EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 1/3/25
PIPELINE NEWS
Washington Post: Drilling could resume where a 1969 oil spill inspired Earth Day
KMA: Flashback 2024: Carbon pipeline controversy
Hart Energy: Midwesterners to CCUS: Not in My Corn Field
North Dakota Monitor: Judge denies Greenpeace request to investigate mailer critical of DAPL protests
WFDD: State lawmakers call for a detailed look at pipeline expansion, raise environmental concerns
Canadian Press: Pembina completes acquisition of stake in Whitecap assets
Nature: Vehicle–canine collaboration for urban pipeline methane leak detection
WASHINGTON UPDATES
E&E News: Trump readies Day One energy offensive
Houston Chronicle: Trump wants to fix inflation by cutting energy bills in half. Can he pull it off?
OilPrice.com: Will Trump Actually Levy Tariffs on Canadian Oil?
E&E News: Oil industry urges Supreme Court to stop climate lawsuits
E&E News: Trump team takes aim at crown jewel of US climate research
U.S. Dept. of Interior: Biden-Harris Administration Proposes Protections for Ruby Mountains
Politico: Hill’s New Energy Leaders
Press release: Leader Schumer Announces New Senate Democratic Committee Assignments
Pro Publica: The American Oil Industry’s Playbook, Illustrated: How Drillers Offload Costly Cleanup Onto The Public
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: How the gas industry reads the consent decree tea leaves to get ahead of regulatory shifts
Native News Online: Q&A With Outgoing Secretary Of The Interior Deb Haaland
STATE UPDATES
Wyoming Tribune Eagle: Wyoming senator wants to make sure carbon capture projects aren't property tax exempt
Inside Climate News: Five Years After Philadelphia Refinery’s Closure, Pollution Concerns Persist
Cleveland.com: Gas drillers ask to open 4,700 acres of Ohio wildlife areas for fracking
Arizona Republic: Mohave retirees claim victory after county reverses vote on power plant site near homes
EXTRACTION
Lakeland Today: Pathways Alliance’s transportation network design and front-end engineering expected to finish by end of year
Canada’s National Observer: Have your say on Canada’s greenwashing rules
Energy News Bulletin: Woodside's Browse LNG project hinges on contentious carbon capture plans
Reuters: Fire Extinguished at Valero's Three Rivers Refinery, No Injuries Reported
World Cargo News: Two bulk carriers collide in China, oil spill reported
TODAY IN GREENWASHING
Norfolk Today: Enbridge Gas and Norfolk Fire unite for home safety
OPINION
Globe and Mail: Let’s face it, we are going to need a leaner, cleaner oil and gas sector
The Hill: Methane leaks are supercharging the climate crisis — here’s what we must do, now
PIPELINE NEWS
Washington Post: Drilling could resume where a 1969 oil spill inspired Earth Day
Joshua Partlow, 1/2/25
“Jeremy Frankel was camping with his buddies among beachfront palm trees nearly a decade ago when he smelled oil. He watched as black sludge pouring from a drainage pipe smeared the pristine waters off Refugio State Beach before authorities forced him to evacuate,” the Washington Post reports. “He would learn later about the oil-covered birds, the dead dolphins and sea lions — casualties of a pipeline that ruptured and spilled more than 120,000 gallons of crude oil along the Gaviota Coast, one of the last undeveloped stretches of Southern California oceanfront. “The full extent will never really be known,” Frankel told the Post as he walked amid those same palms, many of them now teetering and washing away from winter storms and rising seas. He has become a lawyer for the Environmental Defense Center, a Santa Barbara-based nonprofit, and one of the people trying to block an effort to restart that defunct pipeline and boost an offshore oil industry that for years has been fading into the California sunset… “Sable’s plan — to resume drilling at three offshore platforms and pump oil through a buried pipeline running for miles up the coast — is reopening old wounds in this winsome seaside city… “In 1969, another major spill at an offshore oil platform disgorged 100,000 barrels of crude into the Santa Barbara channel — a catastrophe that helped launch an environmental movement in the United States. It prompted the first Earth Day, led to the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and helped spawn bedrock laws such as the Clean Air Act and the Endangered Species Act. The pipeline plan looms at a time when many Californians fear backsliding on climate and environmental issues, as President-elect Donald Trump returns to office with promises to “drill baby drill.” “...Trump’s return makes stopping the Sable proposal “more critical for California,” Alex Katz, executive director of the Environmental Defense Center, which was created in response to the 1969 spill, told the Post. “You’ve got a federal administration that wants to drill everywhere. This is an opportunity for California to show we’re still going to lead on the climate crisis in spite of this administration.”
KMA: Flashback 2024: Carbon pipeline controversy
Ethan Hewett, 1/3/25
“KMA News continues its "Flashback 2024" series, looking back at the top local and regional news stories of the past year. Our final report today looks at developments regarding a proposed carbon pipeline, including a long-awaited ruling from state regulators,” KMA reports. “Since Summit Carbon Solutions submitted its application for its Midwest Express CO2 pipeline in January 2022, the topic has been ripe with heated debate both for and against the endeavor--which would pump captured CO2 from 57 participating ethanol plants from across a five-state region to an underground sequestration site in North Dakota… “Supporters hailed the IUC's ruling, including Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Executive Director Monte Shaw… “The vast majority of landowners have signaled their support by signing voluntary easements. While there was some very loud opposition, it was, at the end, a small number of people. And, it wasn't based on the laws and regulations we have to comply with." “...Officials add the company has secured voluntary easements with 75% of Iowa landowners along the route… “Opponents also held a news conference in August following the IUC's approval. Omaha Attorney Brian Jorde has represented landowners from across the state who have filed objections to the project. While disappointed in the IUC ruling, Jorde says the burden also falls on Iowa lawmakers. "Summit has the right to propose bad business plans and put them in front of the (IUC), that's what the law is," Jorde emphasized. "But ask yourselves who made the law, how did it get watered down, and how was the red carpet rolled out. That's your Iowa politicians in this case."
Hart Energy: Midwesterners to CCUS: Not in My Corn Field
Sandy Segrist, 12/24/24
“...The first major projects were pitched at the beginning of the 2020s. Since then, midstream companies and their investors have discovered that, while the general public is fine with the idea, many of the locals are much less predisposed to it and have passionate opinions,” Hart Energy reports. “Four projects have been attempted in the Midwest since 2021. All but one has encountered staunch opposition from some of the landowners along the proposed routes and the state legislators that represent them. The projects have also received support from some residents and related industries, but the opponents have been able to claim at least one victory. One project has been canceled, and another was being reconsidered at the end of 2024. Opponents claim the projects will not help the environment, are dangerous and violate their land rights. “It’s pretty exciting to be here making property rights one of the most important topics in our state,” Mike Klipfel, a South Dakota farmer, told the Tri-State Livestock News following a court victory against a project in August… “The decisions surrounding the Keystone XL or the Mountain Valley Pipeline projects boiled down to competing lobbying efforts and court battles between the environmental and energy sectors. CCUS projects are different because the pipelines don’t carry hydrocarbons to market, but greenhouse gases to isolated areas for disposal… “The state fights over CCUS don’t follow political affiliation and tend to be more regional in nature, with rural landowners battling businesses interested in lowering their carbon output. In February, Iowa opponents of the use of eminent domain to build Summit Carbon Solutions’ CO2 pipelines staged a die-in at the state capital in Des Moines. The look was far less “urban” than similar city protests—participants mostly middle-aged or older, flattened on the floor wearing red, button-up, collared shirts along with blue jeans and work shoes… “A big part of the fight in South Dakota, and in other states within Summit’s proposed network, is the issue of eminent domain… “Ethanol producers also have to deal with the rising carbon intensity requirements of some U.S. states, especially California, said Sen. Mike Jacobsen (R-Neb.), in a letter for the American Carbon Alliance, an organization that promotes carbon capture. “Carbon sequestration can make sure Nebraska ethanol continues to have a role in the U.S. economy,” Jacobsen said.”
North Dakota Monitor: Judge denies Greenpeace request to investigate mailer critical of DAPL protests
Mary Steurer, 1/3/25
“A judge has denied a request by environmental group Greenpeace to gather evidence on a right-wing, pro-fossil fuel mailer that may have targeted potential jurors in its legal battle with Energy Transfer, the developer of the Dakota Access Pipeline,” the North Dakota Monitor reports. “Some Morton County residents in October reported receiving a 12-page direct mailer called “Central ND News” containing material complimentary of Energy Transfer as well as stories that highlighted criminal activity by anti-Dakota Access Pipeline protesters… “In court documents, Greenpeace expressed concerns that the direct mailer was written specifically to give Energy Transfer the upper hand when the suit goes to trial… “In a Dec. 17 order, Gion seemed to agree with Greenpeace that the mailer may have been an effort to sway jurors… “Still, the judge found it would not be appropriate to approve the discovery request without further evidence the mailer has had a measurable impact on the jury pool. “There is only one way to determine if such an attempt is successful, and unfortunately the Court agrees with Energy Transfer that way is through the jury questionnaires and jury selection,” he wrote in the order. “If the Court cannot empanel a jury in Morton County, there will obviously be a delay in the trial and the Court can revisit this issue at that time.”
WFDD: State lawmakers call for a detailed look at pipeline expansion, raise environmental concerns
Santiago Ochoa, 1/2/25
“A massive proposed expansion to the Transcontinental Gas Pipeline, which runs through parts of the Piedmont, has caught the attention of 14 North Carolina General Assembly members,” WFDD reports. “ They join thousands of concerned citizens and dozens of nonprofits in demanding scrutiny during the expansion’s federal application process. The lawmakers signed a letter addressed to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the agency in charge of granting large energy infrastructure permits. In it, policymakers like Reps. Kanika Brown and Pricey Harrison, who represent Forsyth and Guilford counties respectively, called for the commission to take a detailed look at the proposed expansion. They specifically asked for an environmental impact statement or EIS… “While an EIS is usually produced during the permitting process, Williams is requesting an environmental assessment instead, which is not as detailed in considering the long-term impacts of a project.”
Canadian Press: Pembina completes acquisition of stake in Whitecap assets
1/2/25
“Pembina Pipeline Corp. says its subsidiary Pembina Gas Infrastructure Inc. (PGI) has completed its previously announced acquisition of a 50 per cent stake in Whitecap Resources Inc.'s Kaybob complex natural gas processing facility,” the Canadian Press reports. “The $420 million deal was announced in July 2024… “The Kaybob complex in Alberta includes 165 million cubic feet per day of natural gas processing capacity and condensate stabilization capacity of 15,000 barrels per day. PGI is a gas processing entity with operations in Western Canada, jointly owned by Pembina Pipeline Corp. and global investment firm KKR.”
Nature: Vehicle–canine collaboration for urban pipeline methane leak detection
Hongfang Lu, Dongmin Xi, Yaqin Xiang, Zhenhao Su & Y. Frank Cheng, 1/3/25
“Urban areas are experiencing the expansion of distribution pipeline networks due to the transition from coal to natural gas for reducing carbon emissions. However, methane leaks from these pipelines are offsetting environmental benefits and raising safety concerns,” according to Nature. “Here, to address these issues, we propose integrating vehicle-based detection systems with sniffer canines to improve the efficiency of methane leak detection and localization in urban distribution networks. A practical methane emission measurement campaign covering approximately 4,000 km of natural gas distribution pipelines across 20 Chinese cities revealed that sniffer canines accurately pinpointed 432 natural gas release sources within the 220 leak areas identified by detection vehicles. Our findings indicate notable variations in spatial gas leak density and leak-prone components across different cities, with underground steel pipelines and aboveground risers being particularly prone to leaks. This study offers a promising solution for enhancing urban infrastructure management, thereby improving public safety and environmental protection.”
WASHINGTON UPDATES
E&E News: Trump readies Day One energy offensive
Robin Bravender, 1/2/25
“President-elect Donald Trump plans to begin to torpedo the Biden administration’s climate and energy policies starting on Inauguration Day,” E&E News reports. “Trump and his team are readying a series of energy-focused executive orders that the incoming president announced he plans to sign upon taking office… “I will sign Day One orders to end all Biden restrictions on energy production, terminate his insane electric vehicle mandate, cancel his natural gas export ban, reopen ANWR in Alaska — the biggest site, potentially anywhere in the world — and declare a national energy emergency,” Trump said in Phoenix… “Trump could potentially use emergency powers to restrict crude oil exports or to suspend Clean Air Act requirements, according to a guide compiled by the Brennan Center for Justice... “Trump has promised a big expansion of his first-term pledge to cut two regulations for every new one put on the books. In his second term, he wants to ax 10 rules for every new one. But tossing out existing regulations takes time, and the administration will face procedural and legal hurdles as it tries to erase rules that are on the books. How far they’ll get in cracking down on regulations will also depend on the scope of the rules they try to scrap or replace; some regulations are more significant than others.”
Houston Chronicle: Trump wants to fix inflation by cutting energy bills in half. Can he pull it off?
James Osborne, 12/30/24
“...During a campaign stop in Michigan in August President-elect Donald Trump did just the opposite, saying not only would he cut Americans' energy bills in half but he would do so within 12 months of taking office. He has also talked about a target date of 18 months,” the Houston Chronicle reports. “The likelihood of either promise coming to fruition is extremely low, experts told the Chronicle. The money Americans spend on gasoline — their largest energy expense — is almost entirely determined by global oil markets over which American politicians have virtually no control. And electricity bills largely hinge on the price of natural gas, which is already fairly low in the United States, and the cost of building out the power grid, which involves expensive, sometimes decade long projects that would be difficult to undo. "People think about what they pay at the pump when they think about energy process. But the room to lower gasoline prices is very limited," Kevin Book, managing director of Clearview Energy Partners, a Washington consulting firm, told the Chronicle. "He might be able to lower prices a little but not by 50%." "...It's going to be very difficult for (Trump) because we're already drilling at the highest capacity," Michael Blankenship, a Houston attorney with oil and gas clients, told the Chronicle. "You can drill more on federal lands, but most drilling happens on private land." "...Even if President Trump could cut crude prices in half, I don't think he would want to because it would devastate U.S. shale oil production," Bob McNally, who served as an energy advisor on the National Security Council under President George W. Bush, told the Chronicle. "At $35 crude oil prices, US energy dominance dies. We all saw this movie, including President Trump, in April and May of 2020."
OilPrice.com: Will Trump Actually Levy Tariffs on Canadian Oil?
David Messler, 1/2/25
“The likelihood of tariffs being applied to Canadian oil imports is low due to Canada being the largest supplier of heavy crude to the US,” according to OilPrice.com. “Tariffs would likely increase domestic oil production and prices, but may not directly lead to inflation… “Trump has promised to levy a 25% tariff on Canadian imports if that country doesn’t improve its border security measures. The smart money recognizes this as being mostly bluster on his part, but it has put the Canadian government into a full-stop panic-as it was intended to do… “There is no indication from the Trump camp as yet if these measures will be sufficient to allay the northern border concerns, but I think the likelihood of tariffs being applied to Canadian oil imports is fairly remote. Canada is our largest supplier of the heavy crude that is mixed with lighter shale oil in our Gulf Coast refineries. In fact as documented by the EIA-WPSR it is our largest source of imported oil, period. There would be significant knock-on effects to tariffs on oil, but it might not be what you expect. The initial reaction is that consumers will see the price increases and that will lead to inflation… “Domestic producers rightly figure, if the market clearing price for oil is 25% higher than the NYMEX...hey they want that price too and it becomes the market price. This has the effect of restricting imports and increasing domestic production-and profitability… “Accordingly, I do not expect that tariffs will go into effect on Canada for this reason coupled with the fact that the country seem to be making a ‘good-faith’ effect to come into compliance with Trump’s demands.”
E&E News: Oil industry urges Supreme Court to stop climate lawsuits
Lesley Clark, 1/2/25
“Oil and gas companies that want to quash a flood of climate lawsuits are urging the Supreme Court to block the cases, arguing that the challenges are rapidly proliferating and pose a threat to an industry that is “vital to economic and national security,” E&E News reports. “In a brief docketed with the high court last week, industry lawyers pushed back on the Biden administration’s efforts to defend climate liability lawsuits filed by more than two dozen local governments from Maine to Hawaii. Separately, a group of Republican state attorneys general are continuing to push their request for the high court’s permission to block their Democratic colleagues from suing the fossil fuel industry. The approach tees up a battle between states — a type of legal fight that can be decided only by the Supreme Court. The justices are scheduled to meet in a closed-door conference on Jan. 10 to determine whether to take up the oil industry’s appeal of a Hawaii Supreme Court ruling that advanced Honolulu’s legal challenge against Shell and other oil companies. The justices have not yet scheduled a date to consider the request from the state attorneys general.”
E&E News: Trump team takes aim at crown jewel of US climate research
Scott Waldman, 1/3/25
“Every few years, the federal government publishes a comprehensive report that chronicles how climate change is transforming the United States and devastating the country with more extreme storms, wildfires and droughts. But the next installment of the National Climate Assessment — due out in 2026 or 2027 — could dial back the usual scientific rigor in favor of an approach that would both elevate the viewpoint of climate science denialists and jettison all contributions from the Biden administration,” E&E News reports. “Scientists and climate policy experts told E&E the proposed changes — which are being pushed by aides to President-elect Donald Trump — run the risk of undermining a foundational reference for government officials. And they told E&E it could make it harder to craft future U.S. policies to address global warming… “The drive to reshape the National Climate Assessment is being led by one man: Russell Vought, a conservative warrior whom Trump wants to lead his Office of Management and Budget… “According to the Project 2025 playbook, Vought wants to produce a version of the climate report that includes more “diverse viewpoints.” That phrase often has been used by opponents of climate regulation to describe researchers who are known to cast doubt on peer-reviewed science and often are affiliated with industry or conservative think tanks… “Don Wuebbles, an emeritus professor of atmospheric science at the University of Illinois who worked on all five of the previous National Climate Assessments, told E&E Vought’s push to include more diverse voices was in fact cover to bring in “more biased” ones. “It will make the U.S. look like clowns to the rest of the world,” he told E&E. “They’re going to try to basically say, ‘We don’t know enough to do anything about the climate,’ which is nonsense.” Weakening or attacking the assessment and producing a volume of the report that is centered on debunked fossil fuel industry claims also could have a chilling effect on climate policy that is challenged in court, Michael Gerrard, faculty director of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia University, told E&E.”
U.S. Dept. of Interior: Biden-Harris Administration Proposes Protections for Ruby Mountains
12/30/24
“Today, the Biden-Harris administration announced steps to protect Nevada’s Ruby Mountains, one of the state’s most unique landscapes. In response to requests from Tribes, conservationists, sportsman and the local community, the Department of the Interior is initiating consideration of a 20-year withdrawal of the Ruby Mountain area from future oil and gas and geothermal development, subject to valid existing rights. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service submitted a withdrawal petition and application to Secretary Haaland. The approval of the petition and publication in the Federal Register initiates a two-year segregation that would prevent future oil and gas and geothermal development across 264,000 acres in the Ruby Mountains area… “The Ruby Mountains are an iconic landscape with exceptional recreation opportunities and valuable fish and wildlife habitat worth preserving for the future,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Today’s action honors the voices of Tribal communities and conservation and sportsmen’s groups and marks another important step to protect a treasured landscape.”
Politico: Hill’s New Energy Leaders
12/23/24
“Rep. Bob Latta (R-Ohio) will chair Energy and Commerce’s Energy subcommittee in the coming Congress, while Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-Va.) will head up its Environment subcommittee, incoming E&C Chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) announced on Friday,” Politico reports. “Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.), who signed a letter urging leadership to preserve parts of Democrats’ Inflation Reduction Act, will shift from chairing the Environment subpanel to Health. Rep. Gary Palmer (R-Ala.) will lead the Oversight subcommittee. On the Senate side, incoming Sens. Jim Justice (R-W.Va.) and Dave McCormick (R-Pa.) will join the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Republicans announced late Friday. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) is also joining ENR, while Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) will not return. Sen.-elect John Curtis, the founder of the Conservative Climate Caucus, will join the Environment and Public Works Committee.”
Press release: Leader Schumer Announces New Senate Democratic Committee Assignments
1/2/25
“Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today announced the following Senate committee assignments for the 119th Congress… “Energy: Senator Heinrich (D-NM) – Ranking; Senator Wyden (D-OR); Senator Cantwell (D-WA); Senator Hirono (D-HI); Senator King (I-ME); Senator Cortez Masto (D-NV); Senator Hickenlooper (D-CO); Senator Padilla (D-CA); Senator Gallego (D-AZ). EPW: Senator Whitehouse (D-RI) – Ranking; Senator Sanders (I-VT); Senator Merkley (D-OR); Senator Markey (D-MA); Senator Kelly (D-AZ); Senator Padilla (D-CA); Senator Schiff (D-CA); Senator Blunt Rochester (D-DE); Senator Alsobrooks (D-MD).”
Pro Publica: The American Oil Industry’s Playbook, Illustrated: How Drillers Offload Costly Cleanup Onto The Public
Mark Olalde, illustrations by Peter Arkle, 12/30/24
“In December 1990, officials in the federal agency tasked with regulating offshore oil and gas drilling received a memo with a dire warning: America faced a ticking time bomb of environmental liability from unplugged oil and gas wells, wrote the agency’s chief of staff. Those wells and their costly cleanup obligations were being concentrated in the hands of cash-strapped drillers at the same time as production was shrinking. (The document, unearthed by public interest watchdog organization Documented, was shared with ProPublica and Capital & Main.) More than three decades later, little action has been taken to heed that warning, and the time bomb is threatening to explode. More than 2 million oil and gas wells sit unplugged across the country. Many leak contaminants like brine, methane and benzene into waterways, farmland and neighborhoods. The industry has already left hundreds of thousands of old wells as orphans, meaning companies walked away, leaving taxpayers, government agencies or other drillers on the hook for cleanup. America’s oil fields are increasingly split between a small number of wells producing record profits and everything else. Researchers estimate roughly 90% of wells are already dead or barely producing.”
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: How the gas industry reads the consent decree tea leaves to get ahead of regulatory shifts
Anya Litvak, 12/23/24
“In the fall of 2018, PennEnergy Resources, a Cranberry-based oil and gas driller, bought a group of shale gas wells from a bankrupt competitor, widening its reach in Butler County,” the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. “Two weeks later, inspectors from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency visited those wells and found more gas coming out of the storage tanks than permitted… “And it would be another three years before PennEnergy, the EPA and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection signed a consent decree — a settlement with a $2 million penalty and a 15-page list of remedial actions that PennEnergy agreed to undertake… “A consent decree, which often requires a company to commit to actions that go beyond the scope of current regulations, can also be an express lane to shifting industry practices before laws catch up… “The broad implementation of the same practices through a collection of consent decrees inevitably will shift the legal expectations and duty of care for remaining operators and facilities in the same sector,” wrote Tracy Hester, an environmental attorney, in a 2020 Missouri Law Review article… “It was nearly a decade ago that the EPA said it would target large storage tanks at oil and gas facilities for air pollution violations… “According to the EPA, during the 2024 fiscal year the agency conducted 353 oil and gas inspections across the U.S., with southwestern Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio and northern West Virginia an area of focus. It may be years before the public learns what came of those inspections. But things in the field may start to change much sooner than that.”
Native News Online: Q&A With Outgoing Secretary Of The Interior Deb Haaland
Neely Bardwell, 12/20/24
“U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo), the first and only Native American to hold a secretarial position in a presidential cabinet, will conclude her tenure at the end of the Biden-Harris administration on January 20, 2025,” Native News Online reports. “As the 54th Secretary of the Interior, Haaland has demonstrated remarkable leadership, particularly in her role in launching the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative, a highlight of her work in office. In this Friday’s episode of Native Bidaské, Levi Rickert, editor of Native News Online, sat down with Secretary Haaland. Together, they explored her historic journey, transformative leadership, and vision for the future of Indian Country.”
STATE UPDATES
Wyoming Tribune Eagle: Wyoming senator wants to make sure carbon capture projects aren't property tax exempt
Hannah Shields, 1/2/25
“Wyoming is expected to quickly become the leading state in the nation for carbon capture sequestration projects, and private companies are eyeing the Cowboy State for its “immense opportunity” to deploy carbon capture technology and enhanced oil recovery,” according to the Wyoming Tribune Eagle. “Carbon capture projects such as Project Bison in Sweetwater County, and Tallgrass Energy, L.P., and Meriden Carbon in Laramie County, are still in the early stages of planning. However, Sen. Cale Case, R-Lander, is worried about how these large carbon capture stations might be exempted from paying property taxes. “These gigantic new plants ... will have immense impact on local governments, roads, schools, housing,” Case said. “Yet they could potentially not have to pay any property taxes.” “...To stay ahead of the curve, Case is sponsoring a bill for the upcoming legislative session that would amend this property tax exemption to exclude carbon dioxide. Senate File 61, “Pollution control property tax exemption-applicability,” specifically states that “carbon dioxide shall not be considered air, water or land pollution” for purposes of a property tax exemption under environmental quality control. “It’s not a statement about carbon dioxide. It’s really not,” Case told the Tribune Eagle. “It’s just that we have this one exemption for pollution control equipment, and it’s in the environmental statute.” “...The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis studied two carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects in Norway, Sleipner and Snøhvit, and, in a 2023 report, questioned the viability of this technology. The IEEFA found that CCS projects require constant oversight and pose “material ongoing risks that may ultimately negate some or all the benefits it seeks to create.”
Inside Climate News: Five Years After Philadelphia Refinery’s Closure, Pollution Concerns Persist
Jon Hurdle, 12/26/24
“When the South Philadelphia refinery was permanently shuttered by a catastrophic explosion in 2019 after some 160 years in operation, many residents and environmentalists welcomed it as the long-overdue end of the city’s biggest single source of air pollution,” Inside Climate News reports. “Neighbors in so-called fenceline communities around the sprawling 1,300-acre site three miles south of City Hall said they would at last be free of the air emissions blamed for high rates of asthma and cancer, even if their groundwater remained polluted by petroleum-related substances from decades of leaks and spills. But the refinery wasn’t the only source of area pollution. Among the sites still operating are a terminal where benzene has seeped into soil and groundwater. There’s also a proposed municipal natural gas storage plant, and another tank facility a fossil-fuel company plans to expand, which environmentalists say is vulnerable to flooding because of heavy rains and rising seas as the world overheats. “There is still an incredibly large amount of polluting industrial facilities in South and Southwest Philly even though the refinery is closed,” Russell Zerbo, an advocate for Clean Air Council, an environmental nonprofit in the city that presses for tighter regulation on the remaining fossil fuel complex, told ICN. Now, Zerbo and other activists worry about the future vehicular air pollution from the refinery site’s current repurposing by the developer HRP Group, formerly Hilco Redevelopment Partners, into a massive logistics center containing some 12 million square feet of warehouses, plus a life-sciences park.
Cleveland.com: Gas drillers ask to open 4,700 acres of Ohio wildlife areas for fracking
Jake Zuckerman, 12/26/24
“At least one interested driller asked the state to open an additional 4,360 acres of Egypt Valley Wildlife Area and 383 acres of Jockey Hollow Wildlife Area, both in Belmont County, to oil and gas development,” Cleveland.com reports. “The applicants, whose identity is shielded by state law, want to access oil and gas thousands of feet beneath the wildlife areas via well pads adjacent to the park. Earlier this month, the Ohio Oil and Gas Land Management Commission accepted a $152,000 bid plus 18% royalty fees from Gulfport Energy to allow hydraulic fracturing – fracking – under 30 acres of Egypt Valley. The new request, posted shortly before Christmas, would significantly expand operations in the roughly 18,000-acre wildlife area… “To access the gas, drillers start at well pads adjacent from the wildlife areas. They drill down thousands of feet before turning laterally, reaching a mile or more underground to tap into the shale underground. From there, they pump at high pressure huge volumes of a mixture of water, sand, and noxious chemicals to free methane from shale, before pumping it all up to the surface to dispose of the wastewater and sell the oil and gas… “Since the commission formed in earnest in 2023, its members have already opened 5,700 acres of Salt Fork State Park to Infinity Natural Resources, of West Virginia, for $58 million plus a 20% royalty fee.”
Arizona Republic: Mohave retirees claim victory after county reverses vote on power plant site near homes
Joan Meiners, 12/28/24
“The Mohave County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Monday to reverse a zoning designation for a plot of undeveloped land in Fort Mohave that would have allowed a polluting natural gas "peaker plant" to be built less than half a mile from residents' homes,” the Arizona Republic reports. “The vote marks the end of a yearlong fight against the power plant at that location by senior citizens living in the nearby Sunrise Hills neighborhood. They reached out directly to The Arizona Republic in early January for help voicing their concerns about the project, connecting with others in the community and getting answers about what they believed to be illegal activity by officials involved in an earlier zoning decision… “In interviews with The Republic, physicians and environmentalists added concerns that particulate pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions from the gas turbines — while more efficient and filtered than older models — would exacerbate respiratory health risks and strain the local health care industry while worsening drought and heat issues related to global climate change… “Members of the senior citizen opposition group, who organized under the name "Not in Any Neighborhood" and often wore bright yellow shirts depicting how the 98-megawatt facility might look against their mountainous backdrop to community gatherings and county proceedings, also tried to engage the local Fort Mojave Indian Tribe in protests but did not receive a direct response. In May, after The Republic's initial story about the controversy published, tribal representatives came out against the project and attended subsequent meetings… “The Fort Mojave Indian Tribe has been more vocal against the project being located in Mohave Valley, since the tribe owns land less than 800 feet away where it hopes to build housing in the future. In May, Ashley Hemmers, who manages public services on the reservation for the tribe, told The Republic she was not aware of any attempts by MEC or AEPCO to consult with the tribe about potential impacts of the peaker plant project. The utilities say they have reached out, but Hemmers feels the tribe's interests were not sufficiently considered. “They put billboards up because they think they can just buy land and tell us what to think and we’ll put up with it,” she said.”
EXTRACTION
Lakeland Today: Pathways Alliance’s transportation network design and front-end engineering expected to finish by end of year
Mario Cabradilla, 1/2/25
“Pathways Alliance continues to press forward with its $16 billion carbon capture and storage (CCS) project as some groups express continued concerns over the potential impact of the project,” Lakeland Today reports. “...Pathways Alliance continues to advance the Foundational CCS project and has made great progress this year,” Kendall Dilling, president of Pathways Alliance, told Lakeland Today. Regulatory applications, which began in the first quarter of 2024, for a CO2 transportation network, including a 400+ km main pipeline and 250+ km connecting lines, are ongoing, with design and front-end engineering expected to finish by the end of the year, Dilling told Lakeland Today… “Still, the project continues to face questions and skepticism. On Nov. 28, eight First Nations in Alberta sent a letter to Minister Steven Guilbeault requesting that Pathways' project be designated under the federal Impact Assessment Act (IAA)... “In St. Paul, where a portion of the Pathways network is proposed to be located, some residents continue to express “growing concern” about the project – seeking more communication from Pathways. Amil Shapka, a member No to C02, a local group that has been speaking against the project, told Lakeland Today, “There’s been no community engagement or community follow up from Pathways,” all the while residents receive more information speaking to the disadvantages and against viability of CCS technology… “We were basically saying we were open minded. So, convince us. Give us the evidence. But nobody's convinced us yet. All the while all the other information make us more hesitant,” Shapka told Lakeland Today. “It's going to be a harder sell from now on.”
Canada’s National Observer: Have your say on Canada’s greenwashing rules
Natasha Bulowski, 1/2/25
“The Competition Bureau wants to know what Canadians think of its proposed guidelines to ensure companies are truthful about environment and climate claims for their products,” Canada’s National Observer reports. “On Dec. 23, the bureau opened consultations on its greenwashing guidelines. Interested parties can submit feedback to the Competition Bureau by email until Feb. 28, 2025, and submissions will be posted publicly. The Competition Act is a law designed to prevent anti-competitive practices like price-fixing, false marketing and other deceptions. The law was amended in June to specifically address greenwashing… “Companies are free to make environmental claims for promotional purposes, as long as they are not false or misleading, and can be proven by the company. The Competition Bureau already has several greenwashing investigations underway. It is probing whether the Pathways Alliance's net-zero claims in one of its ad campaigns are false or misleading. Enbridge is also being investigated for allegedly misleading customers about the role of natural gas in the energy transition by calling it "clean energy" and "low carbon." The Canadian Gas Association is under scrutiny for similar messaging… “Anyone who suspects a company or individual is making deceptive marketing claims is strongly encouraged by the Competition Bureau to report it.”
Energy News Bulletin: Woodside's Browse LNG project hinges on contentious carbon capture plans
Rueben Hale, 1/3/25
“Woodside Energy has unveiled plans for a proposed carbon capture and storage (CCS) initiative to support its controversial Browse LNG project in Western Australia's Kimberley region,” Energy News Bulletin reports. “The Plan is now under assessment and open to public consultation.”
Reuters: Fire Extinguished at Valero's Three Rivers Refinery, No Injuries Reported
1/2/25
“A large fire was extinguished at Valero's 89,000 barrel per day Three Rivers refinery in Texas on Wednesday evening, local media reported,” according to Reuters. “No injuries were reported and details on how the fire started and the extent of any damage remains unknown, the reports said… “The refinery has access to crude oil from West Texas and South Texas through third-party pipelines and trucks. The refinery distributes its refined petroleum products primarily through third-party pipelines.”
World Cargo News: Two bulk carriers collide in China, oil spill reported
1/2/25
“A collision between two bulk carriers occurred on 30 December 2024 at around 10 p.m. local time in the northern channel of the Yangtze River, China,” World Cargo News reports. “The vessels involved were the Yangze 22, a Singapore-registered Kamsarmax bulk carrier, and the Vega Dream, a Japan-registered Capesize bulk carrier operated by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL)... “Approximately nine tonnes of fuel oil were spilt as a result of the collision… “The Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration (MSA) is coordinating clean-up operations, with additional support from vessels deployed by the Yangze 22’s management company. The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has confirmed that the spillage is under control and that both vessels remain in stable condition.”
TODAY IN GREENWASHING
Norfolk Today: Enbridge Gas and Norfolk Fire unite for home safety
1/2/25
“Enbridge Gas and the Norfolk County Fire Department are joining forces to enhance home safety through the Safe Community Project Zero initiative,” Norfolk Today reports. “...As part of the program, the Norfolk County Fire Department received 264 combination smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. These devices are part of a province-wide initiative that will distribute over 14,500 alarms to 75 Ontario communities, funded by Enbridge Gas with a $450,000 investment.”
OPINION
Globe and Mail: Let’s face it, we are going to need a leaner, cleaner oil and gas sector
Simon Dyer is the deputy executive director of the Pembina Institute. Simon Langlois-Bertrand is a research associate at the Trottier Energy Institute, 1/2/25
“This year, you may have noticed, there’s been no shortage of rhetoric about the emissions that come from Canada’s oil and gas industry. Much of the discussion has come down to one question: how do we balance the need to reduce oil and gas emissions with the role the sector currently plays in Canada’s economy?,” Simon Dyer and Simon Langlois-Bertrand write for the Globe and Mail. “If the rhetoric you’ve heard this year has given you the impression that it is a choice between a booming oil and gas industry and emissions reduction policies that curb productivity and have a negative impact on our economy, then we’d respectfully suggest you’ve been sold a false choice… “The oil and gas industry, with its outsized contribution to climate-changing greenhouse gas emissions, should be expected to do its fair share in limiting future damage, and future costs. The second thing to note is that the sector is not pulling its weight in that regard. Despite years of environmental promises, advertised to Canadians through various iterations of industry groupings and alliances, oil and gas emissions are still going up… “This compares with an overall fall in Canada’s emissions during the same period, showing that the oil and gas industry is now out of step with progress being made across other areas of our economy. Without additional targeted regulation, it is hard to see how this will change… “As Canada develops new industrial sectors and transforms its economy to seize the opportunities of this global transition, we are also going to need a leaner, cleaner oil and gas sector – where we produce less oil and gas overall, and a larger share isn’t burned as fuel but is used as feedstock for low-carbon petrochemicals and other materials. How much of the oil and gas industry – and how many jobs – we hold on to will depend on whether companies today invest in the emissions reduction projects that will future-proof the sector to compete in that changing market. But these investments will not materialize without regulations. Regulating the oil and gas sector is not a road to economic destruction, but a prudent choice to opt in to the prosperous clean-energy future that all Canadians deserve.”
The Hill: Methane leaks are supercharging the climate crisis — here’s what we must do, now
Lt. Gen. Russel L. Honoré (Ret.) is a former commanding officer of the U.S. First Army. He led Joint Task Force Katrina in New Orleans following the devastating Category 5 hurricane. He is currently head of The Green Army, an organization dedicated to finding solutions to pollution, 12/31/24
“In the fight against climate change, the focus is usually on carbon dioxide, or CO2 — and for good reason. It’s a greenhouse gas that remains in the atmosphere for years, trapping in heat for generations to come. Yet there is an even more potent planet-warming gas whose destructive powers have long gone hidden — until now,” Russel L. Honoré writes for The Hill. “...The good news is that, thanks to recent developments in leak monitoring, we can halt much of the methane emitted from various human activities before it reaches the atmosphere, a tactic that, because of methane’s potency and short shelf life, could have an almost immediate impact… “So-called “orphaned” wells, or wells that have been abandoned by the oil companies that originally drilled them, litter the United States, including my home state of Louisiana… “Last month, I testified in Baton Rouge on behalf of important legislation to hold oil companies accountable for the wells they previously drilled… “Beyond avoiding accountability for its methane emissions, the industry also engages in “greenwashing,” or making their products seem cleaner than they are. Nowhere is this more apparent than the case of “LNG” or “liquified natural gas,” as the industry calls it. Here’s the truth: “natural” gas is methane. It’s not a pure product and contains elements of other toxins, but methane is the active ingredient… “It’s time to end federal permitting of new LNG gas export terminals. Absent federal action, state and local officials must refuse zoning, land use, public interest and other permits to stop the industry’s reckless expansion.”