EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 6/27/22
PIPELINE NEWS
Associated Press: Court rejects pipeline's request for new panel of judges
Roanoke Times: Mountain Valley Pipeline asks for another four years to complete the project
In These Times: Meet the Appalachian Women Facing Down the Mountain Valley Pipeline
Bay City News: PG&E Receives $1.27M Citation for Problems With Corrosion Protection in Pipelines
Energy and the Law: Pipeline Prevails Over Governmental Entity in Condemnation Dispute
BIC Magazine: Global pipeline construction market is expected to reach $73.1B by 2031
WASHINGTON UPDATES
HuffPost: Congress Quietly Backed An Ambitious Climate Project: Sending CO2 To The Ocean Floor
STATE UPDATES
Associated Press: Not enough or too far? California climate plan pleases few
DeSmog: The Pacific Northwest Has Defeated Dozens of Fossil Fuel Projects — But the Industry Still Wants to Quietly Expand
Wisconsin Inno: Marquette researcher wins $4.2M Department of Energy grant for tech that cuts releases of methane
EXTRACTION
OilPrice.com: Exxon Calls For Higher Carbon Pricing
NPR: How a massive refinery shortage is contributing to high gas prices
Reuters: A shale booster shot: 'Re-fracs' rise as cheap way to lift U.S. oil output
Calgary Herald: First Nation woman banned by CNRL for smudging accuses company of discrimination
TODAY IN GREENWASHING
Minot Daily News: Enbridge to sponsor Invention Story Mobile Kiosk
OPINION
Roanoke Times: Radmacher: Destructive Mountain Valley Pipeline is losing the race
Commonwealth Magazine: Repurpose, don’t scrap, existing pipeline infrastructure
The Hill: Why we must nationalize Big Oil
PIPELINE NEWS
Associated Press: Court rejects pipeline's request for new panel of judges
6/24/22
“A federal appeals court has denied a request from a company building a natural gas pipeline in Virginia and West Virginia to have a new panel of judges reconsider permits that have been struck down repeatedly,” the Associated Press reports. “The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied the motion from Mountain Valley Pipeline in a one-sentence order filed late Wednesday, The Roanoke Times reported. Last month, the company filed a motion asking for a new panel to be assigned at random… “Three-member panels are randomly assigned for incoming cases, but rules allow for the same judges to remain with a case sometimes when it comes up again. However, the company asserted that the Fourth Circuit didn’t follow its internal operating procedures. The company also argued that the court's continued rejection of government approvals, often by the same three judges, threatens public confidence in the court. But those who support keeping the same judges on similar cases argue that it's more efficient as the judges can be more familiar with the history of cases and complex issues.”
Roanoke Times: Mountain Valley Pipeline asks for another four years to complete the project
Laurence Hammack, 6/24/22
“Having already spent $5.5 billion and more than four years building a natural gas pipeline through Southwest Virginia, the developers are now asking for another four years to finish the job,” the Roanoke Times reports. “In a letter Friday to federal regulators, Mountain Valley Pipeline requested that it be given until Oct. 13, 2026, to complete a 303-mile pipeline that has encountered fierce opposition at every turn since it was first proposed in 2014. Court rulings striking down government-issued permits for the pipeline, prompted by lawsuits from environmentalists, made it clear that construction would not be completed by this Oct. 13, a deadline set two years ago by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. “Due to the ongoing litigation,” Mountain Valley wrote in a letter to FERC, it is requesting an extension to allow it to “work cooperatively with all affected stakeholders and permit agencies to complete construction and achieve final restoration.” “Despite a continual barrage of attacks from Project opponents, Mountain Valley remains committed to completing this critical infrastructure project,” Matthew Eggerding, assistant general counsel for the company, wrote in the letter to FERC secretary Kimberly Bose. Although Mountain Valley is seeking another four years, spokeswomen Natalie Cox told the Times that the joint venture of five energy companies still hopes the pipeline will be in service by late next year. Opponents say time has already run out on a flawed concept. Construction of the buried 42-inch diameter pipe has marred scenic landscapes and clogged pristine streams with muddy runoff, they say, and its environmental footprint will only deepen when it begins to deliver natural gas that will help fuel a climate change crisis. “This project is a dinosaur and should go extinct in 2022,” David Sligh, conservation director of Wild Virginia, told the TImes.
In These Times: Meet the Appalachian Women Facing Down the Mountain Valley Pipeline
BEN BOLLING, 6/25/22
“I have met so many people through this fight,” says Nancy Bouldin of Monroe County, West Virginia. “If you look at any benefits of all this, it’s the people and the connections that have been made.” When Bouldin says, “all this,” she refers to the years-long battle communities across West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina have waged against the Mountain Valley Pipeline and its proposed Southgate extension,” In These Times reports. “When Bouldin and fellow organizers Lynda Majors and Donna Pitt met for a discussion via Zoom in March of 2022, the MVP’s prospects seemed dim… “As the women explain their history with the effort to defeat the MVP, the camaraderie among the three is apparent: They finish each other’s sentences, laugh at shared experiences, and collectively recall memories from nearly a decade of organizing around this issue… “Bouldin, Majors and Pitt may not see themselves as exceptional in the MVP fight, but each is extraordinary in her persistence, contributions and commitment to this resistance movement… “Beginning in the fall of 2014, Majors, Pitt and Bouldin began working in their respective communities to build awareness among landowners and concerned residents about the proposed MVP. But soon, they recognized the power-building potential in forming broader coalitions. “We first met as the POWHR coalition was forming,” Pitt says. Today the Protect Our Water, Heritage, Rights coalition describes itself as “an interstate coalition representing individuals and groups from Virginia and West Virginia dedicated to protecting water, land, and communities from harms caused by the expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure, including the Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP).” “...There were people from our county [Monroe County, West Virginia] who traveled down to Virginia because they wanted to hear what was going on in these open houses and in so doing, they started meeting people from Virginia and there was a core group who were saying, ‘We need to be connecting!’” “...When considering the paths that brought each of them to anti-pipeline activism, Pitt, Majors and Bouldin all articulated a deeply rooted connection to environmental stewardship… “For Pitt, motivation is in plain sight. “What motivates me is that I look out my window and I can see the damn thing,” she says. “If you can’t fight for your property and your water, then you don’t deserve it. At some point, you just have to take action.”
Bay City News: PG&E Receives $1.27M Citation for Problems With Corrosion Protection in Pipelines
6/26/22
“PG&E received a $1.27 million fine and citation for failing to promptly fix problems with corrosion prevention systems in its natural gas pipelines, the California Public Utilities Commission announced on Friday,” Bay City News reports. “Following an investigation, the state oversight commission concluded that PG&E did not address issues in 127 natural gas pipeline locations in a timely manner. The locations specifically lacked adequate cathodic protection systems, which are required to protect pipeline corrosion. Some locations had deficient systems for over three years, according to the citation. "[Cathodic protection] is a time-dependent threat. Over time, low or inadequate CP can cause corrosion, pipe wall loss, and/or pipeline failure," reads the citation. "PG&E's long duration of non-compliance of minimum CP requirements will likely impact the safety and reliability of its natural gas service."
Energy and the Law: Pipeline Prevails Over Governmental Entity in Condemnation Dispute
Charles Sartain, 6/24/22
“A pipeline company condemning property of a governmental entity? That’s something you don’t see every day,” Energy and the Law reports. “Score a win for “big pipe” against “big government”. In Harris County Fresh Water Supply District No. 61 v. Magellan Pipeline Company, LP and V-Tex Logistics, LLC, a special purpose district unsuccessfully argued that it had governmental immunity from a pipeline condemnation suit. Magellan and V-Tex are pipeline companies who entered into an agreement to construct a pipeline for refined petroleum products. One of the parcels that needed to be acquired for the project was a 30-acre tract of land owned by Harris County Fresh Water Supply District used for a stormwater-detention pond. The parties entered into negotiations for an easement in late 2017 but could not reach an agreement... “At the administrative portion of the proceeding, the appointed special commissioners assessed that the additional compensation should be $160,000. At the judicial portion of the proceeding, the district objected, arguing that the property was already devoted to an existing public use and that the $160,000 award was not adequate compensation. After summary judgment and a trial as to remaining fact issues, judgment was entered for the pipeline companies… “The district appealed, arguing first that it enjoyed immunity from condemnation suits as a subdivision of the state… “In this instance, the court of appeals found that the district’s voluntary participation in the condemnation proceeding was an abrogation of its right to claim governmental immunity. Agreeing to the concept by email (“Very good. Thank you.”) and entering into an agreement for partial settlement “clearly indicated that [the district] was contractually agreeing to participate in the condemnation proceeding.”
BIC Magazine: Global pipeline construction market is expected to reach $73.1B by 2031
6/25/22
“According to the report published by Allied Market Research, the global pipeline construction market generated $45.7B in 2021, and is projected to reach $73.1B by 2031, witnessing a CAGR of 4.8% from 2022 to 2031,” BIC Magazine reports. “...The surge in energy consumption for diverse industries, increased offshore exploration efforts, and rise in government investment in oil & gas refinery projects drive the growth of the global pipeline construction market. Moreover, population growth has a positive effect on the growing demand for various daily products such as water, milk, and petroleum products such as kerosene, diesel and gasoline. This is expected to generate potential opportunities for the pipeline construction market during the forecast period… “The gas pipeline segment held the largest market share in 2021, holding nearly two-thirds of the total market share, and is expected to continue its leadership status during the forecast period. Moreover, the same segment is projected to register the highest CAGR of 5.1% from 2022 to 2031.”
WASHINGTON UPDATES
HuffPost: Congress Quietly Backed An Ambitious Climate Project: Sending CO2 To The Ocean Floor
Chris D'Angelo, 6/24/22
“As the world races to head off worst-case climate change scenarios, there has been increasing focus on developing and advancing technologies to suck planet-warming carbon dioxide from the atmosphere,” HuffPost reports. “Among the logistical hurdles with the technology, called carbon capture and storage, or CCS, is where to store the massive amounts of carbon gas underground once it’s been sequestered. One proven solution: the bottom of the ocean. Congress recently helped to push that possibility forward. The $1.2 trillion infrastructure package that Congress passed and President Joe Biden signed into law late last year is expected to jumpstart U.S. carbon capture and storage. Along with earmarking more than $12 billion to advance CCS technologies, the law tasked federal regulators with creating a framework for companies to lease offshore areas and pump CO₂ into the ocean floor, thereby preventing it from reaching the atmosphere and further heating the planet… “The offshore provisions were quietly tucked into the bill during Senate negotiations and “caught many by surprise,” Romany Webb, a senior fellow at the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia Law School; told HuffPost. “It reflects both the urgency many people see around advancing CCS and also the fact that CCS is really, I think, one of the more bipartisan climate solutions,” she told HuffPost. “It’s definitely an area to watch and something that I think there’s going to be a lot of focus on going forward.” The law amended the 1953 Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) to give the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) the authority to issue leases that “provide for, support, or are directly related to the injection of a carbon dioxide stream into sub-seabed geologic formations for the purpose of long-term carbon storage.” It also lifted a regulatory barrier by clarifying that carbon dioxide destined for deep sea storage does not qualify as an industrial material that would otherwise require a permit under the 1972 Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act, also known as the Ocean Dumping Act… “The proposed rule, once finalized, will be subject to public review and comment. As part of its ongoing work, BOEM analyzed depleted oil and gas reserves in the Gulf and identified 21 initial candidate sites for future CCS in shallow, nearshore waters.”
STATE UPDATES
Associated Press: Not enough or too far? California climate plan pleases few
KATHLEEN RONAYNE, 6/23/22
“Heat waves and drought gripping California highlight the urgency to slash fossil fuel use and remove planet-warming emissions from the air, a top state official said Thursday during discussions of a new plan for the state to reach its climate goals,” the Associated Press reports. “ “I think every single Californian today knows that we’re living through a climate emergency,” said Jared Blumenfeld, secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency. He spoke as the California Air Resources Board opened a hearing on a plan for the nation’s most populous state to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045. That means the state would remove as much carbon from the air as it emits. The timeline is among the most ambitious in the nation and in the world, but few who offered public comment were happy with the state’s plan for reaching that milestone. Environmental groups, academics, and people who live in heavily polluted neighborhoods said the plan doesn’t do enough to reduce the production or use of fossil fuels. Some business, industry and labor groups, meanwhile, said the transition could raise prices and hurt workers… “The state would reach its goal through combination of lowering fossil fuel use and using technology to remove any remaining emissions from the air… “Critics from environmental groups say California’s plan doesn’t call for deep enough emissions cuts and relies too heavily on unproven and energy intensive carbon capture and removal. The concerns about such technology track with global concerns about the best way to tackle emissions goals. The meeting grew tense in the mid-afternoon as environmental justice advocates who had been rallying outside walked into the hearing room and began singing and chanting over a speaker representing business interests. The air board briefly paused the meeting as chants protesting the use of fossil fuels continued. The environmental advocates said they felt business and fossil fuel representatives were given more favorable speaking slots… “California’s proposal relies on removing 80 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from the air in 2045… “Right now, carbon capture is not in widespread use, though the Biden administration is spending billions to ramp it up. Some speakers were supportive of the plan’s reliance on the technology. “Deep decarbonization depends on a lot of options,” said Alex Kizer, senior vice president of research and analysis at Energy Futures Initiative, a group led by former U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz. “We see (carbon capture and sequestration) as one of the most valuable decarbonization solutions for the country and especially for the state.”
DeSmog: The Pacific Northwest Has Defeated Dozens of Fossil Fuel Projects — But the Industry Still Wants to Quietly Expand
Nick Cunningham, 6/23/22
“New large-scale fossil fuel projects have become mostly unworkable in the Pacific Northwest, with dozens canceled over the past decade due to fierce opposition from local communities,” DeSmog reports. “But the industry’s blitz is not yet over. Instead, rather than building new pipelines, it is seeking to expand existing infrastructure in a way that will provoke less pushback. Since 2012, an estimated 55 coal, oil, and natural gas projects have been proposed for the Pacific Northwest — encompassing Oregon and Washington, as well as British Columbia. But more than 70 percent of them have been defeated, according to a recent study from the Seattle-based Sightline Institute. “The fossil fuel industry really was trying to turn the Pacific Northwest into a coal, oil, and gas export hub,” Emily Moore, a senior researcher at Sightline Institute, told DeSmog. “We could be looking at a really different picture right now if all of those had gone through.” “...But coalitions of environmental groups, landowners, and tribes fought back — and more often than not, they won. Forty of the 55 projects were canceled, six were completed, and nine more are either under construction or on the drawing board… “Even though many projects ran aground in the Pacific Northwest, the fossil fuel industry is not giving up yet. Recognizing that building new long-distance pipelines will face opposition, a new strategy could be afoot… “TC Energy’s regulatory filings suggest it is pursuing a subtler strategy that could prove more successful than the long list of fossil fuel projects shelved over the past decade. Rather than apply for a big increase in capacity, it has filed for a series of small increases, which could arouse less regulatory scrutiny and public outrage if deemed to be separate projects. And because it is expanding along an existing pipeline route, the company will confront fewer landowners, or other opposition groups. Two non-profits, Columbia Riverkeeper and Crag Law Center, are formally opposing the federal request. “Our region has defeated some of the nation’s largest coal, oil, and fracked gas projects over the last two decades. We are seeing a shift today where fossil fuel companies are more sneaky in how they frame new projects,” Brett VandenHeuvel, outgoing executive director of Columbia Riverkeeper, told DeSmog. “They attempt to piecemeal projects to make them look smaller, focus on expanding existing infrastructure, and claim projects are needed for reliability but redact the data as classified.”
Wisconsin Inno: Marquette researcher wins $4.2M Department of Energy grant for tech that cuts releases of methane
Will Romano, 6/22/22
“Adam Dempsey, assistant professor of mechanical engineering in Marquette University’s Opus College of Engineering, received a nearly $4.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to work on technology that reduces methane slip from natural gas engines, according to a Monday news release,” Wisconsin Inno reports. “Methane has a global warming potential that is 25 to 80 times that of carbon dioxide and the technology Dempsey is working on could reduce methane slip – or the methane released as unburned gas – by avoiding premixing fuel and intake air in engines, according to the release… “MAHLE Powertrain, one of Dempsey’s project partners that is also a sub-awardee on the grant, is creating prototype parts for the testing and development of the technology and could eventually help move the technology into the market, Dempsey told Inno. “The hope is that we could license the technology to natural gas engine OEMs and that’s MAHLE’s business,” Dempsey told Inno. “We think they’ll help us develop the technology and then we have a natural commercialization partner through them.”
EXTRACTION
OilPrice.com: Exxon Calls For Higher Carbon Pricing
Tsvetana Paraskova, 6/24/22
“ExxonMobil would like to see the tax credit for carbon capture and storage increased to $100 per ton from the current $50 per ton, as a means to incentivize carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects, the supermajor’s chief executive Darren Woods told CNBC’s David Faber in an interview this week,” OilPrice.com reports. “Exxon’s top executive believes that direct air capture of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere could be “the holy grail” in clean energy technology… “ExxonMobil says that CCS is “one of the few proven technologies with the potential to significantly reduce emissions from certain hard-to-decarbonize sectors, such as manufacturing and heavy industry.” The U.S. oil and gas major, however, says that new policies are necessary to spur the investment required to deploy CCS at such a pace and scale. Those policies suggested by Exxon include a rise in the value of carbon to around $100 per metric ton from the current $50, extending the eligibility period to 30 years from current 12 years, and eliminating the deadline for starting construction of a CCS project. Exxon also says that the U.S. Department of Energy programs could provide financial support for CCS infrastructure.”
NPR: How a massive refinery shortage is contributing to high gas prices
Brittany Cronin, 6/24/22
“President Biden and Big Oil are at each other's throats,” NPR reports. “At a time when gas prices are at the highest level in history, hurting regular Americans, he points out that Big Oil companies are enjoying record profits… “Exacerbating these high gas prices is a huge shortage in refining capacity in the U.S., which isn't likely to be resolved any time soon… “Refining capacity in the U.S. is about a million barrels a day below what it was prior to the pandemic… “So, where did all the refineries go? Some refineries shuttered during the pandemic-induced recession in 2020, when demand for gasoline took a nosedive. Not all of those refineries have come back online. The U.S. had five fewer refineries at the beginning of this year that at the beginning of 2020. When the pandemic hit and demand for oil evaporated during the recession, refineries took a big financial hit when the price of gasoline plummeted. Some refiners threw in the towel. They said the numbers just didn't work, and closed up shop. "When you're losing money on doing it, what do you do? You stop making it. And that's when you shut down refineries," Denton Cinquegrana, chief oil analyst at Oil Price Information Service, told NPR… “Underpinning the decisions not to reopen refineries is the fact that the U.S. is undergoing an energy transition from fossil fuels to renewables… "I think the refining executives say, well, looks like the writing's on the wall," Cinquegrana told NPR… “As for turning back on idled refineries, that's not a quick fix either. It would take months to bring the refineries back online, and it would be costly for the refiners. Cinquegrana from Oil Price Information Service told NPR that from the refiners' perspective, it doesn't make financial sense to invest in additional oil refining given the broader transition. "You're talking about a lot of money to get these refineries that are idled up and running...when I'm being told five years from now, we hope you don't exist," Cinquegrana told NPR.” The United States hasn't seen a major new refinery built since the 1970s. And there's a good chance it never will. Chevron CEO Mike Wirth recently stated as much in an interview with Bloomberg. "My personal view is there will never be another refinery built in the United States," Wirth said.
Reuters: A shale booster shot: 'Re-fracs' rise as cheap way to lift U.S. oil output
Liz Hampton, 6/27/22
“U.S. shale oil producers are returning to existing wells and giving them a second, high-pressure blast to lift output for a fraction of the cost of a finishing a new well,” Reuters reports. “These "re-fracs" are taking hold as shale oil producers look to take advantage of $100 a barrel crude without making big investments in new wells and fields… “Re-fracing can be something of a booster shot for producers - a quick increase in output for smaller investment than a new well. While some producers have dabbled in re-fracturing wells in the past, the technique is winning broader adoption as technology improves, aging oilfields erode output, and companies try to do more with less… “A re-frac can be up to 40% cheaper than a new well, according to experts. More importantly, it can double or triple oil flows from aging wells, Garrett Fowler, chief operating officer for ResFrac, which helps producers optimize the technique, told Reuters… “For oil producers, re-fracs are a cheap way to add output to existing pipelines… “The most common re-frac method involves placing a steel liner inside the original well bore and then blasting holes through the steel casing to access the reservoir. In some cases, the process uses half as much steel and frac sand than a new well, ResFrac's Fowler told Reuters… “Another benefit, say oil service executives, is re-fracs do not require additional state permits or new negotiations with landowners. The disruption to the environment also is less because well sites will already have road access, they told Reuters..
Calgary Herald: First Nation woman banned by CNRL for smudging accuses company of discrimination
Vincent McDermott, 6/26/22
“A Cree-Dene woman says she is a victim of religious discrimination after Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. banned her for smudging while staying at a camp operated by the oilsands company,” the Calgary Herald reports. “Denel Piche, a Calgary resident who works for Bravo Target Safety, said the May 29 incident happened when she was contracted to work at the company’s Horizon site. Piche was staying in camp accommodations run by the company, and said she would burn sage near her bedroom window as part of a daily smudging ritual… “Piche said after a shift, she found security had locked her out of her room. Cleaning staff had found the sage and smudging tools in her room, and told company staff. She apologized and asked if she could smudge somewhere privately while she worked at Horizon, arguing it is a part of her religious and spiritual beliefs… “She said camp staff mentioned she could smudge in an outdoor smoking area. Piche said performing a private religious ritual was unacceptable in an area reserved for people smoking… “This is a private ceremonial thing. I’m not going to smudge in front of a bunch of people who may not know what’s going on or what I’m doing.” The company banned Piche from their properties the next morning as she was getting ready for her shift. She was told to find her own way home and her sympathetic employer covered her flight back to Calgary. Piche says her religious beliefs were not respected by the company and is looking for an Indigenous lawyer to pursue legal action against CNRL. In a Thursday email, CNRL spokesperson Julie Woo said the company is “in the process of developing a traditional smudging area” at oilsands facilities for Indigenous employees and contractors. The statement also said “outdoor designated smoking areas” could be used for “ceremonial practices.” The company did not respond when asked what policies CNRL had regarding religious practices, if Piche was still banned from company properties or if creating smudging areas was a response to the incident.”
TODAY IN GREENWASHING
Minot Daily News: Enbridge to sponsor Invention Story Mobile Kiosk
6/27/22
“The Magic City Discovery Center is the recipient of a $50,000 Community Investment Grant from Enbridge, an energy transportation company,” the Minot Daily News reports.”This grant will provide funds for the Invention Story Mobile Kiosk which will travel to North Dakota schools and community events through the Discovery on the Go! outreach program… “We are so glad to be able to provide this service to the region, thanks to a very generous donation from a key employer in our region, Enbridge.” said Karen Rasmusson, board president for the Magic City Discovery Center. “Their desire to support school-age children through the Invention Story Mobile Kiosk will play a big role in educating the workers of tomorrow and sparking their interest and passion in living and working in our state and region.”
OPINION
Roanoke Times: Radmacher: Destructive Mountain Valley Pipeline is losing the race
Dan Radmacher, former editorial page editor of The Roanoke Times, is a media specialist for Appalachian Voices, 6/25/22
“Developers of the Mountain Valley Pipeline are in a race to complete this dangerous and unnecessary project. Desperate to convince regulators and restless investors, MVP wants to present the eventual completion of the pipeline as a fait accompli,” Dan Radmacher writes for the Roanoke Times. “But a simple look at the facts shows that MVP faces nearly insurmountable hurdles that it needs to overcome before gas could start flowing. Though developers may like to say the pipeline is 90 or 95% complete, MVP itself has admitted in filings that the pipeline is only about 56% complete to full restoration. The fact is, right now, it couldn’t even pump gas one full mile without running into the first gap in construction. Along the 303-mile route of the pipeline, there are more than 400 gaps — places where the pipeline needs to cross streams, rivers or wetlands, and the company currently lacks permission from the government to do so. MVP still needs permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers under the Clean Water Act to construct most of those crossings, and the Corps says it won’t consider those permits unless and until MVP gets a valid authorization from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service attesting that the pipeline won’t harm endangered species… “Getting new permits from these agencies will take time, and there’s no guarantee that the agencies will be able to make the necessary findings to grant approval — because the pipeline cannot be built without damaging national forestland and harming endangered species… “NextEra Energy, one of the main investors, announced an $800 million loss on the project earlier this year, and told shareholders there was a “very low probability of pipeline completion.” That assessment seems realistic, given all these hurdles and the unyielding community opposition to the pipeline. Those of us working to stop the pipeline certainly aren’t about to give up. We are trying to protect our communities, waterways, and a liveable planet, so we will not relent until MVP’s developers see the futility of their position.”
Commonwealth Magazine: Repurpose, don’t scrap, existing pipeline infrastructure
Harry Brett is the New England representative of the United Association of Plumbers, Fitters, Welders, & Service Workers, 6/26/22
“THE RACE to net zero emissions is on, and we have a lot of work to do to get there and not a lot of time to do it,” Harry Brett writes for Commonwealth Magazine. “Nowhere is that truer than here in Massachusetts, where the 2030 deadline to slash our emissions in half is bearing down on us… “The DPU 20-80 proceeding, under assault by a small group of activists, produced a robust, data-supported and stakeholder-driven report that analyzes many pathways that reduce emissions in Massachusetts. What it found was that “all electrification” strategies are not as mathematically supported as those that will yield faster, more affordable pathways to a state of 7 million people and its economy. Because it doesn’t agree with these findings, the Senate is trying to turn a legitimate public proceeding into a kangaroo court. By ignoring the potential of our pipeline infrastructure to deliver clean fuels like hydrogen, renewable natural gas (RNG), and geothermal to homes and businesses, the Senate puts our 2030, 2040, or 2050 statutory emissions reduction mandates at risk… “Unfortunately, many of the activists driving this “all electrification” debate don’t care about jobs or those who rely on them… “By repurposing, rather than abandoning, pipe infrastructure to transport non-carbon emitting energy, Massachusetts can support skilled career paths that reduce the gender and racial wealth gaps. The Legislature has a huge chance to get this right simply by not getting it wrong. No one is suggesting we tear up our roads as we transition to electric vehicles. Why in the world would we ever consider doing the same with our pipes? The Commonwealth needs all the clean energy it can get – and our infrastructure is a critical asset in our race to realize a low carbon future in the years ahead.”
The Hill: Why we must nationalize Big Oil
William S. Becker is a former U.S. Department of Energy central regional director, 6/25/22
“During the financial crisis in 2008, the federal government protected the economy by bailing out companies it considered “too big to fail,” William S. Becker writes for The Hill. “...But what should the government do about companies that use deception to dominate a market to the detriment of the economy and the long-term welfare of the American people? What should it do when an industry repeatedly violates the public trust? In other words, what shall we do about the oil industry? By covering up its knowledge that its products are destabilizing the climate, funding a denial campaign and pressuring Congress not to address global warming, big oil should have lost its social license to operate long ago… “What should the federal government do? First, it should acknowledge that the quickest and most effective way to stabilize the climate is not to waste more time trying to decarbonize carbon fuels; instead, it should facilitate a shift to genuinely clean and renewable energy. Second, it should fix America’s energy market by eliminating policies that distort price signals. With prices that accurately reflect full lifecycle benefits and costs, renewable resources would advance more quickly because they are free, inexhaustible, ubiquitous and naturally clean. Third and most important, the government should nationalize Big Oil. That would allow the government to manage the industry’s drawdown, a process the private sector is ignoring. A coalition of climate-action groups showed the world’s 60 largest banks financed nearly $4 trillion in fossil energy projects over the last five years, investments that could be stranded and lead to more requested taxpayer bailouts when the carbon bubble pops. In one scenario, the federal government could buy a controlling interest in the three most dominant oil companies, ExxonMobil, Chevron and Conoco. The cost would be around $350 billion, a trivial amount compared with unmitigated climate change or the $5 trillion the government spent on COVID-19 relief, the nation’s defense budget this year ($778 billion), or fossil fuels’ $630.5 billion annual damages to public health and the environment. The federal government typically nationalizes companies to save them. In this case, it must nationalize Big Oil to save us all from a future we don’t want.”