EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 4/29/26
PIPELINE NEWS
KGAN: Iowa landowners vow to vote lawmakers out if they don’t address eminent domain
KCRG: Iowa landowners threaten to vote out lawmakers over eminent domain dispute
KCCI: Iowa landowners protest eminent domain for carbon pipelines
E&E News: Court considers pausing Mountain Valley expansion project
Carolina Journal: Appeals Court wrestles with NC permit for MVP pipeline
Wyoming Public Radio: Why a proposed pipeline ending in Wyoming draws comparisons to Keystone XL
KRWG: Environmental groups file protest against pipeline to power Project Jupiter
North Dakota Monitor: North Dakota Industrial Commission votes to commit up to $500 million to natural gas pipeline
OilPrice.com: The Ever-Expanding Legal Battle Over Enbridge’s Line 5 Pipeline
Canadian Press: B.C. Supreme Court hearings begin for legal challenges to LNG pipeline project
Bloomberg: Markets Downplay War’s Impact on Petrochemicals, Pipeline CEO Says
Akin Gump: FERC Finalizes New Oil Pipeline Index for 2026-2031: Key Takeaways
Reuters: Ares to acquire Rover natgas pipeline stake from Blackstone
Bloomberg: Citadel Books More US Rockies Gas Transport on Key Pipeline
WASHINGTON UPDATES
The Hill: Trump to pay more companies to abandon offshore wind and invest in fossil fuels
E&E News: Whitehouse on latest actions against offshore wind: ‘Not a good thing’
E&E News: White House seeks high-tech pitches for NEPA reviews
E&E News: Senate Democrats launch probe of ‘God Squad’ decision
E&E News: Dem bill would limit presidential pollution exemptions
E&E News: Feds failed to oversee Oklahoma oil leases, tribal members say
E&E News: Committee OKs funding bill with Venezuelan oil, Gulf of Mexico amendments
E&E News: US offshore energy regulator: Expanded mandate, shrinking staff
Reuters: Trump withdraws nomination of hospitality executive to head National Park Service
E&E News: Supreme Court grills Monsanto on Roundup cancer warning
STATE UPDATES
Rapides Parish Journal: Louisiana House bill would strip damage cap from carbon capture industry
Louisiana Illuminator: Report: Louisiana more vulnerable to climate hazards than average across the South
Street Insider: Sky Quarry seeks partners for 180 million barrel Utah oil sands project
EXTRACTION
Reuters: UAE leaves OPEC and OPEC+ in major blow to global oil producers’ group
CNBC: BP profits more than double, beating expectations as Iran war boosts oil prices
Canadian Press: Feds formalize enhanced oil recovery tax credit flip-flop in spring economic update
Canadian Press: Canada is getting a sovereign wealth fund. What does that mean and how do they work?
TradeWinds: Canadian Nation presses IMO on compensation for devastating 2016 oil spill
Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA): Why EU countries should avoid carbon capture for gas power plants
Carbon Herald: IEEFA Warns EU Against Costly Bet On CCS In Power Sector
TODAY IN GREENWASHING
Business Journal Daily: Enbridge Gas Ohio Donates $10K to Oh Wow
OPINION
The Conversation: As Arctic waters open up, Canada must prepare for oil spills
PIPELINE NEWS
KGAN: Iowa landowners vow to vote lawmakers out if they don’t address eminent domain
Skylar Tallal, 4/28/26
“For the past five years, many Iowans have been up at the Capitol fighting to protect their land from the use of eminent domain for carbon capture pipelines. However, once again it’s an issue that’s stalling in the Iowa Senate as Republicans offer competing proposals,” KGAN reports. “If this isn’t brought to the floor we are taking this to the elections this fall and anyone whose been against us no matter which party it is,” Darlene Partlow from Guthrie County said. “Then its time to vote them out of office.” Iowa landowners are once again pressuring Senate leaders to pass a bill on eminent domain. Yet, right now, Republicans can’t agree on what should be in it… “Senator Klimesh told KGAN he isn’t supporting Sen. Alons amendment but conversations are ongoing… “While I can’t support his amendment and I was clear on that because it has the no eminent domain for CO2… .”Sen. Alons told KGAN he doesn’t know exactly how many Senate Republcians support the amendment but 11 have signed on in favor and is hopeful it would pass on the floor… “Sen. Alons isn’t ruling out holding up the budget again.”
KCRG: Iowa landowners threaten to vote out lawmakers over eminent domain dispute
Isabella Warren, 4/28/26
“Iowa landowners are threatening to vote out lawmakers who they say won’t protect their property rights. Legislators remain divided over eminent domain and so far, no bill has passed this session,” KCRG reports. “...Landowners rallied outside the Capitol Tuesday, demanding Senate Majority Leader Mike Klimesh debate a bill the House passed earlier in the session that would ban eminent domain use for Summit Carbon Solutions’ carbon capture pipeline. But Klimesh says he doesn’t have enough Republican votes in the Senate to move it further. Some landowners say they have been pushing for this ban for five years. “And anyone who’s been against us, no matter which party it is, if they can’t stand up for the constitution and their own platforms, both the Republican and Democrat, then it’s time to vote them out of office,” said Darlene Partlow of Guthrie County.”
KCCI: Iowa landowners protest eminent domain for carbon pipelines
4/28/26
“Iowa landowners rallied outside the Statehouse on Tuesday to urge lawmakers to pass a bill preventing the use of eminent domain for carbon capture pipelines,” KCCI reports. “Organizers said they plan to meet with state Sen. Mike Klimesh tomorrow to advocate for the bill’s passage… “We are making eminent domain an election issue. And if you are on the wrong side, we will do everything in our power to remove you from office and Congress members who have the best interests of the people in mind, not the lobbyists and the money behind them,” one attendee said. The bill is currently listed under unfinished business, meaning lawmakers can revisit it next year if it does not pass by the end of the session.”
E&E News: Court considers pausing Mountain Valley expansion project
Niina H. Farah, 4/29/26
“A federal appeals court is weighing whether to freeze construction of a project to extend the Mountain Valley natural gas pipeline about 30 miles into North Carolina,” E&E News reports. “Environmental groups asked a three-judge panel Tuesday to put work on the MVP Southgate pipeline on hold while the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reviews whether state regulators improperly certified that the project complied with water quality standards in Virginia and North Carolina. The Sierra Club, Appalachian Voices and other groups are appealing both permits in two separate cases before the court. It was unclear whether the panel, which in the past tossed out approvals for the main pipeline, would intervene in Mountain Valley’s latest project. At times, the judges appeared concerned with the pipeline developer’s track record of environmental violations while building the mainline pipe from West Virginia to southern Virginia. But Judge James Andrew Wynn noted that comparisons between the construction of the main pipeline and the North Carolina extension were limited, since the projects were built in different states, with different water standards and using different mechanisms.”
Carolina Journal: Appeals Court wrestles with NC permit for MVP pipeline
4/28/26
“The 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals questioned Tuesday whether North Carolina regulators took proper steps to avoid environmental damage from a planned natural gas pipeline in Rockingham County,” the Carolina Journal reports. “Environmental groups who oppose the Mountain Valley Pipeline’s planned Southgate extension are seeking a stay that would block project construction. The stay would remain in place throughout the appeals process following North Carolina’s November 2025 water-quality permit for MVP Southgate… “The Sierra Club, Appalachian Voices, and 7 Directions of Service oppose the pipeline and the permit. They took their objection to court on Jan. 12. Derek Teaney of Appalachian Voices pointed during his argument in the North Carolina case toward an earlier 4th Circuit decision related to MVP’s construction of its larger “mainline” pipeline in West Virginia. The company had failed to meet its permit obligations in that state, Teaney argued. “This court has already held in Sierra Club v. West Virgina Department of Environmental Protection that an agency acts arbitrarily and capriciously when it predicts compliance without explaining why the same measures that failed before will work this time,” Teaney said.”
Wyoming Public Radio: Why a proposed pipeline ending in Wyoming draws comparisons to Keystone XL
Kamila Kudelska, 4/28/26
“A company called Bridger Pipeline is proposing a new crude oil pipeline from Canada into Phillips County, Montana to Guernsey, Wyoming. Although it’s in the very early stages, some are cautioning that it might be Keystone XL returned,” Wyoming Public Radio reports. “...Nick Kusnetz: So the concern with this Bridger Pipeline is that this is sort of like a quiet revival of that pipeline under a different name and a bit of a different path… “The original Keystone XL Pipeline cut from that place in Montana across through South Dakota and then Nebraska, and those parts were some where it drew some of the biggest opposition from ranchers, farmers and Indigenous groups. This [Bridger Pipeline] route would avoid that controversial area, potentially, although it’s only getting into southeastern Wyoming. A number of analysts have said it doesn’t really make sense to bring a whole lot of oil. This pipeline is initially proposed for 550,000 barrels of oil [per day], but it said it could carry up to 1.1 million. So there isn’t really necessarily a market for all that much additional oil in that part of Wyoming… “One of the people I spoke with, her name’s Jane Kleeb. She was one of the key organizers who helped build this really huge coalition of people opposed to the Keystone XL Pipeline. She’s from Nebraska. They banded together farmers and ranchers and Indigenous activists and environmentalists throughout the region and on a national level. She had talked about how since [Keystone XL Pipeline] and since some other major pipeline projects have faced a lot of opposition, companies have started to sort of break their projects up into smaller pieces. So if it’s just a pipeline from Montana to Wyoming, and in particular, if there are rights of way already for a lot of these sections, it might not generate as much opposition. Then, if there needs to be a new pipeline from Wyoming to Nebraska, again, that’s a shorter route and it might not galvanize this kind of huge national campaign in the way the Keystone XL Pipeline did going all the way from Montana to Texas.”
KRWG: Environmental groups file protest against pipeline to power Project Jupiter
Abigail Salas, 4/28/26
“A proposed pipeline that would supply natural gas to Project Jupiter’s power plant has caused environmental organizations to protest,” KRWG reports. “...The proposed pipeline is a $60.2 million, 17-mile pipe that would transfer natural gas from an existing El Paso Natural gas pipeline to the data center’s power plant. It would go through Southern Doña Ana County. In March, the New Mexico State Land Commissioner denied Transwestern Pipeline Companies’ request to build a part the pipeline. The pipeline would be built on federal and private land; the State Land office denied the company permission to build on state land, which has forced the pipe to be rerouted. Environmental groups have filed a protest with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) against Transwestern Pipeline companies’ efforts to fast track the construction of the pipeline. Transwestern Pipeline requested to begin construction under a FERC “Blanket Certificate”. This is a permit that automatically approves projects. David Baake is working with the Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter. He told KRWG the organizations are asking for a full environmental review of the pipeline and powerplant to be done before it is approved. “The powerplant that Project Jupiter has proposed would be the single largest source of greenhouse gas pollution in the entire state of New Mexico. It would actually emit more than double the amount of pollution of Albuquerque and Las Cruces combined,” Baake told KRWG… “The Environmental Department has until July 21st to conduct a full environmental review of the project. Before then, they committed to holding public hearings, dates for which have not been announced.”
North Dakota Monitor: North Dakota Industrial Commission votes to commit up to $500 million to natural gas pipeline
Jacob Orledge, 4/29/26
“The North Dakota Industrial Commission has officially committed up to $500 million in state funding to WBI Energy’s planned natural gas pipeline,” the North Dakota Monitor reports. “...The Bakken East pipeline will move 1 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day from McKenzie County to central and eastern North Dakota. WBI Energy, a subsidiary of MDU Resources, expects to bring the pipeline online by the end of 2030… “The 2025 Legislature authorized up to $500 million in financing for a natural gas pipeline to connect the oil field in western North Dakota to the eastern half of the state… “The financing is being provided in the form of purchasing a portion of the pipeline’s transport capacity… “Those details were revealed, and the need remained for that $50 million per year from the state side to continue advancing this forward,” Justin Kringstad, executive director of the North Dakota Pipeline Authority, who received authorization to execute the agreement on Tuesday, told the Monitor… “The pipeline isn’t expected to begin operations for several years, and Kringstad told the Monitor the state is actively working to find shippers interested in purchasing some or all of the state’s capacity in the pipeline.”
OilPrice.com: The Ever-Expanding Legal Battle Over Enbridge’s Line 5 Pipeline
Felicity Bradstock, 4/28/26
“Active lawsuits in Michigan and Wisconsin are targeting sections of Enbridge’s Line 5 pipeline over environmental concerns in a complex and ever-expanding legal fight. Michigan has an active state-court lawsuit against Enbridge, while in Wisconsin, the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and environmental groups are challenging the pipeline in federal and state court,” OilPrice.com reports. “In April, the United States Supreme Court sided with Michigan that a ruling over a section of an ageing pipeline beneath a Great Lakes channel must stay in state court… “The Michigan Department of Natural Resources, led by Governor Gretchen Whitmer, revoked the easement for Line 5 in 2020, after which Enbridge filed a separate federal lawsuit to challenge the move. A federal judge ruled in favour of Enbridge, holding that the federal Pipeline Safety Act preempts Michigan’s attempt to shut down the pipeline on safety grounds. Whitmer then appealed to the Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. In March 2026, the Supreme Court denied Whitmer’s petition for certiorari on sovereign immunity, allowing Enbridge’s federal lawsuit against her to proceed… “The ongoing legal battle has raised broader questions over how much power states hold in exerting control over the fossil fuel industry. The dispute has also put pressure on United States-Canada energy relations. In addition, the battle over the pipeline has scrambled traditional political alliances due to the large number of jobs connected with pipeline operations, as well as the industry it brings to the region.”
Canadian Press: B.C. Supreme Court hearings begin for legal challenges to LNG pipeline project
4/28/26
“The B.C. Supreme Court is set to weigh in on two legal challenges filed over the provincial government’s decision to allow a liquefied natural gas pipeline project to go ahead on a 12-year-old environmental review,” the Canadian Press reports. “Two petitions take aim at the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission pipeline after the government deemed the project “substantially started,” meaning it wouldn’t need a new environmental assessment. The pipeline’s construction was authorized in 2014, and a deadline to start it was extended to 2024, spurring the court challenges from Gitxsan Hereditary Chief Charlie Wright and environmentalist groups opposed to the project. Wright says in legal submissions that the challenge isn’t about opposing the pipeline itself, but rather the route it’s expected to take through “one of the last remaining untouched areas” of his home territory without proper consultation… “The cases are scheduled to be heard together for six days in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver.”
Bloomberg: Markets Downplay War’s Impact on Petrochemicals, Pipeline CEO Says
Christopher Charleston and Emma Sanchez, 4/28/26
“Investors are misjudging how much Strait of Hormuz closures could impact global flows of petrochemicals, said Enterprise Products Partners LP Chief Executive Officer Jim Teague, adding to a chorus of industry voices warning about lingering disruptions from the Iran war,” Bloomberg reports. “We believe the financial markets are underestimating the potential global supply implications from a prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz,” Teague said in a Tuesday earnings call to discuss the pipeline operator’s quarterly results. The CEO said 12 million to 15 million barrels a day of crude oil, refined products, propane and petrochemical supplies could be constrained, depending on the scenario. Teague is the latest industry executive to suggest that upheavals from the Middle East conflict could drag on, joining CEOs such as Dow Inc. CEO Jim Fitterling in warning investors during earnings calls. The comments underscore a growing consensus among producers and suppliers that tightness in feedstocks and petrochemical markets may endure. The Iran war has caused US petrochemical markets to skyrocket, with lost Middle East supply making American ethylene and propylene — key ingredients to make plastics used in packaging, construction and consumer goods — more attractive to buyers around the world, while propane and other natural gas liquids feed global chemical production. As a result, US producers are benefiting from both strong export demand and access to cheap petrochemical feedstocks.”
Akin Gump: FERC Finalizes New Oil Pipeline Index for 2026-2031: Key Takeaways
4/28/26
“On April 24, 2026, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued its Final Rule in the Five-Year Review of the Oil Pipeline Index, establishing the Oil Pipeline Index level for the five-year period beginning July 1, 2026,” according to Akin Gump. “...This order, which governs rate-ceiling adjustments for approximately 86% of interstate oil pipeline rates for a period that extends through June 30, 2031, carries significant financial implications—potentially shifting billions of dollars between pipelines and shippers over the index’s duration. At a time when the oil pipeline industry is looking to FERC for certainty, the decision was not unified… “The Final Rule addresses three contested issues that shaped the index calculation: 1) ROE Policy Change Adjustment. FERC adopted the Liquid Energy Pipeline Association’s (LEPA) proposal to adjust 2019 cost data to account for the 2020 ROE Policy Change… 2) Resubmitted 2019 Cost Data. FERC declined to incorporate resubmitted 2019 cost data filed by 61 pipelines in April-June 2025—five years after the original filing deadline. This was a modification to the index calculation supported by several pipeline interests, but opposed by the shipper community intervening in the docket… 3) Data Trimming to Middle 80%. FERC adopted the NOPR’s proposal to trim the data set to the middle 80% of cost changes, rather than the middle 50%... “The shipper community had supported use of the middle 50%, which could have resulted in a lower index. The Final Rule’s ultimate outcome, which resulted in the PPI-FG – 0.55% Oil Pipeline Index, was not supported by any of the commenters in the docket. Rather, shipper interests filed comments that supported index levels that were far lower than the NOPR’s, ranging from PPI-FG – 1.64% to PPI-FG – 2.06%. In contrast, pipeline-aligned interests filed comments in support of far higher index levels, ranging from PPI-FG – 0.04% to PPI-FG + 0.83%... “The ubiquity of the Oil Pipeline Index means that rate impacts will be widespread. Also, given the breadth of stakeholders in this proceeding, and the fact that none of them filed comments in support of the outcome set forth in the Final Rule, appeals filed by multiple interests are likely. Litigants may challenge the uniform ROE modification, the data trimming methodology and the adjustments for FERC’s ROE policy changes, among other issues… “Given that the Commissioners were unable to reach unanimity in the Final Rule, it is unlikely that they could act in a unified way to revise the Oil Pipeline Index before July 1.”
Reuters: Ares to acquire Rover natgas pipeline stake from Blackstone
David French, 4/29/26
“Ares Management said it has acquired a stake in the Rover natural gas pipeline from a unit of fellow investment firm Blackstone for an undisclosed sum, as interest in U.S. energy infrastructure assets grows,” Reuters reports. “In a statement sent to Reuters, Ares said funds led by its Infrastructure Opportunities strategy would buy 32.4% of Rover, a pipeline system spanning around 700 miles (1,130 km) in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio and Michigan which moves natural gas from the Appalachian shale basin to Midwestern markets and beyond… “It is the second transaction involving a stake in the Rover pipeline announced in the last month. On March 31, Abu Dhabi-based investment firm ePointZero said it had agreed to buy Traverse Midstream for $2.25 billion from private equity firm The Energy & Minerals Group. Among the assets owned by Traverse is a 35% stake in Rover.”
Bloomberg: Citadel Books More US Rockies Gas Transport on Key Pipeline
Julian Hast, 4/28/26
“Citadel Energy Marketing, the merchant trading arm of Ken Griffin’s Citadel, has expanded its natural gas pipeline transportation capacity on a key interstate conduit from the Rocky Mountains to Arizona by 37%, positioning itself ahead of anticipated growth in Southwest gas demand,” Bloomberg reports. “...The expansion comes as analysts forecast growing gas demand to generate electricity for AI data centers in Arizona, with the state becoming “a quickly growing hotspot for data center development,” according to a BNEF report. At the same time, some of the gas currently serving the Southwest market, from the Permian Basin of West Texas and Southeast New Mexico, is set to be redirected east toward a wave of liquefied natural gas export terminals being built on the US Gulf Coast this decade. That could create a vacuum of gas supplies in the Southwest, “creating a competitive opportunity for Rockies gas supply to step in,” according to an April report from consultancy Wood Mackenzie.”
WASHINGTON UPDATES
The Hill: Trump to pay more companies to abandon offshore wind and invest in fossil fuels
Rachel Frazin, 4/27/26
“The Trump administration will pay two energy companies to abandon their offshore wind ambitions and invest in fossil fuels instead,” The Hill reports. “The Interior Department announced on Monday that it would issue a refund to Global Infrastructure Partners, which is part of BlackRock and Golden State Wind, for the money they paid for the opportunity to build offshore wind if they give up their wind leases and invest in fossil energy… “Under its deal, Global Infrastructure Partners has committed to invest up to $765 million, which it originally spent on its offshore wind lease, in a U.S.-based liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility, the Interior Department said… “Golden State Wind will be eligible to receive up to $120 million in reimbursed lease fees based on how much it invests in U.S. oil and gas, energy infrastructure or LNG projects around the Gulf Coast.”
E&E News: Whitehouse on latest actions against offshore wind: ‘Not a good thing’
Pavan Acharya, 4/28/26
“One of the top Senate Democrats negotiating permitting reform legislation said the Interior Department’s new agreements to end more offshore wind leases was ‘not a good thing,’ though he stopped short of calling for another pause in the talks,” E&E News reports. “Asked twice whether Interior’s Monday announcement would impact negotiations to overhaul federal permitting rules, Environment and Public Works ranking member Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) twice responded, “It’s not a good thing,” without elaborating. “It looks like they’re trying to bribe companies to stop projects that would lower costs for consumers because the extra money goes to their fossil fuel donors,” Whitehouse told E&E separately of the deals. They mean the Bluepoint Wind and Golden State Wind projects off New York and California are ending their existing offshore wind leases and instead invest in what Interior called “reliable conventional energy projects.” “...In December, Senate Democrats paused permitting talks over the administration’s order to end development of five offshore wind projects. Democrats went back to the negotiating table after judges allowed construction to continue.”
E&E News: White House seeks high-tech pitches for NEPA reviews
Hannah Northey, 4/28/26
“The White House is taking pitches from startups, researchers, nonprofits and tech companies on ways to modernize and accelerate environmental reviews and federal permitting,” E&E News reports. “The Council on Environmental Quality, in collaboration with NASA’s Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation, announced Tuesday that it is accepting proposals through June 2 on its “Permitting Innovators Call for Solutions” program. CEQ Chair Katherine Scarlett said the program will give “America’s innovators” a direct path to improve the way federal agencies conduct environmental reviews and issue permits. “The Trump Administration is about results: faster reviews, smarter systems, and a government that works as well as the technology available to it,” she said in a statement. “We are proud to launch the Permitting Innovators program and look forward to seeing what industry delivers.”
E&E News: Senate Democrats launch probe of ‘God Squad’ decision
Ian M. Stevenson, 4/29/26
“Senate Democrats on Tuesday launched an inquiry into the Trump administration’s revival of the “God Squad,” accusing the White House of misusing the process to dole out political favors to President Donald Trump’s campaign supporters in the oil and gas sector,” E&E News reports. “Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, ranking member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, led fellow Democrats in demanding Cabinet officials detail not only the decision to convene the Endangered Species Committee — nicknamed the ‘God Squad’ for its potential to condemn a species to extinction — but minute details about its March 31 meeting. That includes materials that ‘third parties’ sent to cabinet officials. In a letter to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, the Rhode Island lawmaker and 25 other Democrats suggested that exempting Gulf of Mexico drilling from Endangered Species Act requirements was little more than reciprocation to generous campaign supporters… “The concerns around this abrupt exemption request are heightened by credible reporting of coordination between fossil fuel interests and the Trump Administration on policies promoting oil extraction,’ the letter states.”
E&E News: Dem bill would limit presidential pollution exemptions
Rylan DiGiacomo-Rapp, 4/29/26
“Senate Democrats launched legislation Monday meant to clamp down on Trump administration exemptions for air polluters,” E&E News reports. “The ‘No Passes for Polluters Act,’ from Environment and Public Works ranking member Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), would limit the president’s power to exempt facilities from Clean Air Act requirements… “Our No Passes for Polluters Act will rein in Trump’s abuse of toxic chemical control exemptions to ensure this process is not used for corrupt giveaways to the fossil fuel industry.” Under current law, a president can allow companies to pollute beyond what’s normally allowed for ‘national security interests.’ The bill would strike that section entirely and restrict others by requiring supermajority approval from Congress. Groups including the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Environmental Defense Fund, Earthjustice Action and the Sierra Club have backed the legislation.”
E&E News: Feds failed to oversee Oklahoma oil leases, tribal members say
Mike Lee, 4/28/26
“A group of Native Americans sued the federal government this week, arguing that the Bureau of Indian Affairs mismanaged oil and gas payments for an estimated 10,000 people,” E&E News reports. ”...In their lawsuit, the plaintiffs told the U.S. Court of Federal Claims they sometimes received no payments for their mineral rights and in other instances got only partial payments. They alleged that the government breached its duty to act as a trustee and fiduciary for the tribal members. The Native Americans are seeking an order requiring the U.S. government to help account for all of the funds owed to the tribal members and for damages and attorneys’ fees. The plaintiffs argued that federal agencies are continuing to mismanage Native American oil and gas leases, despite a landmark settlement in Cobell vs. Salazar in 2009 that required the government to pay $3.4 billion in restitution for decades of underpayments. ‘It is a breach of trust and a violation of federal statute for the United States to approve and allow oil & gas leasing and production on a restricted Indian allotment without the provision for any payments to be made to all owners of the allotment,’ the plaintiffs said in this week’s suit.”
E&E News: Committee OKs funding bill with Venezuelan oil, Gulf of Mexico amendments
Andres Picon, 4/29/26
“House appropriators advanced their spending bill for the State Department and foreign aid Tuesday after adopting new language on oil revenues and the Gulf of Mexico,” E&E News reports. “...The fiscal 2027 legislation proposes to zero out the United States’ contributions to a number of international climate and environment organizations while rescinding $1 billion for overseas disaster assistance. It would block funding for the implementation of a carbon tax — an apparent response to multilateral efforts to curtail global shipping emissions — and would make some foreign aid contingent on certain energy- or environment-related actions.”
E&E News: US offshore energy regulator: Expanded mandate, shrinking staff
Hannah Northey, Ian M. Stevenson, 4/28/26
“Environmental advocates say the smaller, combined agency envisioned by the current administration won’t have the capacity to properly oversee the expansion of oil and gas leasing across the Gulf of Mexico and off Alaska’s coastline required by the GOP’s 2025 budget law, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” E&E News reports. “At the same time, MMA will take on the role of permitting and monitoring a brand new offshore mining sector that Trump wants to see rapidly rolled out… “The explosion in April 2010 at the offshore rig operated by BP killed 11 people and spewed millions of barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. Subsequent reviews at Interior and by an independent commission appointed by former President Barack Obama found that offshore management needed ‘fundamental’ reforms, including a separation of the oversight of safety and environmental enforcement from the management of lease sales… “Andrew Hartsig, the Ocean Conservancy’s director of the Arctic and northern waters program, told E&E cutting staff and funding for an agency that’s tasked with a bigger job is dangerous, especially when there’s an inherent conflict of interest in the combined agency. Hartsig pointed to the government’s past problems combining the double mandate of producing oil, gas and minerals with the obligation to ensure the operations are safe and environmental safeguards are in place.”
Reuters: Trump withdraws nomination of hospitality executive to head National Park Service
Kanishka Singh, 4/27/26
“The White House has withdrawn President Donald Trump’s nomination of a hospitality company executive to be director of the National Park Service more than two months after sending the nomination to the U.S. Senate,” Reuters reports. “...Socha oversees the parks and resorts division of hospitality company Delaware North. His nomination when announced in February was criticized by conservationists who had called him unqualified for the role over lack of experience in government. Delaware North had sued the National Park Service in 2015 and eventually settled the lawsuit for $12 million in 2019 during Trump’s first term in office... “The Trump administration has attempted to reshape public spaces, museums and parks through steps that civil rights groups have widely condemned as undoing decades of social progress… “In one such attempt where NPS staff removed a slavery exhibit in January from a Philadelphia historic site where George Washington once lived, a U.S. federal judge ordered the Trump administration to reinstall the slavery exhibit, a decision that NPS complied with.”
E&E News: Supreme Court grills Monsanto on Roundup cancer warning
Pamela King, Ellie Borst, 4/27/26
“Supreme Court justices on Monday appeared skeptical of Monsanto’s argument that federal law prevents state courts from holding the company financially responsible for failing to warn consumers about the risk of cancer from its popular Roundup weedkiller,” E&E News reports. “During oral arguments, Monsanto and the Trump administration faced questions about their position that EPA should have the final say on what warnings pesticides and herbicides can carry — even in light of new information about a product’s potential hazards… “At the heart of the case, Monsanto v. Durnell, is whether a Missouri jury — and other state courts across the country — correctly awarded verdicts exceeding $1 million to compensate longtime Roundup users after they developed non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Roundup users have argued in thousands of lawsuits that the company failed to warn customers about the risks of glyphosate, the herbicide’s key ingredient. But EPA, the agency responsible for registering pesticides and herbicides, has determined that glyphosate is not a likely carcinogen… “While the justices parsed the arguments from Monsanto and its challengers, roughly 200 people gathered in front of the Supreme Court to oppose the pesticide manufacturer’s position and the Trump administration’s support of it.”
STATE UPDATES
Rapides Parish Journal: Louisiana House bill would strip damage cap from carbon capture industry
4/29/26
“A measure that would remove liability protections for carbon capture companies advanced without opposition Monday from the House Civil Law and Procedure Committee, moving the legislation one step closer to a full House vote,” the Rapides Parish Journal reports. “House Bill 79, sponsored by Rep. Robby Carter, D-Greensburg, would eliminate the current cap on damages that can be recovered in civil suits stemming from carbon capture release incidents. Under existing state law, carbon dioxide storage facility owners, operators, and pipeline operators face a limit of $250,000 per person for non-economic losses, rising to $500,000 per person in exceptional cases. A separate provision caps recovery at $1 million per person should those limits be found unconstitutional. During committee discussions, Carter questioned why the carbon capture industry receives liability protections not extended to most other sectors operating in Louisiana, arguing the existing framework gives the industry an unfair advantage… “Proponents argue it is a critical tool for reducing industrial emissions, while opponents have raised concerns about long-term environmental risks, pipeline safety, and landowner rights.”
Louisiana Illuminator: Report: Louisiana more vulnerable to climate hazards than average across the South
Elise Plunk, 4/29/26
“The vast majority of Louisiana ZIP codes are having a harder time adjusting to the rising costs and hazards brought by climate change compared to communities across the South, according to a new report,” the Louisiana Illuminator reports. “The new analysis of federal data from the Brookings Institution, one of the oldest U.S. public policy research institutions, also shows that Black residents in the southern states make up a higher share of the population in ZIP codes vulnerable to climate risks… “Researchers found that Southern states have the highest percentage of Black residents in ZIP codes vulnerable to climate change costs. The average percentage of Black residents living in these ZIP codes is 28.8%, compared to 10% in ZIP codes with higher ability to adapt to climate risks. “What we’re also seeing is a correlation between where economically distressed neighborhoods are, an overlap with where Black residents are living, and also where climate risks, relative exposure to disasters and extreme events, is higher,” Manann Donoghoe, Brookings Institute fellow and author of the study, told the Illuminator. This means that the financial impacts of climate change more heavily impact lower income and Black households, especially those in the South.”
Street Insider: Sky Quarry seeks partners for 180 million barrel Utah oil sands project
4/29/26
“Sky Quarry Inc. announced it is issuing a Request for Proposals to engage partners for accelerating development of its 180-million-barrel oil sands resource at its PR Spring facility in Utah. The asset spans approximately 5,900 acres and includes a constructed processing facility representing over $50 million in prior investments… “The company stated that the Western fuel market operates with limited refining capacity and constrained infrastructure, with refinery closures and regulatory pressure contributing to tightened supply… “Sky Quarry operates the Foreland Refinery in Nevada, which the company described as the only permitted refinery in the state. The company stated this creates a potential integrated pathway from resource to refined product.”
EXTRACTION
Reuters: UAE leaves OPEC and OPEC+ in major blow to global oil producers’ group
Maha El Dahan, 4/28/26
“The United Arab Emirates said on Tuesday it was quitting OPEC and OPEC+, dealing a heavy blow to the oil exporting groups and their de facto leader, Saudi Arabia, at a time when the Iran war has caused a historic energy shock and unsettled the global economy,” Reuters reports. “The loss of the UAE, a longstanding OPEC member, could create disarray and weaken the group, which has usually sought to show a united front despite internal disagreements over a range of issues from geopolitics to production quotas. UAE Energy Minister Suhail Mohamed al-Mazrouei told Reuters the decision was taken after a careful look at the regional power’s energy strategies… “But the UAE exit from OPEC represents a win for U.S. President Donald Trump, who has accused the organisation of “ripping off the rest of the world” by inflating oil prices… “The move came after the UAE, a regional business hub and one of Washington’s most important allies, criticised fellow Arab states for not doing enough to protect it from numerous Iranian attacks during the war.”
CNBC: BP profits more than double, beating expectations as Iran war boosts oil prices
Sam Meredith, 4/28/26
“British energy major BP on Tuesday reported that first-quarter profits more than doubled from a year ago, following a surge in oil and gas prices driven by the Middle East conflict,” CNBC reports. “The oil giant posted underlying replacement cost profit, used as a proxy for net profit, of $3.2 billion for the first three months of the year. That comfortably beat analyst expectations of $2.63 billion, according to an LSEG-compiled consensus… “BP’s earnings come as oil and gas companies experience a significant share price boost, with fossil fuel prices soaring since the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran started on Feb. 28… “Shares of BP rose 2.5% during morning deals… “The company failed to get majority shareholder approval on two highly anticipated motions, which would have permitted online-only AGMs and retired two company-specific climate disclosure obligations. It formed part of a broader investor rebellion at the AGM, one that resulted in weaker-than-typical support for BP Chair Albert Manifold and robust backing for a motion calling on the energy major to justify its capital discipline on oil and gas investments.”
Canadian Press: Feds formalize enhanced oil recovery tax credit flip-flop in spring economic update
Nick Murray, 4/28/26
“...In the 2025 budget, the Liberals promised to not make enhanced oil recovery eligible for a tax credit for the development of carbon capture and storage systems,” the Canadian Press reports. “But 10 days after the budget passed the House of Commons, Ottawa extended the tax credit to enhanced oil recovery projects in its energy memorandum of understanding with Alberta. The flip-flop cost Prime Minister Mark Carney a cabinet minister when Steven Guilbeault resigned the day the Alberta MOU was announced… “The spring economic update lays out the criteria for accessing the tax credit in Alberta and other provinces where there are “sufficient regulations to ensure CO2 is permanently stored,” such as B.C. and Saskatchewan… “Green Party Leader Elizabeth May disputed the claim that the measure would create any revenue at all, calling the assertion “misleading.” “I really did drill down on this quite a lot in our questioning to finance officials because there’s no way that an increased subsidy to oil and gas doesn’t cost Canadians taxpayers money,” May said. Environmentalists see the extension of the tax credits to enhanced oil recovery as a direct subsidy of oil production, while the industry says tax credits are not subsidies… “Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet also criticized the measure on Tuesday, saying Canadians are effectively subsidizing the oil and gas sector for extracting… “Mark Scholz, president of the Canadian Association of Energy Contractors, told reporters late last year including enhanced oil recovery in carbon capture credits was a “game-changer” for the industry and would put Canada in a much better competitive position for investment compared to the U.S.”
Canadian Press: Canada is getting a sovereign wealth fund. What does that mean and how do they work?
Abby Hughes, 4/27/26
“Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the creation of the country’s first-ever sovereign wealth fund on Monday, called the Canada Strong Fund. Carney pitched the new fund as a way for Canadians to invest in nation-building projects in areas that include energy, infrastructure, mining, agriculture and technology,” the Canadian Press reports. “...The standard objective is to invest wisely in assets, such as stocks, bonds and real estate, and earn a good rate of return to grow the fund and bolster public finances… “Norway’s sovereign wealth fund has grown into the world’s largest, valued at roughly $2 trillion. It took revenue from North Sea oil production and invested it outside the country in financial assets such as bonds and equity stakes… “Persian Gulf states use their sovereign funds to diversify outside of the fossil fuel industry, insulating them from economic developments such as oil price swings… “Canada’s new fund will be managed by a Crown corporation that will invest in “strategic” domestic projects — in areas such as advanced manufacturing, energy and mining — along with companies, according to a government background document... “The new Canadian sovereign wealth fund also has a specific mandate to invest in domestic projects.”
TradeWinds: Canadian Nation presses IMO on compensation for devastating 2016 oil spill
Gary Dixon, 4/27/26
“Canada’s Heiltsuk Nation has taken its fight for compensation for a 2016 oil spill to the International Maritime Organization,” TradeWinds reports. “Tribal leaders made the journey from their community on the western coast of Canada to London this month to press their case. The Heiltsuk’s traditional way of life was disrupted nearly 10 years ago when US owner Kirby Corp’s 2,600-bhp tug Nathan E Stewart (built 2001) and the barge DBL 55 ran aground on Edge Reef.”
Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA): Why EU countries should avoid carbon capture for gas power plants
Andrew Reid, 4/29/26
“Decarbonising gas power plants with carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a high-risk strategy in the EU, given the unproven track record, high costs, long development timelines and infrastructure constraints,” according to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA). “...The UK’s sole under-construction gas power with CCS plant demonstrates the scale of subsidy requirements for first‑of‑a‑kind projects. UK electricity consumers will pay for most of the £23 billion in subsidies supporting this project. Using hydrogen as a fuel to decarbonise gas power plants remains technically immature and materially more expensive than CCS. On a levelised cost of electricity basis, it can be 10 times more costly… “Despite this, there are currently few gas‑fired power stations in the EU that officially plan to use or retrofit carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology. This reflects the lack of commercial-scale gas CCS plants anywhere in the world as well as the underperformance of CCS projects for other applications in terms of capture rates, cost and delivery timelines… “Some EU Member States with high levels of gas generation are actively pursuing hydrogen strategies, planning to retrofit existing methane‑based power generation facilities to use hydrogen blends or full hydrogen combustion. But the hydrogen market remains in its infancy. Using hydrogen as a fuel to decarbonise gas power plants is a materially more expensive option than adding CCS. Taken together, these factors raise the risk that the EU, faced with ongoing dispatchable power requirements and the cost and immaturity of hydrogen markets, may increasingly seek to extend CCS use for gas power plants. Given the high cost, technical immaturity and general failure of CCS projects globally to date, this presents a high-risk and expensive option at the expense of cheaper, technically proven renewable energy solutions.”
Carbon Herald: IEEFA Warns EU Against Costly Bet On CCS In Power Sector
Violet George, 4/29/26
“EU countries are being urged to think carefully before backing carbon capture and storage (CCS) for gas-fired power, as new analysis points to significant financial and technical risks. According to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), the UK’s heavy public support for a flagship CCS power project illustrates the scale of commitment required and the uncertainty surrounding returns,” the Carbon Herald reports. “The UK government has allocated £23 billion ($31 billion) in support for the Net Zero Teesside project, which aims to combine gas-fired generation with carbon capture technology. Much of this cost is expected to be borne by electricity consumers. Despite the scale of investment, the facility is projected to contribute only a small fraction of the country’s long-term carbon capture targets, raising questions about cost-effectiveness… “IEEFA highlights several structural challenges. Europe currently lacks operational examples of CCS integrated with gas-fired power, leaving the technology without a proven track record in this application. At the same time, high capital and operational costs mean projects are unlikely to proceed without sustained subsidies… “Infrastructure gaps add further uncertainty. A continent-wide CO2 transport network has yet to materialise, and questions remain around the long-term viability and safety of storage sites, particularly offshore… “Against this backdrop, analysts argue that reducing reliance on gas-fired generation altogether is likely to offer a more reliable and cost-effective route to emissions reduction.”
TODAY IN GREENWASHING
Business Journal Daily: Enbridge Gas Ohio Donates $10K to Oh Wow
4/28/26
“Enbridge Gas Ohio has awarded a $10,000 grant to Oh Wow! The Roger & Gloria Jones Children’s Center for Science & Technology,” according to Business Journal Daily. “The money will support the organization’s community science festival, Silly Science Sunday… “The Enbridge Gas Ohio grant will help make it possible to offer free admission to more than 3,000 attendees… “By investing in the Oh Wow science festival, we’re not only preparing young people for the STEM jobs of tomorrow, we’re strengthening the future of the greater Youngstown area,” said Rusty Harris, president of Enbridge Gas Ohio and North Carolina, told the Daily.”
OPINION
The Conversation: As Arctic waters open up, Canada must prepare for oil spills
Chunjiang An, Associate Professor, Building, Civil, and Environmental Engineering, Concordia University, 4/27/26
“Canada’s Arctic is opening faster than protection efforts are keeping pace. As sea ice declines, shipping is expanding across Arctic and sub-Arctic waters. That may bring economic opportunities, but it also raises the risk of fuel spills and other pollution in some of the most fragile coastal environments on Earth. The real question is no longer whether the Arctic is at risk. It’s whether Canada is ready for the kind of spill response these places actually require. The answer is: not yet,” Chunjiang An writes for The Conversation. “...Arctic shorelines aren’t easy places to clean up. Oil does not behave the same way in icy, remote and cold environments as it does in warmer waters. It can be trapped by sea ice, pushed onto shorelines, mixed into snow or persist in sediments and coastal habitats that recover very slowly. Cleanup is also harder because responders, vessels and equipment may have to travel long distances, often with limited local infrastructure. Even methods that work elsewhere can become far less effective once ice, cold temperatures and remoteness are part of the picture… “Canada needs better shoreline vulnerability mapping for Arctic and sub-Arctic regions… “Second, we need a better grasp of how oil moves and changes in Arctic coastal areas… “Third, we need cleanup tools designed for these environments, not borrowed from somewhere else and assumed to work… “Most importantly, Canada’s Arctic cannot adequately prepare for spills without Indigenous partnership at the centre of planning… “If Canada wants to open up its Arctic waters to more shipping, it must also prepare for accidents. That means investing in prevention, local capacity, science, Indigenous partnership and region-specific cleanup tools before the next major spill happens, not after.”