard clean energy adoption and abandon climate-friendly policies… “A new analysis shows that Colorado has cut greenhouse gas emissions by 11% since 2005, putting it on track to meet the 2030 goal. So, progress will continue, whether that be by investing in public transit, providing tax credits for electric vehicles, helping commercial buildings improve energy efficiency, or regulating methane emissions from oil and gas operations… “For decades, a diverse coalition of Coloradans, including local businesses, outdoor recreationists, ranchers and more advocated to end mining and fossil fuel extraction in the Thompson Divide… “Project 2025’s directive to reverse the leasing moratorium in the Thompson Divide is easier said than done… “However, the current ground-level ozone standards have been in place since 2008 and 2015, and there is no precedent for weakening established standards — although Trump’s EPA will likely opt out of strengthening ozone pollution standards when they are up for review, again… “Colorado may be able to ride out the next four years without the significant environmental backsliding that the federal government is going to experience.”
The Hill: 4 value propositions for climate action under Trump
Amy Campbell is a Fulbright Scholar in the Climate and Society Program at the Columbia Climate School at Columbia University; Jeff Schlegelmilch is director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at the Columbia Climate School, Columbia University and author of “Rethinking Readiness: A Brief Guide to 21st Century Megadisasters,” 12/3/24
“There’s no mincing words: The forthcoming transition of United States presidential administrations is sending shockwaves through the climate advocacy community,” Amy Campbell and Jeff Schlegelmilch write for The Hill. “Many say that it highlights an almost definitive exponential increase in emissions. Carbon Brief suggests an additional 4 billion tons of emissions by 2030; the MIT technology review asserts this is an emissions trajectory we cannot afford… “But even if the polarizing language seems to leave little room for discussion, an immediate urgency for climate adaptation, investing in resilience to the impacts of climate change amidst increasing disasters, is an area of potential consensus in a divided landscape. Finding that consensus is literally a matter of life or death in the face of increasing disasters. We believe there are areas of potential consensus, and at least four value propositions for climate adaptation action that the incoming administration might find attractive. First, there is a clear case for proactive federal investment in disaster preparedness and climate adaptation… “Second, with immigration being a hot topic during the campaign, it bears mentioning that climate change is a major driver of migrants to our border… “The incoming administration can also address climate from a national security perspective… “Finally, the global economy and markets are rapidly shifting towards renewable energy and low-carbon technologies that also have resilience benefits, such as renewable energy and energy storage. China is a leader in solar panel and battery production. If the U.S. is to continue in the battle of global clean technology supply chains and green exports, it will gain a competitive edge through investments in renewable energy production… “With these areas of potential agreement, momentum can be built in areas where progress is possible to build resilience in a warming world.”