EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 5/29/26
PIPELINE NEWS
Reuters: Canada’s South Bow flags need for ‘durable’ US permit before Keystone XL pipeline restart
Globe and Mail: Canada, U.S. must do more to remove political risks around pipeline permits, South Bow CEO says
Press release: South Bow Announces Successful Open Season
Bloomberg: California Loses Bid to Block Sable Oil Pipeline Under Park
News Channel Nebraska: CO2 Pipeline discussion packs Boone County meeting
Drilled: Season 15 Episode 3: The Brazilian Midwest
Salt Lake Tribune: Once-bankrupt Wyoming pipeline could get a boost from massive Utah data center
The State: Pipeline company takes SC property owners to court; seeks access to their land
New York Times: Greenpeace’s Long War With a Pipeline Titan Enters a Strange New Phase
Natural Gas Intelligence: Northern Natural Gas Pipeline Expansion Would Beef Up Iowa, Nebraska Capacity
Bloomberg: Alberta Oil Pipeline to Cost Sector $73 Billion, Imperial Says
Bloomberg: Trans Mountain Plans Second Open Season for Pipeline Expansion
CBC: Atco awaits green light to build $2.9B natural gas pipeline across west-central Alberta
WKBN: City sues Enbridge, others, over deadly Realty Building explosion
Pipeline & Gas Journal: Williams: Pipelines, Not Supply, Could Limit U.S. LNG Growth
Lakeland Today: TC Energy builds infrastructure in the Lakeland region
KTTV: LA River oil spill contained as cleanup efforts continue
WDAM: Local firefighters train on CO2 pipeline emergency response
WASHINGTON UPDATES
E&E News: DOE moves to sunset ‘outdated’ regulations
E&E News: California Dems ask oil company to hand over DOE communications
Raw Story: ‘Gaslighting 101’: Three-time Trump voter appalled as admin spreads ‘laughable’ rumors
E&E News: Fossil fuel industry engaged in ‘judicial influence,’ climate lawyers tell Republicans
STATE UPDATES
NJ.com: Oil giants could owe N.J. $50B for pollution — but the industry says it’s a crazy cash grab
Virginia Mercury: SELC appeals to state supreme court over SCC approval of Dominion’s Chesterfield gas plant
E&E News: Three-judge panel lets Alaska regulators publish ConocoPhillips’ well data
Bakersfield Californian: Data center in west Kern would likely tap nearby power plant, carbon storage
Kewanee Voice: Take our survey on Big River/Lapis carbon capture project
EXTRACTION
Pipeline & Gas Journal: Cheniere Locks In $4.69 Billion Sabine Pass Expansion Contract
OPINION
Legal Planet: America the Beautiful — Not Beautification Projects
PIPELINE NEWS
Reuters: Canada’s South Bow flags need for ‘durable’ US permit before Keystone XL pipeline restart
Amanda Stephenson, 5/28/26
“Canadian pipeline operator South Bow needs proof that a U.S. presidential permit is “durable” before proceeding with a partial revival of the Keystone XL oil pipeline, the company’s CEO said on Thursday,” Reuters reports. “Bevin Wirzba told a crowd at the Energy Roundtable conference in Calgary that his company remains keenly aware of what he called “sovereign risk,” or the possibility that a government unilaterally moves to block or halt the construction of the company’s proposed 550,000-barrel-per-day Prairie Connector crude oil pipeline. “We lost, historically, a presidential permit across the border,” Wirzba said, referring to the previous Keystone XL project, which was canceled by former President Joe Biden in 2021 after years of environmental and Indigenous opposition. “So we still need to solve that sovereign risk, and we’re working on that within the United States and Canada.” “...TC Energy lost billions when Keystone XL was cancelled, and U.S. legislators have since been working to reduce the risk political reversals pose to energy companies and projects. One bill, which has not yet become law, would explicitly prohibit a president from revoking cross-border pipeline permits without congressional approval. This and other developments are positive steps, but do not yet provide “complete durability” for the South Bow project’s permit, Wirzba said.”
Globe and Mail: Canada, U.S. must do more to remove political risks around pipeline permits, South Bow CEO says
Emma Graney, 5/28/26
“Canada and the United States must do more to remove political risks around pipeline permitting, the head of South Bow Ltd. says, as the company finalizes a call for volume commitments on its planned Prairie Connector line,” the Globe and Mail reports. “If built, South Bow’s Prairie Connector pipeline would largely follow the route of the proposed Keystone XL line and carry roughly 450,000 barrels of oil each day from Hardisty, Alta., to the U.S. border… “Bevin Wirzba, chief executive of Calgary-based South Bow, declined to go into significant detail about Prairie Connector on Thursday, 24 hours before the company’s deadline to determine whether it has enough commercial support to advance the project… “That can only happen if the federal and Alberta governments develop policies and regulations that encourage the investment needed to fund growth, he said. And those conditions are necessary before South Bow can make final investment decisions on allocating capital to its own projects… “In the case of pipelines, however, he said, the risk remains that a new government on either side of the border could nix a project... “But Prairie Connector customers would be looking at 20-year commitments, so it’s important to address what he called “sovereign risk,” or the likelihood of government action killing a project. Under new rules in the U.S. passed in September, a new president cannot revoke any such permit without the approval of Congress. The Promoting Cross-Border Energy Infrastructure Act also streamlines permitting for oil, gas and electricity infrastructure at international borders. “That’s a big step forward,” Mr. Wirzba said, but it doesn’t completely guarantee durability of the key cross-border permits, making it difficult to allocate capital to pipeline projects that straddle the two countries.”
Press release: South Bow Announces Successful Open Season
5/29/26
“South Bow Corp. announces the successful outcome of its open season, which closed on March 30, 2026, securing 20-year binding commitments for firm transportation service from Hardisty, Alta., to U.S. delivery points. South Bow will continue advancing its proposed Prairie Connector project toward a final investment decision (FID), targeted for mid-2027, while strictly adhering to the Company’s risk preferences and capital allocation priorities. Next steps include acquiring remaining permits and government assurances for permit durability, advancing execution plans, finalizing cost estimates, engaging with communities, landowners, Indigenous groups, and other stakeholders, and securing financing. The FID will be subject to the satisfaction of these activities. The Company will provide more details regarding expected pre-FID activities and spending profile as part of its second-quarter 2026 disclosures. “Achieving strong commercial support in the open season marks another critical milestone for our proposed Prairie Connector project and underscores the ongoing need for market access for Western Canadian crude oil to key demand and refining markets,” said Bevin Wirzba, South Bow’s chief executive officer. “We appreciate the significant commitment and confidence from our customers and look forward to advancing this project to support growth in secure and reliable Canadian energy.”
Bloomberg: California Loses Bid to Block Sable Oil Pipeline Under Park
Taylor Mills, 5/28/26
“Sable Offshore Corp. survived California’s bid to block the company from moving oil through an underground pipeline after a federal judge ruled Thursday the operation doesn’t imminently harm the environment,” Bloomberg reports. “The state’s safety concerns around the infrastructure in a section of the pipeline that runs beneath Gaviota State Park weren’t enough to warrant a preliminary injunction, the US District Court for the Central District of California ruled. Judge Stephen V. Wilson, a Reagan appointee, didn’t rule on whether the Defense Production Act order to restart the Las Flores pipeline system over California’s regulatory blocks was lawful… “State Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) has brought other challenges in federal district courts and the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit against the company and federal restart efforts.”
News Channel Nebraska: CO2 Pipeline discussion packs Boone County meeting
Tyler Murphy, 5/27/26
“A packed room of concerned citizens jammed the Boone County Commissioners meeting Wednesday morning to voice concerns over property rights, local economics, and public safety,” News Channel Nebraska reports. “The discussion follows developer Summit Carbon Solutions’ adjusted multi-state pipeline route, which cuts directly across Nebraska to transport ethanol waste to Wyoming… “Opponents, citing a 2020 pipeline rupture in Mississippi that hospitalized dozens, say the risk of an invisible, odorless gas leak is too high. “The safest pipeline is no pipeline at all,” said resident of Wayne county Shelli Meyer. “But it has to have restrictions, like setbacks from cities, towns, schools, hospitals. It’s different than oil or natural gas because you can’t see it, it’s odorless, and it will be a plume.” “...The benefits to me far outweigh what danger there might be,” said Holt County Planning & Zoning Administrator Marv Fritz… ”He claims the pipeline represents a calculated but necessary risk for rural Nebraska’s survival… “Boone County commissioners are taking all public comments into consideration before holding an official vote on that moratorium later this summer.”
Drilled: Season 15 Episode 3: The Brazilian Midwest
5/29/26
“Industrial agriculture has wrapped itself in a green cloak in Mato Grosso, promising jobs, money and endless opportunities, all in the name of “sustainability.” But the good times are only happening for a select few. Local residents are dealing with extreme weather, lack of access to fresh food, and a pesticide overload that has increased the risk of birth defects and lowered lifespans,” Drilled reports. “...Last summer, we went to the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso to get a better feel for Bruce Rastetter’s Brazilian partners. One of the first things we wanted to understand, because it’s at the center of their US operations too, is how they’re handling land in Brazil… “Thanks to Bruce’s powerful Brazilian partners, he’s been able to get things going more easily here than back home. In December 2025, three months after Brazilian government officials visited Bruce in the US, the Brazilian Development Bank released $78 million to fund FS’s carbon storage project in Lucas do Rio Verde.”
Salt Lake Tribune: Once-bankrupt Wyoming pipeline could get a boost from massive Utah data center
Samantha Moilanen, 5/28/26
“For more than a decade, the Ruby Pipeline has carried natural gas across the West, cutting through northern Utah with little public attention. Now, the 683-mile pipeline has been thrust into the spotlight after developers touted it as a key piece of a project that could turn a remote Box Elder County valley into one of the nation’s largest energy and data center hubs,” the Salt Lake Tribune reports. “State backers and developers have described the pipeline as a “catalyst,” saying it could fuel on-site natural gas generation needed to power energy-intensive artificial intelligence facilities at a proposed “hyperscale” data center and energy campus backed by celebrity investor Kevin O’Leary and Utah’s Military Installation Development Authority. The data center project, however, has quickly drawn widespread opposition across the Beehive State, fueled by concerns over what the project could mean for air quality, water resources and the already stressed ecosystem around the Great Salt Lake. The pipeline’s renewed attention comes years after the company that owned it filed for bankruptcy following the expiration of long-term shipping contracts, court records show, and a financial downturn that reshaped how much of its capacity was being used. However, Vladimir Dvorkin, a power systems professor at the University of Michigan, told the Tribune the massive data center project could effectively breathe new life into the pipeline by tapping some of its unused capacity.”
The State: Pipeline company takes SC property owners to court; seeks access to their land
Sammy Fretwell, 5/28/26
“A company planning a natural gas pipeline through the Lowcountry has taken more than 60 South Carolina property owners to court, seeking approval to survey their land for possible use when pipes are laid to serve a new power plant,” The State reports. “Elba Express LLC, a division of pipeline company Kinder Morgan, is asking a state court to prevent people from blocking company surveyors from their property in Hampton and Colleton counties. At least 75 cases involving more than 60 landowners have been filed with a circuit serving the two counties, court records show. Kinder Morgan is seeking to route a gas pipeline from a major connection in Georgia to a planned 2,200 megawatt natural gas plant in the Canadys community. Similar court action has been filed in Georgia seeking access to more than 20 property owners’ land along the pipeline route, records show. Some landowners have not allowed Elba Express workers onto their property to conduct surveys, while others have failed to respond to written requests for access. Some cite an infringement on private property rights. Some worry about the disruption they believe a pipeline would cause on farms and woodlands… “Crapse worries about the disruption a pipeline would cause, particularly for a natural gas power plant he’s not persuaded is necessary. “I’ve got fields that have irrigation pipes; I’ve got power lines down in the ground,’’ he said. “I just don’t know what it’s going to entail.’’ Those are legitimate concerns, said the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy’s Eddy Moore. Kinder Morgan says it only wants to survey the land, but that’s the early stages of possibly condemning people’s property for the pipeline, said Moore, a critic of the natural gas plant and pipeline project. Tonya Bonitatibus, who runs the Savannah Riverkeeper organization, said Kinder Morgan is putting too much pressure on landowners who own scenic, environmentally sensitive land in Georgia and South Carolina.”
New York Times: Greenpeace’s Long War With a Pipeline Titan Enters a Strange New Phase
Karen Zraick, 5/28/26
“Can a court in one country really control what’s done in another country’s courtroom? The decade-long clash between Greenpeace and the American pipeline company Energy Transfer entered a strange new phase this month when a state court in North Dakota barred Greenpeace International, which is based in Europe, from making certain claims against Energy Transfer in a Dutch court,” the New York Times reports. “It’s notable because, of course, North Dakota law doesn’t apply in the Netherlands… “In its ruling this month, the Supreme Court didn’t go as far as Energy Transfer had asked — it didn’t call for Greenpeace to withdraw its Dutch lawsuit. However, it ordered the North Dakota trial court to reverse an earlier decision and issue an injunction to block Greenpeace from pursuing any claim in the Netherlands that the North Dakota trial lacked legal foundation or was “manifestly unfounded.” “...Greenpeace International told the Times it was undeterred and would press on with the case. It told the Times it would revise the suit to focus on other allegations, including that Energy Transfer’s case was abusive, if not “manifestly unfounded,” as well as out-of-court defamation and claims over a previously dismissed federal lawsuit. The court’s order was “an inconvenience, but it’s not a showstopper,” Daniel Simons, Greenpeace International’s senior legal counsel for strategic defense, told the Times. The group has also submitted a petition to the North Dakota Supreme Court to reconsider the injunction.”
Natural Gas Intelligence: Northern Natural Gas Pipeline Expansion Would Beef Up Iowa, Nebraska Capacity
Andrew Baker, 5/28/26
“The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is seeking public comments on a proposed expansion of the Northern Natural Gas (NNG) interstate system as Midwest markets drive a need for pipeline growth,” Natural Gas Intelligence reports.
Bloomberg: Alberta Oil Pipeline to Cost Sector $73 Billion, Imperial Says
Robert Tuttle, 5/28/26
“Alberta’s proposed million-barrel-a-day pipeline to the British Columbia coast will require Canada’s oil industry to invest more than C$100 billion ($72.5 billion), the chief executive officer of Imperial Oil Ltd. says,” Bloomberg reports. “Industry will need to invest capital in growing production to fill the new line, make shipping commitments, as well as invest in a carbon capture project mandated by the federal government, John Whelan said at the Energy Roundtable conference in Calgary. The total cost is “north of a hundred billion dollars that we will need to attract to this industry,” he said. “Now I think we can do that, but that’s kind of scale of what we’re talking about.” “...Alberta’s preferred northwest route faces stiff pushback from Indigenous groups in BC as well as the province’s Premier David Eby. The project may also require a lifting of a moratorium on oil tankers if the pipeline goes to the northern BC coast, which Smith wants. Construction could start late next year, the government has said.”
Bloomberg: Trans Mountain Plans Second Open Season for Pipeline Expansion
Robert Tuttle, 5/28/26
“Trans Mountain Corp. plans a second open season this summer for energy firms to secure long-term capacity on the sole oil pipeline running from Alberta to the British Columbia coast, the company’s chief executive says,” Bloomberg reports. “The first open season on the government-owned pipeline system is happening now and will increase to 90% from 80% the amount of the line’s capacity that’s under long-term contracts, Mark Maki told Bloomberg. The second open season is planned for July and will allow companies to sign up for about 72,000 barrels a day of a planned 90,000 barrel a day of new capacity created by the use of drag reducing agents, chemicals that speed up the flow of oil in the pipeline. The July open season will be done “quickly,” he told Bloomberg. “We’ve already pre-ordered equipment for that project, so we can conceivably have it done before Q1 of 2027.” The Trans Mountain pipeline has allowed Canadian oil producers to ship significant volumes of oil to Asia, lessening the country’s near total dependence on the US as a customer. As part of a push to diversify exports away from the US and increase energy production, the federal government and Alberta have signed agreements to propose a new million-barrel-a-day pipeline to the British Columbia coast and speed up approvals of major projects.”
CBC: Atco awaits green light to build $2.9B natural gas pipeline across west-central Alberta
Maggie Kirk, 5/28/26
“An Alberta energy company is waiting for the final approval to begin building a 235-kilometre pipeline to move natural gas from west-central Alberta to the Industrial Heartland near Edmonton,” the CBC reports. “Atco’s proposed $2.9-billion Yellowhead pipeline would start at a new compression site in the hamlet of Peers, about 175 kilometres west of Edmonton, and finish in the hydrocarbon processing region near Fort Saskatchewan, Alta… “Atco has said the pipeline is needed to service the fast-growing northern part of the province in the face of growing demand for power generation, manufacturing, petrochemical processing and residential use… “Cann said it would directly impact 400 landowners in Yellowhead County, Lac Ste. Anne County, Sturgeon County, Parkland County and the Greater Edmonton area, and an additional 500 adjacent landowners… “Cann told council members that Atco has finalized 90 per cent of the land agreements. The rest are either in the process of finalizing the agreement or are outright rejecting the project on their land. “There is some chance though that there [are] a few folks that are just not interested in the pipeline route being on their property,” said Cann. “And then we have to go through the Land and Property Rights Tribunal process.” “...For the 10 per cent of landowners who have not signed agreements and oppose the pipeline, Bell’s advice would be to co-ordinate with their neighbours and make sure they stay informed.”
WKBN: City sues Enbridge, others, over deadly Realty Building explosion
Joe Gorman, 5/28/26
“The City of Youngstown this week filed suit against several companies they say are responsible for the deadly Realty Building explosion downtown,” WKBN reports. “The suit filed in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court names Enbridge Gas Ohio and a dozen other subsidiaries, as well as local property management groups Yo Properties 47, LY Property Management, LLC and Greenheart Companies, LLC… “The city said in its filing that negligence on the part of Enbridge as well as the others named in the suit led to the May 28, 2024, explosion of the 47 E. Federal St. building that killed a man who was an employee of a bank inside the building. Several other people were also hospitalized because of the explosion… “The suit says the gas line exploded because of negligence in maintenance, record-keeping and monitoring.”
Pipeline & Gas Journal: Williams: Pipelines, Not Supply, Could Limit U.S. LNG Growth
5/28/26
“Pipeline infrastructure and permitting delays could become the biggest obstacles to the next phase of U.S. LNG expansion, even as domestic natural gas supply remains abundant, according to comments from Williams executives at the Offshore Technology Conference,” Pipeline & Gas Journal reports.” Williams executives said the U.S. continues to hold a competitive advantage in global energy markets because of its large, low-cost natural gas supply base. However, the company argued that expanding pipeline and storage capacity will be critical to delivering reliable feedgas supplies to Gulf Coast LNG export terminals as demand grows through the decade… “Williams said maintaining the country’s cost advantage will depend on whether pipeline infrastructure and permitting processes can keep pace with demand growth.”
Lakeland Today: TC Energy builds infrastructure in the Lakeland region
Michelle Pinon, 5/28/26
“The recent completion of TC Energy’s Leming Lake Sales Lateral Loop projects supports economic growth in the region, according to information from the company,” Lakeland Today reports. “In a May 5 news release, TC Energy said it has brought the two projects into service ahead of schedule and under budget, connecting Alberta’s oil sands with natural gas, supporting the regional economy and delivering more than $18 million in sub-contracts to Indigenous and local businesses. Located near Lac La Biche and northwest of Bonnyville, the projects added 35 kilometres of new pipeline adjacent to the Natural Gas Transmission Line system.”
KTTV: LA River oil spill contained as cleanup efforts continue
Mario Ramirez, 5/27/26
“A major cleanup operation remains underway days after a ruptured crude oil pipeline in East Los Angeles sent thousands of gallons of oil into storm drains and the Los Angeles River,” KTTV reports. “...Los Angeles County Public Health said in its latest update that the ruptured pipeline near Cesar Chavez Avenue and Eastern Avenue has been shut down, with repairs ongoing. Officials said the leak is no longer actively releasing crude oil into the streets, though a small amount of seepage may still occur at the original pipe break area as crews continue repairs. On Wednesday, nearly 11 miles south of the original leak site, near Alondra Boulevard along the Los Angeles River in the Compton/Paramount area, crews were seen actively searching the riverbed for remaining oil, replacing used oil-absorbent booms, and removing oil-soaked cleanup equipment… “Public health officials are advising residents who smell odors to close windows and doors, turn off ventilation systems or air conditioners that pull in outside air, and limit time outdoors until the smell passes. Officials warned petroleum odors could trigger headaches, nausea, dizziness, eye or throat irritation, and breathing issues, including asthma symptoms, but said brief exposure is not expected to cause long-term health effects for most people based on current information.”
WDAM: Local firefighters train on CO2 pipeline emergency response
Delaney Dukes, 5/28/26
“Firefighters from Forrest, Jones, and Covington counties came together for a pipeline and carbon dioxide emergency response training class provided by ExxonMobil, aimed at strengthening preparedness for potential incidents involving CO2 pipelines,” WDAM reports “The training focused on educating local emergency responders on the company’s CO2 pipeline systems and the procedures they would follow in the event of an emergency… “This is an important training for us to have for our region, really, for all of our partners, our mutual aid partners, because we have a large concentration of natural gas pipelines in our area,” Macedonia Volunteer Fire Department Chief Austin Extine told WDANM… “Departments from all three counties participated, reinforcing a coordinated regional approach to emergency response planning.”
WASHINGTON UPDATES
E&E News: DOE moves to sunset ‘outdated’ regulations
Christa Marshall, 5/29/26
“The Department of Energy issued a direct final rule Thursday adding “sunset” provisions to more than 20 rules on everything from nuclear power to greenhouse gas reporting guidelines,” E&E News reports. “The plan, the result of an executive order last year from President Donald Trump, aims to streamline regulations that the administration says are holding back innovation and raising costs. Critics charged the move bypasses the public comment process and hinders public safety. The rule sets a conditional date for each listed regulation, after which it would expire. DOE could extend the sunset date up to five years, according to a Federal Register notice. “If DOE does not extend a particular regulation before its conditional sunset date, that regulation will … cease to be enforceable and will be removed from the Code of Federal Regulations,” the rule said.”
E&E News: California Dems ask oil company to hand over DOE communications
Noah Baustin, 5/28/26
“The Trump administration helped an offshore oil company restart production over the objection of state leaders. Now, a coalition of 11 congressional California Democrats is asking that firm to fork over its communications with federal officials,” E&E News reports. “What happened: Sen. Adam Schiff and Rep. Salud Carbajal are leading an inquiry into the Department of Energy’s decision to invoke emergency powers to get Sable Offshore Corp. to begin shipping oil from its platforms off the California coast. The coalition sent a letter on Wednesday to Sable CEO Jim Flores accusing his company of having ‘disregard for California law.’ The coalition requested that the company disclose all of its communications with the DOE where it requested the federal agency invoke the Defense Production Act, the tool the Trump administration ultimately used to muscle past state roadblocks. The Democrats also demanded that the company preserve a slew of records related to the saga.”
Raw Story: ‘Gaslighting 101’: Three-time Trump voter appalled as admin spreads ‘laughable’ rumors
Travis Gettys, 5/29/26
“There’s scant evidence to support claims by tech billionaires and the Trump administration that local backlash against massive data centers is being orchestrated by China and other foreign nations — and those conspiracy theories have only served to embolden opponents, according to a report,” Raw Story reports. “Kevin O’Leary, the Canadian billionaire and ‘Shark Tank’ personality, has claimed ‘nefarious’ Chinese-linked investors were fueling protests against a proposed 40,000-acre data center he wants to build in northwestern Utah, and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum amplified those claims about ‘foreign-directed propaganda’ on Fox Business… “Several think tanks aligned with the tech industry and the Trump administration have issued reports in recent weeks alleging that data center opposition is a coordinated, foreign-funded campaign. But the reports offer little direct evidence, pointing instead to overseas philanthropic grants received by U.S. environmental groups — organizations that typically devote only a small fraction of their resources to data center issues… “A Gallup survey conducted earlier this year found that overwhelming majorities of Americans oppose data center construction in their communities, suggesting the industry faces a far broader credibility problem than foreign interference could explain.”
E&E News: Fossil fuel industry engaged in ‘judicial influence,’ climate lawyers tell Republicans
Lesley Clark, 5/29/26
“House Republicans have spent years investigating alleged efforts to influence the federal judges who preside over climate lawsuits that could cost the fossil fuel industry billions of dollars,” E&E News reports. “That influence campaign is happening — but it’s oil and gas companies engaged in ‘direct and extensive efforts at judicial influence,’ according to a law firm that represents local governments suing oil and gas giants. In a letter obtained by POLITICO’s E&E News, an attorney representing California-based Sher Edling told House Judiciary Republicans that any “real enterprise to ‘influence federal judges’ comes not from my client, but overwhelmingly from defendants and their lawyers on the other side.” “...In it, he said a judicial education program run by the Law and Economics Center at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia School of Law is “where the committee should look regarding efforts to bias federal judges as to climate-related litigation.” “...The letter marks the latest broadside in a high-stakes legal and political battle over a swath of lawsuits brought by more than two dozen city and state governments seeking to hold oil and gas producers financially accountable for climate change.”
STATE UPDATES
NJ.com: Oil giants could owe N.J. $50B for pollution — but the industry says it’s a crazy cash grab
Jelani Gibson, 5/27/26
“A bill introduced in the state Legislature would require fossil fuel companies to pay billions of dollars for pollution in New Jersey, but the proposal is drawing stiff opposition from business groups,” NJ.com reports. “The measure, S2338/A3735, would require fossil fuel companies to make retroactive payments to the state to help cover the cost of infrastructure improvements tied to climate change. Supporters argue that making the payments retroactive — rather than forward-looking — would prevent costs from being passed on to consumers as a recurring charge. But critics say costs would go up for consumers either way. The proposed law would apply to pollution dating back to 1995. If passed, supporters estimate the measure could bring as much as $50 billion to New Jersey over 20 years… “All we are asking is for the companies that caused this damage to pay their share,” Collazos‑Gill, a sponsor of the Assembly bill, told NJ.com. “These companies are not going to go broke doing it. They will keep making money.” Haider agreed, pointing to the increasing costs communities face for building projects tied to climate change. “We are paying for roads and infrastructure damage that they caused, and they aren’t hurting for money,” Haider told NJ.com. Activists backing the legislation say it would help communities that have long borne the brunt of pollution and climate‑driven damage… “The bill has been introduced in the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee. It must clear committees in both chambers, pass full votes in the Assembly and Senate and be signed by the governor to become law.”
Virginia Mercury: SELC appeals to state supreme court over SCC approval of Dominion’s Chesterfield gas plant
Shannon Heckt, 5/27/26
“The Southern Environmental Law Center, representing the Chesterfield County branch of the NAACP, Appalachian Voices, and Mothers Out Front, on Wednesday filed an appeal with the Supreme Court of Virginia over state regulators’ approval of Dominion Energy’s Chesterfield Energy Reliability Center (CERC), a gas peaker plant fiercely opposed by the groups and residents that’s slated to be completed in 2029,” the Virginia Mercury reports. “...The groups appealing the decision previously appealed to the SCC and asked regulators to reconsider their decision to approve the project because it would violate the Virginia Clean Economy Act. That law mandates Dominion retire carbon-emitting energy production by 2045, with exceptions. They also argued that the emissions from the plant would subject surrounding neighborhoods to health-harming pollution tantamount to environmental injustice. The SCC rejected that appeal, stating that Dominion had clearly explained the need for the plant, that the company would not be in violation of the VCEA, and that the air permit granted to the facility would not have disproportionate impacts on the surrounding community. The latest filing with the state Supreme Court asks justices to reconsider the SCC’s finding that the gas plant does not violate the Virginia Environmental Justice Act.”
E&E News: Three-judge panel lets Alaska regulators publish ConocoPhillips’ well data
Niina H. Farah, 5/29/26
“A federal appeals court is allowing Alaska regulators to publicly disclose data about ConocoPhillips’ oil and gas wells in the state’s National Petroleum Reserve, reversing a ruling from a lower bench,” E&E News reports. “...Alaska state law requires oil companies to seek permits to drill for oil and to disclose information about the wells to the AOGCC. State regulators must keep companies’ well information confidential for 24 months but can then make the data public to bolster future oil and gas development. ConocoPhillips claimed this system ran afoul of the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act, risking exposing trade secrets and hurting the company’s economic interests… “Placing well data in the public record allows competing companies to evaluate different exploration concepts or interpretations based on seismic data that, without well data, are just educated guesses.”
Bakersfield Californian: Data center in west Kern would likely tap nearby power plant, carbon storage
John Cox, 5/28/26
“A local oil producer’s proposal to develop a data center in western Kern County is part of a larger discussion of how to integrate the region’s power generation, carbon storage assets, natural gas reservoirs and available land,” the Bakersfield Californian reports. “...Discussions still underway between the two companies are said to have explored the possibility of developing a data center at either CRC property in Elk Hills or Alberta-based Capital Power’s land in McKittrick — possibly both. In either scenario, waste carbon dioxide would be sent for permanent injection at a pair of depleted oil and gas wells CRC owns in Elk Hills. “We think it’s a very compelling one-stop shop opportunity,” CRC President and CEO Francisco Leon told analysts during a May 6 conference call. He emphasized the company’s ability to “permit, deliver firm gas supply, offer available land adjacent to existing infrastructure and pair it all with CCS,” which stands for carbon capture and sequestration, a climate action that buries greenhouse gas… “Having nearby access to ample land and renewable energy infrastructure may benefit other data center proposals, including one in eastern Kern County, but few can also boast close proximity to CCS capacity and natural gas reservoirs.”
Kewanee Voice: Take our survey on Big River/Lapis carbon capture project
5/28/26
“Galva residents have recently raised concerns about a carbon capture and sequestration project proposed in partnership by Big River Resources and Lapis Carbon Solutions,” the Kewanee Voice reports. “The plan calls for capturing carbon dioxide from the ethanol plant’s emissions before it is released into the atmosphere. The CO₂ would then be liquefied and injected deep underground into the Mount Simon Sandstone formation beneath Galva. One local nurse has questioned whether Galva’s emergency services are prepared for a potential CO₂‑related incident. Other residents have voiced concerns about groundwater safety, long‑term environmental impacts and the effect the project could have on property values. Some residents have also raised questions about transparency from city officials regarding an agreement that would allow Lapis to use city‑owned land for carbon storage. While Lapis and Big River have said they intend to be transparent about the project, many residents remain skeptical and say they want clearer information. We invite readers to share their views on the issue by taking our short community survey. It includes five questions and takes only a few minutes to complete. Responses will help us better understand how area residents view the project and what concerns they want addressed.”
EXTRACTION
Pipeline & Gas Journal: Cheniere Locks In $4.69 Billion Sabine Pass Expansion Contract
5/28/26
“Cheniere Energy Partners has signed an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) agreement with Bechtel for the first phase of its Sabine Pass LNG expansion project in Louisiana, advancing plans to add new liquefaction capacity at the export terminal,” Pipeline & Gas Journal reports. “The contract is valued at $4.69 billion, according to a filing on May 28 with the Securities and Exchange Commission.”
OPINION
Legal Planet: America the Beautiful — Not Beautification Projects
Evan George is Director of Communications for the UCLA Emmett Institute, a leading environmental law center, 5/28/26
“...Your entrance fee may end up paying for some of Trump’s ridiculous beautification projects back in Washington D.C., Evan George writes for Legal Planet. “A New York Times analysis of federal records by Maxine Joselow and Andrea Fuller found that nearly $60 million in fees paid by visitors to national parks across the country is funding repairs to nine of the capital’s ornamental fountains. “The government is putting another $7 million worth of entrance fees toward the renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, which costs $13.1 million overall, according to an internal Park Service document reviewed by The Times.” That’s right, while our public lands and parks continue to go underfunded and understaffed, the Department of the Interior is diverting millions of dollars to paint the reflecting pool electric blue ahead of America’s Semiquincentennial. This is America the Beautification Project not America the Beautiful.”