EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 4/27/26
PIPELINE NEWS
Canadian Press: What you need to know about the new Enbridge LNG pipeline approval
Canton Repository: Locals in the lurch as Rover Pipeline continues property value dispute
The Logic: Canada’s oil sector is taking a new hard line against an industrial carbon tax
WBRZ: All clear given after blowout along natural gas pipeline in southwestern St. Helena Parish; felt 1.5 miles away
WASHINGTON UPDATES
E&E News: Oil industry’s Supreme Court win spills into climate lawsuits
E&E News: Power plant repeal: Coming soon, in two parts
Energy Intelligence Group: US LNG Sector Abandons Short-Term Carbon Capture Plans
Inewsource: ‘Enjoy your new sunset.’ A California campaign against offshore oil drilling targets Trump
STATE UPDATES
E&E News: Maine Gov. Mills vetoes data center moratorium bill
Miami Herald: DeSantis signs bill on Earth Day reversing local climate change action
Louisiana Illuminator: Climate change lawsuits against fossil fuel companies would be blocked under Louisiana proposal
E&E News: California Senate committee rejects climate liability, wildfire insurance proposals
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel: Eagle County sues over expedited oil train decision
Bienville Democrat: Injection wells, carbon capture among topics of concern at Bienville community meeting
E&E News: Why 2 oil states are slow to embrace wastewater recycling
Canary Media: An Ohio court may OK fracking-waste wells despite pollution concerns
E&E News: Enviros to Calif. regulators: Crack down on data center diesel
ClassAction.org: LOOP Lawsuit Claims Gulf Coast Oil Spill Harmed Marine Life, Fishermen’s Livelihoods
CBS News: 14 indicted in alleged Permian Basin crude‑oil theft scheme spanning New Mexico and Texas, prosecutors say
RRN: Sault Tribe Completes Clean-Up Of Eastern U.P. Oil Spill
WGAL: No oil found in York County creek after cleanup efforts
EXTRACTION
Carbon Brief: China’s leadership calls for ‘strict control’ of fossil fuels
Upstream: Operator drops CCS exploration permit in Norway
OPINION
Detroit Free Press: Enbridge’s tunnel plan ignores obvious risks
PIPELINE NEWS
Canadian Press: What you need to know about the new Enbridge LNG pipeline approval
Nick Murray, 4/24/26
“The federal government announced Friday it has approved Enbridge Inc.’s $4-billion Sunrise natural gas pipeline project in British Columbia,” the Canadian Press reports. “...The Westcoast Energy Limited Partnership, an affiliate of Enbridge, runs the Westcoast natural gas pipeline system, which connects gas fields in northeastern B.C. and northwestern Alberta to the Canada-U.S. border… “The project involves adding almost 140 kilometres of new pipe by constructing 11 looping segments parallel to the existing line. While the gas that would flow through the expanded line is not bound for any particular destination, “some of the capacity will no doubt go offshore,” Matthew Akman, who leads Enbridge’s gas transmission and midstream business, told CP… “For a long time, the shale revolution in the United States was flooded with natural gas, and now we’re starting to pick up again where the United States is importing more from Canada and wants more from Canada,” Heather Exner-Pirot, a senior fellow and director of energy, natural resources and environment at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, told CP. “They need more AI. They need more data centres. And they are exporting more LNG than they’ve ever exported, and we’re talking about non-renewable resources… “While Exner-Pirot told CP the expansion itself isn’t that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things — she described Enbridge’s $4 billion investment as “table stakes” — she sees this as an easy win for the Carney government because it’s natural gas, and British Columbia isn’t opposed to it… “Khosla agreed that having both Indigenous support and ownership behind the project was key to pushing it through.”
Canton Repository: Locals in the lurch as Rover Pipeline continues property value dispute
Kelly Byer, 4/27/26
“As the Rover Pipeline property tax valuation dispute drags on, some regional school districts and government agencies are stuck waiting for the windfall they say they were promised,” the Canton Repository reports. “I look at it almost as a false promise when they put the pipeline in the ground,” Doug Baum, president of the Pike Township board of trustees, told the Rep. The township is $516,209 short of the total owed, had Rover Pipeline not disputed the property tax valuation. Baum told the Rep that amount would make a significant difference to the small, “financially strapped” community in southern Stark County. Energy Transfer, which owns a majority stake in Rover, released a statement to The Canton Repository, declining to comment on details of the ongoing court case… “Energy Transfer appealed its 2019 public utility property tax valuation, and the Board of Tax Appeals in 2024 determined that the Ohio portion of the pipeline was worth nearly $3.67 billion… “They have been paying on their appealed value,” Stark County Auditor Angela Kinsey told the Rep. “It’s not like they haven’t paid at all, but they’re only paying on their appealed value.” “...A couple hundred thousand dollars to Pike Township would go a long way, I can tell you that,” he told the Rep. Dan Moeglin, executive director of the county park district, told the Rep Rover Pipeline owes more than $640,000 to Stark Parks under the existing tax valuation. “That’s an impactful number.”
The Logic: Canada’s oil sector is taking a new hard line against an industrial carbon tax
Laura Osman, 4/24/26
“Canada’s oil sector is pushing back hard against the industrial carbon tax, a linchpin of Ottawa’s energy deal with Alberta, as negotiations to set a higher price on emissions stall,” The Logic reports. “The pact calls for an increase to $130 per tonne from $95, but several industry leaders say the policy undercuts their competitiveness as global demand for oil spikes… “Several producers are now speaking out against the concept of an industrial carbon price altogether, Heather Exner-Pirot, director of energy, natural resources and environment at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, told The Logic, which raises questions about the prospects of the Ottawa-Alberta MOU that is already weeks behind its target deadlines… “The main sticking point is how quickly to ramp up the price on emissions and how stringent it will be, Smith told The Logic. She acknowledged, however, that some companies don’t think they should be paying at all… “Several oil executives spoke out against the levy at an energy symposium hosted by CAPP and BMO in Toronto earlier this month.. .”The criticism marks a shift in message on the part of industry leaders, who in recent years have gotten behind the industrial carbon tax as an effective way to boost innovation in emissions reduction.. .”The Pathways project, however, is a pivotal part of the deal. As Smith put it after the signing of the MOU: “I don’t know that the prime minister would have agreed to a new bitumen pipeline without Pathways, and we wouldn’t have agreed to Pathways without a new bitumen pipeline.” As such, the project is dependent on the carbon price, Deborah Yedlin, CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, told The Logic… “Increasing the value of captured emissions would help justify the upfront capital cost of Pathways, but the challenge, Yedlin told The Logic, is finding a balance. “We want something that’s durable and doesn’t compromise competitiveness and allows for development to go ahead.”
WBRZ: All clear given after blowout along natural gas pipeline in southwestern St. Helena Parish; felt 1.5 miles away
Jordan Ponzio, 4/25/26
“Residents were allowed to safely return home after emergency officials ordered an evacuation in southwestern St. Helena Parish on Saturday due to a pipeline blowout,” WBRZ reports. “Shaking was felt a dozen miles away. “My entire house shook like a bomb went off,” Donald Fry, who lives about a quarter-mile away from the blast site, told WBRZ. “We’re getting out of here in case there is a gas leak.” “...Carey Dover, who lives west of Greensburg, about 10 miles from the blast site, wrote to WBRZ to report feeling the blast. “I felt the boom and it rattled floors and windows,” Dover wrote. “I am between 12 to 15 miles as the crow flies.” “...Jacob Pucheu, Sergeant over Regional I Public Affairs for the Louisiana State Police, explained that the incident was a pressure-related blowout, not an explosion… “According to officials, a pressure buildup in a natural gas line caused the blowout around 12 p.m., causing residents within a 1.5-mile radius to be evacuated with the help of the St. Helena Fire Department, St. Helena Emergency Response, the St. Helena Parish Office of Emergency Preparedness and the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office.”
WASHINGTON UPDATES
E&E News: Oil industry’s Supreme Court win spills into climate lawsuits
Lesley Clark, 4/27/26
“The Supreme Court’s recent decision allowing fossil fuel producers to bump a swath of Louisiana coastal erosion lawsuits from state to federal court was a win for the oil industry — but the ruling is already being cited as a way to keep alive an array of climate lawsuits against many of the same companies,” E&E News reports. “Hours after the justices issued their decision, the case popped up in oral arguments in an Oregon courtroom… “Judges in California and Washington state have agreed to freeze climate cases pending a Supreme Court decision, which is not expected until 2027. A Hawaii judge has declined the industry’s request to stay the state’s case against the oil industry, and a Chicago judge granted only a partial stay, allowing some of the city’s climate case to proceed… “In the hopes of securing more favorable venues in the climate litigation, oil companies had argued the federal removal statute meant the cases should be heard in federal rather than state court. But the argument failed, and the industry is now making the case that federal law bars the climate lawsuits in the first place. “It’s no longer about which ballpark we’re playing in,” Goldberg told E&E. “It’s about whether the rules support the lawsuits in whichever ballpark we’re in.” “...Companies involved in climate litigation are now arguing that federal law preempts the lawsuits, Parenteau told E&E.”
E&E News: Power plant repeal: Coming soon, in two parts
Jean Chemnick, 4/27/26
“Some utility industry insiders say they expect EPA to scrap former President Joe Biden’s power plant climate rule in the next two months, based on the draft rule’s arguments that carbon capture and natural gas co-firing aren’t practical emissions-slashing options for the U.S. coal fleet,” E&E News reports. “EPA’s new strategy — as described in broad strokes by four people briefed on the administration’s plans — is to repeal the 2024 power plant standards by citing doubts about those two benchmark technologies. The agency would then deal a more permanent blow to future administrations’ regulatory authorities with a new proposal that mirrors EPA’s recent rescission of the so-called endangerment finding, those people said. They were granted anonymity to describe discussions with administration officials. That supplemental proposal could be released when the Biden rule is repealed — likely in May or June — or could come later, they said. EPA would have to take public comment on the new draft and finalize it some months later.”
Energy Intelligence Group: US LNG Sector Abandons Short-Term Carbon Capture Plans
Caroline Evans, 4/24/26
“Emissions-reducing technologies such as carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) were once seen as key to moving US LNG projects forward and securing financing. But that bar has gotten lower in recent years as the market has prioritized speed and security over emissions abatement,” Energy Intelligence Group reports.
Inewsource: ‘Enjoy your new sunset.’ A California campaign against offshore oil drilling targets Trump
Philip Salata, 4/26/26
“Two oil rigs sharply silhouetted by a golden sun plunging into the Pacific Ocean – that’s the image on a new billboard in Clairemont marking the launch of a new campaign to oppose offshore drilling along California’s coast,” Inewsource reports. “Enjoy your new sunset,” the sign reads. In response to escalating pressure from the federal government amid rising gas prices due to the war the U.S. and Israel launched in Iran, a coalition of California environmental groups, legislators and local leaders gathered in a parking lot below the sign on Friday afternoon to tell San Diegans about the costs and impacts of offshore drilling. The campaign launched by Wildcoast and the Sierra Club’s San Diego chapter with support from by U.S. Rep. Mike Levin, California state Sen. Catherine Blakespear and San Diego City Councilmember Joe LaCava, cautions that President Donald Trump’s call to open new operations after four decades could cause “severe economic, environmental and public health consequences.” “The Trump administration has made it very clear that they are going to drill anywhere and everywhere they feel that they can, and that really doesn’t exclude any part of California,” U.S. Rep. Levin told Inewsource… “Rep. Levin said the amount of offshore oil California could produce would be a small fraction of what is needed to address a global supply problem. “It’s such a small amount of oil that would be generated, it’s simply just not worth the potential for environmental catastrophe,” Levin told Inewsource.”
STATE UPDATES
E&E News: Maine Gov. Mills vetoes data center moratorium bill
Aaron Mak, John Hewitt Jones, 4/27/26
“Maine Gov. Janet Mills on Friday vetoed a bill that would have established the country’s first statewide moratorium on data centers, preventing their construction until November 2027,” E&E News reports. “In a letter to the Maine Legislature, Mills (D) wrote that she broadly supports the idea of a moratorium due to the impacts of data centers on electricity prices and the environment in other states. Yet she said she could not sign off on the bill because it does not include an exemption for a data center project in Jay, a town in the southern part of the state that has weathered economic hardship after the closure of a local mill in 2023. “After prior redevelopment efforts failed, the Town of Jay worked for two years on a $550 million data center redevelopment project to finally bring jobs and investment back to the mill site,” Mills wrote, adding that she would issue an executive order establishing a council to examine the impact of data centers in Maine. The legislation would have made Maine the first state to block the construction of new data centers, as both political parties grapple with how voters view them ahead of the midterm elections.”
Miami Herald: DeSantis signs bill on Earth Day reversing local climate change action
Ashley Miznazi, 4/23/26
“Governor Ron DeSantis signed a new law on Earth Day that blocks local governments from enacting policies to track how their emissions contribute to climate change,” the Miami Herald reports. “Floridians should not be forced to pay for radical climate agendas or identity politics with their hard-earned tax dollars,” DeSantis said… “The new law prevents local governments from passing any “resolution, ordinance, rule, code or policy” that promotes net-zero goals. It also prohibits requiring assessments, fees or penalties tied to those goals. Currently, no local laws impose carbon taxes on polluting businesses. It also blocks the use of taxpayer funds to support organizations that promote net-zero policies. Environmental groups opposed the bill, arguing that local governments should be able to take action on climate change. Yoca Arditi-Rocha, the chief executive officer of the CLEO Institute, a climate advocacy non-profit, told the Herald the newly passed law “strips local governments from the ability to do common sense solutions.” “It’s counterproductive in a state that’s at the frontlines of climate risk and is facing rising energy bills.”
Louisiana Illuminator: Climate change lawsuits against fossil fuel companies would be blocked under Louisiana proposal
Wesley Muller, 4/24/26
“The Louisiana Legislature is considering a new law to prohibit anyone from suing oil and gas companies for any damages, injuries or deaths attributed to pollution-driven climate change,” the Louisiana Illuminator reports. “ House Bill 804, sponsored by Rep. Brett Geymann, R-Lake Charles, cleared its first hurdle Thursday when it advanced with unanimous support from the House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment. The bill would effectively give energy companies legal immunity from liability related to illnesses, injuries, deaths or other damages stemming from the climate effects of industrial air pollution. Geymann, who is calling his proposal the Louisiana Energy Protection Act, said it is not meant to stop legitimate lawsuits against a particular facility’s greenhouse gas emissions. Its prohibition would not apply to damages arising from violations of regulatory air permits or the Occupational Safety and Health Act. He pointed to a lawsuit in Washington state that blames seven fossil fuel companies for the death of an individual as a result of conditions attributed to man-made climate change… “While some Republicans on the Louisiana House committee questioned the legitimacy of climate science, lawmakers from both parties voiced approval for Geymann’s bill, which has the backing of influential business and fossil fuel lobby groups… “Mike Moncla, president of the Louisiana Oil & Gas Association, called Geymann’s measure “somewhat of a preemptive strike against the frivolous lawsuits making their way through liberal cities throughout our country.” “...John West, a Vernon Parish resident, was one of three people who testified against the bill, arguing corporations already get enough protections and special treatment in Louisiana.”
E&E News: California Senate committee rejects climate liability, wildfire insurance proposals
Nicole Norman, Camille von Kaenel, 4/24/26
“A key California state Senate committee on Wednesday sided with business interests over environmental and consumer groups by voting down two proposals aimed at addressing the state’s insurance crisis. One would have targeted oil and gas companies, and the other sought to expand coverage in fire-prone areas,” E&E News reports. “The state Senate Insurance Committee declined to pass SB 982, a bill by state Sen. Scott Wiener (D) that aimed to recoup rising property insurance costs from the oil and gas industry, and SB 1076, a bill by state Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez (D) that would have required property insurers to cover properties in fire-prone areas if they meet fire mitigation standards. In a rare move, a majority of the committee declined to support the bills, even though state Sen. Steve Padilla (D), the committee’s new chair this year, voted to advance them.”
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel: Eagle County sues over expedited oil train decision
Dennis Webb, 4/25/26
“Eagle County has sued the Bureau of Land Management over its decision last year to approve a Utah oil train loadout facility expansion after just a 14-day environmental review that included no opportunity for public review and comment,” the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel reports. “...According to the new lawsuit, in 2023, the BLM announced it was processing an application for a right-of-way amendment allowing for significant expansion of the facility, prompting Eagle County, communities, environmental groups and political leaders to raise concerns with the BLM. The proposal involved up to a 400% increase in the amount of oil moved from trucks to trains each day at the facility… “U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., and U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse, D-Lafayette, have criticized the BLM’s minimal review of the project, as has state Attorney General Phil Weiser and others including the Center for Biological Diversity, Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance and Town of Palisade.”
Bienville Democrat: Injection wells, carbon capture among topics of concern at Bienville community meeting
4/24/26
“Community members gathered at the Ringgold School Complex Thursday to discuss alternatives to saltwater injection and carbon capture sequestration with industry experts from Texas,” the Bienville Democrat reports. “Bill Berger, of Berger Geosciences LLC in Houston, Texas, mentioned a study to determine the cause of the recent earthquakes in Texas. What he found, is that the quakes were overlapping in areas. He used forensic analysis and Artificial Intelligence modeling to correlate saltwater injection locations and future earthquakes… “Charles Maley, of South Texas Property Rights Association, discussed alternatives to produced water injection (saltwater injection wells). These alternatives aim to make injection better, to make it safer, he said, adding the alternative to no injection is called Zero Liquid Discharge. However, it’s not sustainable because there’s nowhere for the salt to go, he said. It contains other chemicals, making it unusable. The better alternative is to repurpose it, he said… “Others speakers, such as Charles Kingrey, of Kinder in Allen Parish, talked about the effects on his property in which a reported CCS pipeline passes through. Kingrey said the pipe burst and officials so far have done nothing to correct the issue. Other speakers talked about eminent domain, in which the government can come in and seize a person’s property for public use without the owner’s consent. Kingrey discussed the issue, saying that public officials are allowing eminent domain when he and others feel these pipelines and injection wells are not for public use.”
E&E News: Why 2 oil states are slow to embrace wastewater recycling
Mike Lee, 4/27/26
“The two biggest oil-producing states are at a crossroads as they try to solve one of the industry’s thorniest problems — getting rid of billions of gallons of salty, oily wastewater that’s produced alongside crude,” E&E News reports. “Academic researchers in Texas and New Mexico told E&E technology developed in recent years allows companies to clean up the waste, known as produced water, so it can be released into surface water like rivers or diverted for uses such as crop irrigation. But state regulators are still cautious about the idea. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, which regulates water in the state, said it wants to address “knowledge gaps” before it issues disposal permits for oil field waste, and it will take more than a year for companies to reach full capacity once they receive a permit. New Mexico’s Water Quality Control Commission is considering an application from the oil industry and a group of oil states, though the commission has already turned down the idea twice. A lack of new state regulations is slowing down development at a time when Texas and New Mexico are fighting a drought and looking for long-term sources of water, Zach Stoll, assistant director of the New Mexico Produced Water Research Consortium at New Mexico State University, told E&E… “Environmentalists are urging oil states to move slowly, arguing that oil field wastewater is both a huge problem and a complicated one.”
Canary Media: An Ohio court may OK fracking-waste wells despite pollution concerns
Kathiann M. Kowalski, 4/23/26
“Ohio is a notoriously difficult state for building renewable energy. Many counties ban wind and solar outright, but even in those that don’t, state regulators often rely on local opposition to deny permits for developers. Fossil fuel companies, on the other hand, do not face these hurdles,” Canary Media reports. “This discrepancy is underscored by the fact that plans to build two fracking-waste wells in Ohio’s rural Washington County are poised to move ahead despite objections from residents, environmental groups, and nearby town governments… “In recommending that the Franklin County Court of Appeals dismiss the lawsuit, Magistrate Thomas Scholl wrote that Buckeye Environmental Network had not adequately shown that the state “had a clear legal duty” to use the new rules. To reach that conclusion, he noted that DeepRock had a “vested and substantial” interest in the agency applying the old framework, adding that “permit applications require substantial investments of time, capital, and technical resources to complete.” “...But if judges at the court agree with the magistrate — as they often do — and dismiss the case, it could clear the way for DeepRock to drill its wells in the coming months… “Washington County has been forced to accept over 71 million barrels of oil and gas wastewater since 2010,” Bev Reed, Appalachian community organizer for the network, told Canary. “How much waste can one county take before someone looks at this and says ‘enough is enough’?” Others are pushing back, too. The city of Marietta, whose municipal water system and source water protection area is roughly two miles from DeepRock’s project sites, passed a resolution last year to oppose one of DeepRock’s permits. In March, officials for the city of Marietta and nearby townships also asked Republican Gov. Mike DeWine and Ohio lawmakers to impose a three-year moratorium on additional wells in Washington County. Although similar opposition from local governments has tanked renewables projects, these efforts have not yielded results.”
E&E News: Enviros to Calif. regulators: Crack down on data center diesel
Ariel Wittenberg, 4/23/26
“Environmental justice groups are pushing California air regulators to crack down on data centers’ diesel generators,” E&E News reports. “The groups, lead by the Center for Biological Diversity, wrote in a petition to the Bay Area Air District on Wednesday that existing 20-year-old rules for diesel generators are outdated and unable to protect public health in the face of data centers’ growth. “The scale and number of diesel generators has just grown tremendously, but the regulations haven’t changed to meet this moment,” center campaigner Meya Saenz Zagar told E&E. The Bay Area Air District media manager Miranda Iglesias told E&E the district “has received the petition and is reviewing the requests outlined by the coalition.”
ClassAction.org: LOOP Lawsuit Claims Gulf Coast Oil Spill Harmed Marine Life, Fishermen’s Livelihoods
Olivia DeRicco, 4/23/26
“LOOP has been hit with a proposed class action lawsuit alleging that the company, which operates the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port, failed to prevent a late-February oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that put both marine life and fishermen’s livelihoods at stake,” ClassAction.org reports. “The 30-page environmental lawsuit alleges that LOOP, LLC—a joint venture of Marathon Pipe Line, Shell Oil Company and Valero Terminaling and Distribution Company—operates a deepwater port that spilled over 31,500 gallons of Venezuelan crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico on February 26, 2026, which then traveled 18 miles into Louisiana’s territorial waters and coastline. The suit claims that LOOP’s response to the spill was “egregiously slow and grossly inadequate,” and that the spill has caused “irreparable damage” to marine life, devastating Louisiana shrimpers, crabbers and fisherman who rely on the affected waters for their livelihood. According to the filing, Venezuelan “sour” crude oil is sometimes described as a “semi-solid tar” and is extremely dense and sticky. The lawsuit explains that Venezuelan crude oil degrades more slowly than U.S.-produced oil and tends to form “tar balls” and semi-solid masses that gradually sink, making cleanup “impossible” and having a “severe impact” on birds, mammals and marine life unlucky enough to be in the path of a spill. LOOP, the lawsuit scathes, knew its systems were unable to handle the “dense, heavy” Venezuelan crude oil yet accepted it anyway “out of a desire for increased profits.” “...Following the February 26 oil spill, LOOP deliberately downplayed its scope and severity to authorities and the public, the suit says; an initial press release stated that “[n]o shoreline impact has been observed or is forecasted at this time.”
CBS News: 14 indicted in alleged Permian Basin crude‑oil theft scheme spanning New Mexico and Texas, prosecutors say
Doug Myers, 4/22/26
“A federal grand jury in Lubbock has indicted 14 people accused of stealing crude oil in eastern New Mexico and hauling it into Texas to resell at cut‑rate prices,” CBS News reports. “...Returned April 8, the indictment alleges the group stole crude oil in eastern New Mexico, some stored on U.S. government-leased land, and resold it to co‑conspirators at prices below the standard U.S. market benchmark… “According to prosecutors, the defendants face up to five years in prison for conspiracy and up to 10 years per count for interstate transportation, possession, or sale of stolen property.”
RRN: Sault Tribe Completes Clean-Up Of Eastern U.P. Oil Spill
4/24/26
“The Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians Natural Resources Division announced Thursday that containment and cleanup efforts at the McKay Bay oil spill have been successfully completed, with no significant impacts to wildlife expected,” RRN reports. “Crews deployed oil-absorbent booms to contain the spill and protect nearby sensitive wetlands. Following an on-site inspection, the U.S. Coast Guard determined the booms had absorbed the maximum amount of oil and recommended their removal. Mackinac Environmental removed the booms on Tuesday, April 21. A light sheen may remain visible on the water as residual oil naturally dissipates.”
WGAL: No oil found in York County creek after cleanup efforts
4/23/26
“Nearly two months after the oil spill at J and K Salvage in York County, officials have announced progress in cleanup efforts,” WGAL reports. “The York County Office of Emergency Management said that as of Wednesday night, no oil was found in Codorus Creek… “Those earlier samples had indicated a brief increase in oil downstream of the site after heavy rain impacted containment booms and underflow dams. With this new data, the unified command said it is completing cleanup around the site and Codorus Creek and has started removing response equipment and staff from the area.”
EXTRACTION
Carbon Brief: China’s leadership calls for ‘strict control’ of fossil fuels
Anika Patel, 4/24/26
“Chinese government leaders published a policy document on 22 April – Earth Day – calling for stricter controls on fossil-fuel consumption and greater oversight of heavy emitters,” Carbon Brief reports. “It has been interpreted by experts as a signal of China’s ongoing commitment to climate action and a bridging policy between the 15th five-year plan, published in March, and future thematic and sectoral five-year plans expected to be published in the months and years ahead… “One expert tells Carbon Brief that this is the first high-level document to explicitly link decarbonisation efforts with energy security and industrial development. It was also followed on 23 April by a second document, which is binding, that strengthens environmental inspections of provincial governments and creates new metrics for future evaluations, such as total emissions and coal consumption… “The opinions document includes a plethora of recommendations across several sectors, from promoting energy-saving measures in data centres and clean heating solutions to developing “integrated steel-to-chemicals” projects and “zero-carbon transport corridors”. “...The new document acknowledges the need to “strictly control fossil-fuel consumption”, in language significantly stronger than the 15th five-year plan published after the two-sessions meeting in March… “The document also outlines several other measures for managing fossil-fuel CO2 emissions, including “deepening efforts to reduce coal and oil use”, “actively promoting the clean replacement” of coal-fired equipment and “advancing” the replacement of “dispersed coal” use in an “orderly” manner.”
Upstream: Operator drops CCS exploration permit in Norway
Russell Searancke, 4/27/26
“The joint venture partners in one of Norway’s proposed carbon capture and storage projects have relinquished the offshore storage licence,” Upstream reports. “The operator Vaar Energi said that, based on both technical and economical assessments, the partners in the Iroko EXL009 carbon storage exploration licence have relinquished the permit… “Norway has 11 remaining active CCS exploration licences, including EXL007 which is also operated by Vaar. It also has one exploitation licence for the operational Northern Lights project. Vaar said that its ambition is to develop the Trudvang EXL007 licence into “an attractive CO2 transport and storage hub on the NCS for European emitters”. It added the licence is targeting project concept selection during 2026 and potential sanction in 2027, “subject to the establishment of a robust commercial value chain”.
OPINION
Detroit Free Press: Enbridge’s tunnel plan ignores obvious risks
Lyla Hollis is a clean energy policy specialist with Groundwork Center, based in Traverse City Michigan, 4/27/26
“Canadian oil giant Enbridge has consistently crafted a narrative — both publicly and in court — that dangerously minimizes the real risks and inevitable consequences posed by its existing Line 5 dual pipelines and the proposed tunnel project beneath the Straits of Mackinac,” Lyla Hollis writes for the Detroit Free Press. “...First, Bursch claimed the risk of an anchor strike was negligible – just 0.001% or 0.0001%, depending on which part of his argument you listen to. Yet this claim is at odds with multiple recent documented strikes by both anchors and cables – most notably, one anchor strike in April 2018 and another in June 2020, that temporarily shut down the pipeline… “Bursch claimed that “the pipeline has the same integrity today as when it was approved back in 1953,” asserting that the existing twin pipelines won’t fail and can continue operating indefinitely… “Bafflingly, Bursch referred to the tunnel project as a “modest change.” However, the project would actually be a tremendous undertaking, given that no oil tunnel of this magnitude and under such extreme physical pressures exists anywhere else in the world – exceeding 250 pounds per square inch in one of the most vital freshwater ecosystems on the planet. Enbridge’s own recently disclosed geotechnical baseline report raises further concerns about the tunnel’s safety and feasibility. Brian O’Mara, a world-class geotechnical consultant and tunnel expert, has criticized Enbridge’s geotechnical investigations as inadequate and shown how they fail to meet industry standards… “Ultimately, it is the Michigan Supreme Court that will have the final word on the appeal of the Michigan Public Service Commission permit. In making its decision, the court must thoroughly examine the record, assess the evidence, and consider the arguments presented during the proceedings. The public deserves a ruling based on a careful and comprehensive evaluation of all the facts, not conjecture.”