EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 2/22/23
PIPELINE NEWS
Pittsburgh Business Times: Equitrans: 'Court remains hurdle to finishing Mountain Valley Pipeline'
The Detroit News: Judge clears way for Nessel to fight order keeping Line 5 case in federal court
WLUC: Enbridge provides update on tunnel project
Fairbury Journal News: Concern About Oil-Contaminated Dirt Coming To Nebraska
Quad City Times: Lawmakers advance pipeline bill as activists push for stronger restrictions
Iowa Capital Dispatch: New pipeline bill gets quick, early support in Iowa House
Des Moines Register: Regulators plan to begin hearing comments on Summit pipeline this fall
Tri States Public Radio: Lee County organizes opposition to proposed CO2 pipeline
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner: Assembly receives update on proposed gas pipeline
National Observer: Risk of ‘death spiral’ for Enbridge increases: rate hike application
WKDZ: Pipeline Leak Leads To Fuel Spill In Christian County
WASHINGTON UPDATES
Washington Post: EPA to take control of Ohio derailment response
E&E News: GOP Trumpets Fossil Fuels In Second Permian Basin Hearing
Sierra Club: US House Committees’ Field Hearings Pushed Harmful Message for Fossil Fuel Industry
InsideEPA: EPA Projects IRA Will Result In Coal ‘No Longer Needed’ For Baseload Power
Law360: Feds Can't Justify Oil Rail Project Review, DC Circ. Told
Roll Call: Alaska Democrat: Environmentalism And Oil Need To ‘Coexist’
STATE UPDATES
Bloomberg: Ohio Senator Blames Corporate Greed for Train Crash, Toxic Spill
The Hill: Groups lobby California legislature to pass bill on fuel ‘price gouging’
Associated Press: Colorado ponders carbon storage in defunct oil and gas wells
Pasadena Star-News: Startups turning to the ocean to capture more carbon off Southern California’s coast
San Joaquin Valley Sun: Bains pitches bill to shore up Calif. oil production, reduce foreign oil dependency
Steamboat Pilot: Routt County seeks to protect its land from oil and gas development
Star Tribune: Pine Bend refinery in Rosemount is a top source of fish-harming element, report says
EXTRACTION
Reuters: Alberta offers to work with Canadian gov’t on carbon capture incentives
InsideClimate News: Fracking Wastewater Causes Lasting Harm to Key Freshwater Species
Reuters: 'No excuse': IEA tells energy firms as methane emissions rise
Canadian Press: Suncor announces Rich Kruger as new president and CEO
Bloomberg: China’s Taking Control of LNG as Global Demand Booms
CLIMATE FINANCE
Washington Post: Democrats call for climate-friendly Malpass successor
TODAY IN GREENWASHING
Shaw Local News: IVVC receives $20K donation from TC Energy Foundation for tools purchase
OPINION
Des Moines Register: Opinion: The future of Iowa ethanol production depends on carbon capture
Duluth News Tribune: National View: Feds' focus on pipeline safety raises concerns of overregulation
Globe and Mail: Gordon Pape: How investors should react to the struggles of Canadian pipeline giants
Bloomberg: We Can Vacuum Carbon From the Sky. Will It Make a Difference?
Gas Leaks: WHY ARE YOU PAYING MORE FOR ENERGY? BLAME “NATURAL” GAS EXPORTS.
PIPELINE NEWS
Pittsburgh Business Times: Equitrans: 'Court remains hurdle to finishing Mountain Valley Pipeline'
Paul J. Gough, 2/21/23
“Equitrans Midstream Corp. said Tuesday that the company was positioned to complete the long-delayed Mountain Valley Pipeline in 2023 but that challenges of its permits in a federal appeals court will be the "ultimate hurdle,” the Pittsburgh Business Times reports. “The Canonsburg-based Equitrans (NYSE: ETRN) issued financial guidance for 2023 for two scenarios, one with MVP going into service in the second half of 2023 and the other without MVP, although without an outlook for net income in the latter. A slide on Equitrans’ presentation published Tuesday also said there was a “potential in-service for the second half of 2023” for MVP, although in previous quarterly conference calls the company had said it would be in service in 2023… “But the same issues that have challenged the pipeline since it was first set to open in 2018 — lawsuits from environmental groups and denial of permits from the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals — remain problems now. Some of the needed permits from federal agencies that would allow Equitrans to resume construction in the Jefferson National Forest have been sent back to regulators two or three times. "We believe that the agencies are working to issue authorizations over the next several months, which we believe would position us to safely complete construction of MVP in 2023," said Equitrans Chairman/CEO Thomas Karam. "However, we must acknowledge that the ultimate hurdle remains legal challenges of the permits before the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. As we've said before, we believe that projects, like MVP, that follow every required process and receive every required permit should prevail." “...It was “the company’s belief that achieving an in-service date of the Mountain Valley Pipeline prior to Dec. 31, 2024, is not probable,” EQT said in the filing.
The Detroit News: Judge clears way for Nessel to fight order keeping Line 5 case in federal court
Beth LeBlanc, 2/21/23
“A federal judge on Tuesday cleared the way for Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel to continue pursuing efforts to move back to state court a suit seeking to shut down Enbridge's Line 5 in the Straits of Mackinac,” The Detroit News reports. “Grand Rapids Federal District Judge Janet Neff agreed to certify her August order denying Nessel's request to keep the case in state court, which allows Nessel's office to appeal the case to the Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals. Enbridge Energy told the Newsit was confident Neff had arrived at the right decision in August and accused Nessel's office of "forum shopping." “...Neff's August decision denying the state of Michigan's request to argue its case for Line 5's closure in state court, where state laws are more favorable to Nessel's case, marked the second time the judge had ordered Line 5 cases be kept in federal court. In November 2021, the judge issued a similar edict in a case brought by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Whitmer asked to dismiss her case two weeks after the decision… “Neff on Tuesday appeared to agree and ruled Nessel's case presented "exceptional situations" that compelled her to certify her order on federal jurisdiction and allow it to be appealed… “Neff stayed Nessel's case pending the appeal to the Sixth Circuit. Enbridge noted, even with that case delayed, its motion for a summary disposition in favor of the Canadian pipeline giant in Whitmer's case still awaited Neff's decision, as did Whitmer's motion to dismiss.”
WLUC: Enbridge provides update on tunnel project
Annette Giachino, 2/20/23
“The proposed Line 5 project continues to move forward,” WLUC reports. “According to Enbridge, the project is currently in the middle of its permitting phase. “We do have permits from the state, from EGLE and we need permits from the Michigan Public Service Commission and then also U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Those will likely take a little bit longer to get,” Enbridge Spokesperson Ryan Duffy told WLUC… “Meanwhile, the environmental advocacy group Clean Water Action said a tunnel is not a safe solution. “The geology in the Straits of Mackinac is notoriously complex and very difficult to drill through and without doing the proper research and without being permitted, it’s really not safe for them to move forward. They would be drilling under a functioning crude oil pipeline which could cause a massive oil spill in the great lakes,” Clean Water Action Legislative and Policy Director Sean Mcbrearty told WLUC. Mcbrearty told WLUC along with seeking other crude oil alternatives, he would also like to see the federal government step in. “We need President Biden to step in and revoke the presidential permit and have an orderly shutdown process for Line 5. An orderly process over the course of several months would ensure everyone’s energy needs are met,” Mcbrearty told WLUC.
Fairbury Journal News: Concern About Oil-Contaminated Dirt Coming To Nebraska
Gordon Hopkins, 2/21/23
“Contaminated dirt from the site of the Keystone Pipeline oil leak that occurred in Kansas is being transported into Nebraska and through Jefferson County,” the Fairbury Journal News reports. “...On December 7, 2022, a leak of the pipeline released an estimated 12,937 barrels of oil to Mill Creek, near Washington, Kansas. Last week, FJN reported that TC Energy is hauling dirt from a dig site where the company is preparing for the construction…”
Quad City Times: Lawmakers advance pipeline bill as activists push for stronger restrictions
Caleb McCullough, 2/21/23
“Dozens of Iowa landowners and activists swarmed the state Capitol on Tuesday, asking lawmakers to ban eminent domain authority for carbon dioxide pipelines as lawmakers advanced a bill that opponents say would be a “de facto ban” on the projects,” the Quad City Times reports. “House lawmakers advanced House File 368 out of a subcommittee with only Republican support. The bill would require CO2 pipeline companies to obtain 90% of the miles along their path through voluntary easements before being granted eminent domain powers. It would also place a moratorium on new projects until the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration develops new rules that govern the pipelines. On top of that, companies would need to be in line with all local zoning ordinances and obtain permits in all other states along the pipeline’s path before being granted a permit from the Iowa Utilities Board. Landowners would also have more opportunity for compensation if eminent domain is exercised on their land… “The bill is signed by 22 Republican House lawmakers, including Speaker Pat Grassley. Activists gathered outside the Capitol Tuesday for a rally alongside sympathetic lawmakers. They said the House bill was an improvement on the permitting and eminent domain process for carbon pipelines, but they said it doesn’t go far enough to prevent the pipeline companies from involuntarily taking land. Kim Junker, a landowner from Butler County, said she wants to see a complete ban on eminent domain for the projects. “Our Legislature created the law that gave the Iowa Utilities Board the power to use eminent domain, and the Legislature can take it away,” Junker said. “We want a full ban on eminent domain for carbon pipelines.” If the bill setting a 90% threshold goes forward, Junker said, it should be set at 90% of parcels, rather than 90% of miles. Measuring by miles disadvantages small landowners, she said.” “...A draft version of the bill circulating on Thursday would have exempted many of the rules from applying to Summit and Navigator because they have already filed permit requests, but Holt told the Times the language was a mistake, and the version that advanced on Tuesday applies to all three pipeline companies… “The bill is now eligible for consideration in the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Holt, who chairs the committee, told the Times he was optimistic about the bill being passed in the House.”
Iowa Capital Dispatch: New pipeline bill gets quick, early support in Iowa House
JARED STRONG, 2/21/23
“New legislation that was introduced in the Iowa House on Monday to limit eminent domain for carbon dioxide pipelines got preliminary approval Tuesday from a subcommittee,” the Iowa Capital Dispatch repots. “...House File 368 has emerged as the leading bill of more than 10 proposed this legislative session that have restrictions or new requirements for carbon dioxide pipeline projects… “Five Iowa Senate bills that were introduced a month ago by Sen. Jeff Taylor, R-Sioux Center, have not had a subcommittee hearing… “My bills — I’m gonna be honest — they’re stalled right now. … The prospects are slim,” Taylor told a group that gathered Tuesday at the Capitol to oppose the pipelines. Holt’s bill — which is co-sponsored by House Speaker Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford, and 20 others — got relatively quick attention. It’s unclear when it might be considered by the full House Judiciary Committee. The bill would put new restrictions on the issuance of the pipeline permits and eminent domain and would expand a landowner’s ability to get compensation for damage from a pipeline’s construction. The bill would require companies to get voluntary easements from landowners for at least 90% of their routes before being able to use eminent domain to force easements for the rest. The influential Iowa Farm Bureau Federation supports that threshold, along with provisions of the bill that would enable farmers to be paid damages for lost crop yields that persist after construction… “An early draft of the bill prevented many of its provisions from affecting companies that apply for permits before the bill becomes law, but the version of the bill that was filed Monday retroactively includes the companies that have applied, namely Summit and Navigator… “Pipeline opponents have rejected the notion that the projects are a life-or-death scenario for ethanol plants.”
Des Moines Register: Regulators plan to begin hearing comments on Summit pipeline this fall
Donnelle Eller, 2/18/23
“State regulators will begin hearing arguments in Fort Dodge this fall on Summit Carbon Solution's proposal to build a $4.5 billion carbon capture pipeline across Iowa,” the Des Moines Register reports. “A majority of the three-member Iowa Utilities Board said it would hear public comments supporting and opposing the Ames company's petition for a hazardous liquid pipeline over three days in October, followed by a hearing that could continue through January. The order was signed by Iowa Utilities Board members Geri Huser and Richard Lozier, with board member Josh Byrnes dissenting. Among Byrnes' concerns: The agency staff won't have enough time to assess a project the "size and magnitude" of Summit's proposal… “Byrnes dissented to the timetable, saying too many farmers will be harvesting crops between October and January, forcing them to choose between "attending this hearing or their income for the year." "Iowans deserve a thorough and transparent review of this project, with robust analysis from all of the parties and the board," he wrote. "I am concerned this proposed schedule does not allow for that," potentially giving rise to "mistakes and missteps" in a case that's likely to face legal challenges. The utilities board said specific dates for the hearing will be determined at a technical conference scheduled for 10 a.m. March 15, along with deadlines for filings with the board. Those wanting to participate in the technical conference should notify the board by March 8, the order says.”
Tri States Public Radio: Lee County organizes opposition to proposed CO2 pipeline
Will Buss, 2/20/23
“Lee County residents continue to speak out against a proposed carbon dioxide pipeline that would run through the county,” Tri States Public Radio reports. “An estimated 50 residents attended a meeting in Donnellson to voice their opposition to the project. They are concerned about the potential impact the proposed pipeline would have on their properties. Lee County Board of Supervisors Chairperson Garry Seyb attended the meeting. He told TSPR the full board opposes the project, which is being proposed by Texas-based Navigator CO2 Ventures. “They're finding some resistance, I think, along the entire route through to this pipeline,” Seyb told TSPR. “It's a hazardous pipeline.” He told TSPR opponents plan to rally again at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, February 21, on the west side steps at the state capitol. Iowa landowners and environmentalists also rallied last week at the state capitol to oppose this project and two other carbon dioxide pipeline construction proposals in the state. They want lawmakers to pass a bill that would require pipeline companies seeking eminent domain to disclose all its investors, and another requiring these companies to receive written permission from nearby landowners before a carbon pipeline could be built. Seyb told TSPR he has been speaking with Lee County residents about the proposed pipeline for the past year, and has found most oppose the project.”
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner: Assembly receives update on proposed gas pipeline
Jack Barnwell, 2/21/23
“Frank Richards, president of the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation, provided an update on the Alaska Liquefied Natural Gas Line project to the Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly during a Thursday work session,” the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports. “...Development of a gas line from Prudhoe Bay to Fairbanks, then to Anchorage, was the corporation’s main charge at the time, Richards said. Since then, the corporation’s strategy has adjusted to make the project more appealing to international customers, particularly Asian markets. “The project is environmentally friendly because it would replace coal-fire plants primarily in the Asian markets,” Richards said. “We’ll be removing a tremendous amount of carbon dioxide from the effluent streams.” “...The planned 807-mile gasline project, Richards said, received in 2020 all federal authorization needed to construct the project. The Fairbanks lateral line has also been permitted. Now it just needs funding and capitalization.”
National Observer: Risk of ‘death spiral’ for Enbridge increases: rate hike application
John Woodside, 2/22/23
“Fossil fuel giant Enbridge faces the risk of a “death spiral” as the energy transition to renewables unfolds, according to evidence the company filed with the Ontario regulator,” the National Observer reports. “A death spiral could occur when customers, fed up with the increasing costs of gas, switch to cleaner and cheaper sources of energy. The evidence discussing the possibility of a death spiral is part of Enbridge’s 7,000-plus page application now in front of the Ontario Energy Board. Enbridge is asking the regulator for a customer rate hike to pay for a $16-billion expansion and replacement of its gas infrastructure. The risk of a so-called death spiral is referenced repeatedly in a report Enbridge commissioned from consulting firm Concentric Energy Advisors. “As customers switch to electric heat pumps to save on energy, there's less and less people to pay for pipelines, and so rates need to go up,” Kent Elson, a lawyer representing the non-profit Environmental Defence that is intervening in Enbridge's application, told the Observer. “And that causes more people to switch to electric heat pumps to save money, which means there's even less people to pay for the pipelines, and the rates need to go up even further.” That creates a negative feedback loop, where customers ditch the gas network in favour of cheaper alternatives, which undermines the business case for expanding gas infrastructure in the first place, he told the Observer. “The real risk is to the most vulnerable customers because they would be the ones left holding the bag as rates go up and up and up,” Elson told the Observer. It is harder for lower-income people, renters, and others to ditch gas due to the upfront transition costs.”
WKDZ: Pipeline Leak Leads To Fuel Spill In Christian County
2/18/23
“An issue with a fuel pipeline owned by BP in Christian County led to a large-scale cleanup Saturday morning,” WKDZ repots. “Christian County emergency personnel say a leak was found in a pipeline located in a remote field off of Buck Fork River Road near McKinney Road. The leak was caused by a third-party excavating company accidentally striking the line. State and federal environmental protection officials have been conducting ongoing air and water monitoring in an effort to ensure that all environmental and health concerns are addressed. British Petroleum along with the Kentucky Department of Environmental Protection, Kentucky Emergency Management, and Christian County Emergency Management are working together to create a plan to clean up the area.”
WASHINGTON UPDATES
Washington Post: EPA to take control of Ohio derailment response
Maxine Joselow, 2/22/23
“The Environmental Protection Agency said Tuesday it will take control of the response to the Ohio train derailment and order rail company Norfolk Southern to clean up the contamination,” the Washington Post reports. “Norfolk Southern will pay for cleaning up the mess that they created and the trauma that they inflicted on this community,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said during a news briefing Tuesday in East Palestine, Ohio, marking his second visit to the site in a week. The rail company has so far been cleaning up the toxic wreck voluntarily, but Tuesday’s legally binding order requires Norfolk Southern to pay for all remediation costs, participate in public meetings and share information. If the company does not comply, it will be charged triple the costs… “Meanwhile, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Tuesday the Transportation Department will inspect all train routes used for moving hazardous materials and called for the rail industry to implement new safety measures.”
E&E News: GOP Trumpets Fossil Fuels In Second Permian Basin Hearing
Nico Portuondo, 2/17/23
“House Energy and Commerce Republicans traveled to the oil-rich Permian Basin to pitch the benefits of fossil fuels during a field hearing Thursday,” E&E News reports. “Republicans said the location for the hearing — Midland, Texas — was ideal to counter a narrative from environmental groups and many Democrats who say fossil fuels are ‘evil.’ ‘If you listen to the White House, oil producing regions are greedy and unpatriotic,’ Republican Rep. August Pfluger, who represents parts of the region, told E&E… “Republican members, like Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), said the Permian Basin shows how domestic fossil fuel production can stimulate good-paying jobs in local communities and support public programs like education through taxes on production.”
Sierra Club: US House Committees’ Field Hearings Pushed Harmful Message for Fossil Fuel Industry
2/17/23
“In a couple of hearings in Midland, Texas this week, House Committees led by Congressional Republicans pushed harmful messages of the fossil fuel industry in an attempt to expand production in an area already overburdened by pollution from oil and gas companies,” according to the Sierra Club. “Both hearings focused on the limited benefits to the communities, while ignoring the catastrophic impacts of oil and gas extraction and processing. Our global dependence on fossil fuels is supercharging climate change, and areas of Texas and New Mexico have firsthand experience with the impacts of a warming climate - from extreme droughts to stronger hurricanes to more powerful winter storms. Instead of more harmful industry, communities along the Permian to Gulf Coast frack cycle need investments in clean energy and job training programs in order to secure a strong economic future and stable climate. Dave Cortez, Director of the Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club said, “These Congressional field hearings are a dog and pony show where industry executives and their federal allies use our people as props to greenwash and distort the very real harms caused by the oil and gas industry. My family has worked in the industry for years. We know first hand our communities deserve better than having to choose between our health and well-paying jobs in an industry where executives are making billions while leaving us to deal with disastrous water and air pollution.”
InsideEPA: EPA Projects IRA Will Result In Coal ‘No Longer Needed’ For Baseload Power
2/22/23
“EPA is presenting initial projections that the Inflation Reduction Act’s (IRA) clean energy incentives could mean that coal-fired electricity will no longer be needed to provide ‘baseload’ power generation in the coming years, and that the law could lead to a 90 percent reduction in coal plants’ overall capacity,” InsideEPA reports. “The initial modeling results were presented Feb. 15 by Cara Marcy, an EPA electricity analyst, during a Resources for the Future (RFF) event, ‘Exploring the New Baseline for Electricity in the Presence of the [IRA].’ Marcy stressed that the findings are ‘projections, not predictions,’ and that they are subject to various assumptions about how the IRA would affect the future power mix.”
Law360: Feds Can't Justify Oil Rail Project Review, DC Circ. Told
Keith Goldberg, 2/21/23
“Federal transportation regulators unlawfully favored the benefits of a $1.5 billion rail line to connect oil and gas resources in Utah and Colorado compared to its environmental and safety risks, project opponents told the D.C. Circuit,” Law360 reports. “The Surface Transportation Board and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service argue that their analysis of the Uinta Basin Railway project’s impact on greenhouse gas emissions, endangered species, wildfires, its potential for spills and other issues complied with federal environmental laws. But Eagle County, Colorado, and environmental groups including the Center for Biological Diversity, who have challenged the agencies’ approval of the railway project, tell the D.C. Circuit in Friday reply briefs that the government can’t justify its downplaying of — or outright ignoring of — the project’s potential environmental harms. The environmental groups say that the project would clearly boost oil production in the region and result in increased greenhouse gas emissions, adding that the government’s argument that those effects aren’t foreseeable simply doesn’t hold up.”
Roll Call: Alaska Democrat: Environmentalism And Oil Need To ‘Coexist’
Valerie Yurk, 2/15/23
“Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola took over Alaska’s at-large congressional seat with promises of bipartisanship. But the needle-threading required to find consensus on major oil projects in the state could test her agility. Peltola is the first Alaska Native to join Congress, and brings a history of advocating for the state’s Native communities and sustainability in fishing and resource management. She has seen how climate change is already impacting her constituents, she said in a recent House Natural Resources Committee hearing. Still, when it comes to oil and gas, she would rather it be drilled in the U.S. She represents a state that in recent decades has benefited economically from the oil and gas industry — it accounts for about one-quarter of jobs in Alaska, according to the Alaska Resource Development Council. Revenue from the industry has funded up to 90 percent of the state’s unrestricted General Fund in most years. ‘Alaska is a resource development state, that’s no secret,’ said Kara Moriarty, president of the trade group Alaska Oil and Gas Association. ‘If you look back at the state’s history, oil and gas has been a part of the state’s fabric since the very beginning.’ … But Peltola’s bipartisan spirit is likely to face hurdles when it comes to the NEPA process. Many Republicans and Sen. Joe Manchin III, D-W.Va., have been itching to make changes to the environmental review process aimed at streamlining it. Democrats, however, argue that the GOP's revisions would simply cut assessments in the name of fast-tracking oil and gas projects.
STATE UPDATES
Bloomberg: Ohio Senator Blames Corporate Greed for Train Crash, Toxic Spill
Saleha Mohsin, 2/19/23
“Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown said corporate maneuvers that favor shareholders and company executives are to blame for safety lapses leading up to a train derailment that spilled toxic chemicals in a town in his home state,” Bloomberg reports. “This is the same old story — corporations do stock buybacks, they do big dividend checks, and they lay off workers,” Brown said on CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday. “These things are happening because the railroads are simply not investing the way they should in car safety and the rail lines themselves.”
The Hill: Groups lobby California legislature to pass bill on fuel ‘price gouging’
SHARON UDASIN, 2/21/23
“More than 100 activist groups are calling on California’s state legislature to adopt Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D) proposal to penalize oil companies for “price gouging,” The Hill reports. “The groups maintained in a letter Tuesday that expediting the proposal — introduced by state Sen. Nancy Skinner (D) — is necessary “to hold the oil industry accountable and protect Californians from the industry’s greed and profiteering.” “While Californians paid as much as $2.60 more for their gasoline than average US gasoline prices, California oil refiners continued to post record-breaking windfall profits — literally profiting off Californians’ pain at the pump,” the letter continued. Greenpeace USA, the Center for Biological Diversity and the Sierra Club’s California chapter were among the dozens of groups that signed the letter.”
Associated Press: Colorado ponders carbon storage in defunct oil and gas wells
2/16/23
“From Colorado's high desert to the wooded hills of northwest Pennsylvania, millions of deserted oil and gas wells plunge thousands of feet into the earth after fossil fuels have been pumped out, combusted and released as carbon dioxide. They have long been symbols of pollution,” the Associated Press reports. “Colorado lawmakers are considering a new solution that would give these wells a redemptive purpose: deep receptacles to trap carbon for millennia. The idea is to keep carbon locked away in biochar — a special type of carbon-rich charcoal that's made from burning organic matter such as plants at high heat and little to no oxygen. The hope is that defunct oil and gas wells could be plugged using biochar. This would not only filter dangerous gas leaks but also keep carbon out of the atmosphere and prevent it from forming carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas… “The bill would, in part, direct Colorado State University to review current research and run new tests to answer a number of questions. Those include the efficacy of biochar's filtration properties, the tonnage of carbon that could be sequestered, and even how the substance would interact with its subterranean environment.”
Pasadena Star-News: Startups turning to the ocean to capture more carbon off Southern California’s coast
BROOKE STAGGS, 2/19/23
“...To date, most proposals to remove carbon from the atmosphere have focused on trying to scrub the greenhouse gas directly from the air,” the Pasadena Star-News reports. “But that form of carbon capture is proving to be a pricey and underperforming endeavor, prompting pushback from environmental groups. So some interest and funding is now pivoting to a process known as direct ocean carbon capture, where technology is used to remove carbon from the ocean so it will naturally pull more carbon out of the air. Thanks to recent infusions of public and private dollars, two local startups are testing different ocean carbon capture systems off the coasts of Orange and Los Angeles counties. Each hopes to scale up the technology for commercial markets within the next few years, which advocates say could slow global warming that’s already raising sea levels, triggering more intense weather patterns and posing other challenges around the globe… “Lots of questions remain, from the cost and scalability of the technology to where the carbon will go and how it will get there. That’s why Victoria Bogdan Tejeda, an environmental attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity, told Star-News she has serious concerns about the safety and viability of such technologies… “But if you believe — as Tejeda, some major environmental organizations and other researchers do — that we can avoid the worst impacts of global warming by rapidly eliminating our reliance on fossil fuels while using trees, wetlands and other natural spaces to draw down residual greenhouse gases, then ventures like ocean carbon capture removal aren’t worth the risks and resources. “It just seems like there are far too many questions,” Tejada told Star-News.
San Joaquin Valley Sun: Bains pitches bill to shore up Calif. oil production, reduce foreign oil dependency
Daniel Gligich, 2/20/23
“A Central Valley Democrat is seeking to restore California oil production by relieving the state’s dependence on oil extracted from the Amazon rainforest,” the San Joaquin Valley Sun reports. “...If passed, 50 percent of all oil refined in California would be required to originate within the Golden State by 2035. Over 30 years ago California was sourcing over 60 percent of its crude oil from within the state, with only about five percent originating internationally. But the state is now importing 56 percent from other countries, while supplying under 30 percent from within the state, according to the California Energy Commission. California has also been the top market for oil extracted from the Amazon rainforest, with half of the crude oil from Ecuador, Peru and Colombia exported to the state in 2020… “Pushing the oil industry out of the state may please some political activists, but it ignores the realities of the global market,” Bains told the Sun. “California’s policies are directly responsible for financing human rights violations in the Middle East and the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest. My bill maintains all of California’s strict environmental and labor protections, while also ensuring we buy American. Protecting California’s premier oil industry is one of the most environmentally friendly things we can do.”
Steamboat Pilot: Routt County seeks to protect its land from oil and gas development
Kit Geary, 2/21/23
“Routt County commissioners are preparing a letter of support for protecting public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management in Routt County to prevent oil and gas leasing and development,” the Steamboat Pilot reports. “The letter is on the consent agenda for Routt County commissioners’ meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 21. Soren Jespersen, field director of Colorado Wildlands Project, approached Routt County commissioners on Feb. 6 to ask for a letter of support and the county’s participation in a current revision of a planning process. The Colorado Wildlands Project is an advocacy group that works to protect public lands managed by the BLM… “The U.S. District Court in Colorado mandated in a 2019 settlement that the BLM must redo portions of a 2015 plan that failed to properly analyze the impacts of oil and gas production on greenhouse gas emissions. Portions of the plan that need to be revisited specifically in Routt County involve lands that are considered high value. Commissioners consider these highly valued because they contribute to robust wildlife populations, healthy watersheds and include recreational hotspots such as Emerald Mountain and King Mountain. Jespersen said that although the area of land is relatively small, its importance to the recreation and wildlife integrity of the county is much larger. Additionally, opening up these lands to oil and gas leasing and development has the potential to jeopardize their recreational and ecological values, according to Jespersen.”
Star Tribune: Pine Bend refinery in Rosemount is a top source of fish-harming element, report says
Chloe Johnson, 2/16/23
“A Minnesota oil refinery is one of the industry's biggest emitters of a mineral that can harm fish, releasing it in wastewater bound for the Mississippi River, according to a recent report,” the Star Tribune reports. “The analysis done by the nonprofit environmental watchdog Environmental Integrity Project points out the Pine Bend refinery in Rosemount as the fourth-biggest source of selenium in wastewater among U.S. oil processors. The element can accumulate in the bodies of aquatic animals and build up through the food web. Coal-burning power plants are limited in how much selenium they can release into rivers, but not oil refiners, Eric Schaeffer, executive director of the Environmental Integrity Project, told the Star Tribune… “Pine Bend was the only Minnesota facility mentioned of 81 studied in the report, and released 2,874.8 pounds of selenium into the Mississippi River in 2021
EXTRACTION
Reuters: Alberta offers to work with Canadian gov’t on carbon capture incentives
Nia Williams, 2/16/23
“Alberta has offered to collaborate with the federal government to incentivize carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) investments, as long as Ottawa refrains from introducing climate policies that impact the oil and gas sector without Alberta’s consent,” Reuters reports. “In an open letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said those policies include a proposed oil and gas emissions cap, Just Transition legislation, aimed at helping oil and gas workers retrain for green energy jobs, and clean electricity regulations… “In her letter, Smith proposed coordinating a federal CCUS income tax credit with an expansion of Alberta’s Petrochemicals Incentive Program (APIP) to include CCUS projects. She also requested the immediate creation of a federal and provincial working group led by ministers that could work on reaching an agreement on the joint incentive program in coming weeks. However, she said the invitation came with “one non-negotiable condition”; that Ottawa holds back on passing legislation or policies impacting the oil and gas sector without Alberta’s input and full agreement.”
InsideClimate News: Fracking Wastewater Causes Lasting Harm to Key Freshwater Species
Liza Gross, 2/21/23
“Extracting fossil fuels from underground reservoirs requires so much water a Chevron scientist once referred to its operations in California’s Kern River Oilfield “as a water company that skims oil,” InsideClimate News reports. “Fracking operations use roughly 1.5 million to 16 million gallons per well to release oil and gas from shale, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. All that water returns to the surface as wastewater called flowback and produced water, or FPW, contaminated by a complex jumble of hazardous substances in fluids injected to enhance production, salts, metals and other harmful elements once sequestered deep underground, along with their toxic breakdown products. Concerns that spills could damage sensitive ecosystems skyrocketed with the rapid expansion of fracking across the United States and Canada almost two decades ago, as technological advances allowed energy companies to exploit previously inaccessible shale oil and gas reserves. Those concerns are well founded, new research shows. Exposing animals that play a critical role in freshwater food webs to diluted samples of flowback and produced water from fracked wells causes lasting harm, scientists reported earlier this month in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Science & Technology… “The results fall in line with the evidence that salts, a major constituent of flowback and produced water, can harm and kill Daphnia, Sally Entrekin, an aquatic ecologist at Virginia Tech who was not involved in the study, told ICN… “Chemical surfactants, or surface-active agents, in the wastewater seem to immobilize the animals, which can’t break the surface tension of the water and get stuck, Blewett told ICN. “What that’s going to do is dry them out, so they’re as good as dead.”
Reuters: 'No excuse': IEA tells energy firms as methane emissions rise
Gloria Dickie and Kate Abnett, 2/21/23
“The fossil fuel industry is failing to tackle methane emissions despite its pledges to uncover and fix leaking infrastructure, according to a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) published on Tuesday,” Reuters reports. “In 2022, the global energy industry released into the atmosphere some 135 million tonnes of methane - a potent greenhouse gas responsible for roughly a third of the rise in global temperatures since the industrial revolution. Last year's emissions rose above 2020 and 2021 levels, and were only slightly below the record amount released in 2019, despite high energy prices and surging demand for natural gas that provided extra incentives to capture methane, the report said. Although some progress has been made, "emissions are still far too high and not falling fast enough - especially as methane cuts are among the cheapest options to limit near-term global warming," IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol said in a statement. "There is just no excuse." “...NOAA physical scientist Lori Bruhwiler told Reuters rapid cuts to methane emissions are important, but deep carbon dioxide emission reductions must accompany them if the world is to avoid global warming exceeding 1.5 Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) and unleashing more severe impacts. "Will this make it tougher for us to meet 1.5? Absolutely," she told Reuters, of the consequences if countries and companies fail to curb methane.”
Canadian Press: Suncor announces Rich Kruger as new president and CEO
Amanda Stephenson, 2/21/23
“Rich Kruger, who led Imperial Oil Ltd. as president and CEO from 2013 until his retirement in 2019, has been named the new chief executive of Suncor Energy Inc. after a months-long search,” the Canadian Press reports. “...The 63-year-old Kruger, who will take the top job on April 3, will replace interim CEO Kris Smith, who stepped in to fill the role after Mark Little resigned in July 2022 amid investor pressure and in the wake of a spate of workplace deaths and safety incidents… “The naming of Kruger as CEO should satisfy those who wished to see change at the top of Suncor, said Scotiabank analyst Jason Bouvier in a note Tuesday… “The company is also reducing the size of its contractor workforce by 20 per cent, a move Smith has said will reduce the number of exposure hours that put the company at risk for workplace injuries or fatalities, while also lowering costs.”
Bloomberg: China’s Taking Control of LNG as Global Demand Booms
Stephen Stapczynski, 2/19/23
“A rush by China to sign new long-term liquefied natural gas deals promises to give the nation even more control over the global market at a time when competition for cargoes is booming,” Bloomberg reports. “Chinese companies are sealing the most LNG purchase agreements of any nation and increasingly are becoming the sector’s key import intermediary. The Chinese buyers are reselling many of the cargoes to the highest bidders in Europe and Asia, effectively taking charge over a hefty chunk of supply.”
CLIMATE FINANCE
Washington Post: Democrats call for climate-friendly Malpass successor
Maxine Joselow, 2/17/23
“Led by Sen. Edward J. Markey (Mass.), three Democratic senators will send a letter today to outgoing World Bank President David Malpass and the bank’s board of directors urging new leadership that prioritizes climate action, according to a copy of the letter shared first with the Washington Post. “Malpass announced Wednesday he would step down amid controversy over his views on climate change. In the letter, Markey and Sens. Martin Heinrich (N.M.) and Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) urged the bank to select a new president who will commit to halting financing of fossil fuel projects and providing more financial support to developing countries. They also asked the bank’s leadership to answer by March 9 detailed questions about its climate commitments. “If we are to have any hope of meeting the scientifically necessary timeline for reducing global greenhouse gas emissions, the World Bank must immediately end all fossil fuel project financing, particularly fossil fuel supply projects and gas-fired power plants,” the senators wrote.
TODAY IN GREENWASHING
Shaw Local News: IVVC receives $20K donation from TC Energy Foundation for tools purchase
2/23/23
“Indian Valley Vocational Center recently received a $20,000 donation from TC Energy Foundation,” Shaw Local News reports. “The grant will be used to buy tools and equipment for hands-on training in IVVC’s auto body repair, construction trades, emergency medical services, fire science and welding, and fabrication programs, according to a news release.”
OPINION
Des Moines Register: Opinion: The future of Iowa ethanol production depends on carbon capture
Monte Shaw is executive director of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, 2/19/23
“Growing up in the small town of Shenandoah, I came of age during the farm crisis of the 1980s,” Monte Shaw writes for the Des Moines Register. “...The single biggest force making things better for ag over the last 40 years was the explosive growth of the renewable fuels industry during the first decade of this century… “I understand the deep connection farmers feel for their land. I share it, and I appreciate the emotions that arise when the topic of carbon capture and sequestration, or CCS, comes up. The farm I grew up on now has a pipeline running under it and a runway going over it. Believe me, I understand eminent domain… “I don’t think its hyperbole to say that capturing and sequestering carbon will be life or death for most ethanol plants over the next five years. The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association is not asking you to support carbon policies or clean fuel tax credits. We are asking you to honestly consider the real-world impact they have on Iowa’s ethanol plants. If we want to maintain or grow Iowa ethanol production, it will require CCS. If Iowa enacts laws that make CCS a practical impossibility for its ethanol plants, it will be a massive blow to our farm economy and the entire Iowa economy… “The future of Iowa ag depends on it.”
Duluth News Tribune: National View: Feds' focus on pipeline safety raises concerns of overregulation
Chris Woodward writes about industry and technology for InsideSources, 2/21/23
“When it comes to moving fossil fuels as safely as possible from where they are produced to where they are needed, the data is clear that pipelines are the best choice, particularly over long distances,” Chris Woodward writes for the Duluth News Tribune. “...But the National Transportation Safety Board believes more can be done, in particular, to protect people and property from pipeline explosions. At issue is the potential impact radius for a pipeline… “But energy insiders note that, however necessary this update may be, the administration of President Joe biden has been openly hostile to the fossil-fuel industry from the outset. There is concern that the legitimate debate about recalculating the potential impact radius might be used to make siting more difficult for future fossil-fuel infrastructure projects… “According to the most recent numbers available, 99.99 percent of gas and crude oil is moved safely through interstate transmission pipelines,” says the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers… “If you ask Dan Kish at the Institute for Energy Research, onerous government regulations are precisely the reason people are now pushing for new calculations on the “safe distance” from pipelines. “The goal is to make it so expensive or so impossible to use any of the U.S.'s world-class energy resources that Americans are forced to use renewable-energy technology, which, unfortunately, only works part-time and is largely dependent upon Chinese production,” Kish said.”
Globe and Mail: Gordon Pape: How investors should react to the struggles of Canadian pipeline giants
GORDON PAPE, 2/22/23
“Our two pipeline giants are going through a bit of a rough patch,” Gordon Pape writes for the Globe and Mail. “Both Enbridge Inc. and TC Energy Corp. reported fourth-quarter losses of more than $1-billion each. Both also are coping with some major problems. Enbridge continues to engage in a running legal battle with Michigan over the state’s attempt to close down Line 5, which delivers oil and gas from Western Canada to Ontario and Michigan… “Enbridge is also having problems negotiating with shippers over the cost of using its Mainline pipeline, which is the largest single carrier of Western oil to Eastern Canada. The company has been engaged in pricing talks with oil producers for over a year, with no agreement to date… “Over at TC Energy, they’re coping with another huge cost escalation for construction of the Coastal GasLink pipeline in British Columbia. The latest estimate is $14.5-billion, up from the previous forecast of $11.2-billion. And if the project isn’t done by the end of this year, add on another billion or more. The project contributed directly to a loss of $1.4-billion in the company’s fourth quarter. Somebody, somewhere, must be wondering if it’s all worth it. Meantime, the company is estimating it will cost US$480-million (less any insurance recovery) to clean up the mess from the recent spill of the U.S. Keystone pipeline in Kansas. It still has 800 workers on site. Despite all this, both companies are raising their dividends this year…. “My advice: Hold [Enbridge]. This stock is strictly a yield play at this stage, and a good yield it is… “Outlook: Coastal GasLink is draining [TC Energy’s] company’s resources at this time and it’s more than a year away from going into service. The other new projects coming on stream will help, but I don’t see a lot of upside in the stock at this time. My advice: Hold for yield. The bottom line is that both these pipeline giants are looking at only modest growth this year. Investors seeking strong and dependable cash flow should buy the dips, but don’t expect much in the way of price appreciation unless the interest rate scenario should suddenly turn around. That’s unlikely but not impossible if a strong recession hits.”
Bloomberg: We Can Vacuum Carbon From the Sky. Will It Make a Difference?
Lara Williams, 2/19/23
“The Swiss direct air capture (DAC) company reached a milestone earlier this year, providing a certified carbon removal service to corporate clients — Microsoft, Spotify and Stripe — for the first time,” Lara Williams writes for Bloomberg. “...But Climeworks is already thinking about its next move. It’s considering putting in an application for the US’s DAC Hubs program, part of the Inflation Reduction Act. The program specifies that projects must be able to capture at least 50,000 tons per year to start, with the demonstrated potential to reach 1 million tons in the long term. These are big numbers, but as Carlos Härtel, Climeworks’ chief technology officer, is the first to point out, they amount to a drop in the ocean compared to the scale of the problem. In 2022, the world pumped more than 40 billion tons of CO2 into the atmosphere. Like other carbon removal technologies, DAC is no silver bullet, but it will be an important technology for cleaning up legacy emissions once we’ve managed to halt the flow of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. At the moment, there’s still a gap between what we’ll need and the capacity that’s currently in the pipeline. So as technologies attract more investment, scalability is on the carbon removal industry’s mind. However we decide to get to net zero, we will need more carbon dioxide removal and storage capacity than is currently planned… “A lot of pieces need to fall into place before DAC plants start asking for a lot more energy. In the meantime, there’s work to do. While policymakers can’t drop the ball on DAC, it’ll ultimately be worthless if we can’t slash emissions. As Härtel told me, “I can help you long term, I can’t help you today.”
Gas Leaks: WHY ARE YOU PAYING MORE FOR ENERGY? BLAME “NATURAL” GAS EXPORTS.
2/15/23
“For years, the oil and gas industry has pitched more drilling and fracking as a path to “energy independence” — a scenario where the United States didn’t have to depend on foreign countries for energy. In practice, the industry has doubled down on exporting gas to other countries, which drives up the price of Americans’ monthly energy bills and makes us even more dependent on international market forces outside our control,” the editor of Gas Leaks writes. “Methane gas tripled in price last year… “These higher prices translated to a bonanza of profit for gas industry CEOs and shareholders. Exxon made nearly $20 billion in profit in a single quarter — the highest profit in the company’s 150 year history… “While exports are great business for highly paid CEOs, they’re a recipe for higher monthly bills for American families. Just six years ago, the United States exported almost no methane gas. But the industry went on a building spree, adding dozens of new gas export facilities — often in communities of color who were already dealing with elevated levels of air and water pollution from heavy industry. Now upwards of 20% of gas is sold to the highest bidder overseas. That means the utility that delivers gas to your home is now competing with entire foreign countries for the same gas, and will be for decades to come. These energy higher prices are rippling through the US economy, worsening inflation and raising energy bills… “The gas industry and their political allies never asked the American public if they wanted more volatile and unpredictable monthly energy bills, but that was the outcome of the gas export building spree of the last several years. The wind and the sun don’t suddenly spike in price, but methane gas does all the time. It’s time to get off this rollercoaster of higher energy costs by saying no to more methane gas — especially export facilities that pollute Gulf Coast communities and make our energy bills more expensive and volatile.”