EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 4/14/25

PIPELINE NEWS

• E&E News: Keystone oil pipeline needs fixes after rupture, agency says

• PHMSA: USDOT Issues Corrective Action Order for Keystone Pipeline Spill

• Bloomberg: Keystone Pipeline sludge delays work needed to assess damage

• Reuters: South Bow plans to restart Keystone at reduced rates by Tuesday

• Reuters: Canada’s South Bow cuts crude trading team, focuses on contracted pipeline volumes, sources say

• Reuters: TC Energy completes pipeline repairs in Michigan following gas leak

• The Iowa Standard: GOP Legislative Intervenors for Justice deeply disappointed, concerned with Bousselot amendment to carbon pipeline bill

• Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Summit Carbon's South Dakota route in doubt as state regulator asks for future plans

• NPR Illinois: Ban on carbon capture near Mahomet Aquifer wins unanimous approval in Illinois Senate

• WEEK: IL plan to stop carbon sequestration near the Mahomet Aquifer passes unanimously out of the Senate

• WSKG: Trump wants to build a gas pipeline in New York. Environmentalists say they're ready to fight it — again

• Daily Campus: Group advocating against the building of gas pipeline to hold forum at Mansfield Town Hall

• CalMatters: State fines oil company $18 million over 2015 Santa Barbara spill

• MyChesCo: FTC Approves Enbridge Petition to End 2017 Consent Order

• U.S. Dept. of the Interior Bureau of Land Management: BLM approves Chapita Wells natural gas pipeline in Utah

WASHINGTON UPDATES

• Politico: Trump directs agencies to quietly repeal regulations — without public notice

• Utility Dive: Trump directs FERC, other agencies to add 5-year sunsets to energy-related regulations

• E&E News: Trump hits delete for energy, environment regs

• Politico: Interior cancels environmental reviews for legacy oil leases in Western states

• E&E News: ‘Be careful’: GOP enters pivotal moment for IRA tax credits

• Reuters: Four Republican US senators back Biden-era energy tax credits

• Carbon Herald: U.S. Bill Proposes Carbon Fees On Imports, CO2 Capture And Removal Considered As Mitigators

• Pro Publica: Trump’s EPA Plans to Stop Collecting Greenhouse Gas Emissions Data From Most Polluters

• Reuters: FTC takes step toward reversing Chevron, Exxon board restrictions

• MSNBC: REI issues public apology for backing Doug Burgum as interior secretary

• Revolving Door Project: Trump Environment Tracker

STATE UPDATES

• E&E News: California youth appeal climate case against EPA

• Midland Reporter-Telegram: Texas bills aim to clarify pore space ownership for carbon capture projects

• WBUR: Mass. has strong climate laws. A new Trump action aims to undo them

• CT Mirror: CT says it will stand tough if Trump comes for its climate change policies

• Colorado Sun: Lawsuit attacking Colorado oil and gas rules echoes Trump’s push to roll back local green laws

• Iowa Capital Dispatch: Gov. Kim Reynolds will not seek reelection in 2026

• Press release: Food & Water Watch Condemns PA EQB’s Inaction on Fracking Setbacks

EXTRACTION

• Reuters: US natgas output and demand to hit record highs in 2025, EIA says

• Reuters: US EIA warns of lower oil demand from tariffs and trade uncertainty

• ExxonKnews: Big Oil Is Following Big Gun’s Playbook

• E&E News: Trump’s push for more LNG exports risks domestic price surge

• Houston Chronicle: Trump’s tariffs make it harder for Texas companies to export more liquefied natural gas

• Canadian Press: Canada’s LNG industry set to take flight as interest reignites in Alaska megaproject

• Reuters: Indian gas firm GAIL seeks 26% stake in US LNG

• Bloomberg: Abu Dhabi’s Adnoc Said to Weigh Bid for $9 Billion Aethon Assets

CLIMATE FINANCE

• Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA): Quitting climate alliances risks trust and transparency for banks

OPINION

• Waverly Newspapers: CO2 Pipeline bill moves on, but with tweaks

• Ventura County Star: Stop the Sable Pipeline restart

• Clean Technica: Yara, Ørsted, and the €200/ton Mirage: What Northern Lights Really Teaches Us About CCS

• Houston Chronicle: Trump tariffs are causing chaos in the energy market. That's bad news for Texas.
  

PIPELINE NEWS

E&E News: Keystone oil pipeline needs fixes after rupture, agency says
Carlos Anchondo, 4/14/25

“Operating a major segment of the Keystone oil pipeline would be “hazardous” without changes to improve its safety, federal regulators said Friday night, days after the conduit leaked oil in North Dakota,” E&E News reports. “In a corrective action order, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration said the “accident segment” — a roughly 45-mile stretch of pipeline — “must remain shut-in and may not be operated” until PHMSA authorizes its restart in writing. The agency also said that before resuming operation of the “affected pipeline” — a 1,025-mile segment that runs from the U.S.-Canada border in North Dakota to southern Illinois — operator South Bow must develop and submit a written restart plan for approval. PHMSA said the rupture last week appears similar to a tear in October 2019 that happened about 130 miles north of last week’s incident. The 2019 rupture “exhibited characteristics of fatigue from pressure cycles” and defects in a weld seam, PHMSA said, adding that “the failure mechanism in this event appears to be similar to the failure mechanism that caused the current Failure.”

PHMSA: USDOT Issues Corrective Action Order for Keystone Pipeline Spill
4/11/25

“The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) today issued a Corrective Action Order (CAO) to South Bow which directs the operator to take specific actions to improve the safety of the Keystone Pipeline after a crude oil release was discovered on April 8, 2025, in Ransom County, North Dakota. “PHMSA has already secured the operator’s full cooperation and written commitment to take any steps necessary to repair the line and identify the cause of the failure,” said PHMSA Acting Administrator Ben Kochman. “Multiple PHMSA investigators are on the ground in North Dakota and in the operator’s control room facility in Calgary working to determine the cause of the accident.” The CAO requires the operator to submit the failed section of pipe to a third-party lab for mechanical and metallurgical testing. The operator must also conduct and submit a root cause failure analysis and review all in-line inspection reports from the past 10 years to identify anomalies that may be present in the failed pipe, adjacent joints, or anywhere else on the system. PHMSA reserves the right to amend the CAO as needed as the investigation proceeds. The Keystone pipeline was built to the specifications of a special permit that allows the line to operate at higher-than-normal pressures. PHMSA ordered the maximum operating pressure to be reduced following a December 2022 crude oil release in Washington County, Kansas. The CAO requires an evaluation of the special permit to determine if additional or modified conditions are necessary to prevent similar incidents. The affected pipeline segment cannot be restarted until PHMSA gives the operator permission. PHMSA’s investigation is ongoing.”

Bloomberg: Keystone Pipeline sludge delays work needed to assess damage
Robert Tuttle, Lucia Kassai and Ari Natter, 4/1125

“Excavation work at a Keystone Pipeline oil spill has been delayed because crews must clean up sludge around the site, according to the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality,” Bloomberg reports. “Heavy equipment has been moved close to the location of Tuesday’s leak that spewed 3,500 barrels of oil across a remote area of the state, but digging can’t commence until a mixture of crude and water is removed, agency official Marty Haroldson told Bloomberg. The excavation, which had been expected to start on Thursday, is the first step in repairing the pipe system that hauls Canadian oil to U.S. markets. South Bow will develop a repair plan for the line, the company said in a letter to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration dated Thursday. The pipeline restart will happen during daylight hours, with pressure on the affected segment reduced to about 80% of its levels at the time of the release, the company said.”

Reuters: South Bow plans to restart Keystone at reduced rates by Tuesday
Devika Madhusudhanan Nair, 4/12/25

“South Bow plans to restart the Keystone pipeline by Tuesday, April 15, the company said on Saturday, after it shut the key conduit for the flow of Canadian oil to the U.S. due to an oil spill in North Dakota,” Reuters reports. “South Bow still needs written approval from the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) before restarting the pipeline, the company said. Even after it restarts, Keystone will operate at reduced rates in the U.S. to address a corrective action order issued by the PHMSA on Friday, the company said.”

Reuters: Canada’s South Bow cuts crude trading team, focuses on contracted pipeline volumes, sources say
Georgina Mccartney, 4/12/25

“Calgary-based pipeline company South Bow has cut the size of its crude trading team as it seeks to boost the volume of oil sold on contract through its pipeline systems and reduce how much crude it trades, three people told Reuters this week… “South Bow laid off two traders on April 4, the people told Reuters. TC Energy had already cut a member of the team in June last year before the spin-off. The latest layoffs have reduced the crude trading team to two from five. A South Bow spokesperson declined to comment on employee matters for this story. The company is seeking more stable revenues through contracted volumes shipped through its pipeline systems, the sources told Reuters, after the start up of the Trans Mountain pipeline in Canada left it with fewer trading opportunities… “Higher overall Canadian pipeline capacity and uncertainty from potential tariffs would also weigh on marketing earnings this year, the company said in its quarterly earnings report. South Bow expects 90% of its EBITDA in 2025 to be secured through committed arrangements… “The company will reallocate available spot capacity on Marketlink that the trading team had been using to increase contracted shipments to third-party customers, sources told Reuters.”

Reuters: TC Energy completes pipeline repairs in Michigan following gas leak
4/14/25

“TC Energy said late last week it had completed repairs to a section of the ANR Pipeline system shut down near Fennville, Michigan, because of a leak, causing a natural gas outage in the region,” Reuters reports. "Natural gas service has now been restored to Michigan Gas Utilities, the local distribution company," the company said in a statement on April 11… “Last week, the pipeline was struck by a third party, and TC Energy isolated and shut the damaged part of the pipeline. The outage affected gas supplies to about 5,200 homes in the area, Michigan Gas Utilities had said on Wednesday.”

The Iowa Standard: GOP Legislative Intervenors for Justice deeply disappointed, concerned with Bousselot amendment to carbon pipeline bill
4/9/25

“The Republican Legislative Intervenors for Justice (RLIJ) express deep disappointment and concern over the recent Bousselot amendment to HF639, the carbon pipeline bill. HF639’s original language made it a strong bill designed to protect Iowa landowners from the unconstitutional use of eminent domain for CO2 pipelines. However efforts from the Senate amendment, spearheaded by Senator Bousselot, undermines these protections,” The Iowa Standard reports. “Of top concern, the amendment expands the scope of the original bill beyond CO2 pipelines to all utilities – including oil and natural gas pipelines, transmission lines, and power generation. This is expected to be largely rejected by Iowa utility companies and rightfully so – it is unnecessary and offers no real landowner protection. This amendment appears to be a poison pill, drawing opposition from common carriers not originally included with the intent to kill the bill… “Other key protections that were removed include: defining a common carrier more narrowly to prevent private companies from using eminent domain; requiring carbon pipeline companies to provide insurance for landowners; and allowing citizens with a minimally plausible interest to intervene in proceedings. Over the last several years, the Iowa House has fought to uphold landowners’ rights and prevent the misuse of eminent domain by advancing multiple bills to the Senate, including HF943 and HF639. Despite strong support, these measures have been repeatedly blocked or significantly weakened in the Senate. Their inability to advance HF943, combined with the harmful changes made to HF639, results in a complete failure to address eminent domain abuse. Landowners across Iowa have rightfully dubbed this amendment “Summit’s Bill of Rights” because it streamlines the approval process for CO2 pipelines while removing critical protections for property owners. Members of the Legislative Interveners will continue to fight for the property rights of Iowans and push to amend HF639 back to its original form while working to incorporate the outright ban on the use of eminent domain for CO2 pipelines. Members of the RLIJ will not accept empty gestures when it comes to protecting the fundamental property rights of the citizens of Iowa.”

Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Summit Carbon's South Dakota route in doubt as state regulator asks for future plans
Dominik Dausch, 4/11/25

“What's the plan, Summit Carbon Solutions? That's what the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission asked the Ames, Iowa-based carbon sequestration company to elaborate on during a Thursday hearing,” the Sioux Falls Argus Leader reports. “The regulatory body voted unanimously to order the developer to return April 22, the commission's next scheduled meeting, and present a plan on how the company will proceed with its application… “The PUC's decision instead grants Summit Carbon a 12-day period to develop an argument on the feasibility of its project, which now is threatened by HB 1052, which Gov. Larry Rhoden signed into law. The company also will have a short window of time to drum up support if it intends to challenge the incoming law… “Brian Jorde, an attorney representing South Dakota landowners opposed to the project, asked the commission to reject Summit Carbon's request for a delay in the schedule and instead issue a denial of the company's permit application all together… "I'm getting calls from my own clients. 'If this indefinitely goes on, can I put up a grain bin near this route? Can I change the elevation and do drainage across where this pipeline may possibly go someday, or be close to? Is this a cloud on my title?'" Jorde said. "These are real people's concerns that real people have by having this just kind of paused out in the ether when there's no corresponding plan to actually accomplish anything." PUC staff attorney Logan Schaefbauer told commissioners Thursday there was a lack of clarity surrounding Summit Carbon's plan to move forward… “Asked by Nelson whether Summit Carbon or associates planned to circulate a referendum petition to ask South Dakota voters to reject HB 1052 come the next election — which, even if unsuccessful, would prevent the rollout of the law if the petition question is placed on the ballot — Koenecke said he "heard discussions of that." “...Koenecke did hint at the possibility the company could file an amendment to its application to significantly scale back the pipeline route through South Dakota. While Koenecke couldn't say whether Summit Carbon was seriously considering the idea, he explained it would be done by removing some partnered ethanol plants from the project.”

NPR Illinois: Ban on carbon capture near Mahomet Aquifer wins unanimous approval in Illinois Senate
Cesar Toscano, Eric Stock, 4/11/25

“Over the last few years, environmental groups and others in Central Illinois have raised concerns about the region's water potentially becoming contaminated by an emerging technology that's intended to reduce the harm caused by greenhouse gas emissions,” NPR Illinois reports. “State senators responded to those concerns by voting unanimously, 55-0, on Thursday to ban carbon sequestration near the Mahomet Aquifer, the sole source of water for nearly 1 million people in the region, including much of McLean County… “Critics say it's unsafe and the benefits are overstated, especially after a series of leaks in Decatur… “Lawmakers also heard from environmentalists urging them to protect the aquifer, though one group withdrew its support for the bill after a late modification limited the area that would forbid carbon storage. The change limits the ban to the Mahomet sole source aquifer area, while the original plan encompassed the aquifer's project review area, which includes Bloomington-Normal and parts of eastern McLean County and Ford County. Illinois People's Action staged a rally in Uptown Normal on Thursday to protest the change, considering it an added environmental risk. "We cannot in good conscience support this amendment knowing it is not less than an attempt to gut the original intent of the bill," IPA organizer Brent Lage told NPR Illinois.”

WEEK: IL plan to stop carbon sequestration near the Mahomet Aquifer passes unanimously out of the Senate
Cameron Maine, 4/11/25

“After the bill failed to pass last year, the plan to stop all carbon sequestration near the Mahomet aquifer passed unanimously out of the Illinois Senate Thursday,” WEEK reports. “...Companies were allowed to begin carbon sequestration in Illinois last year. However, shortly after approval, an ADM pipe full of liquid CO2 was found to be leaking near the Mahomet aquifer. Over fears the aquifer, the sole source of clean drinking water for 800,000 Central Illinoisan, was possibly contaminated, local communities gathered and lobbied for a complete ban of carbon sequestration. State Sen. Chapin Rose (R-Champaign) told WEEK this he’s thankful for all the bipartisan work to protect the aquifer… “The plan passed out of Senate on a 55-0 vote. It will now head to the House floor, where lawmakers could talk about it in the coming weeks.”

WSKG: Trump wants to build a gas pipeline in New York. Environmentalists say they're ready to fight it — again
Rebecca Redelmeier, 4/11/25

“President Donald Trump has said he wants to grow the American oil and gas industry and build more pipelines — including one in New York,” WSKG reports. “Before a meeting with Gov. Kathy Hochul last month, Trump set his sights on one project in particular called the Constitution Pipeline. First proposed in 2012, it was meant to transport gas from Pennsylvania through New York’s Southern Tier and Catskills to meet up with other pipelines outside of Albany. But it was never built. Instead, after years of protest from environmentalists and community advocates, officials in New York denied the pipeline a key permit. Environmental advocates heralded it as a major win against the oil and gas industry. Now, Trump has said he wants to bring that pipeline back… “The oil company behind the project, Williams, told Reuters that it is interested in building the pipeline if it receives support from the state. The company did not respond to WSKG’s questions. Still, many environmentalists worry Trump will push ahead, renewing concerns that New York’s upstate rural landscape could be bisected by a new pipeline and restarting a bitter environmental fight. “For people who fought it for 10 years, the idea that that threat is going to come back over their heads is a really terrifying notion,” Anne Marie Garti, one of the leaders of the initial fight against the pipeline, told WSKG… “Garti and other community members worried about residents who would have to move because of eminent domain, and environmental risks from pipeline leaks. Many environmentalists also opposed building new infrastructure that would enable the continued use of fossil fuels, which contribute to climate change.”

Daily Campus: Group advocating against the building of gas pipeline to hold forum at Mansfield Town Hall
Alex Klancko, 4/14/25

“An anti-fossil fuel organization plans to hold an educational forum about the expansion of a gas pipeline that runs through New England at the Mansfield Town Hall on Wednesday, April 16 at 6 p.m.,” Daily Campus reports. “The event will be held by the Stop Project Maple Coalition, a group made up of many climate change organizations focused on stopping the expansion of a gas pipeline that runs through New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts… “Stop Project Maple is working to stop the building of this pipeline due to the negative impacts it could have on the environment and surrounding communities, such as the release of large amounts of methane into the atmosphere… “Groups attending the event include Stop Project Maple Coalition, Sierra Club Connecticut and Windham/Willimantic National Association for the Advancement Colored People (NAACP). Sena Wazer, a UConn alum and intern for Stop Project Maple, told Daily Campus she hopes that the event will leave people with a better understanding of how fossil fuels can impact local communities… “The pipeline runs right through the Mansfield area and has the potential to impact the UConn community, according to Wazer. She encouraged UConn students to attend the event.”

CalMatters: State fines oil company $18 million over 2015 Santa Barbara spill
Alejandro Lazo, 4/11/25

“The California Coastal Commission on Thursday fined an oil company a record $18 million for repeatedly defying orders to stop work on a corroded pipeline in Santa Barbara County that caused a major oil spill nearly a decade ago,” CalMatters reports. “The vote sets the stage for a potentially high-stakes test of the state’s power to police oil development along the coast. The onshore pipeline in Gaviota gushed more than 100,000 gallons of crude oil onto coastal land and ocean waters, shutting down fisheries, closing beaches and harming marine life and coastal habitats in 2015… “The Coastal Commission said Sable has done something no alleged violator has ever done before: ignoring the agency’s multiple cease-and-desist orders and continuing its work. “Our orders were valid and legally issued, and Sable’s refusal to comply is a refusal to follow the law,” said Commissioner Meagan Harmon, who also is a member of the Santa Barbara City Council. “Their refusal, in a very real sense, is a subversion of the will of the people of the state of California.”

MyChesCo: FTC Approves Enbridge Petition to End 2017 Consent Order
Maryann Pugh, 4/13/25

“The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has granted a petition from Enbridge Inc. to reopen and set aside the 2017 consent order related to its merger with Spectra Energy Corp.,” MyChesCo reports. “The FTC ruled that the conditions outlined in the original order are no longer necessary, as Enbridge has divested its interest in the Discovery Pipeline, a key player in the natural gas transportation market… “Through the merger, Enbridge obtained an indirect ownership interest in the Discovery Pipeline, which competes directly with Enbridge’s Walker Ridge Pipeline. At the time, the FTC raised concerns about potential anticompetitive behavior, including Enbridge gaining access to sensitive information about its competitor. To mitigate these risks, the order required Enbridge to implement firewalls and placed restrictions on board members affiliated with Spectra who had an ownership stake in the Discovery Pipeline.”

U.S. Dept. of the Interior Bureau of Land Management: BLM approves Chapita Wells natural gas pipeline in Utah
4/11/25

“The Bureau of Land Management is announcing approval of expanded infrastructure supporting increased oil and gas production on public lands. With this approval, Chipeta Processing LLC can construct a buried 16-inch natural gas pipeline, six-inch liquids pipeline, and a fiber optic line 3,320 feet from the planned Green River Slug Catcher Facility to the existing Chipeta Processing Plant. The Green River slug catcher facility is associated with the existing Kinder Morgan pipeline. That means that after construction of the Green River Slug Catcher and the additional pipelines and fiber optic line for the Chipeta Processing facility, they can work with the Kinder Morgan pipeline to transport gas from gas fields east of Myton, UT in Duchesne County to the Chipeta plant in Uintah County. This will reduce the amount of gas currently being flared due to insufficient pipeline capacity in the Altamont/Bluebell field area of Duchesne County, and it will reduce trucking including and associated effects like dust and vehicle emissions. The Chipeta plant enables transport of the natural gas up to Wyoming through the existing Wyoming Interstate Co. (also known as “WIC”) pipeline where it can be put into pipelines to the East Coast.”

WASHINGTON UPDATES

Politico: Trump directs agencies to quietly repeal regulations — without public notice
Hassan Ali Kanu, 4/10/25

“President Donald Trump has instructed federal agencies and their assigned DOGE teams to repeal any existing regulations that are inconsistent with his priorities without providing advance notice or going through the traditional public input process,” Politico reports. “The move accelerates the White House’s sprawling efforts to dismantle the federal regulatory machine, although Trump’s directive to skip the notice-and-comment process will likely face legal challenges. It also may squeeze out contrarian voices — such as civil rights advocates, labor unions and environmentalist groups — from weighing in on the administration’s deregulatory campaign. Trump’s Wednesday presidential memo instructs agency leaders to move forward with a government-wide ‘review-and-repeal effort,’ citing 10 recent Supreme Court rulings to assert that they can proceed much more quietly because many existing regulations have now been rendered illegal. The normal “notice-and-comment proceedings are “unnecessary” where repeal is required as a matter of law to ensure consistency with a ruling of the United States Supreme Court,” Trump wrote.”

Utility Dive: Trump directs FERC, other agencies to add 5-year sunsets to energy-related regulations
Ethan Howland, 4/10/25

“President Donald Trump on Wednesday directed the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency and other agencies to add provisions to their energy-related regulations so they would expire within five years,” Utility Dive reports. “By rescinding outdated regulations that serve as a drag on progress, we can stimulate innovation and deliver prosperity to everyday Americans,” Trump said in an executive order. Trump ordered the sunset provisions to be in place by Sept. 30. For FERC, the directive covers all regulations under the Federal Power Act, the Natural Gas Act and the Power Plant and Industrial Fuel Use Act… “Trump directed agency heads to coordinate with their so-called Department of Government Efficiency team leads and the Office of Management and Budget to implement the sunset order. The sunset date for a covered regulation may be repeatedly extended if the agency finds an extension is warranted, according to the executive order. Trump’s order does not apply to regulatory permitting regimes authorized by statute. The executive order is “impossible to implement, blatantly illegal, creates massive amounts of unnecessary work, and just makes no sense,” Ari Peskoe, director of Harvard Law School’s Electricity Law Initiative, told Utility Dive. “It is deeply misguided and reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of how agencies work.”

E&E News: Trump hits delete for energy, environment regs
Niina H. Farah, Lesley Clark, Robin Bravender, 4/10/25

“President Donald Trump issued a series of directives late Wednesday aimed at scaling back regulations covering everything from showerheads to endangered species as part of his pledge to enact the ‘most aggressive regulatory reduction’ in the country’s history,” E&E News reports. “Trump’s deregulatory moves this week included an executive order on showerhead regulations, an order directing energy and environmental agencies to ‘sunset’ certain regulations, an order aimed at eliminating ‘anti-competitive regulations’ and a memo directing agencies to repeal existing rules that don’t align with a series of recent Supreme Court decisions. The White House budget office is also soliciting calls from the public for ideas about how to slash regulations.”

Politico: Interior cancels environmental reviews for legacy oil leases in Western states
Ben Lefebvre, 4/10/25

“The Interior Department said Thursday it will no longer require environmental reviews for thousands of oil leases in western states,” Politico reports. “The move rescinds a Biden-era bid to require environmental impact statements on more than 3,200 oil leases covering 3.5 million acres in Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming. The leases had been challenged as part of a series of lawsuits from environmental groups alleging they had violated federal environmental regulations, with the Biden administration agreeing to settlements over several months in 2022 to conduct new environmental reviews. Interior’s Bureau of Land Management “is evaluating options for compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act for these oil and gas leasing decisions,” the department said in a statement.”

E&E News: ‘Be careful’: GOP enters pivotal moment for IRA tax credits
Andres Picon, Kelsey Brugger, 4/11/25

“The brawl over the fate of certain clean energy tax credits is set to escalate as congressional Republicans draw new lines in the sand and the White House steps up its pressure on GOP leaders to gut the credits for savings,” E&E News reports. “House and Senate Republicans will spend the next several weeks hashing out the details of their reconciliation bill after the House adopted a compromise budget blueprint Thursday. Yet as the hunt for funding cuts intensifies, Republicans leaders are losing support for axing some of their biggest energy-related targets. On Wednesday, four Senate Republicans sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune urging him to be judicious when weighing which Inflation Reduction Act tax credits to cut… “The dueling visions for the future of those energy subsidies — namely those supporting advanced manufacturing, carbon capture and biofuels — stand to complicate Republicans’ reconciliation plans and could ultimately spare certain incentives that are spurring clean energy projects and emissions reductions… “House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) told E&E that Republicans will now begin committee-level discussions on specific policies to include in reconciliation, with the goal of getting the bill to Trump’s desk by the end of May… “A number of businesses with a stake in the preservation of the IRA’s energy and manufacturing subsidies returned to Capitol Hill for their latest round of lobbying this week. They met with House and Senate Republicans and urged them to fight for the incentives.”

Reuters: Four Republican US senators back Biden-era energy tax credits
Nichola Groom, 4/10/25

“Four Republican senators are asking Congressional leadership to preserve energy tax credits included in the Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act in the impending budget reconciliation bill, according to a letter circulated on Thursday,” Reuters reports. “In the April 9 letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, the four senators said repealing the tax credits would disrupt investment and harm businesses and jobs. "Our country is blessed with abundant natural resources and an entrepreneurial spirit that uniquely positions us to power both our economy and the world—enabling U.S. leadership in innovation, energy production, and manufacturing alike," the letter said. "Many of the investments that make this possible are enabled by current tax provisions, including some from the Inflation Reduction Act." The letter was signed by Senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, John Curtis of Utah, Jerry Moran of Kansas and Thom Tillis of North Carolina. The letter came a month after a similar letter by 21 Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives urged Congressional leaders and the White House to protect certain clean energy tax credits despite President Donald Trump's pledge to repeal the IRA's climate-related measures.”

Carbon Herald: U.S. Bill Proposes Carbon Fees On Imports, CO2 Capture And Removal Considered As Mitigators
Vasil Velev, 4/11/25

“A sweeping new bill—the Foreign Pollution Fee Act of 2025—could dramatically shift global trade dynamics,” the Carbon Herald reports. “Sponsored by Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) the legislation would impose fees on imported goods based on their pollution intensity relative to U.S. manufacturing standards. Countries such as China, Russia, Vietnam, India, and Taiwan could be hit hardest, facing fees of up to 200% on high-emission products like steel, aluminum, fertilizers, and glass… “The Act places a strong emphasis on carbon removal as a compliance tool. Companies can mitigate their fees by either capturing carbon emissions at their production sites or by purchasing certified carbon removal credits. These credits must represent durable removals, such as direct air capture or marine carbon removal, ensuring long-term storage of carbon dioxide… “If enacted, the bill could create a major incentive for industries worldwide to invest in both carbon capture and carbon removal… “The bill can be considered similar to the European Union’s approach to carbon levies. Its carbon tariff strategy revolves around the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). Currently in a transitional phase since October 2023, CBAM requires importers of carbon-intensive goods—such as steel, cement, aluminum, and fertilizers—to report embedded emissions.”

Pro Publica: Trump’s EPA Plans to Stop Collecting Greenhouse Gas Emissions Data From Most Polluters
Sharon Lerner, 4/10/25

“The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to eliminate long-standing requirements for polluters to collect and report their emissions of the heat-trapping gases that cause climate change,” Pro Publica reports. “The move, ordered by a Trump appointee, would affect thousands of industrial facilities across the country, including oil refineries, power plants and coal mines as well as those that make petrochemicals, cement, glass, iron and steel, according to documents reviewed by ProPublica. The Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program documents the amount of carbon dioxide, methane and other climate-warming gases emitted by individual facilities. The data, which is publicly available, guides policy decisions and constitutes a significant portion of the information the government submits to the international body that tallies global greenhouse gas pollution. Losing the data will make it harder to know how much climate-warming gas an economic sector or factory is emitting and to track those emissions over time. This granularity allows for accountability, experts say; the government can’t curb the country’s emissions without knowing where they are coming from. “This would reduce the detail and accuracy of U.S. reporting of greenhouse gas emissions, when most countries are trying to improve their reporting,” Michael Gillenwater, executive director of the Greenhouse Gas Management Institute, told Pro Publica. “This would also make it harder for climate policy to happen down the road.”

Reuters: FTC takes step toward reversing Chevron, Exxon board restrictions
4/11/25

“The U.S. Federal Trade Commission took a step toward potentially reversing bans on certain oil executives joining the boards of Chevron and Exxon Mobil that the Biden administration made a condition that allowed them to acquire two other oil producers,” Reuters reports. “Exxon, which acquired Pioneer Natural Resources last year, had agreed to bar former Pioneer CEO Scott Sheffield from its board. Chevron, which agreed to buy Hess in 2023, consented to a similar order keeping that company’s CEO, John Hess, off its board. The FTC said on Friday that it was seeking public comment on petitions filed by Sheffield, Chevron and Hess Corp seeking to reverse the bans… “Both deals got the greenlight from the FTC, then led by Chair Lina Khan, on the condition that Hess and Sheffield be barred from the respective boards over concerns they would coordinate with members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. Both John Hess and Sheffield denied the allegations.”

MSNBC: REI issues public apology for backing Doug Burgum as interior secretary
Ja'han Jones, 4/11/25

“Popular outdoor equipment retailer REI has issued a public apology for its previous endorsement of Doug Burgum, the man Donald Trump tapped to lead the Interior Department,” MSNBC reports. “Late last year, environmental groups warned against supporting the then-governor of North Dakota for interior secretary, arguing that the former businessman would sacrifice federal lands in the name of increasing profits for fossil fuel companies. But REI, which presents itself as a pro-environmental company, defied these groups in January when it signed on to a letter supporting Burgum’s nomination… “Since becoming secretary, Burgum has controversially proposed using federal lands for affordable housing and affirmed environmental groups’ worst fears by doubling down on Trump’s attempt to “restore the coal industry.” And now, REI — via its new president and CEO, Mary Beth Laughton, who took the helm after the letter was signed — is regretting its endorsement.”

Revolving Door Project: Trump Environment Tracker
Dorothy Slater and Fatou Ndiaye, 4/10/25

“Trump’s second term began with drastic announcements on Day One and has been chaotic every day since. It can be overwhelming to try to keep up with the cuts to environmental funding, rollbacks to critical regulations, and track the thousands of staff across agencies who have been fired from their roles. The purpose of this tracker is to monitor some of the most important tangible increases in pollution and environmental and health harms caused by the Trump administration’s actions,” according to the Revolving Door Project.

STATE UPDATES

E&E News: California youth appeal climate case against EPA
Lesley Clark, 4/14/25

“A group of California youth seeking to hold EPA accountable for planet-warming emissions is appealing a federal court ruling that found the young climate activists lacked standing to bring their lawsuit,” E&E News reports. “The 18 plaintiffs in Genesis B. v. EPA filed a notice of appeal last week with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals following the February dismissal of their case by the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. Judge Michael Fitzgerald had ruled that the youth failed to show they had been injured by federal environmental regulations. The youth argued that EPA discriminates against children by placing less value on the future benefits of pollution regulations, prompting Julia Olson, chief legal counsel for the youth, to call Fitzgerald’s verdict “wrong and unjust.”

Midland Reporter-Telegram: Texas bills aim to clarify pore space ownership for carbon capture projects
Mella McEwen, 4/11/25

“Efforts to advance carbon capture adoption in Texas have been stymied by questions over ownership of the pore space that would hold that carbon dioxide or other substances,” according to the Midland Reporter-Telegram. “Two pieces of legislation currently before the Texas Legislature hope to address that issue and help Texas realize its potential for the largest underground storage in the nation. Senate Bill 1258 and House Bill 2762 would each establish pore space as "the geologic structures below the surface of land, including voids and cavities.” The legislation would also bestow ownership on surface owners unless ownership is changed through deed, conveyance, lease or contract… “They also clarify for the industry as it negotiates rights to store CO2 and considers huge investments in advancing carbon capture and sequestration technology… “He cited a recent Texas Association of Business study estimating CCS projects could generate $1.8 billion in state-level economic impact, creating or supporting roughly 7,500 full time jobs across the state.”

WBUR: Mass. has strong climate laws. A new Trump action aims to undo them
Miriam Wasser, 4/11/25

“As President Trump has worked to dismantle many federal climate policies and initiatives, Massachusetts environmentalists have taken solace in the fact that states and municipalities have the power to set their own energy and environmental policies,” WBUR reports. “...On Tuesday, Trump signed an executive action taking direct aim at state and local efforts to address climate change and environmental justice, and regulate planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions. The action — titled “Protecting American Energy From State Overreach” — says these policies “threaten American energy dominance” and economic and national security. It directs the Attorney General to identify any “burdensome and ideologically motivated” laws and take action to stop their enforcement. Some states, including California, New York and Vermont, are named in the order. Massachusetts isn't, but the commonwealth has some of the strongest climate laws in the country and will almost certainly find its policies in the crosshairs of the administration, legal and environmental experts told WBUR… “In a statement, Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell praised the state's climate laws and noted they were "designed to support a reliable and affordable clean energy transition, create good-paying jobs, and drive economic growth. "While President Trump continues his reckless attempts to undermine critical environment protections, I will defend our laws so they deliver on these promises," she said… “Other legal experts told WBUR the executive action amounts to political grandstanding and likely would not withstand legal challenges. This order is “garbage,” Michael Gerrard, director of the Columbia University Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, told WBUR. “The president does not have the power to cancel state laws or regulations.”

CT Mirror: CT says it will stand tough if Trump comes for its climate change policies
Jan Ellen Spiegel, 4/11/25

“During the first Trump administration’s assault on climate initiatives, it was individual states that stepped up with policies to keep the momentum going on combating climate change. The second Trump administration is now attempting to go after state actions too,” the CT Mirror reports. “...The order directs Attorney General Pam Bondi to seek out and potentially prosecute state and local actions or pending actions that “address ‘climate change’ or involving ‘environmental, social, and governance’ initiatives, ‘environmental justice,’ carbon or ‘greenhouse gas’ emissions, and funds to collect carbon penalties or carbon taxes.” “...Whether the goal is truly legal or an exercise in intimidation to get anticipatory compliance from states remains to be seen. But Governor Ned Lamont is having none of it when it comes to his climate legislative priorities and policies. “We’re not going to change what we do,” he said Thursday, during a press briefing about Trump administration cutbacks the state is facing. “If I can mitigate some of the risk by changing some of the wording or titles — why not? I want to protect my kids. I want to protect the money we’re investing to keep you safe from flooding. But we’re not going to change who we are.” “...No, no, no,” Patrick Parenteau, professor emeritus at the Environmental Law Center at Vermont Law School, told CT Mirror. “It’s an email to Pam Bondi, saying, ‘Pam, see if you can find a way to challenge these states that are enacting all these laws and bringing all these lawsuits that I don’t like,” he told CT Mirror. “Let’s not give it any more gravitas than that. It’s an email.” Brad Campbell, president of the Conservation Law Foundation and a former Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, regional administrator and trial attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice, called it “more political theater than it is law.”

Colorado Sun: Lawsuit attacking Colorado oil and gas rules echoes Trump’s push to roll back local green laws
Parker Yamasaki and Michael Booth, 4/14/25

“Western Slope oil interests are challenging new Colorado greenhouse gas emission rules in court, piggybacking on an April 8 executive order by President Trump urging his Justice Department to fight state environmental rules that his administration thinks are an overreach,” the Colorado Sun reports. “The lawsuit hoping to block rules cutting Colorado pipeline emissions was filed March 21 by the West Slope Colorado Oil and Gas Association. It was not publicized until April 10, two days after Trump’s sweeping executive order put state officials across the nation on alert that their local climate change laws are now a presidential target. WSCOGA, an affiliate chapter of the broader Colorado Oil and Gas Association, said the rules passed by the Air Quality Control Commission in December are an “overly ambitious and impractical set of regulatory requirements that have a host of unintended negative economic and environmental consequences.” “...Trump’s executive order prompted immediate pushback from state attorneys general, including Colorado’s Phil Weiser, who told The Sun that the order is “an intimidation campaign.” “We’ve seen other efforts to intimidate states and other actors. We won’t be intimidated,” he told the Sun. “There is no legal basis for this.” Any attempt by the federal government to prevent Colorado from enforcing its laws will be challenged in court, Weiser told the Sun.”

Iowa Capital Dispatch: Gov. Kim Reynolds will not seek reelection in 2026
Robin Opsahl, 4/11/25

“Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds will not seek reelection in 2026, she announced in a video Friday,” the Iowa Capital Dispatch reports. “...Reynolds, the first woman to serve as Iowa governor, said in a video posted on social media Friday that deciding not to run “wasn’t an easy decision,” but she planned to focus on her family after completing her current term in office… “It has yet to be determined who might run as the Republican nominee for governor in the upcoming 2026 general election. One Republican, Brad Sherman, a former GOP state representative, announced in February his bid for the position, but others are expected to join the race… “Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird has been put forward as a potential contender — Trump said Bird would be a good governor for the state following his victory in the 2024 Iowa caucuses.”

Press release: Food & Water Watch Condemns PA EQB’s Inaction on Fracking Setbacks
4/11/25

“Tuesday, the Pennsylvania Environmental Quality Board (EQB) — the body that adopts all of the Department of Environmental Protection’s regulations — tabled a petition filed in October aimed at increasing setback distances between fracking operations and homes, schools, public spaces, and water sources. The petition, which is backed by scientific studies and testimonies from residents living near drilling sites, was submitted by Clear Air Council and Environmental Integrity Project and is supported by a coalition of environmental organizations across Pennsylvania, including Food & Water Watch… “In response to the decision, Food & Water Watch PA State Director Megan McDonough issued the following statement: “By tabling the fracking setback petition, the EQB chose industry profits over human lives. This is a disgrace. Their so-called reasoning was nothing more than a scripted excuse to delay action while people continue to suffer from the impacts of the largely unfettered fossil fuel industry. Every day delayed puts more children, families, and frontline communities at risk. Pennsylvanians will not sit quietly while our air, water, and futures are sacrificed. This fight is far from over — we are furious, and we are mobilizing.” Food & Water Watch has been a leading group in calls to pass local municipal ordinances that help to protect against the harms of the oil and gas industry. Through this work, 35 communities have passed protective ordinances, Allegheny County banned fracking in its parks, and over 530,000 residents have been protected.”

EXTRACTION

Reuters: US natgas output and demand to hit record highs in 2025, EIA says
4/10/25

“U.S. natural gas output and demand will both rise to record highs in 2025, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said in its Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) on Thursday,” Reuters reports. “EIA projected dry gas production will rise from 103.2 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) in 2024 to 105.3 bcfd in 2025 and 107.1 bcfd in 2026. That compares with a record 103.6 bcfd in 2023. The agency also projected domestic gas consumption would rise from a record 90.5 bcfd in 2024 to 91.2 bcfd in 2025 before easing back to 90.5 bcfd in 2026… “As renewable sources of power displace coal-fired plants, the agency projected U.S. coal production would fall from 512.1 million short tons in 2024, the lowest since 1964, to 489.3 million tons in 2025, the lowest since 1963, and 466.0 million tons in 2026, the lowest since 1962. EIA projected carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from fossil fuels would rise from a four-year low of 4.772 billion metric tons in 2024 to 4.812 billion metric tons in 2025 as coal and gas use increases, before easing to 4.741 billion metric tons in 2026 as coal and gas use declines.”

Reuters: US EIA warns of lower oil demand from tariffs and trade uncertainty
Shariq Khan, 4/10/25

“Recent developments in global trade policy are set to lower global oil and fuel demand growth through 2026, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said on Thursday in its monthly short-term energy outlook report,” Reuters reports. “The U.S. Department of Energy’s statistical arm cut its annual U.S. and global oil demand growth forecasts for both this year and next, as it highlighted significant uncertainty in markets from potentially lower global economic growth and higher oil supply. Benchmark crude oil futures have plummeted to pandemic lows since U.S. President Donald Trump last week announced a blanket 10% tariff on all U.S. imports and sharply higher duties on dozens of trading partners… “Analysts have warned escalating trade wars could slow global economic activity and dent oil demand. The EIA now expects global oil and fuel demand to grow by 900,000-barrels-per-day (bpd) from last year to around 103.6 million bpd this year, it said. It previously expected growth of 1.2 million bpd this year. For next year, the agency now expects demand growth of around 1.1 million bpd, down from its previous forecast of 1.2 million bpd.”

ExxonKnews: Big Oil Is Following Big Gun’s Playbook
Emily Sanders, 4/14/25

“Big Oil is reportedly lobbying Congress to grant their industry legal protection against a growing number of lawsuits that, if successful, could make oil and gas companies pay billions of dollars for deceiving the public about the dangers of fossil fuels. In the most extreme scenario, Big Oil could follow the example of an industry that won a near-blanket immunity from Congress two decades ago — gun manufacturers,” ExxonKnews reports. “The gun lobby achieved its top legislative priority in 2005 when Congress passed the federal Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA). Signed by President George W. Bush, the law immunized gun manufacturers and sellers from lawsuits for injuries “resulting from the criminal or unlawful misuse” of a firearm. At the time, more than 30 cities and individuals had filed lawsuits arguing that the companies’ negligent marketing, design, and distribution practices were endangering the public and leading to gun violence… “Instead of taking measures to help reduce gun violence, gun industry trade groups like the National Rifle Association intensely lobbied state legislatures and Congress for their own protection. They were successful: 32 states passed laws offering gun manufacturers some level of immunity against litigation before PLCAA was passed… “Similarly, many lawsuits brought against fossil fuel majors by state and local governments including California, Minnesota, and Puerto Rico aim to recover costs from climate damages, make the companies pay penalties for alleged misconduct, and cease deceptive business practices… “The gun industry’s success in thwarting litigation that could result in major penalties has inspired other companies to try to achieve the same goal. “Many other industries are looking for ways to get a free pass, and to opt out of liability exposure and the tort system for their negligence — insofar as they are negligent — they don’t even want to defend themselves in court,” Timothy Lytton, a professor at Georgia State University’s Center for Law, Health and Society and expert in litigation against gun and other product manufacturers, told ExxonKnews. “The fossil fuel industry is no exception.” According to reporting from The Wall Street Journal, fossil fuel companies now asking Congress for protection “have learned from the mammoth lawsuits that clobbered tobacco companies and [want] to avoid the same fate.”

E&E News: Trump’s push for more LNG exports risks domestic price surge
Mike Soraghan, 4/14/25

“...If gas prices can crash when one plant stops exporting, what does that mean for the years ahead? Will prices rise as the country exports more and more gas overseas?,” E&E News reports. “Higher gas costs could dramatically affect people’s heating and electricity bills because North American exports are expected to at least double between 2024 and 2028 as new terminals open… “Any increase in energy costs breaks Trump’s promise to voters last year that he would cut energy prices in half in his first 18 months, Tyson Slocum of Public Citizen told E&E… “The White House did not respond to requests for comment about Slocum’s assertion or whether Trump has concerns that increased exports could diminish his ability to lower energy prices for Americans… “Natural gas prices have stayed low despite surging exports because in West Texas and southeastern New Mexico, producers are basically giving the gas away. It’s called “associated gas.” Natural gas is basically an unwanted byproduct in the Permian Basin, the highest-producing oil field in the United States. Producers have more than they know what to do with. Venting it into the atmosphere or burning off is frowned upon. So it sometimes trades at prices below zero… “But one environmental researcher, Shelley Robbins, senior decarbonization manager at the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, told E&E there are hidden ways it could hit energy consumers in the wallet. Utility customers, she said, could wind up subsidizing the construction costs for the pipelines needed to feed the export terminals.”

Houston Chronicle: Trump’s tariffs make it harder for Texas companies to export more liquefied natural gas
Amanda Drane, 4/11/25

“Even before tariffs rattled markets and hobbled supply chains, would-be liquefied natural gas developers were struggling to line up funding for costly export projects that can cost as much as $15 billion,” the Houston Chronicle reports. “Energy Transfer told investors in February that due to rising costs, it was renegotiating long-term contracts with customers of its Lake Charles LNG project — contracts that lock in revenue for decades, making it possible for projects to secure the financing they need to begin construction… “LNG developers in Texas and Louisiana are now making similar adjustments as they contend with accelerating costs made worse by Trump’s seesawing orders on tariffs, analysts told the Chronicle. Tariffs on materials needed to build the massive export projects along the Gulf Coast are just the latest snag. Post-pandemic inflation, labor and equipment shortages have made it challenging for projects to advance. Now, specialty steel, electronics and highly complex equipment are subject to international trade negotiations, adding even more uncertainty to their financial outlook as developers aim to secure financing and begin construction, clouding the picture for future projects expected to employ thousands of people in the coming years. Darlings of the Trump administration, LNG projects have enjoyed new political support. But that support is counterbalanced by market forces caused by the administration’s international trade maneuvers… “Two key forces are working against these companies as they aim to secure financing, Stewart Glickman, energy equity analyst at the research firm CFRA, told the Chronicle. The Trump administration’s tariffs and trade wars have sown doubt about the reliability of the U.S. as a trading partner, making deals with LNG companies here less attractive. Tariffs have also thrown global economics into question, raising doubts from gas buyers.”

Canadian Press: Canada’s LNG industry set to take flight as interest reignites in Alaska megaproject
Lauren Krugel, 4/14/25

“Hundreds of kilometres up the Pacific coast from where Canada’s first liquefied natural gas export terminal is set to start up this summer, a monster lays dormant. Alaska has long had ambitions to ship its natural gas to international markets, but the cost and scale of such an undertaking has held it back for decades,” the Canadian Press reports. “But there’s been renewed interest in the megaproject since U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order on his first day in office devoted to Alaska resource development. State officials, including Gov. Mike Dunleavy, have been busy in recent weeks trying to woo potential Asian buyers of the gas under long-term contracts. Industry experts have doubts the Alaska behemoth will awaken this time, but they say Canada must be mindful of the threat it could pose to its own nascent LNG industry… “With an estimated price tag of US$44 billion, Alaska LNG would see a 1,300-kilometre pipeline traverse the state from north to south, passing through treacherous terrain to deliver an average of 3.5 million mmBTU a day of gas to a liquefaction plant in Nikiski, south of Anchorage. The project also includes a carbon capture plant by the gas fields on Alaska’s North Slope. Some of the gas would be for Alaskans’ needs, but most would be loaded onto tankers and sold across the Pacific, the same markets Canadian LNG developers want to tap. “It would be beneficial to Canada to not have Alaska LNG be built,” Mills told CP… “A final investment decision on Alaska LNG is expected some time this year… “If Alaska LNG is somehow successful in sewing up contracts with Asian buyers, it makes it harder for B.C. projects further behind in development to secure enough demand to justify their own plants… “However, the CEO of Canada’s biggest natural gas producer said there should be plenty of interest to go around… “We won’t be oversupplying because there might be a project that comes on in Alaska,” Mike Rose, who heads up Tourmaline Oil Corp., told CP. “We need all of them.”

Reuters: Indian gas firm GAIL seeks 26% stake in US LNG
Nidhi Verma, 4/11/25

“GAIL India Ltd issued a tender on Friday to buy an up to 26% stake in a liquefied natural gas project in the United States combined with a 15-year gas import deal, aiding New Delhi’s efforts to narrow its trade surplus with Washington,” Reuters reports. “India is racing to become one of the first to agree a trade deal with the United States, as President Donald Trump’s announcement of sweeping tariffs has triggered a trade war with China and efforts by other countries to negotiate… “India’s largest gas distributor GAIL has invited initial bids from companies as it seeks to buy equity in an existing LNG liquefication project or a new project that would be commissioned by 2030 at the latest, the document published on its website showed… “Its long-term deals with companies in the U.S. include the purchase of 5.8 million tons per year of LNG, split between Berkshire Hathaway Energy’s Cove Point plant and Cheniere Energy’s Sabine Pass site in Louisiana.”

Bloomberg: Abu Dhabi’s Adnoc Said to Weigh Bid for $9 Billion Aethon Assets
Gillian Tan, Dinesh Nair, and Anthony Di Paola, 4/11/25

“Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. is studying a bid for Aethon Energy Management's natural gas assets, which could be worth about $9 billion,” Bloomberg reports. “The potential deal is part of the UAE's efforts to attract investment to America and boost energy production, following a pledge to invest up to $1.4 trillion in the US over the next decade. Adnoc has been actively acquiring assets globally, including in the US, and is seeking to deepen its presence in the country by acquiring its first natural gas producing fields in the US… “Aethon is among the most active drillers in the Haynesville shale basin, which straddles East Texas and northern Louisiana, and is close to several LNG export terminals along the Gulf Coast.”

CLIMATE FINANCE

Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA): Quitting climate alliances risks trust and transparency for banks
Ramnath N. Iyer and Shu Xuan Tan, 4/9/25

“Major banks in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and Japan have withdrawn from the Net Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA), which could weaken the speed of decarbonization and potentially encourage other financial institutions to deprioritize climate commitments,” according to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA). “These exits — especially after previously promoting strong climate commitments — risk eroding public trust in these banks. They may also lead to fragmented, non-standardized reporting practices, making it difficult for investors and policymakers to make informed decisions… “The Net Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA) is a United Nations-backed initiative founded in 2021 ahead of the COP26 climate summit that brings together global banks committed to aligning their lending and investment portfolios with net-zero emissions by 2050… “Starting in 2024, major banks began to exit the NZBA. This has cast a shadow over international climate commitments. The wave of departures began with leading U.S. banks — Bank of America, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, and Wells Fargo — and later extended to top Canadian banks. A major Australian lender, Macquarie, has also withdrawn, as have five Japanese banks in the past few weeks. The banks that left the alliance accounted for almost 39% of the total assets. The departure of several major American banks from the NZBA appears to reflect shifting political and legal dynamics, including increased scrutiny of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) policies. Some banks have cited legal risk as a contributing factor in their decisions. While they maintain that their climate goals remain unchanged, these exits from climate alliances have raised questions about the consistency and credibility of those commitments.”

OPINION

Waverly Newspapers: CO2 Pipeline bill moves on, but with tweaks
Iowa State Sen. Sandy Salmon, 4/13/25

“...CO2 Pipeline Bill — House File 639: This bill was amended in committee to take out most of the good provisions that came over from the House,” Sandy Salmon writes for Waverly Newspapers. “It removed the requirement to meet a certain legal standard of proof that the project has a public use in order to use eminent domain and the requirement to be a common carrier to be able to exercise the right of eminent domain. It also removed certain intervenor rights, insurance requirements placed on the pipeline company, and prohibition on renewal of a CO2 pipeline that was in the original bill. The good thing in the bill was that it kept the Iowa Utilities Commission (IUC) meeting requirements… “It expands the bill to cover not only CO2 pipelines but also oil, natural gas, and hydrogen pipelines, electric transmission lines and electric generation (wind & solar). There is a large difference between these as some are public use and some are not, some are common carriers and some are not, and so therefore they cannot be treated the same. Most importantly, the amended bill does not give landowners protection from the use of eminent domain by a company with a private use project. It does not require proof of a public use, nor does it require the company to be a common carrier in order to exercise the power of eminent domain. And that is what is needed.”

Ventura County Star: Stop the Sable Pipeline restart
Abrah Cate Steward, Ventura, 4/13/25

“Today, I am an environmental policy professional, but on May 19, 2015, when Line 901 burst causing the Refugio Oil Spill, I was a high school student on the surf team. I remember cancelled practices and competitions, while our beaches suffocated under a blanket of crude oil. I remember the thick oil slick floating on the water, lapping up on the shores, coating sand, rocks, seaweed, birds, and dead fish,” Abrah Cate Steward writes for the Ventura County Star. “A decade later, as the Texas-based Sable Offshore Corporation defies rules of law, ignores cease-and-desist orders from regulators, and presses onward in recommissioning the very pipeline that wreaked havoc on our community just ten years ago, it seems many have forgotten the devastation… “This is not a company prepared for and capable of financing the cleanup of another catastrophic oil spill. This is not a company capable of offering long-term, high-paying jobs to hard-working blue-collar laborers. When industry fails, as they have time and again, the workers they claim to support are the ones that suffer. The taxpayers, who become responsible for the cost of cleanup, are the ones that suffer… “We have a responsibility to tell our local and state regulators to hold Sable accountable for their unpermitted work and prevent future economic and ecological devastation on our coast by shutting down this pipeline for good.”

Clean Technica: Yara, Ørsted, and the €200/ton Mirage: What Northern Lights Really Teaches Us About CCS
Michael Barnard, 4/13/25

“Northern Lights, Europe’s flagship cross-border carbon capture and storage project, is now ready to receive carbon dioxide for sequestration, with the first ships in the water and expected to start delivering waste gas from customers this year. It’s being celebrated as a triumph of climate leadership and engineering. But when you dig into the economics, policy scaffolding, and technology choices—especially as revealed by subscriber behavior and cost structures—it becomes clear that this is not a scalable model for decarbonization. It’s a highly subsidized, narrowly applicable solution built for a specific political moment,” Michael Barnard writes for Clean Technica. “...Together they reveal a system that works, but only just—and only for a specific sliver of emitters with unusual characteristics or generous government support… “They’re well above the EU ETS carbon price, which means that none of these would proceed without direct public subsidies, cost pass-through to captive customers, or an elaborate accounting scheme that inflates the value of “negative” emissions… “He shows how BECCS not only diverts policy and funding away from real decarbonization, but also opens up dangerous land-use pressures that displace food, ecosystems, and people… “And yet here we are—Europe’s most celebrated carbon storage project is being bankrolled by BECCS customers… “Northern Lights is not a failure. It’s a functioning demonstration of what you can do with unlimited capital, political will, and geological fortune. But it’s not a model for global climate action. It’s a showcase of what happens when fossil legacy systems are given a second act under the green spotlight, and when techno-fixes displace structural reform. Real decarbonization doesn’t sail in tankers filled with gas. It comes from changing the system so we don’t pump out the waste gas in the first place.”

Houston Chronicle: Trump tariffs are causing chaos in the energy market. That's bad news for Texas.
The Editorial Board, 4/13/25

“...As a candidate, at a Mar-a-Lago dinner, Trump offered a deal to a group of oil and gas leaders. Raise money for his campaign and, if elected, he would slash regulations that lowered their profits,” the Houston Chronicle Editorial Board writes. “The execs donated $96 million to Donald Trump’s campaign and likely far more through political action committees. And after he won, they expected great things. In December, with Trump about to take office, industry analysts with Deloitte predicted “a robust 2025.” Well, so much for that. When the market closed Friday, after a week of tariff-induced chaos and ominous rumblings from OPEC, oil prices were hovering between $61 and $62 a barrel — down more than 20% in the past year. U.S. crude exports sank to 112,000 barrels per day, down from 190,000 per day a year ago. And with the global economy cooling, the U.S. Energy Information Administration suddenly has a grim outlook on global oil demand for the next two years… “But it’s fair to wonder whether oil and gas executives are feeling buyer’s remorse… “Now some executives are blasting him on social media, demanding "a plan" to compensate for plummeting oil prices. Bryan Sheffield, a managing partner at Formentera Partners, an Austin-based private equity energy investment firm, derisively referred to Trump as a "Yankee," questioning whether the president is "as close to our industry that we think he is." "...The threat of $50 oil prices by the administration has caused our firm to reduce its 2025 and 2026 capital expenditures," one producer told the Dallas Fed. "'Drill, baby, drill' does not work with $50 per barrel oil." “...For the sake of Houston, Texas, the U.S. and the whole danged globe, we hope that Trump stops sowing chaos and returns the world to something resembling economic stability. And we hope that oil prices rise back to last year’s Goldilocks levels.”