EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 6/26/26
PIPELINE NEWS
Reuters: US regulator approves Mountain Valley Southgate pipeline construction in North Carolina
Public News Service: Public comment deadline for Michigan Line 5 project draws near
States Newsroom: Ashland residents protest Line 5 construction’s use of Lake Superior water
Wisconsin Public Radio: Wisconsin DOJ announces $275K settlement with Enbridge over 2019 spill
Alaska Beacon: Confidential document guided Alaska senators working on natural gas pipeline tax break
Chatham Journal: In the Chatham County pipeline fight, farmland rights become the next battleground
Texas Tribune: Tensions with landowners rise as a raft of gas pipelines push through Texas properties
Center for Biological Diversity: Louisiana OKs Massive New Offshore Gulf Pipeline Despite Health, Oil Spill Risks
Reuters: SpaceX plans to build ‘Starpipe’ natural gas pipeline to fuel Starship rockets
Bloomberg: Alberta Pipeline Plan Collides With Doubts Over How Much Oil It Can Pump
Canadian Press: Dredging of Vancouver’s Burrard approved to make room for big oil tankers
LAist: The East LA oil spill was much worse than we thought
Atmos: A Fight Over Offshore Drilling In a Seaside Town Gets Heated
WKYC: 3 houses completely destroyed, 20 more damaged after home explodes in Twinsburg Township
WASHINGTON UPDATES
Press release: Senators Armstrong, Lummis, R. Scott, Britt, Lankford Introduce the American Energy and Mineral Infrastructure Act to Fix America’s Broken Permitting Process
E&E News: The Senate’s newest permitting reform booster settles in
E&E News: State and city attorneys urge Congress to not block climate lawsuits
E&E News: White House tees up review of endangered species regulations
E&E News: EPA floats changes to NEPA implementation rules
E&E News: Mike Lee bill would bar EPA rules limiting fossil fuels
E&E News: BLM to cut public input options on oil and gas leases
E&E News: 10th Circuit sends Utah monument lawsuit back to lower court
E&E News: Court dismisses lawsuit over Gulf oil and gas analysis after ‘God Squad’ ruling
E&E News: Gas plant permits still include EPA’s carbon rules
Utility Dive: Power plants under DOE emergency orders are producing way less energy than before
New York Times: Former NOAA Employees Revive Climate.gov Web Site
Bloomberg: Shale Bosses Say Trump’s Iran Posts Add Confusion to Energy Markets
STATE UPDATES
Signal Ohio: 23,000 acres of Ohio public land up for fracking in Monday votes
Source NM: U.S. Interior’s reduced oil and gas bonding proposal draws rebuke from New Mexico conservationists
Inside Climate News: Pennsylvania’s Fossil Fuel Tax Revenue Lags Far Behind Other Energy States, Report Says
Texas Tribune: Texas leaders are asking data centers how much water they use. Most aren’t responding.
E&E News: New Mexico governor’s race may hinge on oil and gas
EXTRACTION
Associated Press: Paris court gives French oil company TotalEnergies 6 months to tighten its climate policies
E&E News: Big Oil’s campaign to stop EU methane restrictions is working
Reuters: US, Qatar urge EU to change methane rules, warn of supply risk
BIV: Doctors group calls on Ottawa to intervene in gas greenwashing probe
Canadian Press: Comment period opens for planned liquefied petroleum gas facility on B.C. coast
Carbon Herald: Nine Countries Join CCSA To Coordinate CCUS Policies In Europe
CLIMATE FINANCE
E&E News: EU countries want oil exploration to be classed as green investment
OPINION
Pipeline Fighters Hub: Paul Blackburn: Rotten Eggs: SOLVED! The Case of the Missing Hydrogen Sulfide in Satartia, Mississippi
Financial Post: Canada’s carbon policies offset Alberta’s tax advantage
Energy In Depth: Out-of-State Billionaires Take Aim at Louisiana’s Carbon Capture Opportunity
PIPELINE NEWS
Reuters: US regulator approves Mountain Valley Southgate pipeline construction in North Carolina
Pranav Mathur, 6/24/26
“The U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Wednesday approved Mountain Valley Pipeline’s request to begin construction of the North Carolina portion of its Southgate Amendment Project, according to a letter from FERC’s Office of Energy Projects,” Reuters reports. “The approval follows a recent federal appeals court decision denying requests by environmental and other groups to stay water quality certifications issued by Virginia and North Carolina for the proposed project. The Southgate project is a planned 31-mile pipeline extension from Virginia into North Carolina, designed to move about 0.55 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas.”
Public News Service: Public comment deadline for Michigan Line 5 project draws near
Chrystal Blair, 6/26/26
“The public has until Tuesday to comment on a proposed wastewater permit for Enbridge’s Line 5 tunnel beneath the Straits of Mackinac,” Public News Service reports. “The permit is the latest step in a yearslong debate over the aging pipeline and the risk of an oil spill. Environmental groups are urging regulators to closely examine the amount of treated wastewater that could be discharged, what it could contain and Enbridge’s proposal to use artificial intelligence to monitor the tunnel… “However, Ashley Rudzinski, climate and environment program director for the Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities, told PNS she is concerned Enbridge would be allowed to discharge about 7 million gallons of treated industrial wastewater into the Great Lakes every day… “The wastewater permit is one of several state and federal approvals Enbridge still needs before construction can move forward. Comments can be submitted to the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy… “We know that monitoring isn’t perfect, and it’s always subject to human error,” she told PNS. “In this case, the Great Lakes are just far too precious to assume that any currently evolving AI technology is going to be enough to protect them.”
States Newsroom: Ashland residents protest Line 5 construction’s use of Lake Superior water
Henry Redman, 6/25/26
“A group of Ashland residents held a protest Wednesday against the use of municipal water for constructing the controversial reroute of Enbridge’s Line 5 oil pipeline across northern Wisconsin,” States Newsroom reports. “The reroute has been protested and challenged in court by locals, members of the nearby Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and environmental groups for years. “Michels Construction, a subcontractor of Enbridge, is taking precious water from Lake Superior out of the City of Ashland municipal water supply to build Line 5,” the protesters said in a joint statement. “This sacred water is being used to devastate our wetland and forest ecosystems and being returned with unknown contaminants for our community to deal with. This is a violation of the Great Lakes Compact and a direct threat to Anishinaabe Treaty Rights. Ashland needs to stand by their resolution of support to the Bad River Tribe and demand a halt to Michels’ water usage.” Locals have seen Michels construction trucks being filled with water at the Ashland water station. Ashland municipal water comes from Lake Superior. Locals argue the public hasn’t been notified of a contract with Michels for the water use nor has there been a discussion over how much water would be used… “As a community on one of the Great Lakes, Ashland is subject to the Great Lakes Compact, an agreement among the American and Canadian governments dictating how the lakes’ water can be used. The compact requires that any water taken be returned in a clean state.”
Wisconsin Public Radio: Wisconsin DOJ announces $275K settlement with Enbridge over 2019 spill
Danielle Kaeding, 6/25/26
“The Wisconsin Department of Justice announced a $275,000 settlement Thursday with energy firm Enbridge in a 2019 spill in Jefferson County,” Wisconsin Public Radio reports. “The state alleged Enbridge violated the spills law by failing to report a release from a faulty valve that occurred on its Line 13 pipeline in Fort Atkinson on April 26, 2019. The company didn’t report the spill to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources until July 31, 2020 — more than a year later… “WPR previously reported that up to 1,386 gallons of diluent liquids leaked from the pipeline, contaminating groundwater and soil in the area. The DOJ said the petroleum substance is an extremely flammable mixture used to thin out heavy crude oil carried through its pipelines. “Wisconsin’s Spills Law is a critical protection for our environment,” Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul said in a statement. “Those who are responsible for the discharge of a hazardous substance must comply with its requirements.”
Alaska Beacon: Confidential document guided Alaska senators working on natural gas pipeline tax break
James Brooks, 6/25/26
“Last year, a state-owned Alaska corporation transferred leadership of the proposed trans-Alaska natural gas pipeline project to a private developer. Now, a newly revealed draft analysis of the agreement between the state-owned Alaska Gasline Development Corp. and Glenfarne, the private developer, shows that if the project fails to go forward under certain conditions, the state could be required to pay in order to retake control of the project,” the Alaska Beacon reports. “...As legislators debated the bill containing the tax break this month, the leaked document inspired some members of the Senate to amend the legislation. Meanwhile, the document stayed secret from other senators, members of the House and Alaskans overall… “Because the pipeline will not be built before Southcentral Alaska begins running out of gas, the confidential agreement also calls for AGDC and Glenfarne to build a gas import facility together. Once the pipeline is operating, the partnership would use that equipment for exports. The second phase would involve connecting the pipeline to the Prudhoe Bay and Point Thomson oil and gas fields, plus construction of a larger gas treatment facility and a liquefied natural gas export facility on the Kenai Peninsula “capable of (exporting) up to 20 million tons per annum.” “...Members of the state House and Senate are scheduled to meet July 1 and may consider a compromise tax break on that day.”
Chatham Journal: In the Chatham County pipeline fight, farmland rights become the next battleground
Gene Galin, 6/25/26
“The debate over Enbridge Gas North Carolina’s proposed natural gas pipeline through Chatham County is no longer just a dispute over a line on a map,” the Chatham Journal reports. “...But the subject was serious from the start: Enbridge’s proposed pipeline corridor and the concerns it has raised among landowners, farmers and environmental advocates across Chatham County. Greg Stafford introduced John Alderman, as an energetic opponent of the project, who used the discussion to explain how he views the legal and practical stakes. He said the route appears to affect farms, private property and environmentally sensitive watersheds. He also argued that the public has not yet received a sufficient explanation of the “public need” that would justify the disruption… “John and Greg described the power in blunt terms, saying it can allow land to be taken from private owners for projects that may ultimately benefit a company… “Eric and Greg added that “There is no public defender for this,” underscoring one of John’s concerns: landowners may have to protect their rights largely on their own, or by organizing together… “Alderman also argued that the proposed route appears to avoid some large or powerful landholding interests while crossing farms owned by others. He discussed a section where, in his view, the route appears to bend around land associated with conservation-minded landowner Tim Sweeney, the founder of Epic Games. Sweeney has a history of land conservation in North Carolina and has been involved in prior disputes over infrastructure and protected landscapes… “For opponents, that explanation is too broad. They want to know who specifically needs the gas, how demand was calculated, why the pipeline must follow the proposed corridor, whether the same need could be met another way and whether the public benefit outweighs the private-property and environmental costs. Alderman told the Journal a public hearing could require Enbridge to explain the need and address alternatives. He framed that as a key step before any condemnation action, water-quality certification or construction.”
Texas Tribune: Tensions with landowners rise as a raft of gas pipelines push through Texas properties
Brandon Mulder, 6/25/26
“In 2022, Ty and Leslie Eggemeyer received a notice in the mail that would shape the next four years of their lives. Their nearly 4,000-acre wildlife resort in Lampasas County — featuring everything from giraffes to wildebeests and gazelles — was along the route of a planned pipeline project proposing to connect the Permian Basin to the Gulf Coast,” the Texas Tribune reports. “...We’ve been pushing our ranch as an eco-tourism ranch. How does that fit with a 42-inch gas pipeline running through the front entrance?” Ty Eggemeyer told the Tribune… “In April, nearly two years after the project went into service, the Eggemeyers and a packed Lampasas County courtroom listened as a jury delivered its final judgment. Matterhorn was ordered to pay them about $7 million for easement rights and property damages, a sum roughly 330 times greater than the pipeline company’s final offer… “Tensions between landowners and pipeline companies over eminent domain are stirring up as Texas faces a surge of pipeline projects seeking to move more natural gas from West Texas oil fields… “Over 80% or 90% of landowners will negotiate 10% or 20% more than that final written offer and think they’ve hit a home run,” Chris Johns, an eminent domain attorney in Austin, told the Tribune. “But they haven’t. They got low-balled and they accepted it.” “...Eminent domain reform efforts didn’t appear again at the Capitol until 2019, when a bill by state Sen. Lois Kolkhorst sought to prevent companies from making lowball offers to landowners, along with other protections… “Reform efforts finally gained ground in 2021 when the Legislature passed a version of Kolkhorst’s bill that failed in 2019. Although it did not address landowner compensation, it required companies to restore damaged land around a pipeline easement or compensate landowners for damages that aren’t restored, along with other transparency measures. “How can something be eminent domain-able if all the product is being piped to get put on a boat and shipped overseas?” Allison Koester, a Coleman County rancher facing a proposed gas pipeline coming through her land on its way to the Gulf Coast, told the Tribune “Eminent domain should be for the good of the people impacted by it and the people that will be using it.” As pipelines and transmission lines continue expanding across Texas and add pressure on rural landowners, the issue may percolate in the Capitol once again, Kathi Seay, policy adviser for state Sen. Bob Hall, R-Edgewood, told the Tribune.”
Center for Biological Diversity: Louisiana OKs Massive New Offshore Gulf Pipeline Despite Health, Oil Spill Risks
6/24/26
“The Louisiana Department of Conservation and Energy yesterday approved a coastal use permit for Shell’s proposed Rome Export Pipeline. The pipeline is contracted to ship all the oil from BP’s proposed Kaskida ultra-deepwater drilling project. Environmental and community groups had urged the department to reject the permit, citing the pipeline’s risks to communities, endangered wildlife and coastal restoration projects. “Approving the enormous Rome Pipeline is a terrible decision that will bind the Gulf even more tightly to a destructive future soaked in oil. If the pipeline is fully built as planned, it’ll enable a new era of high-risk ultra-deepwater drilling,” said Nick Katkevich, an oceans campaigner at the Center for Biological Diversity… “The Rome Pipeline is a 100-mile-long section of more than 500 miles of proposed pipeline that would ship oil and gas from the Kaskida project, which is BP’s first totally new oil field since the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster. The wells at Kaskida would be drilled at much greater depth in the Gulf than Deepwater Horizon, raising concerns of another catastrophe. In April the Trump administration approved the final plans for Kaskida. The Center for Biological Diversity and other groups have sued to overturn the decision. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is now reviewing an application for BP’s Tiber-Guadalupe development, the “sister” project to Kaskida that also would be drilled at ultra-deepwater depths… “The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is currently reviewing a federal water quality permit application for the Rome Pipeline. Advocates are urging the agency to reject the permit, which is under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, and to host a public hearing to gather community input.”
Reuters: SpaceX plans to build ‘Starpipe’ natural gas pipeline to fuel Starship rockets
Joey Roulette, 6/25/26
“SpaceX plans to begin next month building an eight‑mile (13-km) natural gas pipeline called “Starpipe” to its Texas launch facilities, according to county filings, as Elon Musk’s company seeks to ramp up launches of its next‑generation Starship rocket,” Reuters reports. “Starpipe, which will end at SpaceX’s Texas company town of Starbase, is expected to be in service by January 26, according to a document filed last month with the Texas Railroad Commission by SpaceX affiliate Lone Star Mineral Development and reviewed by Reuters… “SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell told CNBC on June 12, when the company went public, that the company planned to build pipelines and process its own propellant, and was looking into drilling its own natural gas. Extracting natural gas would be a challenging pursuit for a company with no oil and gas experience, Stan Lindsey, an oil and gas consultant in Texas, told Reuters… “SpaceX has signed over 100 paid-up oil and gas leases with Texas property owners since 2023, the land records show… “The pipeline’s 16‑inch (406-mm) diameter suggests fuel demand exceeding what Starship would require for 25 launches, the annual cadence currently approved by the Federal Aviation Administration.”
Bloomberg: Alberta Pipeline Plan Collides With Doubts Over How Much Oil It Can Pump
Robert Tuttle and Iain Boekhoff, 6/26/26
“Alberta’s push for a new oil pipeline to carry 1 million barrels a day to the west coast is colliding with a hard question for Canada’s energy companies: Can they produce enough oil to fill it?,” Bloomberg reports. “...But Alberta producers, which ship a little more than 4 million barrels a day, are raising doubts about whether they can increase production fast enough — or whether they even want to. The economics of pumping more oil out of western Canada look less attractive today than just a few weeks ago, now that tankers are moving again through the Strait of Hormuz and global crude prices are declining toward prewar levels… “A new west coast pipeline is certain to cost tens of billions of dollars, and governments are pushing Alberta’s largest oil sands companies to build a carbon-capture system to reduce emissions from their production sites. Executives estimate that may cost more than C$20 billion ($14.1 billion) over time. Expanding oil sands projects to add more than 2 million barrels a day, the amount needed to fill the new pipelines, would be even more expensive. Industry leaders and analysts have estimated the industry would need C$100 billion to do all of these things... “But the reality is Canadian oil sands producers are not investing much beyond sustaining capital today,” Cenovus Energy Inc. Chief Executive Officer Jon McKenzie said at a conference in Calgary… “He said the industry needs regulatory relief from the Canadian and Alberta governments… “Oil sands investment alone will need to double at a time when Canada is competing for money with places that don’t have a carbon tax, Nick McKenna, president of ConocoPhillips Canada, told Bloomberg.”
Canadian Press: Dredging of Vancouver’s Burrard approved to make room for big oil tankers
Wolfgang Depner, 6/24/26
“The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority says it has received all federal permits to allow for the dredging of Vancouver’s Burrard Inlet, making room for larger oil tankers loading up from the Trans Mountain pipeline” the Canadian Press reports. “...The Aframax ships measure up to 250 metres long and have a draft of up to 16 metres, but Trans Mountain says on its website that such tankers generally load to about 80 per cent of capacity in order to clear the inlet… “B.C.’s government also supports the project, and Energy Minister Adrian Dix said last year that the federal project “would allow for less traffic at the port and better utilization” because ships could fully load… “The dredging comes about two years after the expanded TMX pipeline started operating in May 2024 and there have been calls to expand it again to help diversify energy exports away from the United States during recent trade friction… “The environmental group the Sierra Club told CP the dredging project beneath the Second Narrows Bridge could undo “years of ecological healing” in the Inlet by disturbing toxic sediments and harming returning eelgrass, herring, salmon, seal, and whale populations.”
LAist: The East LA oil spill was much worse than we thought
Andrew Lopez, Boyle Heights Beat, 6/24/26
“Three companies were issued notices of violation from the South Coast Air Quality Management District last week for their roles in last month’s East L.A. oil spill, as county officials revealed new estimates showing the spill was far larger than initially reported,” LAist reports. “Approximately 25,000 gallons of crude oil were spilled during the May 22 drilling incident, according to L.A. County Public Works Director Mark Pestrella — nearly 10 times the 2,400 gallons originally reported by county agencies… “The incident itself can be considered one of the largest oil spills into the Los Angeles River in recent history,” Pestrella said during a June 9 meeting with the L.A. County Board of Supervisors. On June 18, South Coast AQMD sent notices of violations to Arcadian Infracom, HP Communications and Camarillo Drilling. Regulators said odors from the spill affected nearby communities. The revised spill estimate reflects the severity of the incident that left roads closed for days, killed wildlife and sent oil into storm drains and the L.A. River. The scale of the spill has also prompted ongoing calls for more transparency from residents and community groups.”
Atmos: A Fight Over Offshore Drilling In a Seaside Town Gets Heated
Miranda Green, 6/24/26
“...But nothing prepared me for the crashing of worlds quite like the current fight playing out in my hometown’s backyard between the owner of an oil and gas pipeline directly championed by the White House and the entire state of California,” Atmos reports. “In 2015, a 10-mile pipeline carrying crude oil from seven offshore platforms to the shores of Santa Barbara’s Gaviota coastline ruptured and dumped more than 123,000 gallons of oil. The Refugio oil spill killed birds, marine mammals, and dramatically impacted the area’s beaches. Regulators responded by shutting the pipeline down—a move that lasted 11 years until the pipeline’s new owner, Sable Offshore Corp., appealed to the Trump administration. The White House responded by issuing an emergency order demanding the pipeline restart, which it did this March, a dramatic interference in local politics that many are seeing as a sign of what’s to come nationally as the administration moves to open up offshore drilling from coast to coast… “Since Wright’s directive in March, the Sable pipeline has been in use. But it appears that that might be short-lived. A California appeals court late last week upheld a previously issued injunction to stop Sable from operating the pipeline. As one might expect, this fight is far from over. As Robert Waldron, CEO of CorEnergy Infrastructure Trust—one of California’s largest oil pipeline operators—told POLITICO of the Trump administration: “In the next two to three months, I would expect them to do stuff similar to what they did with Sable, with the [emergency defense powers] and executive orders on all kinds of stuff.”
WKYC: 3 houses completely destroyed, 20 more damaged after home explodes in Twinsburg Township
Tyler Carey, Sia Nyorkor, Lynna Lai, 6/25/26
“Fire officials have confirmed a house explosion in Twinsburg Township has completely destroyed three homes and left 20 more damaged,” WKYC reports. “According to Lt. Mike Perlatti of the Twinsburg Fire Department, crews were initially called to Hiram Lane in the Woodlands neighborhood Thursday afternoon for a reported gas leak caused by workers striking a gas line. With the gas settling into the area due to a lack of wind, an evacuation order was issued as Enbridge gas employees made their way to the scene to inspect the damage. Minutes later, one of the homes on Hiram Lane blew up, and two more homes caught fire as a result. Perlatti confirmed all three of those homes were a total loss, while 12 more houses on Hiram suffered severe damage… “One person was hurt by the blast, and another suffered injuries due to other unspecified reasons. Both were taken to the hospital.”
WASHINGTON UPDATES
Press release: Senators Armstrong, Lummis, R. Scott, Britt, Lankford Introduce the American Energy and Mineral Infrastructure Act to Fix America’s Broken Permitting Process
6/25/26
“America is entering an era of rapidly rising energy demand driven by artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, and industrial reshoring, yet the federal permitting system remains one of the nation’s biggest obstacles to building the infrastructure needed to compete. Today, Senator Alan Armstrong (R-OK), joined by Senators Rick Scott, Cynthia Lummis, Katie Britt, and James Lankford, introduced the American Energy and Mineral Infrastructure Act, to reform federal permitting and accelerate construction of critical energy and mineral infrastructure. There is a growing schism between America’s surging energy demand and the infrastructure needed to meet it. The American Energy and Mineral Infrastructure Act directly addresses this by streamlining federal permitting, reducing opportunities for frivolous litigation that delays projects, and preventing politically motivated vetoes of critical American energy and mineral infrastructure… “Strengthens the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (FERCs) role as the lead agency for interstate natural gas pipelines and LNG facilities, ensuring that no single state can unilaterally block federally authorized projects and reducing delays caused by duplicative or overlapping reviews; Ensures consistent evidence-based environmental decision-making and includes targeted reforms to the Clean Water Act 401 review process for all types of infrastructure; Provides certainty with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) general permits and nationwide permits by eliminating duplicative review, extending permit terms, and incorporating meaningful judicial reforms to avoid baseless lawsuits; Provides statutory clarification necessary to re-enable essential mining activities on federal lands; Clarifies the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) by codifying a targeted scope of review, preventing overly expansive environmental analyses, reaffirming the statute’s procedural nature, and establishing meaningful judicial review standards to ensure NEPA cannot be misused to stall critical infrastructure projects.”
E&E News: The Senate’s newest permitting reform booster settles in
Josh Siegel, 6/26/26
“Newly appointed Sen. Alan Armstrong is finding that closing a deal on permitting reform is no easy task,” E&E News reports. “...Stitt said he picked Armstrong because the former head of Williams Cos., a natural gas giant, could use his experience navigating the nation’s cumbersome permitting laws to lock in an elusive deal to ease the rules… “Stitt leads a National Governors Association permitting reform working group with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, that has urged Congress to act on comprehensive legislation easing permitting rules to speed the construction of new energy production, transmission and pipeline projects… “Cramer added that Armstrong has been helpful in trying to find consensus on making it easier to build more transmission, given its potential value to oil and gas producers… “But it’s unclear how far Democrats will go to accommodate Armstrong’s priorities, which include moving Clean Water Act 401 state reviews for energy projects into the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approval process. Opponents argue that would effectively limit the ability of states to reject projects.”
E&E News: State and city attorneys urge Congress to not block climate lawsuits
Lesley Clark, 6/26/26
“State and local officials suing oil and gas companies for climate change are urging congressional Democrats to reject a proposal that would shield the industry from lawsuits,” E&E News reports. “States, tribes, and municipalities have the right to utilize state laws to hold wrongdoers accountable in many industries,” wrote 21 state attorneys general and local officials in a letter Monday to the top Democrats of several House committees. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.) introduced federal legislation in April that would wipe out more than a dozen lawsuits filed against the fossil fuel industry by local and state governments. The cases accuse the industry of misleading the public about the dangers of burning fossil fuels and seek compensation for the costs of dealing with warming temperatures and rising tides. In their letter, state and local officials — led by California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) — argued that the Stop Climate Shakedowns Act would undermine their “well-established authority” to enforce laws to protect their residents. They noted that the state laws that underpin their climate lawsuits were successfully used to bring cases against opioid and tobacco manufacturers, as well as social media companies.”
E&E News: White House tees up review of endangered species regulations
Ian M. Stevenson, 6/24/26
“The rule changes, proposed last November, are part of a slate of revisions the Trump administration has pushed for to limit the reach of the Endangered Species Act, which imposes broad protections for species that are deemed to be nearing elimination and therefore deserving of special attention,” E&E News reports. “The changes — to rules implemented by the Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA Fisheries — include removing language prohibiting “reference to possible economic or other impacts” of a species determination. While decisions to protect imperiled species are still required to be based only on the best scientific and commercial data available, the change could allow the government to study the cost of protecting a species… “The alteration would indicate that it may not be ‘prudent’ for regulators to designate critical habitat if the imperiled species suffers from threats that
“cannot be addressed by management actions.”
E&E News: EPA floats changes to NEPA implementation rules
Alex Guillén, 6/24/26
“EPA has proposed what it describes as ‘minor changes’ to its procedures under the National Environmental Policy Act, the law that requires agencies to consider the environmental actions of projects and permits,” E&E News reports. “Many of the proposal’s changes are meant to comply with laws passed in 2023 and 2025 amending NEPA amid complaints from Republicans and some Democrats that environmental reviews have been increasing the expense and time of new projects. The proposal also makes changes related to a Supreme Court ruling last year limiting NEPA’s impact, as well as executive orders from President Donald Trump targeting the consideration of environmental justice, the effort to alleviate pollution that takes a disproportionately heavy toll on communities of color and low-income and rural areas… “And to comply with an executive order last year that rescinded environmental justice considerations, in several sections of the rules “EPA removes references to specific populations and further clarifies that the EPA considers the impacts of human health and environmental effects on all individuals.”
E&E News: Mike Lee bill would bar EPA rules limiting fossil fuels
Alex Guillén, 6/26/26
“Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chair Mike Lee introduced legislation Thursday that would prevent EPA from issuing rules that move away from energy sources such as oil and coal and toward electric vehicles and clean energy,” E&E News reports. “The bill from the Utah senator and his Republican colleagues follows years of Republican and industry complaints of EPA overreach under Democratic presidents seeking to use the Clean Air Act on greenhouse gases. “The EPA has overstepped its authority as far as possible to put America’s energy producers in a chokehold,” Lee said in a statement. He went on to criticize former Presidents Joe Biden and Barack Obama: “They’ve exploited any power they can grab to push Biden and Obama’s climate psychosis at the expense of our energy security.” The End EPA Abuse Act would bar the agency from issuing any regulation that “can reasonably be determined” to “restrict or in effect restrict” any type of vehicle or engine, especially internal combustion engines. The prohibition would also apply to waivers that could be granted to California.”
E&E News: BLM to cut public input options on oil and gas leases
Ian M. Stevenson, 6/24/26
“Two changes to federal regulations for oil and gas development on public land would significantly curtail public participation in the leasing and development process,” E&E News reports. “The moves to cut out public input while accelerating energy development have become a hallmark of the Trump administration as it pursues faster approvals in service of the president’s energy “emergency.” The proposed regulations from the Bureau of Land Management, an Interior agency that manages energy development on federal land, would eliminate two public comment periods currently conducted during the environmental permitting process, while also cutting threefold the period in which members of the public can protest a decision. A related change would charge people who file protests $1 for every page beyond 50 pages.”
E&E News: 10th Circuit sends Utah monument lawsuit back to lower court
Jennifer Yachnin, 6/24/26
“A long-simmering legal challenge to President Joe Biden’s restoration of more than 2 million acres of Utah public lands to national monuments must return to federal court for a new review, a panel of appellate judges ordered Tuesday,” E&E News reports. “The decision comes nearly two years after the three-judge panel heard arguments in the case filed by Utah Gov. Spencer Cox (R) and other state officials, which seeks to limit presidential powers to create national monuments under the Antiquities Act of 1906. Environmentalists who intervened in the court case greeted the ruling as an incremental victory, noting that the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused Utah’s request to issue its own ruling on the monuments. “We are confident that President Biden’s restoration of the Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bears Ears National Monuments — which this appeal sought to undermine — was within his powers under the Antiquities Act,” Steve Bloch, the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance’s legal director, told E&E.
E&E News: Court dismisses lawsuit over Gulf oil and gas analysis after ‘God Squad’ ruling
Niina H. Farah, 6/26/26
“A federal judge has ruled a lawsuit seeking more analysis of the effect of oil and gas activities on endangered species in the Gulf of Mexico is moot after the “God Squad” handed down an exemption from federal protections in the region earlier this year,” E&E News reports. “In a decision issued from the bench Wednesday, Judge Deborah Boardman of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland dismissed a challenge to NOAA Fisheries’ 2025 biological opinion. Environmental groups claimed the analysis was arbitrary and capricious and repeated errors of an earlier biological opinion. Boardman, a Biden appointee, has yet to issue an order publicly explaining her rationale for the decision. “We’re of course disappointed in that result but are continuing to fight the Exemption in our other litigation in the DC district court,” Steven Mashuda, an Earthjustice attorney representing the environmental groups, told E&E.”
E&E News: Gas plant permits still include EPA’s carbon rules
Jean Chemnick, 6/26/26
“State regulators are still including EPA carbon rules in the permits they issue for new gas-fired power plants, despite the federal agency’s plans to repeal the rules,” E&E News reports. “But how they’re doing that varies from state to state. States usually take the lead in issuing air quality standards for power plants within their borders. So even states that sued to stop the Biden greenhouse gas rules from taking effect are responsible for ensuring that their fossil fuels generators have a plan to meet those standards when they’re granted an operating permit — unless and until EPA finalizes their repeal… “Advocates for the utility industry told E&E it’s unlikely that gas plants will have to retrofit with CCS to operate at full capacity after 2031, as the Biden rule demanded. “Everyone is aware that the Trump efforts to revoke the endangerment finding for power plants may not hold up in court and that there’s risk that a future EPA may try to regulate CO2 emissions from fossil fuel power plants aggressively,” Jeff Holmstead, who represents industry clients at Bracewell, told E&E. “But that’s a long way into the future, and it’s not at all clear that CCS will be required.”
Utility Dive: Power plants under DOE emergency orders are producing way less energy than before
Ethan Howland, 6/23/26
“Last year, the U.S. Department of Energy ordered the owners of 10 generating units at six power plants — five of them coal-fired — to run the units past their retirement dates to address what DOE says is a reliability emergency across most of the country’s grid. So far, the emergency orders’ impact on power production has been mixed,” Utility Dive reports. “One power plant hasn’t operated at all under its 202(c) order, one ran for a two-week stretch, three are producing less power than they did at the same time in previous years and one is generating electricity roughly in line with its previous output, according to data from the Energy Information Administration… “Industry observers expect the DOE will continue reissuing the 202(c) orders to prevent the power plants from retiring and it may add additional units to the list… “The Energy Department didn’t respond to a set of questions, including what conditions would cause it to stop issuing the orders… “In part, the power plants are producing less than they did in the past because of their age and the fact that they were about to be shuttered… “The power plants’ owners likely deferred investing in the facilities toward the end of their expected operations, thus keeping them running under the DOE orders may require additional spending, Greg Wannier, a senior attorney at the Sierra Club, a group that is challenging the orders in court, told Utility Dive.”
New York Times: Former NOAA Employees Revive Climate.gov Web Site
Quinn Glabicki, 6/23/26
“A small group of former government workers has recreated a valuable climate-science website that had been shuttered last year under the Trump administration,” the New York Times reports. “The new site, climate.us, is an effort by former staff members at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to present climate science previously housed at climate.gov, including data, reports, articles, and congressionally mandated national climate assessments… “Now, much of that information, including data and reports on climate-change-related disasters like hurricanes, wildfires and drought, is available to the public and free to use, Ms. Lindsey told the Times. The new website includes status reports on key climate indicators, blog posts from scientists, maps, data and resources for educators. The site also includes access to the Fifth National Climate Assessment, a key government report focused on the risks posed by climate change.”
Bloomberg: Shale Bosses Say Trump’s Iran Posts Add Confusion to Energy Markets
Stella Mackler, 6/24/26
“US oil shale executives say the White House’s erratic communications about the war in Iran are sowing confusion in energy markets and making planning for future months near impossible,” Bloomberg reports. “In a series of anonymous comments published Wednesday from a survey released by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, industry executives cited concerns about inconsistent policy announcements from the Trump administration about the conflict in the Middle East. “Golly. What could possibly be affecting our business other than a Covid-sized supply gap driven by a war being commandeered by an administration that just cannot tell the truth?” one respondent was quoted as saying. “They jawbone the price down basically every Sunday evening. If they know an Hormuz reopening isn’t likely, it’ll make the medium-term supply issue 10 times worse.” Another respondent said “markets can price risk, but they can’t price a tweet,” adding that “the whiplash from diplomacy-by-social-media has become the single most unpredictable input in our planning.” The sharp criticism comes despite President Donald Trump’s strong relationship with the oil industry, which has seen many of its domestic policy priorities advanced during his second term.”
STATE UPDATES
Signal Ohio: 23,000 acres of Ohio public land up for fracking in Monday votes
Jake Zuckerman, 6/26/26
“State officials are set to decide whether to accept bids or open up 23,000 acres of publicly owned wildlife preserves in eastern Ohio to the fracking industry,” Signal Ohio reports. “The votes Monday could amount to a significant expansion of Ohio’s public lands leasing process, which has existed in dormant fashion since 2011 but was kick-started in 2023 via legislation passed by Republican lawmakers and signed by Gov. Mike DeWine… “If approved, the state will have leased out more than 30,000 acres of Salt Fork State Park and six state wildlife areas, mostly in the Belmont-Harrison-Guernsey county region… “This is an insane amount of land that could be approved and awarded for fracking in just one meeting,” Cathy Cowan Becker, board president at Save Ohio Parks, told Signal. “If all these nominations and bids move forward, the state will have approved four times as much of our public land for fracking in 2026 as it did during the last three years combined.”
Source NM: U.S. Interior’s reduced oil and gas bonding proposal draws rebuke from New Mexico conservationists
Joshua Bowling, 6/24/26
“The U.S. Department of the Interior earlier this week announced a proposal that would dramatically reduce both the amount of money oil and gas operators need to guarantee for cleanup efforts and the amount of time members of the public have to comment on oil and gas leases,” Source NM reports. “The proposal would temporarily reduce the bonding amount from $500,000 to $25,000 while the Interior Department gathers ‘public input on a fair long-term approach’ and would reduce public participation periods on oil and gas leases from 90 to 10 days… “Critics, though, say the changes would unfairly place cleanup costs on taxpayers in states like New Mexico that have high levels of oil and gas production. Bonding money typically is meant to clean up spills and other environmental hazards that stem from abandoned or orphaned wells. This is a giveaway to the oil and gas industry, plain and simple,” Mark Allison, executive director of the conservation nonprofit New Mexico Wild, told Source NM.”
Inside Climate News: Pennsylvania’s Fossil Fuel Tax Revenue Lags Far Behind Other Energy States, Report Says
Jon Hurdle, 6/25/26
“Pennsylvania’s natural gas, coal and petrochemical industries are taxed too little, and they are now declining so cannot be expected to rescue the state from growing budget deficits, according to a new analysis of the fossil fuel industry and its effect on the state’s worsening fiscal position,” Inside Climate News reports. “A report, called “Valuing the Future,” and written by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, a nonprofit research group that focuses on energy finance, accuses state lawmakers of imposing too light of a tax burden on the fossil fuel industry, especially compared to other energy-producing states like Texas and North Dakota. Policymakers in Pennsylvania assumed that higher rates would deter development and hurt the state’s economy. Some 20 years after high-volume hydraulic fracturing for gas made Pennsylvania the second-biggest producer of natural gas after Texas, data now shows that low taxes on the industry have not helped Pennsylvania’s economy, and lawmakers must accept that they will now have to look elsewhere for any revenue boost, the report said. “Pennsylvania set its natural gas taxes low on the theory that higher tax rates would suppress production and by extension the state’s economy,” said Trey Cowan, an author of the report. “We now have enough data to evaluate that theory, and the results are not favorable. Tax rates have had an asymmetric, limited effect on producer behavior.”
Texas Tribune: Texas leaders are asking data centers how much water they use. Most aren’t responding.
Alejandra Martinez, 6/23/26
“Data centers need a lot of water and energy. State officials want to know how much, and they hoped a survey sent to data center companies would give them the answers,” the Texas Tribune reports. “But at a legislative hearing Tuesday in Austin, they were told less than a third of the companies surveyed responded. “Bad data, bad study,” said state Rep. Brad Buckley, R-Salado, a member of the House Natural Resources Committee… “With more than 248 proposed data centers, Texas is challenging Virginia to become the No. 1 market for data centers in the U.S. Communities and some state officials have aggressively pushed back against the growing industry… “The water survey, developed by the Public Utility Commission of Texas in collaboration with the Texas Water Development Board, was a step by lawmakers to get more transparency on how data centers work… “The agency received responses from only 28 companies representing 92 facilities at various stages of development, according to Chris Brown, a program manager and economist at the PUC… “Several legislators questioned whether the survey results would provide a reliable foundation for future planning.”
E&E News: New Mexico governor’s race may hinge on oil and gas
Mike Lee, 6/26/26
“The New Mexico governor’s race could come down to how worried voters are about oil and gas,” E&E News reports. “Former Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the Democratic nominee, has a history of opposing fossil fuel production both in Congress and as former President Joe Biden’s Interior secretary. But she isn’t directly attacking the oil industry during her run for governor, saying she wants good-paying jobs and cleaner ‘extractive’ industries… “She opposed hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, on public land and supported the Green New Deal — a package of environmental bills that never passed — while she was in Congress. As Interior secretary, Haaland imposed a temporary halt on federal oil leasing and oversaw a smaller amount of public-land leasing than many previous administrations.”
EXTRACTION
Associated Press: Paris court gives French oil company TotalEnergies 6 months to tighten its climate policies
Molly Quell, Sylvie Corbet, 6/25/26
“A court in Paris ruled on Thursday that energy company TotalEnergies must account for its consumers’ greenhouse gas emissions, giving the French firm six months to report the environmental risks caused by the consumption of its gas and oil products,” the Associated Press reports. “The decision, which comes amid a record heat wave in France, fell short of requests from the climate organizations who brought the lawsuit to force the company to reduce its oil and gas production… “It’s the first time that the so-called corporate duty of vigilance law is being applied to climate change. The law is not intended to make companies “responsible for the risks linked to climate change, which result from all human activity on the planet since the Industrial Revolution” the court said in a statement, but rather requests them to act “according to their own situation.” “...Sébastien Duyck, a senior attorney at the Center for International Environmental Law, told AP that including the effects of climate change in the duty of vigilance law could set a precedent across Europe.”
E&E News: Big Oil’s campaign to stop EU methane restrictions is working
Ben Munster, 6/26/26
“The fossil fuel industry and the U.S. government are gaining ground in their fight to postpone EU rules designed to cut emissions of one of the most potent greenhouse gases, with at least 12 member countries already backing calls to delay the law,” E&E News reports. “At a gathering of EU energy ministers in Luxembourg on Friday, a coalition of countries, including Italy, Sweden, the Netherlands and Poland will call on the EU to reopen and postpone the methane regulation, which requires companies to monitor and report emissions of methane. In a letter obtained by POLITICO, the countries echo claims made by fossil fuel firms and the Trump administration that the rules will jeopardize the EU’s energy supplies. The pressure from national capitals marks an escalation in the campaign and will test the resolve of the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, which has defended the methane law by offering temporary workarounds — a strategy that member countries increasingly say doesn’t go far enough… “At the center of the debate is a measure that will require companies to monitor, report and verify methane emissions beginning in January. The Commission argues such monitoring is an essential step to eventually bring down emissions of the gas, vast volumes of which are lost each year through leaks or wasteful practices like deliberate venting into the atmosphere during the production and extraction process.”
Reuters: US, Qatar urge EU to change methane rules, warn of supply risk
Kate Abnett and Nichola Groom, 6/24/26
“Major energy exporters the U.S. and Qatar urged the European Union on Wednesday to rewrite planned methane emissions rules for oil and gas imports, warning that the policy could disrupt fuel supplies to Europe,” Reuters reports. “From next year, the EU regulation will require methane monitoring and verification for fuel deliveries to the bloc. The rules aim to curb leaks of the potent greenhouse gas but have drawn strong opposition from industry and overseas suppliers… “U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright told the Reuters Global Energy Forum in New York on Wednesday that the EU’s “crazy” methane regulations will make it impossible to import LNG from the U.S. and the other allies who signed the letter… “You’re going to have meaningful risk of blackouts or heating struggles this coming winter. There’s just no reason for that,” he said. Speaking to reporters before the letter was published, EU Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen said he was open to discussions on easing implementation but would not dilute the policy’s ambition. “I will not reopen it. I’m very proud of our methane regulation,” Jorgensen said, according to Reuters.”
BIV: Doctors group calls on Ottawa to intervene in gas greenwashing probe
Stefan Labbé, 6/25/26
“A group of medical practitioners is calling for the federal minister to intervene after Canada’s Competition Bureau halted an investigation into a national gas industry association for allegedly making false and misleading statements,” BIV reports. “On Thursday, the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) sent a letter to Minister of Industry Mélanie Joly requesting she intervene in the case… “CGA has removed the alleged false or misleading environmental claims referring to natural gas as a clean energy source,” said Maiorino. “As a result, these claims are no longer available to the public.” The now-closed investigation stems from a 2022 complaint from a group of doctors and nurses—including B.C. family physicians Dr. Melissa Lem and Dr. Ulrike Meyer—who alleged the CGA had ran a “false and misleading” advertising campaign that touted gas as an “eco-friendly” fuel… “Under the Competition Act, corporations found liable for deceptive marketing can face penalties of up to $10 million on the first occurrence, and $15 million for repeated violations… “They pointed to a “concerning systemic pattern” where the bureau has dropped deceptive marketing inquiries connected to harms to human health and the environment… “When the Competition Bureau doesn’t weigh in on allegations of greenwashing, Montgomery told BIV other companies have little guidance on how they can advertise their products or services.”
Canadian Press: Comment period opens for planned liquefied petroleum gas facility on B.C. coast
6/24/26
“Ottawa has begun taking public comments on a proposed liquefied petroleum gas facility on British Columbia’s north coast,” the Canadian Press reports. “The Impact Assessment Agency says in a statement that comments on the proposal by Trigon Pacific Terminals at the Port of Prince Rupert must be submitted by July 24… “It would involve construction of up to 20 rail-loading racks at the port to receive fuel shipments, which would be stored up to 158,000 cubic metres of tanks before being shipped out. Trigon is partially owned by two First Nations in northwestern B.C., the Lax Kw’alaams Band and the Metlakatla First Nation.”
Carbon Herald: Nine Countries Join CCSA To Coordinate CCUS Policies In Europe
Violet George, 6/26/26
“The Carbon Capture and Storage Association (CCSA) has announced the launch of the European CCUS National Associations Forum. Designed as a dedicated, informal platform, the new entity aims to enhance cross-border cooperation, knowledge-sharing, and regulatory alignment among primary European and domestic carbon management stakeholders,” the Carbon Herald reports. “The initiative brings together nine foundational national associations representing a broad geographical cross-section of the continent. The inaugural roster includes Denmark’s CO2 Hub Europe, France’s Club CO2, Germany’s Carbon Management Allianz and Deutsche Carbon Management Initiative, Norway’s CCUS Innovation, Poland’s CCUS Poland Association, Romania’s Carbon Hub, Spain’s PTECO2, and the Netherlands’ Platform Carbon Management. By establishing a direct channel of dialogue between industry advocates in Brussels and those in national capitals, the forum seeks to craft more cohesive policy and regulatory frameworks capable of matching the rapid scale-up required for the European energy transition.”
CLIMATE FINANCE
E&E News: EU countries want oil exploration to be classed as green investment
Marianne Gros, 6/25/26
“Most EU governments say they back the switch away from fossil fuels. But when it comes to investing in Big Oil, they’re not quite so green-minded,” E&E News reports. “EU member countries made a deal Wednesday that would make it easier for private investments earmarked for green activities to flow into companies building new fossil fuel projects. It would mean big oil and gas companies that are spending billions on new oil wells and gas fields could still find themselves in sustainable investment funds, as long as they are also investing in things like wind turbines, solar power, hydrogen, or carbon capture and storage. The push would substantially loosen a proposal by the European Commission to get more money flowing into companies that are genuinely going green — part of an overhaul of the bloc’s green investment laws.”
OPINION
Pipeline Fighters Hub: Paul Blackburn: Rotten Eggs: SOLVED! The Case of the Missing Hydrogen Sulfide in Satartia, Mississippi
Paul Blackburn, 6/25/26
“Two years ago, I wrote a blog post about ethanol industry claims that ruptures of pipelines filled with carbon dioxide (CO2) captured from ethanol plants would not have the health impacts seen following the rupture of a Denbury/Exxon CO2 pipeline near the town of Satartia, Mississippi, on February 22, 2020. The industry claimed that the injuries to Satartia residents were caused by the presence of H2S in the CO2, and not the CO2 itself,” Paul Blackburn writes for the Pipeline Fighters Hub. “The ethanol industry argued that since CO2 from ethanol plants contains no H2S, it is as safe as the fizz in your soda… “While the circumstantial data indicated that H2S concentrations in the Satartia plume were low, I could not conclude this definitively, because hard data was not available… “It turns out, I was correct. The very last of 776 pages provided by PHMSA contains a chart of Denbury “Weekly Analyzer Data” showing CO2, methane, nitrogen, and H2S concentrations inside Denbury’s pipeline at the Tinsley Pump Station immediately upstream from the rupture site for the week of and the year proceeding the rupture. For the week ending February 22, 2020 (the date of the rupture), Denbury recorded an H2S concentration of 35.01 parts per million (ppm). Over the prior year, H2S concentrations averaged 36.70 ppm. The maximum recorded H2S concentration was 45.83 ppm during the week ending December 28, 2019. The data also shows that the concentration of CO2 inside the pipeline was 99.01 percent (not ppm), and concentrations of methane and nitrogen were 0.49 percent and 0.50 percent, respectively. Denbury was transporting nearly pure CO2. What can we conclude from this data?... “If a person stuck their head into the pipe at the rupture site, the H2S concentration still would have been below the federal short-term H2S exposure limit of 50 ppm, but the person would have been instantly suffocated and flash frozen by the gushing CO2… “Since people can smell H2S at concentrations from 0.01 to 1.5 ppm, this would explain why residents reported a “rotten egg” smell that indicates the presence of H2S. But, while smelling the H2S from a rotting egg is unpleasant, it isn’t dangerous. In any case, based on Denbury’s data, the H2S concentrations in Satartia following the rupture were almost certainly well below all federal worker safety standards, such that the harm caused by that rupture were not due to H2X and instead were caused by high CO2 concentrations. What lessons can we learn? First, don’t believe what the ethanol industry says about its CO2 being pure and therefore not dangerous. The Satartia rupture proves otherwise. Large releases of supercritical or liquid CO2 can suffocate or harm you, your family, pets, and livestock – if you are unlucky enough to be close to a rupture. Second, during the entire time that the ethanol industry was running around blaming H2S for the Satartia health impacts, both Denbury and PHMSA knew full well that H2S concentrations in the pipeline at the time of the rupture were too low to cause the injuries reported at Satartia, yet they said nothing. Therefore, we should expect neither PHMSA nor the CO2 industry to come clean about potential CO2 pipeline risks. While the smell of rotten eggs disappeared from Satartia long ago, the smell of rotten industry claims and government collusion still lingers.”
Financial Post: Canada’s carbon policies offset Alberta’s tax advantage
Jack Mintz is the President’s Fellow, School of Public Policy, University of Calgary, 6/26/26
“The grand bargain between Prime Minister Mark Carney and Premier Danielle Smith that could lead to the construction of a West Coast oil pipeline comes with two costs for the oil and gas industry. Alberta agrees to a higher industrial carbon tax and oilsands producers invest in carbon capture, utilization and storage facilities that could cost at least $20 billion. The industrial carbon tax and the requirement for “decarbonized oil” are now being hotly debated in Alberta,” Jack Mintz writes for the Financial Post. “...Because the U.S. does not have a carbon tax, the question is whether Alberta’s industrial carbon tax makes the province less tax-competitive for investment compared to the U.S… “The U.S. subsidizes CCUS investments at $85 per tonne of stored carbon, while Canada and Alberta will cover about three-fifths of the capital costs. The CCUS cost is also supported by saving companies money on their carbon tax payments or allowing them to sell more of their carbon credits. But although these effects reduce the marginal cost of production they don’t fully offset it, so producers still pay some of that cost. Taxes aren’t everything, of course. Alberta may still be attractive to investors because of the quality of its resources or management and its lower wage costs compared to the U.S. Even so, my conclusion is that Canada’s carbon policies create a tax disadvantage for the province — and therefore the country.”
Energy In Depth: Out-of-State Billionaires Take Aim at Louisiana’s Carbon Capture Opportunity
Joel Acosta writes for Energy In Depth, a project of the Independent Petroleum Producers of America, 6/25/26
“Out of state, anti-energy billionaires are dumping millions of dollars to manufacture opposition to carbon capture in Louisiana,” Joel Acosta writes for Energy In Depth. “According to research by the Pelican Institute, out-of-state donors, led by Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Bezos Earth Fund, have funneled more than $115.5 million into Louisiana groups working to shut down the state’s energy industry… “For example, in 2022 Bloomberg Philanthropies launched Beyond Petrochemicals, an $85 million campaign to block more than 120 proposed petrochemical and plastics projects across Louisiana, Texas and the Ohio River Valley. This campaign has taken roots in Louisiana through sponsorship of local organizations such as the Bucket Brigade and Rise St. James, and has begun targeting carbon capture and storage (CCS) under the incorrect premise that is a “false solution” to reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). An active player in this campaign is Louisiana Against False Solutions (LAFS), a coalition of organizations opposed to CCS projects in the state. Affiliated groups include Healthy Gulf and the 350.org New Orleans chapter, which received $1 million and $1.25 million ($750,000 in 2021, $500,000 in 2020), respectively, from Bloomberg Philanthropies between 2021 and 2022 to “accelerate [the] transition to clean energy.” It is ironic that the organizations allegedly working to “accelerate” the energy transition are fighting directly against a technology specifically designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions… “Opposing investment in CCS directly contradicts these organizations’ stated goal of lowering emissions by roadblocking the only viable technology available for many industries to do so… “While environmental organizations argue they support climate action and emissions reductions, many are still opposing one of the few technologies capable of preserving Louisiana’s industrial base while helping companies meet increasingly stringent carbon requirements… “The same network is running the same playbook across the country. In the Midwest, the Bold Alliance has spearheaded the campaign to kill Summit Carbon Solutions’ multi-state CO2 pipeline. Jane Kleeb founded and leads the group, and she simultaneously chairs the Nebraska Democratic Party and serves as a vice-chair of the Democratic National Committee. Bold’s “Pipeline Fighters Hub” coordinates landowner opposition across Iowa, Nebraska, and the Dakotas, and the Sierra Club led the litigation against the project.”