EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 2/17/23
(Note to Readers: The next edition of “Extracted” will be published on Wednesday, Feb. 22.)
PIPELINE NEWS
KCUR: Ice, muck and a $480 million price tag: the Keystone oil spill cleanup carries on in Kansas
Iowa Capital Dispatch: New House bill has significant restrictions for carbon dioxide pipelines
Des Moines Register: Iowa House looks to limit eminent domain for carbon capture pipelines. How it would work:
South Dakota Searchlight: South Dakota committee rejects bill to stop carbon pipelines from using eminent domain
The Dickinson Press: End of the line for pipeline bills in South Dakota Legislature as two proposals die in Senate committee
Oelwein Daily Register: Quorum of Fairbank council discusses pipeline action meeting
KIYX: Landowners Want Delaware County Board To Stop Pipeline
Food & Water Watch: Carbon Capture & Storage: Solution or Scam? [VIDEO]
Chronicle-Telegram: Ohio Board of Tax Appeals sides with Nexus pipeline in value dispute
WASHINGTON UPDATES
E&E News: The House Democrat trying to move his party on NEPA reform
RTO Insider: Heinrich: Pipeline Permitting ‘Reform’ Will Also Benefit Clean Energy
Washington Post: OTHER TASK FORCES EYE PERMITTING, JOBS
E&E News: EPA's Regan to visit Ohio derailment as lawsuits mount
CNN: EPA chief pledges to hold train company accountable over Ohio toxic train disaster as residents’ frustrations grow
Associated Press: EPA chief at train derailment site: “trust the government”
E&E News: Meet Biden’s New Economic, CEQ, USDA Picks
Law360: US Backs Reversal In Lease Appeal, But Not For Rule 19
The Hill: EPA draft: US greenhouse gas emissions saw record single-year spike in 2021
STATE UPDATES
Washington Post: After toxic train derailment, Ohio residents report rashes and worries
KRQE: Will New Mexicans get a legal right to a clean environment?
Reuters: Montana, oil groups challenge Portland's fossil fuel terminal ban
Press release: Senator Dave Min Introduces Legislation To End Offshore Oil Drilling In California Waters
Inforum: Bills backed by North Dakota oil industry surge through legislative pipeline
EXTRACTION
Reuters: U.S. LNG producers poised to leapfrog rivals with three new projects
Natural Gas Intelligence: ‘No Future Without Natural Gas’ and LNG Investments Still Underway, Says Enbridge CEO
OilPrice.com: Alberta is fighting to send its oil abroad
Calgary Herald: Oilsands succession plan — Pourbaix to step aside as Cenovus CEO
CLIMATE FINANCE
Washington Post: Criticized for climate stances, World Bank president will step down
TODAY IN GREENWASHING
Suncor Energy: Making Room for Indigenous Voices at COP27
Enbridge: Order Up! Michigan’s Feed the City Tour Nourishes Stomach and Soul
OPINION
Fox News: Ohio train derailment highlights Democrats' environmental hypocrisy, reveals this about the disaster
PIPELINE NEWS
KCUR: Ice, muck and a $480 million price tag: the Keystone oil spill cleanup carries on in Kansas
Celia Llopis-Jepsen, 2/15/23
“Trucks are hauling oil-drenched soil to a landfill near Omaha. Crews are building a five-acre pond to continue treating contaminated water. In the two months since the Keystone pipeline erupted in Washington County, Mill Creek has gone from being coated in floating oil nearly a foot deep, to a layer less than one inch,” KCUR reports. “About four miles of the creek remain shut off from the normal flow of water as part of the ongoing, round-the-clock cleanup. Workers have pulled nearly 2 million gallons of oily water out of Mill Creek, carrying on in freezing temperatures by breaking and melting ice. In mid-December, the Environmental Protection Agency says, about 1.5 miles of the stream were coated bank-to-bank in floating oil that pooled more than 10 inches deep in some places… “Now, no areas of the creek remain coated bank-to-bank, the federal agency says, though workers are still recovering oil… “The agency told KCUR oil company TC Energy and state environmental officials have taken samples from drinking water wells near the spill site, but tests haven’t turned up any chemicals from the spill. Springtime brings heavier rains to the area, and landowners worry about the risk that hard rains could cause the creek to overflow its banks… “The EPA says construction is ongoing for a large water treatment system, including 5 acres of pond or ponds for the contaminated surface water. It says the ponds will be more efficient than the tanks now that most of the oil has been pulled from Mill Creek. TC Energy says crews have recovered about 90% of the spilled oil. It has deleted from its website a counter that showed updates on how many barrels have been recovered. A Nebraska landfill agreed to take the contaminated soil from the Keystone oil spill… “Landfills have discretion on whether or not they wish to receive waste,” KDHE told KCUR. “Pheasant Point Landfill (near Omaha) accepted the waste.” In addition to the contaminated soil, Pheasant Point will take other waste from the site, such as oily protective clothing and absorbent pads, and floating booms used to block the oil slick on the surface of Mill Creek. Separately, the Canadian company behind the oil spill will donate $60,000 to Washington County Hospital as part of a campaign it launched after the incident to match donations from the public. TC Energy has also said it would give $7,500 to equip local emergency responders with better mobile and radio equipment.”
Iowa Capital Dispatch: New House bill has significant restrictions for carbon dioxide pipelines
JARED STRONG, 2/16/23
“The three carbon dioxide pipelines proposed in Iowa are “economic development” projects that do not deserve the full weight of eminent domain to complete them, state Rep. Steven Holt, a Denison Republican, said Thursday,” the Iowa Capital Dispatch reports. “Holt unveiled a new bill that was submitted that morning — and co-sponsored by 21 of his colleagues — that would impose a comprehensive set of restrictions on the pipeline projects. Some of the bill’s provisions govern the permitting and construction of the projects, and others give landowners more avenues for compensation for damage to their properties… “Notably, the bill would require the companies to obtain voluntary easements for at least 90% of the total route of their projects in Iowa to gain the power of eminent domain to force easements for the remaining 10% or less. That proposal has gained the public support of the powerful Iowa Farm Bureau Federation and increases the likelihood of the bill’s passage at the Statehouse, Holt told the Dispatch. “I fundamentally do not believe that government should use the power and the blunt force of eminent domain to take other people’s property when it’s a private economic development project,” he told the Dispatch. Holt told the Dispatch the decades-old laws that govern liquid hazardous pipelines — which historically have carried substances such as oil and anhydrous ammonia — didn’t contemplate the current carbon dioxide proposals. The bill would also delay any permits for the projects until the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration finalizes safety guidelines for carbon dioxide pipelines, which Holt told the Dispatch was expected sometime next year. In terms of new construction requirements, companies would have to abide by county zoning ordinances to determine the pipeline routes. At least two counties have recently adopted ordinances that set minimum distances from residences and other buildings. And, under the new bill, pipelines could not be constructed in Iowa until companies had secured the necessary permits in other states to complete the entire project… “Let’s talk about the landowners,” Holt told the Dispatch. “Let’s talk about the century farms that have been there for over 100 years. Let’s talk about these property owners that don’t want this pipeline under their farms. What about them? What about the rug being pulled out from under them?”
Des Moines Register: Iowa House looks to limit eminent domain for carbon capture pipelines. How it would work:
Stephen Gruber-Miller, 2/17/23
“Companies building carbon capture pipelines would have to reach voluntary deals for 90% of the land on their route before they could seek to use eminent domain, under new legislation proposed by House Republican leaders,” the Des Moines Register reports. “The bill, which is sponsored by 22 Republicans, including House Speaker Pat Grassley, is the Iowa Legislature's most serious effort to respond to the concerns of farmers and other landowners who fear they could be pressured to sell their property to three companies seeking to build pipelines across the state. "It’s very important to those of us who signed onto this that we try to protect landowners," Rep. Steven Holt, R-Denison, told reporters Thursday. "Our issue is not with the pipeline but with the use of eminent domain and what is the appropriate use for eminent domain." “...Opponents have raised alarms about the projects' potential use of eminent domain and have cited concerns about pipeline safety and the effect the pipelines' construction could have on field drainage systems, soil and crop yields… “It would also require multistate pipeline projects to acquire all necessary permits in other states before they could attempt to use eminent domain in Iowa. And they must be in compliance with local zoning ordinances to receive a construction permit. Both Summit and Navigator have sued the Story County supervisors after they adopted an ordinance requiring increased distances between pipelines and homes, churches and schools. Summit filed a similar lawsuit against Shelby County in western Iowa, which adopted similar protections… “The House legislation joins about a dozen other bills in the Iowa Legislature aimed at protecting landowners from eminent domain, several of which were introduced by Sen. Jeff Taylor, R-Sioux Center. But the Senate bills have not received hearings, and Senate Republican leaders have declined to act on the issue in the past… “Holt told the Register he's "very optimistic" about getting the legislation to the floor of the Iowa House, given the interest from his colleagues.”
South Dakota Searchlight: South Dakota committee rejects bill to stop carbon pipelines from using eminent domain
JOSHUA HAIAR, 2/16/23
“A South Dakota Senate committee unanimously rejected a bill Thursday that would prevent two proposed carbon pipeline projects from using eminent domain,” the South Dakota Searchlight reports. “The bill had already passed the House of Representatives 40-28, but it was defeated 9-0 in the Senate Commerce and Energy Committee. Opponents of the bill said it would be unfair to remove the possibility of eminent domain for projects that are already being actively considered for permits… “The bill would have removed carbon pipelines from the list of common carriers and, by extension, would have eliminated their ability to use eminent domain… “After Thursday’s committee hearing, the prime sponsor of the bill described the committee’s decision as “economic development over individual rights, industry over farmers, and investors over landowners.” “This is a precedent that should concern every property owner in South Dakota,” said Rep. Karla Lems, R-Canton, in a written statement to South Dakota Searchlight. When asked if she will attempt any procedural maneuvers to resurrect the bill, Lems told the Searchlight, “That remains to be seen.” Legislators can use a procedure known as a “smoke out” to bring a bill to the floor if it fails to pass out of a committee.”
The Dickinson Press: End of the line for pipeline bills in South Dakota Legislature as two proposals die in Senate committee
Jason Harward, 2/16/23
“It’s the end of the line for a bill to clarify the definition of “commodity” within eminent domain law,” The Dickinson Press reports. “...Facing opposition from the companies behind the two proposed carbon pipelines and the ethanol industry set to benefit from this carbon capture technology, the Senate Commerce and Energy committee on Feb. 16 voted 9-0 to kill House Bill 1133. “The people I represent and the people that I care about are the corn growers that live in my district,” said Senate Majority Leader Casey Crabtree, one of several members of leadership serving on the commerce committee. “And you know what they're telling me? They're saying, ‘Do what you can up there, make sure that, for our corn, we get a fair market value for it.’” With months of discussion over the planned pipelines figuring to play heavily into the 2023 session, House Bill 1133 and nearly one-dozen other proposals filled testimony rooms and legislative halls, with two edging out of a House of Representatives less swayed by economic growth arguments. Both of the House-passed bills are now dead: House Bill 1230, which proponents sold as a change to the timeline of eminent domain cases to keep legal back-and-forths to a minimum, also died at Thursday’s committee hearing, this time on a 6-3 vote… “For the group of opposed landowners, who took issue with the framing of their movement as anti-ethanol since the pipeline could still be built through voluntary easements, the road forward is less clear. “Moving forward, we don't like what happened today,” Joy Hohn, who has been deeply involved with attempting to defend landowner rights, told the Press. “I think we're just going to regroup and figure out our next strategy, I guess. So I don’t think this is the end.”
Oelwein Daily Register: Quorum of Fairbank council discusses pipeline action meeting
MIRA SCHMITT-CASH, 2/16/23
“A community meeting on liquefied carbon dioxide pipelines hosted by Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement will be held Monday, Feb. 20 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Fairbank American Legion Hall, 109 E. Main St. Fairbank,” the Oelwein Daily Register reports. “Councilwoman Tamara Erickson promoted the meeting before a quorum of council members after a workshop on Feb. 13, before the regular meeting started… “CCI farming and environment organizer Devyn Hall will attend the meeting, Erickson indicated… “The Fairbank Council has passed a resolution opposing the pipeline, Councilman Tyler Woods said. The flyer Erickson provided advertises an anti-pipeline slant, titled “No CO2 Pipelines.” “Learn why CO2 pipelines are bad for Iowa and take action to stop the proposed projects,” it reads.
KIYX: Landowners Want Delaware County Board To Stop Pipeline
Mark Evenstad, 2/16/23
“The Delaware County Board of Supervisors is weighing its options in regard to a proposed carbon-capture pipeline set to run through a significant portion of the area, however, during a recent work session, landowners were in attendance indicated that they want supervisors to do all they can to stop the pipeline project,” KIYX reports. “The proposed Navigator Heartland Greenway pipeline would bisect the state from northwest to southeast, spanning nearly 811 miles in Iowa, including 25 miles in Delaware County from the ethanol processing plant west of Dyersville to the northwest corner of the county.”
Food & Water Watch: Carbon Capture & Storage: Solution or Scam? [VIDEO]
2/16/23
“The Carbon Capture Scam (or CCS) is a new ploy by the oil and gas industry to keep their fossil fuel plants open longer and to have more taxpayer money funneled in their direction,” according to Food & Water Watch. “But CCS is only going to entrench and increase the pollution that has plagued frontline communities for decades. What we really need is a transition to 100% clean, renewable energy. Join Food & Water Watch experts and guest Jane Kleeb, founder and director of Bold Nebraska for this important discussion on how we can fight the carbon capture scam.”
Chronicle-Telegram: Ohio Board of Tax Appeals sides with Nexus pipeline in value dispute
Dave O'Brien, 2/17/23
“The Ohio Board of Tax Appeals has sided with the owners of the Nexus natural gas transmission line in a dispute over the pipeline's value and the amount of taxes owed to Lorain County,” the Chronicle-Telegram reports. “It is a defeat for Lorain County Auditor Craig Snodgrass, who fought Nexus after the companies that own the pipeline struck a deal with the state tax commissioner to lower their property tax bills — despite initial promises by the companies to pay many millions of dollars more to local municipalities, entities and organizations in 13 Ohio affected counties. According to a copy of their decision, BTA members Jasmine Clements and Jeff Caswell ruled 2-0 in favor of Nexus and granted its motion to dismiss Snodgrass' appeal. The board declined to award the Nexus partners any attorney fees it incurred to fight the appeal, as they had requested. Snodgrass told C-T Thursday that he is "frustrated," but still has several weeks to decide what to do next… “Snodgrass has estimated that the proposed settlement shorted the Ohio counties along the pipeline route $600 million over the next 30 years. Lorain County alone was promised $7.3 million in taxes the first year Nexus was in operation, but received less than half that in back taxes under the settlement. Affected by the tax value are Lorain County Joint Vocational Schools and the Firelands, Keystone, Midview and Oberlin school districts; Kipton; Lorain County Public Health; the Wellington Fire District; the Central Lorain County Ambulance District; and several Lorain County townships. The disputed tax value of the pipeline also affects municipalities, schools and organizations in Columbiana, Erie, Fulton, Henry, Huron, Lucas, Medina, Sandusky, Stark, Summit and Wayne counties… “The decision, Snodgrass told C-T, "takes authority away from me to help my taxpayers."
WASHINGTON UPDATES
E&E News: The House Democrat trying to move his party on NEPA reform
Emma Dumain, Kelsey Brugger, 2/17/23
“Despite a Republican House majority, Democratic Rep. Scott Peters has entered the 118th Congress emboldened. As members of both parties and chambers restart negotiations on legislation to speed up the permitting process for energy projects, the California lawmaker wants to take on the role of bipartisan dealmaker, leveraging the relationships he has formed across the aisle with the credibility he has earned as an environmental advocate,” E&E News reports. “But Peters’ steadfast belief that solving the climate crisis will require a reexamination of long-standing environmental regulations — specifically those enshrined by the National Environmental Policy Act of 1970 — puts him at odds with his more natural set of allies who consider NEPA sacrosanct. “The boogeyman we always heard about is, ‘Oh you’re trying to change NEPA.’ And yeah, I’m trying to change NEPA,” Peters told E&E. “If it keeps us from saving the planet? Yeah.” “...Many Democrats — including party leaders and President Joe Biden — are also rallying behind the argument that climate investments in the Inflation Reduction Act won’t be able to get underway without streamlining some regulations to get projects off the ground more quickly. And some worry doing nothing could provoke political attacks ahead of 2024. The reason Peters could become all but radioactive, however, is because he is saying the quiet part out loud: Reopening NEPA will almost certainly be necessary for passing permitting reform legislation. Progressive Democrats and green advocates joined together last year to help thwart efforts that would have made changes to the long-standing environment law and demonized all those who did not side with them.
RTO Insider: Heinrich: Pipeline Permitting ‘Reform’ Will Also Benefit Clean Energy
K Kaufmann, 2/16/23
“Legislation to streamline the permitting of clean energy projects, including new transmission, may require bipartisan tradeoffs, according to one senator,” RTO Insider reports…”
Washington Post: OTHER TASK FORCES EYE PERMITTING, JOBS
Maxine Joselow, 2/16/23
“In addition to the Climate and Agriculture Task Force, the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition is launching the following four task forces focused on key aspects of climate policy,” the Washington Post reports. “The Clean Energy Deployment Task Force, co-chaired by Reps. Sean Casten (Ill.) and Mike Levin (Calif.); The Climate Jobs Task Force, co-chaired by Reps. Suzanne Bonamici (Ore.), Nikki Budzinski (Ill.) and Mark DeSaulnier (Calif.); The Climate and National Security Task Force, co-chaired by Reps. Katie Porter (Calif.) and Andy Kim (N.J.); The Nature and Oceans Task Force, co-chaired by Reps. Doris Matsui (Calif.) and Joe Neguse (Colo.) Casten and Levin told the Post that their task force will prioritize legislation to speed up the permitting process for energy projects, including the transmission lines needed to carry clean power across the country.”
E&E News: EPA's Regan to visit Ohio derailment as lawsuits mount
ELLIE BORST, ALEX HARGRAVE, 2/15/23
“At least three class-action lawsuits seeking damages over $5 million have been filed since last week against Norfolk Southern Corp., the company in charge of the explosive train derailment that released toxic chemicals in East Palestine, Ohio,” E&E News reports. “EPA Administrator Michael Regan, whose agency is tasked under federal law to lead cleanup efforts for hazardous waste, said he will visit the site Thursday… “So far, EPA has tested the air quality in 460 homes, with 28 tests scheduled for Wednesday and another 27 left to be tested, and Regan told Fox "the data shows that there are no elevated levels."
CNN: EPA chief pledges to hold train company accountable over Ohio toxic train disaster as residents’ frustrations grow
Samantha Beech, Eric Levenson and Aya Elamroussi, 2/16/23
“The head of the US Environmental Protection Agency traveled to East Palestine, Ohio, on Thursday and said the agency plans to hold the train company Norfolk Southern accountable for its role in the derailment of a train carrying hazardous chemicals earlier this month,” CNN reports. “Speaking to CNN’s Jason Carroll on Thursday morning in East Palestine, Ohio, EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan said the agency has full authority to use its enforcement capabilities over the crisis… “As this investigation continues, and as new facts arise, let me just say, and be very clear, I will use the full enforcement authority of this agency, and so will the federal government, to be sure that this company is held accountable,” Regan told CNN… “State officials have repeatedly said water from the municipal system – which is pulled from five deep wells covered by solid steel casing – is safe to drink. However, the state’s EPA encouraged residents who get water from private wells to get that water tested, the governor’s office said. Despite the assurances, a chemical odor lingered days afterward and officials estimate thousands of fish were killed by contamination washing down streams and rivers, fueling residents’ concerns about water and air safety. Hundreds of East Palestine residents attended a town hall Wednesday night to express their frustrations and mounting distrust. The train operator had agreed to attend but later pulled out of the event due to safety concerns.”
Associated Press: EPA chief at train derailment site: “trust the government”
PATRICK ORSAGOS, 2/16/23
“The head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency got a first-hand look Thursday at the damage and emotional toll left by a freight train derailment in Ohio that spilled toxic chemicals and burned in a huge plume over homes and businesses,” the Associated Press reports. “EPA Administrator Michael Regan sought to reassure residents who are skeptical of testing results that say the air is safe to breathe and the water is fit for drinking around East Palestine, where just under 5,000 people live near the Pennsylvania state line. “I’m asking they trust the government. I know that’s hard. We know there’s a lack of trust,” Regan said. “We’re testing for everything that was on that train.” Residents are frustrated by what they say is incomplete and vague information about the lasting effects from the disaster. “I have three grandbabies,” said Kathy Dyke, who came with hundreds of her neighbors to a public meeting Wednesday where representatives of railroad operator Norfolk Southern were conspicuously absent. “Are they going to grow up here in five years and have cancer?” In the nearly two weeks since the derailment forced evacuations, residents have complained about suffering from headaches and irritated eyes and finding their cars and lawns covered in soot. The hazardous chemicals that spilled from the train killed thousands of fish, and residents have talked about finding dying or sick pets and wildlife. Regan, who stood along a waterway still reeking of chemicals, said anyone who is fearful of being in their home should seek testing from the government… “Many who had waited in a long line snaking outside the high school gymnasium came away upset that they didn’t hear anything new. Some booed or laughed each time they heard the village mayor or state health director assure them that lingering odors from the the huge plumes of smoke aren’t dangerous… “Why are they being hush-hush?” Dyke said of the railroad. “They’re not out here supporting, they’re not out here answering questions. For three days we didn’t even know what was on the train.”
E&E News: Meet Biden’s New Economic, CEQ, USDA Picks
Robin Bravender, 2/15/23
“The White House has also added a trio of new staffers to focus on permitting, oceans and water infrastructure at the Council on Environmental Quality,” E&E News reports. “CEQ has hired Michael Drummond as director for permitting and innovation. He joins the permitting and environmental review team led by Jayni Hein, CEQ’s senior director for clean energy, infrastructure and the National Environmental Policy Act… “Miriam Goldstein started this week as CEQ’s ocean policy director. Goldstein is joining the Biden administration from the Center for American Progress… “And Brendan Philip is CEQ’s new deputy director for water infrastructure. He was previously an ocean policy fellow at CEQ and a fellow in EPA’s Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds.”
Law360: US Backs Reversal In Lease Appeal, But Not For Rule 19
Tom Lotshaw, 2/15/23
“The federal government said it agrees with two lessees that an Idaho district court’s decision to vacate a Wyoming oil and gas lease sale should be reversed, but asked the Ninth Circuit to reject their so-called Rule 19 argument that the ruling should be reversed because it was entered when they weren’t parties,” Law360 reports. “In an amicus brief filed on Tuesday, the government told the Ninth Circuit that the district court’s judgment — the focus of several appeals — should be reversed for numerous reasons that the U.S. Bureau of Land Management has laid out in a parallel appeal that the lessees, Chesapeake Exploration LLC and Anschutz Exploration Corp., have since adopted. But, the government said, the two lessees, which the Ninth Circuit allowed to intervene, reversing previous district court denials, should not be allowed to relitigate the district court’s decision on the grounds that it was entered before they were joined as parties in the case. Anschutz, the government said, raised additional arguments the district court lacked the power under Rule 19 to order BLM to cancel its leases when it was not a party in the case, and that the court could not require BLM to cancel leases with it absent under the Due Process Clause. Chesapeake, the government said, raised a similar Rule 19 argument that all lessees were necessary parties
The Hill: EPA draft: US greenhouse gas emissions saw record single-year spike in 2021
ZACK BUDRYK, 2/15/23
“U.S. greenhouse gas emissions rose 5.5 percent in 2021 from the previous year, an all-time year-over-year spike, but were still below 2019 levels, according to a draft Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report,” The Hill repots. “In the draft of its annual inventory, the agency found total emissions of 6,347.7 million metric tons in 2021, driven largely by increased auto emissions as driving rebounded in the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fossil fuel combustion-related emissions increased 7 percent relative to the year before, while emissions from coal consumption rose 14.6 percent… “Fossil fuel combustion comprised the vast majority of carbon dioxide emissions in 2021, at around 92.1 percent… “The EPA inventory also found that methane emissions comprised 11.5 percent of emissions in 2021.”
STATE UPDATES
Washington Post: After toxic train derailment, Ohio residents report rashes and worries
Scott Dance and Justine McDaniel, 2/16/23
“Fear, uncertainty and anger are mounting among residents of this Ohio village after a train derailment and fire unleashed a glut of toxic chemicals on Feb. 3,” the Washington Post reports. “Officials have tried to assure locals that the town is safe to live in, but many say that’s only left them with more questions. Concern about air pollution from the Norfolk Southern train’s wrecked rail cars has given way to long-term worries about contamination of the water and soil in East Palestine and beyond. Many who evacuated as the blaze burned are questioning whether it was safe to come back. Some say they are suffering headaches and rashes and are not comforted by what they see as a lack of solid answers from authorities. At a town hall meeting Wednesday night, residents left with few answers and more anxiety. “We don’t know what to think,” Michele Parker, who lives about half a mile from the derailment site, told the Post, “so therefore we don’t know what to do.” “...Even as residents report nausea, dizziness, headaches and other ailments, a spokesman for Gov. Mike DeWine (R) told The Post on Thursday that no doctors who have seen patients have identified the chemical release as a cause for people’s symptoms. Instead, “there’s usually another explanation for those symptoms,” such as colds and flu, spokesman Dan Tierney told the Post… “The threat of an explosion forced the evacuation of about 1,500 residents, and the “controlled release” of vinyl chloride from unstable rail cars spewed a toxic plume into the air.”
KRQE: Will New Mexicans get a legal right to a clean environment?
Curtis Segarra, 2/15/23
“Do New Mexicans need the legal right to a clean environment? That’s one of the big questions legislators are considering at the Roundhouse,” KRQE reports. “Senate Joint Resolution 6 would allow voters to decide if they want to amend the New Mexico Constitution. The joint resolution would let voters decide if the Constitution should include the right to “clean and healthy air, water, soil and environments; a stable climate; and self-sustaining ecosystems.” Legislators in the Senate Rules Committee debated the joint resolution on Wednesday. “Just the same way that we protect the other rights that we enjoy,” Stephanie Garcia Richard, the State Land Commissioner explained in Wednesday’s meeting, “we are asking the voters whether or not they will prioritize their right to a clean environment, clean air, [and] clean water.” If the New Mexico Constitution is amended to include environmental rights, it would put the onus on government agencies to ensure that the natural resources of the state are preserved. It could lead to some lawsuits, according to an analysis by the New Mexico Attorney General’s Office. But, supporters say legal battles would be minor. “New Mexico judges who already deal with constitutional challenges, as well as environmental cases, on a regular basis are already well equipped to effectively use this amendment to strengthen environmental protection and environmental justice,” Maya Van Rossum, the founder of the nonprofit Green Amendments For The Generations, explained to the committee. “In the three states with similar amendments, there is no massive rush of litigation.” Maya Van Rossum says Pennsylvania, Montana, and New York each already have similar amendments on the books. These are often called “green amendments.” “...Tiffany Rivera, a registered lobbyist for New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau, also expressed concern that the green amendment could hurt agriculture in New Mexico.”
Reuters: Montana, oil groups challenge Portland's fossil fuel terminal ban
Clark Mindock, 2/15/23
“The state of Montana and regional fossil fuel industry groups have sued Portland, Oregon, over its ban on building new bulk fossil fuel storage facilities, arguing the city’s prohibition is discriminatory and will cause costly fuel shortages,” Reuters reports. “The lawsuit, filed in Portland federal court on Tuesday seeks to stop the city from enforcing policies the plaintiffs, including the Western Energy Alliance, claim will stymie critical fuel shipping operations in the fourth largest port on the West Coast… “The plaintiffs said Tuesday the city’s policies violate the U.S. Constitution's interstate commerce clause by essentially blocking more fuel imports and stopping the expansion of infrastructure to take advantage of existing railroads and pipelines that lead into the city, which could be used to connect Midwestern coal and fuel supplies to Asian markets… “One state or municipality cannot legitimately stop products from other states based on a misguided political agenda,” Kathleen Sgamma, president of Western Energy Alliance, told Reuters.
Press release: Senator Dave Min Introduces Legislation To End Offshore Oil Drilling In California Waters
2/15/23
“Today, Senator Dave Min announced the introduction of Senate Bill (SB) 559, which would end offshore oil drilling under existing leases in California state waters. While there has long been a moratorium on the issuance of new leases off the coast of California, oil production has continued for the past 40 years under existing leases which were first issued in the 1960s and 1970s. This legislation would aim to go further, and end offshore oil production under current leases, by requiring that the State Lands Commission negotiate in good faith with oil and gas producers to bring about shared agreements that would voluntarily relinquish all leases under state jurisdiction by December 31, 2025. If a relinquishment agreement is not made by this date, SB 559 would require the Commission to terminate these leases and cease production of oil at the state’s three remaining platforms that operate off the Coast of Orange County… “The 2021 oil spill off the coast of Huntington Beach discharged at least 25,000 gallons of crude over a radius that stretched 750 miles south to the Mexican Border… “SB 559 will impact three offshore oil and gas platforms: Eva, Emmy, and Ester. Platforms Eva and Emmy are located in Huntington Beach, and Ester is off Seal Beach. These three platforms, which were constructed between 1963 and 1985, have lasted beyond their intended lifespan and pose a threat to our marine ecosystems, coastal communities, and the state’s $2 trillion coastal economy.”
Inforum: Bills backed by North Dakota oil industry surge through legislative pipeline
Jeremy Turley, 2/16/23
“North Dakota lawmakers have advanced a pair of bills that would financially favor the state’s influential oil industry,” Inforum reports. “Supporters of tax breaks and grant programs for oil companies say propping up the industry enriches the state and keeps western North Dakota’s Bakken formation competitive with other oil fields. Opponents contend ceding would-be state revenue to the energy sector inhibits public projects that benefit ordinary North Dakotans. The state House of Representatives voted 72-21 on Thursday, Feb. 16, to approve House Bill 1286, which would abolish a requirement that oil producers pay a heftier tax rate when the commodity’s price hits high levels. The bill will head to the Senate next month… “Across the hall, the Senate voted 41-5 on Wednesday to pass Senate Bill 2089, which would set aside $7.5 million in state funds for grants and loans to oil companies that work to reduce the flaring of natural gas. The House will consider the bill next month.”
EXTRACTION
Reuters: U.S. LNG producers poised to leapfrog rivals with three new projects
Scott Disavino, 2/16/23
“At least three proposed U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) export plants have likely found enough customers to receive financial approvals this year, according to Reuters calculations, developments that would make the country the world's largest LNG exporter for years to come,” Reuters reports. “After a dearth of plant approvals last decade, developers have secured dozens of long-term contracts to finance new multibillion-dollar LNG plants. The pace of approvals has accelerated as Europe has shifted away from Russian gas since Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. About a dozen developers hope to make final investment decisions (FID) this year. Many of these projects have been delayed several times, but analysts told Reuters at least three have secured enough customers to move ahead soon… “Projects best positioned to move ahead include Sempra Energy's (SRE.N) Port Arthur plant in Texas, Energy Transfer LP's (ET.N) Lake Charles in Louisiana and NextDecade Corp's (NEXT.O) Rio Grande in Texas. They have all or most of the long-term LNG sales agreements needed to convince bank's that the projects are ready for debt financing, analysts tell Reuters.”
Natural Gas Intelligence: ‘No Future Without Natural Gas’ and LNG Investments Still Underway, Says Enbridge CEO
CAROLYN DAVIS, 2/16/23
“Low natural gas prices are no deterrent in LNG and pipeline infrastructure investments because sponsors always take a long-term view, Enbridge Inc. CEO Greg Ebel said recently,” Natural Gas Intelligence reports. “...He also spoke at length about the outlook for pipeline and liquefied natural gas growth during the company’s fourth quarter conference call. To say Ebel is bullish on natural gas would be an understatement. “There is no future without natural gas,” the CEO told analysts. “I think people are realizing, unfortunately, due to the situation in Europe and elsewhere, that North America’s energy is needed abroad. And the only way to do that is through exports. So we definitely don’t see any pullback on the LNG side.” “...The biggest for North American LNG and pipeline expansions “continues to be permitting issues,” Ebel said. Enbridge’s Gulf Coast and Canadian customers “need some real help” from regulators on both sides of the border. To put it simply, the challenge, he said, is “permitting, permitting, permitting, not commodity, commodity, commodity.” “...Frankly, there is no future without natural gas. I don’t care what anybody says. That’s the reality of the situation. And, obviously, having a gas distribution business is an important element of that. So, that’s been my focus.”
OilPrice.com: Alberta is fighting to send its oil abroad
2/16/23
“Despite efforts from Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to move away from oil sands – long hailed as the world’s most destructive oil operation – Alberta, the country’s largest oil-producing region, is pushing to open new energy corridors with the U.S. to export its fossil fuels,” OilPrice.com reports. “...According to Pete Guthrie, Alberta’s energy minister, the energy corridors have already received pre-approved for rail, utilities, and crude oil and gas pipelines… “New corridors from landlocked Alberta could help the state gain higher revenue from its oil sands, encouraging producers to boost output for export. Once oil products reach the port of Kitimat, British Columbia, or Churchill, Manitoba they could be bound for Asia and Europe, vastly expanding Canada’s energy links. The new corridor strategy was established after several new oil and gas pipeline plans were blocked by American President Biden as well as Trudeau. Alberta has been finding it increasingly difficult to continue its production of oil sands due to environmental pressure to decarbonize operations… “Two major North American railways, Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern have proposed a $27 billion merger, which would help freight move across North America using the first unified continental rail network. The companies have signed a 10-year deal with ConocoPhillips Canada and USD Group to transport the oil across the U.S… “In addition to concerns about transporting oil sands via rail, environmentalists and politicians are also worried about encouraging greater oil sands production, which could be detrimental to achieving carbon-cutting goals in both the U.S. and Canada… “New energy corridors could help the oil-rich Canadian province of Alberta to further develop its oil sands industry, exporting its products across North America and beyond. But political and public opposition continues to pose a threat to any development.”
Calgary Herald: Oilsands succession plan — Pourbaix to step aside as Cenovus CEO
Chris Varcoe, 2/16/23
“Succession plans are an important element for a company’s long-term success,” the Calgary Herald reports. “On Thursday, oilsands giant Cenovus Energy proved the point, rolling out a new leadership strategy and announcing CEO Alex Pourbaix will step aside this spring to become the company’s executive chair. Chief operating officer Jon McKenzie, who played a key role in the company’s blockbuster acquisition of Husky Energy in 2020, will take over as CEO, while current chair Keith MacPhail will retire from the board at the annual meeting in April… “The 57-year-old executive, one of the most vocal oilpatch leaders, will also spend more time promoting Canada’s energy sector and continue advocating for the Pathways Alliance… “A former pipeline executive at TransCanada Corp., Pourbaix took over as Cenovus CEO in October 2017 during a turbulent period.”
CLIMATE FINANCE
Washington Post: Criticized for climate stances, World Bank president will step down
Maxine Joselow, 2/16/23
“World Bank President David Malpass announced plans to step down Wednesday amid intense criticism of his views on climate change, including from Biden administration officials, the Washington Post reports. “Malpass, who was appointed by President Donald Trump, said he would step down June 30, even though his term runs until April 2024. It was not immediately clear who would replace Malpass at the World Bank, which lends billions of dollars to developing countries. Environmentalists began calling for Malpass’s removal in September, when he declined to say whether he accepted the scientific consensus that fossil fuels were warming the planet. Biden administration officials, including Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen and climate envoy John F. Kerry, subsequently started pressing the World Bank to fund more climate-related projects. (The bank spent nearly $15 billion on fossil-fuel-related projects between 2016 and 2021, according to one study.) “...Sen. Edward J. Markey (Mass.), one of several Democrats who had called on Malpass to resign, tweeted that the World Bank must now “make up for his missteps.”
TODAY IN GREENWASHING
Suncor Energy: Making Room for Indigenous Voices at COP27
2/16/23
“When JP Gladu travelled to Egypt for COP27 last November, he was impressed with the increased Indigenous presence compared to the first COP he attended 22 years ago,” according to Suncor Energy. “JP Gladu, a member of the Sand Point First Nation in Northern Ontario and Suncor Board of Directors member, attended the 27th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) as both a panel participant for the Oil Sands Pathways Alliance and one of several voices in Canada's core delegation representing Indigenous Peoples and knowledge… “JP was on the Oil Sands Pathways Alliance panel, which took place on the sixth day. "The Pathways Alliance panel was masterfully done, but it was met with friction," explains JP. "We knew there would be some disruption, but I wasn't expecting such anger. It was jarring. The disruption came in the form of protestors who interrupted the panel by standing up with signs that read: "Get heavy emitters out of Canada." and then left. But the upsetting disruption for JP came during the question-and-answer period. "There was an Indigenous woman in the audience who spoke first. She was filled with emotion and just laid into the panel. She didn't ask questions and when she finished, she walked away from the mic and out of the room. It was disappointing that she didn't wait to hear the panel's response to her comments." “...The protests didn't detract from the conversations JP had at COP27. He says there was space for challenging but important conversations, and it was clear that the Pathways Alliance, which includes Suncor as one of the six member companies, is committed to meeting the 2050 net zero target.”
Enbridge: Order Up! Michigan’s Feed the City Tour Nourishes Stomach and Soul
2/16/23
“Nothing brings people together like food,” according to Enbridge. “...In fall 2022, the tour visited Saginaw, Bay City and Midland, where local police officers handed out tens of thousands of servings of food purchased by Bridge The Gap for an afternoon. Meals are purchased mostly from local restauranteurs and in many cases offer a chance or families to experience a restaurant that may otherwise be unaffordable… “In recent months, Enbridge sponsored the Feed The City Tour through a $50,000 grant to Bridge The Gap as part of our commitment to building sustainable communities near our operations. Enbridge also supported the tour in 2021 with a $25,000 donation for Saginaw and Midland food tour stops. Enbridge's Candice Braddock, a Michigan-based community engagement advisor, was on hand to help serve food and observe the activity-filled day at the Saginaw stop of the tour in 2022.”
OPINION
Fox News: Ohio train derailment highlights Democrats' environmental hypocrisy, reveals this about the disaster
Jack Spencer is a senior research fellow for energy and environmental policy at The Heritage Foundation, 2/16/23
“No one does fearmongering quite like Washington. Progressive lawmakers in our nation's capital are constantly screaming about the horrors of CO2 and methane. They find gas and oil environmental boogeymen under every bed and in every closet when it comes to gas and oil,” Jack Spencer writes for Fox News. “Yet when it comes to releasing tons of actual hazardous chemicals – vinyl chloride, ethylhexyl acrylate, and ethylene glycol, to be precise – over entire regions under the plume of an actual mushroom cloud (by virtue of a so-called controlled release), what do our leaders have to say? Well, basically, that there is nothing to see here. We are monitoring the situation and so far, all is good. Under the best of situations, we would all be well off to be skeptical of Washington bureaucrats telling us that we need not worry about the massive burning chemical plume of toxins rising above our neighborhoods, but these are not normal times. We are faced with an administration that tells us the sky is falling every day. They tell us that we are going to drown in rising seas and that nearly every storm is because of our insistence on burning gas and oil. Instinctively, we know that this is hyperbole at best and a lie at worst… “Unfortunately, the Biden administration (and the left) work to minimize those options, like stopping pipelines, for developing the safest transportation methods available… “What is happening in Ohio is unacceptable. How our leaders are responding is unacceptable. And the environment of mistrust they’ve created is unacceptable. Unfortunately, it's also all so predictable.”