EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 4/21/26
PIPELINE NEWS
Los Angeles Times: California judge rebukes Trump-backed plan that bypasses state authority in oil pipeline restart
KUNM: Federal regulatory staff protest proposed New Mexico pipeline for data center, + More
RBN Energy: Will More Pipeline Capacity Be Needed to Move Canadian Barrels from the Midcontinent to the Gulf Coast?
Reuters: Phillips 66, Kinder Morgan move ahead with new US West Coast fuel pipeline
Seeking Alpha: Hess Midstream, South Bow both cut to sell at Goldman Sachs
Globe and Mail: Canada could help Europe by shipping more LNG to Asia, TC Energy CEO says
MinnPost: Line 3 oil spill: How 1.7 million gallons of oil spilled near Grand Rapids, Minn.
Hydrogen Insight: China smashes world record for largest project to blend hydrogen into natural-gas grid
WASHINGTON UPDATES
E&E News: Trump invokes war powers to juice fossil energy, grid
E&E News: Chevron’s Supreme Court win offers oil industry easier path to friendlier courts
E&E News: Senate Republicans introduce bill to shield oil and gas industry
E&E News: Enviros sue over Trump green light to Gulf oil drilling
E&E News: Democrats re-up more bills to reduce energy costs
E&E News: Hill Republicans not keen on gasoline tax holiday
North Dakota Monitor: Interior’s Burgum accused of ‘kneecapping’ wind and solar power in favor of oil, gas
E&E News: House takes up Endangered Species Act overhaul
E&E News: Republicans block Dem amendments to ESA bill
E&E News: House Republicans target National Academies climate report — again
E&E News: Deepwater gas project review downplays climate after endangerment repeal
E&E News: Army Corps narrows its scope of regulated wetlands
STATE UPDATES
Oregon Public Broadcasting: Oregon’s ambitious greenhouse gas reduction program faces a fresh legal challenge
E&E News: Interior sets oil lease sale in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Press release: BLM announces June 2026 sale of oil and gas leases in Colorado
E&E News: Hawaii House advances bill targeting energy firms over insurance costs
The Center Square: Energy Department to fund stalled Louisiana carbon capture hub
Shreveport-Bossier City Advocate: Major Caddo Bossier Port project awarded DOE grant, ‘official’ word to come soon
KQED: Pollution Release at Chevron’s Richmond Refinery Was Triggered by a Bird
EXTRACTION
Guardian: Fuel eating microbes, chemicals and fire: the race to discover new ways to contain Arctic oil spills
Inspenet: Offshore CCUS: Advances in CO2 capture, transport, and subsea injection
Energy Voice: Deepwater Horizon: 16 years on
TODAY IN GREENWASHING
Enbridge: Built for the backcountry, and set up for every season
OPINION
Phoenix New Times: Trump’s killing the U.S. Forest Service so he can kill U.S. forests
PIPELINE NEWS
Los Angeles Times: California judge rebukes Trump-backed plan that bypasses state authority in oil pipeline restart
Grace Toohey, 4/20/26
“In a rebuff of the Trump administration’s push to restart oil pipelines off California’s Central Coast, a state judge has ruled that a recent executive order does not override state regulations concerning oil operations,” the Los Angeles Times reports. “It remains unclear exactly what effect the ruling may have on pipeline operator Sable Offshore Corp., which faces a number of legal challenges from California authorities. Environmental groups, however, celebrated Friday’s ruling as a “win for the rule of law,” and Gov. Gavin Newsom called it a “rebuke of the Trump administration and Sable’s ploy to illegally use emergency powers to bypass California law.” “...In Friday’s ruling, Santa Barbara County Superior Court Judge Donna Geck upheld a preliminary injunction issued last summer against Sable, prohibiting the pipeline system’s restart until the Houston-based company adheres to all state and local regulations. “Nothing ... permits a party subject to a [Defense Production Act] order to violate other laws,” Geck wrote in the ruling… “Experts told the Times Geck’s ruling could signal how other judges — including in upcoming federal court cases — may rule on the Trump administration’s push to restart the pipelines. Allan Marks, a professor at UCLA’s law school who has a background in energy law, pointed to similar challenges of the Trump administration’s meddling in offshore projects, particularly East Coast wind farms, which the courts have largely rejected. He told the Times Geck’s ruling followed similar logic, reaffirming “that the pipelines cannot legally be restarted without complying with state permitting requirements.”
KUNM: Federal regulatory staff protest proposed New Mexico pipeline for data center, + More
4/17/26
“Federal regulatory staff this week filed a protest to a proposed pipeline to fuel the Project Jupiter data center in southern New Mexico, likely delaying its construction,” KUNM reports. “In a Jan. 29 application to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Dallas-based developer Energy Transfer — which owns Transwestern Pipeline Company — sought expedited approval for a 17-mile pipeline crossing federal, private and state trust lands. The $60-million “Green Chile Project” would pipe 400,000 dekatherms of gas from El Paso daily to the private power plants fueling the proposed data center Project Jupiter… “The April 13 FERC staff protest, signed by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Acting Secretary Debbie-Anne Reese, noted that the developers’ application was incomplete. Specifically, the company failed to provide confirmation from the New Mexico State Historic Preservation Office that no “historic properties” would be affected, documentation required under FERC’s regulations and the National Historic Preservation Act… “In addition to the protest filed by the Center for Biological Diversity, Sierra Club, and Food & Water Watch, another group representing Doña Ana residents sought to intervene on the project: Hold the Line Campaign, which organizes against several proposed oil and gas pipelines in New Mexico, Texas and Louisiana. Jon Copeland, a community organizer in El Paso for the group, told Source NM that FERC’s staff protest was “nearly unheard of.” “FERC’s protest is a first step, but it’s not justice,” Copeland told Source NM in a call. “We need real accountability for the people and the land this pipeline will destroy.”
RBN Energy: Will More Pipeline Capacity Be Needed to Move Canadian Barrels from the Midcontinent to the Gulf Coast?
Mike Dunn and Matthew Lewis, 4/21/26
“Crude oil production from the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin (WCSB) continues to grow, and most of that growth is expected to be heavy crude oil, so pipeline companies are working on expanding capacity to move more of those barrels into the U.S.,” RBN Energy reports. “However, as most U.S. Midwest (PADD 2) refiners are already taking nearly as much WCSB heavy crude as they can, the incremental barrels coming into the U.S. will need to find their way to the Gulf Coast (PADD 3). A few projects are in the works that would move those barrels into PADD 2 waystation hubs such as Cushing, OK, and Patoka, IL, but will there be enough room on the four major pipelines — the Four Sticks noted in today’s title — that move barrels out of those two hubs to the Gulf Coast?... South Bow Corp. and Bridger Pipeline LLC have separate but apparently linked proposals for about 550 Mb/d of new capacity from Alberta to Guernsey, WY; from there, those barrels would need to move further downstream, to Cushing or elsewhere… “Plans are to expand TMX by about 90 Mb/d using drag-reducing agents (DRAs) and another 210 Mb/d by adding pumping capacity and 19 miles of new pipeline. The Alberta and Canadian governments are also working to encourage private companies to build a greenfield pipeline from Alberta to the west coast. Recent history with TMX has shown that building new pipeline to the BC coast can be extremely time-consuming and expensive. Enbridge is moving forward on three WCSB egress projects that involve its Mainline (yellow line in Figure 1 below) and Express-Platte (orange line) systems: its Mainline Optimization 1 (MLO1) and Southern Illinois Connector projects were sanctioned late last year, while Enbridge hopes to sanction its second Mainline Optimization project (MLO2) by midyear. These projects would collectively add 430 Mb/d of pipeline capacity from the WCSB into the U.S. Enbridge has already disclosed plans to increase volumes into Cushing by about 170 Mb/d (+100 Mb/d via an expansion of Flanagan South, purple line; +70 Mb/d by utilization of spare capacity on Spearhead, pink line) and increase volumes into Patoka by about 30 Mb/d (Express-Platte expansion and 56-mile extension to Patoka), but we suspect the remaining 230 Mb/d would need to make its way south to the Gulf Coast.”
Reuters: Phillips 66, Kinder Morgan move ahead with new US West Coast fuel pipeline
Dharna Bafna, 4/20/26
“Phillips 66 and Kinder Morgan have secured enough long-term shipper commitments to move forward with a proposed pipeline project to supply fuel to Arizona and California, they said on Monday,” Reuters reports. “The Western Gateway Pipeline project comes as companies race to build a major new fuel pipeline to the U.S. West Coast ahead of planned refinery closures in California, a relatively isolated fuel market with limited pipeline links to major refining hubs, leaving it vulnerable to supply disruptions and price spikes. Phillips 66 and Kinder Morgan began seeking initial shipper commitments in October for the proposed pipeline system that would carry fuel from a Texas refining hub to Arizona and California. The companies have not disclosed the cost of the project. The refined products pipeline system is designed to link Midwest and Gulf Coast refinery supply to Phoenix, Arizona, and California markets, with connectivity to Las Vegas through Kinder Morgan’s CALNEV Pipeline… “The project is slated to begin service in mid-2029.”
Seeking Alpha: Hess Midstream, South Bow both cut to sell at Goldman Sachs
4/20/26
“Hess Midstream (HESM) down 2.3% in Monday’s trading, set to post its lowest close in two months, and South Bow (SOBO) down 1.8%, as Goldman Sachs downgraded both stocks to Sell with respective $32 and $29 price targets, Seeking Alpha reports. “...The analyst also initiated South Bow (SOBO) with a Sell rating, saying management has executed well since the company’s spinout from TC Energy in October 2024, particularly given the challenging starting point on leverage and dividend payouts. However, while Mackay said he believes the new Prairie Connector project—a renewal of sorts of the canceled Keystone XL project—could be potentially transformative, he awaits commercial support from the open season and a path to final investment decision and views the stock’s recent multiple expansion as premature.”
Globe and Mail: Canada could help Europe by shipping more LNG to Asia, TC Energy CEO says
Brent Jang, 4/20/26
“Canada could bolster supplies of liquefied natural gas to Europe by increasing exports from British Columbia to Asia, TC Energy Corp.’s chief executive officer says,” the Globe and Mail reports. “François Poirier describes it as a domino effect in the world’s supply chain, with a circuitous but economically effective way to help quench Europe’s thirst for LNG – Canada targeting Asia instead of physically exporting to Europe. In response to the Middle East turmoil, which has upended energy exports, Mr. Poirier’s logic is that by concentrating on the West Coast supplying more LNG to Asia in the future, Canada would then free up other countries to send additional fuel to European markets. “There are dominoes in that whole global supply chain, and so it does absolutely help Western Europe,” the CEO of the energy infrastructure company told the Globe and Mail in an interview… “The Coastal GasLink pipeline, operated by Calgary-based TC Energy, is transporting natural gas from northeastern B.C. to Kitimat. LNG exported from B.C. to Asia takes eight to 10 days, with a much shorter route across the Pacific Ocean when compared with shipments originating from the U.S. Gulf Coast to Asia taking 18 to 20 days, via the Panama Canal… “Two smaller facilities in B.C. that are also planning to deliver to Asia – Woodfibre LNG near Squamish and Haisla Nation-led Cedar LNG in Kitimat – are under construction. Woodfibre expects to finish construction by late 2027 and Cedar by late 2028… “They’ve also said that the war in Iran has – in terms of a macro backdrop – increased the attractiveness of the expansion project,” Mr. Poirier told the Globe and Mail.”
MinnPost: Line 3 oil spill: How 1.7 million gallons of oil spilled near Grand Rapids, Minn.
Abigail Venuso, 4/20/26
“On March 3, 1991, Line 3 of the Lakehead Pipeline Company burst near Grand Rapids, Minnesota. An estimated 1.7 million gallons of oil spilled into the nearby Prairie River and surrounding wetlands, making it the largest inland oil spill in US history,” MinnPost reports. “...On March 3, 1991, the thirty-four-inch pipeline ruptured along a small crack, resulting in a five-foot-long gash in the pipe. The pressurized oil shot into the air, immediately covering the surrounding trees and spilling into the Prairie River and the nearby wetlands… “Lakehead initially estimated that about 630,000 gallons of oil had spilled as a result of the ruptured pipe, but they nearly tripled the estimate later to 1.7 million gallons of oil… “Because the Prairie River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, the repercussions could have been far-reaching, but several factors limited the harm. Cold air temperatures made the oil viscous, so it moved more slowly than it would have in warmer months. Additionally, the Prairie River was covered by eighteen inches of ice, which barred much of the oil from entering the water stream. The frozen ground limited the amount of oil absorbed into the soil and the absence of migratory birds prevented extensive wildlife impact. The cleanup effort took several months and cost millions of dollars.”
Hydrogen Insight: China smashes world record for largest project to blend hydrogen into natural-gas grid
Leigh Collins, 4/20/26
“The world’s largest project for blending hydrogen into the natural-gas grid has begun in China, with 100,000 households in the centre of the city of Weifang receiving the blend of up to 10% H2 through existing gas pipes,” Hydrogen Insight reports.
WASHINGTON UPDATES
E&E News: Trump invokes war powers to juice fossil energy, grid
Hannah Northey, Christa Marshall, 4/21/26
“President Donald Trump invoked the Cold War-era Defense Production Act on Monday to shore up federal funding for a host of energy projects — involving oil, gas, coal and the grid — as the White House moved to buffer climbing electricity and fuel costs,” E&E News reports. “...The orders target the power grid, natural gas, LNG, the coal sector, and domestic petroleum production, refining and capacity logisticst… “The memos allow Trump to tap billions of dollars set aside under the Defense Production Act, a law that both Republican and Democratic administrations have invoked to control domestic sectors… “The determinations could lead to additional construction of pipelines, possible acceleration of LNG exports and more oil and gas procurement… “The determinations build on Trump’s declaration of a national energy emergency in January 2025 — a move that’s been highly contested and drawn legal threats — and allow the White House to move forward with financial support for its purchases… “The natural gas memo addresses gathering and transmission pipelines, compression, processing plants, underground storage, LNG liquefaction, storage and marine load, export facilities, and critical distribution infrastructure. And a separate petroleum memo covers “exploration and production, gathering and transmission pipelines, storage, and marine terminals.” “...Some environmentalist and public interest groups called the orders a “wish list” for fossil fuels. “President Trump is abusing emergency authorities and wasting taxpayer resources through unprecedented abuse of the Defense Production Act to promote his politically favored fossil fuel projects at the expense of energy affordability and common sense,” Tyson Slocum, director of Public Citizen’s energy program, told E&E.”
E&E News: Chevron’s Supreme Court win offers oil industry easier path to friendlier courts
Lesley Clark, Niina H. Farah, 4/20/26
“A Supreme Court ruling Friday could make it easier for federal contractors and other private parties to move lawsuits against them to federal court, delaying proceedings and securing venues they see as more favorable to their arguments,” E&E News reports. “In an 8-0 decision, the justices found that Chevron U.S.A. met legal requirements to transfer a yearslong dispute over its responsibility for Louisiana’s eroding coastline from state to federal court under the federal officer removal statute. The law allows private entities like Chevron that are acting under the direction of the federal government to be heard before a federal bench… “‘A jury in one of the most conservative, pro-oil and gas communities in the country found that Chevron was liable for billions of gallons of toxic waste dumped into the Louisiana marsh,” she told E&E in an emailed statement, referencing a state court ruling in 2025 awarding parishes $744 million in damages.”
E&E News: Senate Republicans introduce bill to shield oil and gas industry
Lesley Clark, Kelsey Brugger, 4/20/26
“Republican lawmakers are introducing legislation to shield oil and gas companies from being held liable for the burning of their products, advancing a long-held industry priority,” E&E News reports. “Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.) on Friday unveiled the ‘Stop Climate Shakedowns Act of 2026’ to prevent ‘leftist legal crusades’ they say have delayed or blocked energy projects, “Energy security is national security, and we will not self-sabotage our critical industries with a cascade of costly lawsuits and extreme penalties that jeopardize American drilling,” Hageman said in a press release… “The legislation is highly unlikely to secure the 60 votes needed in the Senate but represents an ambitious attempt by the energy industry and its GOP allies to pursue a top priority before one or both chambers potentially flip in the midterms... “More than two dozen local, state and tribal governments have filed lawsuits against the oil and gas industry over the past decade, alleging that the companies have deceived the public about the dangers of burning fossil fuels. None of the lawsuits have gone to trial, but the industry has warned that they could cost them billions of dollars, if successful. Thwarting the lawsuits has emerged as a top priority for the industry, its allies and the Trump administration.”
E&E News: Enviros sue over Trump green light to Gulf oil drilling
Lesley Clark, 4/20/26
“Environmental groups are suing the Trump administration over the Interior Department’s approval of an ultra-deepwater oil drilling project in the Gulf of Mexico,” E&E News reports. “The petition filed Monday in the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals targets BP’s first completely new oil field in the Gulf since the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster and the groups say it endangers the health of Gulf residents, ecosystems, and the fishing and tourism industries. “The Trump administration has teed up the entire Gulf region for a Deepwater Horizon sequel with its approval of BP’s extremely risky ultra-deepwater drilling project,” said Earthjustice senior attorney Brettny Hardy. “The greenlighting of BP’s project sets a dangerously low bar for oil-and-gas companies that want to drill in our public waters.”
E&E News: Democrats re-up more bills to reduce energy costs
James Bikales, 4/21/26
“Senate Democrats led by Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada are re-upping a pair of bills this morning aimed at tackling rising energy costs by boosting federal regulators’ authorities,” E&E News reports. “The “Fair and Transparent Gas Prices Act” would provide the Federal Trade Commission with an additional $15 million a year to hire up to 50 additional investigators and enforcement personnel to up its oversight of price-gouging by oil and gas companies. The bill, which Cortez Masto is introducing with Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), would direct the FTC to conduct a biennial study on whether the industry is charging fair prices. Cortez Masto told E&E that the bill addresses the “opportunity for corporate greed” created by the war in Iran. “We must ensure that Trump’s friends in the oil and gas industry aren’t taking advantage of the chaos to rake in record profits at the expense of hard-working American families,” she told E&E.”
E&E News: Hill Republicans not keen on gasoline tax holiday
Pavan Acharya, 4/21/26
“Gasoline tax holidays are gaining steam across North America as prices at the pump linger near four-year highs — but Republicans in Congress are showing little interest in temporarily suspending the federal gas tax,” E&E News reports. “Prices surged after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, pushing up inflation and raising concerns the higher costs could turn into an economic drag as the peak summer driving season approaches. That’s prompted some states like Georgia and Indiana to offer tax holidays, while Canada’s pause on collecting its 10-cent tax on gasoline and 4-cent tax on diesel starts Monday and runs through Sept. 7. Several Democrats have called for pausing the gas tax, a move that would potentially save Americans up to 18 cents at the pump per gallon, but key Republicans up on Capitol Hill have shrugged off the idea so far.”
North Dakota Monitor: Interior’s Burgum accused of ‘kneecapping’ wind and solar power in favor of oil, gas
Jacob Fischler, 4/20/26
“Interior Secretary Doug Burgum defended the Trump administration’s approach to energy production Monday, as Democrats on a U.S. House Appropriations panel accused the department of kowtowing to oil and gas interests at the expense of renewable energy,” the North Dakota Monitor reports. “Burgum said President Donald Trump’s administration aimed to ease regulatory burdens on oil and gas producers, and said former President Joe Biden sought to shut out those industries in a misguided attempt to boost renewable energy sources. Burgum indicated at several points that what Democrats called a pro-oil-and-gas bias was a correction to Biden’s “over-rotation” toward wind and solar… “But Democrats on the House Appropriations Interior-Environment Subcommittee said the Interior Department under Burgum was doing exactly the opposite: subsidizing fossil fuels while discouraging solar and wind power. “Shortly after taking office, the White House moved quickly to halt offshore wind development and took steps to rein in solar and wind projects,” Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine, said. “Why? Why are we kneecapping industries that create jobs, expand our energy supply and help address the climate crisis? Because this administration’s energy policy is based on political grievance, ideological hostility and, of course, propping up big oil and gas.” California Democrat Josh Harder called for an overhaul of permitting regulations to enable faster construction of renewable energy infrastructure. Some of that responsibility fell to Congress, he said, but he complained that Trump was making it even harder for wind and solar projects to get off the ground.”
E&E News: House takes up Endangered Species Act overhaul
Ian M. Stevenson, 4/20/26
“The House plans to take up Republican legislation this week to overhaul the bedrock environmental law meant to protect imperiled animals and plants from extinction,” E&E News reports. “The “ESA Amendments Act,” H.R. 1897, from Natural Resources Chair Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), would amend the more than 50-year-old Endangered Species Act. It’s been a GOP priority for years. The legislation includes requiring economic impact analyses to accompany listing decisions, capping attorneys’ fees awarded in endangered species lawsuits and clipping protections for species as they begin to recover. After the committee advanced the bill at a markup last December, Westerman said the Endangered Species Act has been “weaponized” and that the changes would boost the law’s intent of providing species recovery. He has pointed out that few species leave the ESA list after being added to it. But most Democrats and environmental advocates have countered that the legislation amounts to a gift to industry that would weaken protections for imperiled species. They also call the law a success.”
E&E News: Republicans block Dem amendments to ESA bill
Manuel Quiñones, 4/21/26
“Republicans on the House Rules Committee on Monday blocked amendments to legislation up for debate this week that would overhaul the Endangered Species Act,” E&E News reports. “ESA Amendments Act,” H.R. 1897, from Natural Resources Chair Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), would give greater weight to the economic impacts of listing animals as plants as endangered. The bill would also limit environmental group litigation. Democrats introduced several amendments to the bill, including measures pushing back on an administration panel — dubbed the “God Squad” — deciding to exempt Gulf oil drilling from ESA requirements. Another amendment would have addressed tribal consultation and making sure regulators can consider climate change when weighing the health of species. Rules Republicans didn’t make any of them in order… “Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) responded, “What this bill does do is it guts the definition of critical habitat, it guts the definition of science, it guts data standards, it redefines what baseline for species recovery is, it guts funding for the federal government.”
E&E News: House Republicans target National Academies climate report — again
Alex Guillén, 4/20/26
“Republican leaders on the House Science Committee on Friday criticized one of the nation’s premiere scientific bodies over a report supporting mainstream climate science,” E&E News reports. “...The September report concluded that the science of climate change is ‘beyond scientific dispute,’ countering Trump administration findings questioning the science… “In Friday’s letter, House Science Chair Brian Babin (R-Texas) questioned the National Academies’ motivation in writing the report, as well as its speed. A committee was formed and produced the report — a review of climate research published in the past 15 years — in 40 days to submit it to EPA during the public comment period on its proposed repeal… “Republicans have also recently targeted NASEM over a chapter on climate science that was included in an updated judicial reference manual in December 2025. The Federal Judicial Center, the judicial branch’s educational body, yanked the chapter after Republicans complained it was biased against fossil fuels.”
E&E News: Deepwater gas project review downplays climate after endangerment repeal
Carlos Anchondo, 4/21/26
“The Trump administration is taking public comment on a planned offshore liquefied natural gas export project that would ship out 8.4 million metric tons of gas annually from the Gulf of Mexico,” E&E News reports. “The Department of Transportation released a draft environmental analysis Friday for ST LNG’s deepwater port project, proposed for approximately 10 miles off the coast of Matagorda, Texas — finding the undertaking isn’t likely to harm several threatened or endangered species. ST LNG is one of the first major energy projects to undergo an environmental review at the Maritime Administration since EPA in February repealed the 2009 finding that served as the agency’s foundational authority to regulate greenhouse gases. While the DOT review tallies how much carbon dioxide equivalent the project is expected to emit during its offshore construction and operation, it included that information in a section on air quality and noise. DOT said ST LNG will be required to comply with Clean Air Act requirements that “are applicable at the time of permit issuance,” noting that EPA finalized its rescission of the endangerment finding in February.”
E&E News: Army Corps narrows its scope of regulated wetlands
Miranda Willson, 4/20/26
“The Trump administration is still regulating federally protected wetlands, despite recent remarks from a senior official about the Army Corps of Engineers moving away from the practice,” E&E News reports.” Lee Forsgren, principal deputy assistant secretary of the Army for Civil Works, said during a conference last month that the administration was “getting out of the business of regulating wetlands.” Reported by Bloomberg Law and other outlets, the comment was later confirmed by the agency. Yet Army Corps officials now tell E&E that the statement was not meant as a total abdication of oversight over wetlands. Rather, it reflects the agency’s limited authority under the Clean Water Act, the top political appointee for the Army Corps said in a brief interview last week. “The point [Forsgren] was making is that the law, the Clean Water Act of 1972, gives us responsibility relating to permitting activities in the waters of the United States, and waters of the United States does not necessarily include all wetlands,” Adam Telle, assistant secretary of the Army for civil works, told E&E… “Once the pending new WOTUS rule is finalized, over 80 percent of wetlands will no longer be covered by the federal law, upping the pressure for states to beef up protections of their own, according to Grumbles.”
STATE UPDATES
Oregon Public Broadcasting: Oregon’s ambitious greenhouse gas reduction program faces a fresh legal challenge
Monica Samayoa, 4/16/26
“Oregon’s ambitious greenhouse gas reduction program is facing legal challenges again, a year after it restarted following a previous court decision,” Oregon Public Broadcasting reports. “This time, more than two dozen groups, including gas utilities, labor unions and trade associations, are once again challenging the state’s authority to implement the Climate Protection Program, which was created through an executive order rather than legislation. The groups also claim the program will “inflict substantial and irreparable harm” to businesses that could face millions of dollars in costs and Oregonians, who see some of those costs reflected on their utility bills. “We can work collectively to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but we cannot do so through a program that is economically infeasible and simply piles costs onto Oregon’s families, businesses and even governments,” Oregon Business & Industry President and CEO Angela Wilhelms said in a statement… “On Thursday, nearly 30 petitioners led by the Oregon Business & Industry filed an Oregon Court of Appeals petition against the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, which oversees the Climate Protection Program. The program imposes gradual limits on greenhouse gas emissions from oil and natural gas companies, like NW Natural, Avista Corporation and Cascade Natural Gas, with a target of 90% reduction by 2050… “Environmental groups, however, including Climate Solutions, Oregon Environmental Council and Oregon Just Transition Alliance, told OPB the program has followed established and proven best practices and claim it allows businesses flexibility on how to reach the set declining targets. The groups stand firm in full support of the program.”
E&E News: Interior sets oil lease sale in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Carlos Anchondo, 4/17/26
“The Interior Department unveiled plans Friday to hold an oil lease sale this June in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, an untouched expanse of public land in the far northeast corner of Alaska,” E&E News reports. “The auction will be the first lease sale in ANWR’s coastal plain under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, the 2025 law championed by the Trump administration that requires four sales in the 1.5-million-acre section of the refuge by 2035. Trump administration officials have touted the upcoming sale as helping unlock Alaskan energy… “Environmental groups have noted that a January 2025 oil lease sale for ANWR yielded no bids — something that a top Biden administration official cheered at the time. Drilling in the refuge would mar a wild landscape, drilling opponents said.”
Press release: BLM announces June 2026 sale of oil and gas leases in Colorado
4/17/26
“The Bureau of Land Management today announced an oil and gas lease sale scheduled for June 16, 2026, to offer 170 oil and gas parcels totaling 155,816 acres in Colorado. The BLM completed scoping on these parcels in January 2026 and held a public comment period that closed in March 2026 on the parcels and the related environmental analysis. A 30-day public protest period to receive additional public input opened today and will close May 18, 2026.”
E&E News: Hawaii House advances bill targeting energy firms over insurance costs
Saqib Rahim, 4/17/26
“Hawaii lawmakers cleared a major hurdle Tuesday in their effort to hold the oil and gas industry responsible for higher insurance bills,” E&E News reports. “The state House of Representatives passed legislation that would allow the state, and encourage insurers, to sue large fossil fuel companies for what they describe as disrupting the state insurance market. Similar measures have been proposed by progressive legislators in other states, but Hawaii’s has gone the furthest. If it advances, the measure could open a legal battlefront against major energy companies, whom environmentalists and some lawmakers say need to chip in as extreme weather events cause damages in communities. Hawaii state Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole (D), who has championed the legislation, told E&E the public remains scarred by the memory of wildfires that torched Maui in 2023 and is still reeling from historic rains last month that caused extensive flooding.”
The Center Square: Energy Department to fund stalled Louisiana carbon capture hub
Alton Wallace, 4/17/26
“After months of uncertainty, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright confirmed Wednesday that the Project Cypress Direct Air Capture project in Louisiana has survived a “critical” department-wide audit – conducted as part of a broader administration review of federal spending – with funding of up to $600 million possible,” The Center Square reports. “...Testifying before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, Wright said roughly 80%—or approximately 1,950 awards—passed the administration’s test of business viability and would either be “retained or modified” rather than canceled… “Project Cypress is eligible for up to $600 million in federal grants tied to a pay-for-performance structure that requires matching private sector investment. To date, the Department of Energy has disbursed $50 million to the developers… “To qualify for the full $600 million in federal support, the DOE requires a “Community Benefits Plan,” a legally binding framework designed to ensure taxpayer investment translates into measurable local gains… “Louisiana is one of only six states with “primacy” over Class VI injection wells, giving state regulators rather than the federal government the authority to regulate underground carbon storage. Gulf Coast Sequestration is currently in the advanced stages of the permitting process, with final approvals expected within 12 to 18 months.”
Shreveport-Bossier City Advocate: Major Caddo Bossier Port project awarded DOE grant, ‘official’ word to come soon
Liz Swaine, 4/20/26
“Heirloom, the Direct Air Capture company planning to build two facilities at The Port of Caddo Bossier has been given a “go” on several hundred million in Department of Energy funding,” the Shreveport-Bossier City Advocate reports. “On April 15, a DOE request for $1.2 billion to be awarded the Heirloom- Climeworks-Battelle Project Cypress and a South Texas Occidental Petroleum DAC hub- was forwarded to Congress. Project Cypress has two projects, one in Vinton in Calcasieu Parish, the other at the port. Heirloom is the project manager in northwest Louisiana… “In 2024, the San Francisco-based Heirloom Carbon Technologies announced two projects at the local port, a $475 million DAC plant and a second $550 million facility anticipated to use DOE Project Cypress funding… “The initial timeline was blown up in the delay of DOE funding. Construction of the first facility at the port was anticipated to begin in 2024, with project completion in 2026 and completion of #2 in 2027. No updated timeline has yet been announced.”
KQED: Pollution Release at Chevron’s Richmond Refinery Was Triggered by a Bird
Ted Goldberg, 4/15/26
“A power outage at Chevron’s refinery in Richmond on Jan. 9 led to a flaring operation that released more than 3,000 pounds of sulfur dioxide into the air, the company has told regulators,” KQED reports. “...The day before the outage, the utility removed one of those lines for maintenance. The second line then experienced a “sudden fault,” which meant Chevron lost all of the outside electricity it relies on, according to a report the refinery filed with the Bay Area Air District… “The bird was a raptor, Sarkissian said, that came in contact with “a wire and tower at the same time” and caused, basically, a short circuit that immediately interrupted “the flow of electricity on that line, as a safety measure.” When the flaring took place, Chevron issued a Level One Community Warning System alert to notify county residents of the incident. The smoke coming from Chevron’s flares in San Francisco Bay could be seen by people on the Bay Bridge… “When inhaled, sulfur dioxide can cause wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness and other harmful effects on the lungs, according to the American Lung Association.”
EXTRACTION
Guardian: Fuel eating microbes, chemicals and fire: the race to discover new ways to contain Arctic oil spills
Gloria Dickie, 4/20/26
“Last winter, inside the subarctic Churchill Marine Observatory in Canada, scientists embarked on an experiment they hoped would result in a gamechanging remedy for polluted Arctic waters. They released 130 litres of diesel into an ice-covered pool filled with raw seawater pumped in from Hudson Bay and added oil-eating microbes,” the Guardian reports. “The technique had been used successfully during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and the scientists wanted to see if they could break down oil in colder waters… “The growing threat of a large-scale spill in Arctic waters is a challenge for scientists. Oil behaves differently in the Arctic compared with warmer seas. Cold temperatures make some fuel types more viscous, and they form molasses-like globules that can sink to the bottom to mix with sediment or stick on to ice. Sea ice interferes with the boats’ skimmers and booms used to scrub oil from the surface. And pumping and transfer methods struggle because the oil is thicker… “Millions of dollars have gone into programmes over the past 15 years to uncover new technologies and techniques for rapid Arctic oil spill cleanup. But little has materialised.”
Inspenet: Offshore CCUS: Advances in CO2 capture, transport, and subsea injection
José López, 4/21/26
“Offshore CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage) is evolving from a conceptual promise into a concrete industrial framework within the energy transition. In a context where decarbonization goals demand scalable solutions, offshore carbon storage is emerging as one of the most significant pathways for reducing emissions without compromising the operational continuity of energy-intensive sectors,” according to Inspenet. “The conversation is no longer only about capturing CO₂, but about how to integrate it into a complete chain that includes conditioning, transport, subsea injection, monitoring, and long-term verification… “The offshore approach also offers a structural advantage: the marine environment allows for large-scale geological storage, particularly in deep saline reservoirs or depleted fields whose historical experience in fluid handling provides a degree of technical confidence. However, the fact that CO₂ ends up beneath the seabed does not simplify the project; on the contrary, it requires a more sophisticated engineering chain, where every variable must be precisely controlled… “Pipeline transport is typically preferred when handling large volumes of CO₂ continuously and when the distance to the storage site is reasonable. Its main advantage is efficiency for stable and long-term flows. However, building a CO₂ pipeline requires significant investment, complex permitting, and careful design to avoid pressure, corrosion, and operational safety issues… “Another key issue is corrosion. CO₂, especially when mixed with water or impurities, can attack materials and affect both surface and subsurface equipment… “EOR can provide value by creating demand for captured CO₂ and helping finance transport and injection infrastructure. From a business perspective, this can accelerate the viability of systems that would otherwise have long return periods. It also allows leveraging existing expertise in fluid management, well operations, and reservoir integrity. However, EOR does not define the entire logic of offshore CCUS. There are projects whose main objective is industrial decarbonization and permanent storage, not incremental oil production. In such cases, CO₂ use for EOR may be a transitional phase, an additional revenue stream, or a strategic component within a broader portfolio. From a market development perspective, EOR can function as a kick-start mechanism, especially in regions where capture infrastructure is still emerging. However, in the long term, the value of offshore CCUS will depend on its ability to operate as independent decarbonization infrastructure, with or without the enhanced recovery component… “Beyond its environmental dimension, offshore CCUS opens concrete opportunities for the energy industry. The first is the creation of new critical infrastructure.”
Energy Voice: Deepwater Horizon: 16 years on
Ed Reed, 4/20/26
“On 20 April, 2010, the Deepwater Horizon exploded shortly before 10 pm. It killed 11 workers and injured another 17,” Energy Voice reports. “The incident spewed around 5 million barrels of crude into the Gulf over 87 days. The Gulf Coast oil spill spread across Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas… “According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), it led to the death of as many as 105,400 seabirds and more than 100,000 sea turtles. As a result, BP agreed to the largest damage settlement in US history, accepting a $20.8 billion deal in 2016. All told, BP has said it expects a charge of more than $69bn from the disaster… “BP’s executives struggled to respond to the spill. Most famously, CEO Tony Hayward said: “There’s no one who wants this over more than I do. I want my life back.” “...Following the disaster, the industry in the US – and further afield – went through a necessary period of self-examination. The UK, for instance, established the Oil Spill Prevention and Response Advisory Group (OSPRAG) and carried out the Maitland review. As the sector continues to push into deeper waters and new frontiers, the importance of Macondo and other offshore disasters still resonates.”
TODAY IN GREENWASHING
Enbridge: Built for the backcountry, and set up for every season
4/20/26
“In Pennsylvania, a Safe Community grant from Enbridge helps equip Jackson Township VFC’s new brush truck,” according to Enbridge. “...The brush truck is a vital piece of equipment in Jackson Township… “But buying the vehicle was only the first step. When Enbridge learned the firefighters had to raise funds to equip their new truck, we stepped in with a $5,000 Safe Community First Responder Program grant to help them purchase an attack hose and two nozzles… “Our Safe Community First Responder Program was developed for exactly this scenario—providing grants to emergency response organizations near our rights-of-way for vital equipment, professional training, or safety education programs… “Yarina is thankful the brush truck immediately improved the company’s ability to respond to emergencies.”
OPINION
Phoenix New Times: Trump’s killing the U.S. Forest Service so he can kill U.S. forests
Patrick Redford, 4/20/26
“When you cross into National Forest land, you are greeted with a sign boasting that you are entering into a ‘Land of Many Uses.’ This proclamation hints at a mild contradiction within the U.S. Forest Service’s management of the forestland covering over a third of the United States. Since its inception over a century ago, the agency has both overseen conservation efforts and managed resource extraction by private concerns, mostly timber companies,” Patrick Redford writes for the Phoenix New Times. “...All that careful balance is gone. The forest as we know it is the latest target of war from the Trump administration. Earlier this month, the Department of Agriculture announced a series of moves that amount to the dismantling of the USFS… The first and most important change is that the headquarters of the agency will relocate by some 2,000 miles, from Washington, D.C., to Salt Lake City, which not coincidentally is the nerve center of the anti-public lands movement in the U.S… “Since there is no point in seeking a deeper understanding of something you are trying to kill, the USFS will also cease most of its research functionality… “Managing forests with any sort of harmony necessarily requires long-term vision and cohesion. In other words, managing a forest requires a forest in more ways than one: larger groups of people, acting with common purpose, across longer timelines. Killing a forest, on the other hand, is a lot easier. It doesn’t take centuries to log an old-growth stand or strip-mine a mountain for its minerals. It takes weeks. The arrogance on display here is seeing oneself as an adversary, consumer, or owner of the forest, rather than as part of it. We can’t live without forests. Logging them aggressively, past their point of resilience, would not only be catastrophic. It would also be suicidal.”