EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 6/28/24
PIPELINE NEWS
North Dakota Monitor: Property rights lawsuit faces test in court Friday as energy companies intervene
Des Moines Register: What could Summit's proposed carbon pipeline look like in Iowa? See the map.
WOI: Iowans express concern over eminent domain as carbon pipeline receives approval
Louisiana Illuminator: Federal regulators approve controversial Louisiana gas terminal project
KWTV: Okla. Farmers File Lawsuit to Force Midship Pipeline to Clean Up Land
CBC: Imperial Oil pipeline near Winnipeg restored to full capacity, province says
The Narwhal: Inside a former TC Energy exec’s claim he got pro-pipeline messaging ‘stuck on government letterhead’
WASHINGTON UPDATES
E&E News: Trump, Biden get heated in climate fight
Politico: Climate Nothing-Burger
Heatmap: Biden Had His Climate Moment and He Used It to Talk About Paris
NPR: Biden Has Taken More Action On Climate Than Any President. His Pitch? It Creates Jobs
New York Times: Supreme Court Blocks Biden Plan on Air Pollution
Washington Post: Supreme Court blocks EPA’s ‘downwind’ air-quality initiative’
E&E News: Wall Street’s Supreme Court win could slow energy enforcement
InsideEPA: Countering FERC, Environmentalists Cite Need To Find GHG ‘Significance’
E&E News: Republicans Work To Expand Congressional Review Act’s Scope
The Hill: Democrat probes 18 oil companies after FTC collusion accusations
Reuters: US energy production exceeds consumption by widest-recorded margin
STATE UPDATES
Politico: Oil industry group drops ballot initiative to drill near California homes
North Dakota Monitor: North Dakota officials object to Minnesota carbon-free energy law in public comments
KFDM: Cheek community expressing concerns on environmental safety ahead of ExxonMobil project
E&E News: California Senate advances bill to penalize oil wells near homes
Guardian: Lawyers could charge big oil with homicide after 2023 Arizona heatwave
E&E News: Arizona gas boost signals national emissions challenge
E&E News: BLM Wyoming Oil Sale Nets $5M
Alaska Beacon: Hilcorp Announces Plan To Buy Eni’s Oil Fields On Alaska’s North Slope
EXTRACTION
OilPrice.com: $200B In Carbon Capture Investment Needed Over Next 10 Years
DeSmog: Exxon’s Imperial Deletes CEO Claim That CCS Is ‘Critical’ to Paris Climate Goals
Heatmap: Carbon Removal’s Existential Question: It starts with ethanol.
Hart Energy: Walking the Talk: Exxon Mobil Makes CCUS Strides
Washington Post: How water could be the future of fuel: A new generation of fuels could power planes and ships without warming the planet.
Carbon Tracker: Kind of Blue: The real climate impact of Blue Hydrogen and Gas-CCS
Energy News Network: Natural gas’ new “greenwashing scam”
Petroleum Economist: Higher carbon prices give boost to industrial CCS
Eos: Fifty-Three Experts Weigh in on the Global Methane Budget
CLIMATE FINANCE
Reuters: BP halts hiring, slows renewables roll-out to win over investors
OPINION
Cedar Rapids Gazette: Summit, ethanol and King Corn win, again
Rochelle News-Leader: Sound policymaking needed to fully scale sustainable aviation fuel
Cowboy State Daily: I've Seen A Key Part Of Wyoming's All-Of-The-Above Energy Strategy
PIPELINE NEWS
North Dakota Monitor: Property rights lawsuit faces test in court Friday as energy companies intervene
JACOB ORLEDGE, 6/27/24
“A lawsuit brought by North Dakota landowners that challenges state laws related to underground carbon dioxide storage faces a crucial test this week,” the North Dakota Monitor reports. “A district judge in Bottineau will hear arguments Friday in a lawsuit filed against North Dakota by the Northwest Landowners Association, who say they’re working to protect the pore space of private landowners. Companies such as Summit Carbon Solutions are seeking to lease pore space, or the voids or cavities in underground rock formations, to permanently store CO2 captured from energy facilities. Attorneys representing North Dakota and the landowner group have filed motions for summary judgment, in effect asking the district court judge to rule in their favor without going through a trial. Multiple energy companies with a financial interest in CO2 storage projects have intervened in the case. Minnkota Power argues in court documents that an adverse ruling in the case, combined with proposed environmental regulations, pose an “existential threat” to the continued operations of the Milton R. Young coal power plant north of Bismarck. The North Dakota Farm Bureau, meanwhile, is listed as a plaintiff and supports the landowner group’s arguments. The district court’s ruling is expected to be appealed to the North Dakota Supreme Court regardless of the result… “Derrick Braaten, an attorney representing the landowners, emphasized in an interview the organization does not oppose the energy industry and wants to find “solutions that allow everybody to move forward in a way that is fair and just… “A trial is scheduled for September, though Braaten told the Monitor there is broad agreement among the parties it will be unnecessary. The judge’s ruling could be issued anywhere from a month to a year after the hearing, Braaten told the Monitor.
Des Moines Register: What could Summit's proposed carbon pipeline look like in Iowa? See the map.
Kate Kealey, 6/27/24
“Summit Carbon Solutions wants to build a carbon capture pipeline. This map shows the routes it would take through Iowa and the Midwest,” the Des Moines Register reports. “...Just because Summit has the state of Iowa's blessing, doesn't mean construction of the 2,500-mile pipeline can begin… “But Summit must cross multiple hurdles, including complying with Iowa regulations and gaining regulatory approval from other states before construction can begin. Original plans were denied by regulators in North Dakota and South Dakota. The Iowa Utilities Board granted Summit permission to use eminent domain to acquire land from owners unwilling to sell it… “The pipeline has faced opposition from environmental groups, landowners and both political parties in Iowa. A group of 31 Republicans from the Iowa House and Senate released a statement condemning the IUB's decision… “Summit plans to file a permit request from North Dakota for the route and sequestration site. It also needs approval on the route from South Dakota. Minnesota and Nebraska still have to approve the company's construction of trunk or lateral lines to the ethanol plants in those states.”
WOI: Iowans express concern over eminent domain as carbon pipeline receives approval
6/27/24
“The Iowa Utilities Board approved the carbon pipeline on Tuesday, with 75% of landowners signing voluntary easement agreements, Summit Carbon Solutions told Local 5,” WOI reports.
Louisiana Illuminator: Federal regulators approve controversial Louisiana gas terminal project
ROBERT ZULLO, 6/27/24
“A massive and contentious liquefied natural gas export project in coastal Louisiana and an associated pipeline got a key approval Thursday from federal regulators,” the Louisiana Illuminator reports. “The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued an order granting permission for Venture Global to build and operate the CP2 terminal in Cameron Parish along the Gulf Coast and construct and operate the CP Express Pipeline connecting the terminal to the gas pipeline network in east Texas and southwest Louisiana. Earthjustice, an environmental law group, told the Illuminator the terminal would “export more liquefied methane gas than any U.S. terminal ever approved.” Commissioner Allison Clements, who was taking part in her last meeting on the commission after she opted not to seek another term, cast the lone dissenting vote… “The commission has not adequately addressed the project’s environmental and socioeconomic impacts, including adverse impacts on environmental justice communities,” Clements said… “The project will still need an air permit from the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and other permits, and it cannot begin exporting gas to countries lacking free-trade agreements (which constitute about 90% of the global liquified natural gas market) without authorization from the U.S. Department of Energy, the Sierra Club noted… “The Sierra Club told the Illuminator that while FERC has acknowledged the need to do more to protect overburdened communities from environmental injustices, “it will take more than lip service, and this approval is a clear step in the wrong direction.”
KWTV: Okla. Farmers File Lawsuit to Force Midship Pipeline to Clean Up Land
Deanne Stein, 6/27/24
“Local farmers are taking on a federal agency and national pipeline company after trash started washing up on their farms,” KWTV reports. “This week, a consulting firm filed a lawsuit on behalf of 35 Oklahoma farmers and landowners. Annette Schweitzer has several natural gas pipelines on her 400-acre farm in Canadian County near Calumet. However, she told KWTV the one Midship Pipeline put in back in 2019 is the only one showing signs above ground. “You can tell exactly where the pipeline goes,” she told KWTV pointing at a dried-out part of her land. “It's not going to grow like it did because it's compacted.” The land was destroyed by tons of construction debris allegedly buried by the company. Annette’s husband Mark walks the pipeline and says he still finds debris, six years later. “They'll never get it all out of here there's no way, only way is to dig down past the pipeline and bring new dirt in,” he told KWTV. Robert Squires is with Central Land Consulting (CLC), an advocate for farmers and landowners. “The goal is to get their property fixed,” Squires told KWTV. After years of monitoring Midship’s restoration efforts, Squires hopes a federal lawsuit will push the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to require Midship to work with landowners to restore their properties. “Every single property that we've gone out to there is more debris after Midship says it's cleaned up and it's not just a little piece here, a little there, I mean a lot of it is really pervasive,” Squires told KWTV. “That's something the farmers have to deal with every single day of their lives.” “...According to the lawsuit, the farmers are calling on FERC to require Midship to work with landowners to restore their properties within 90 days and if the commission fails to enforce that deadline, Midship’s certificate to operate will be vacated until the restoration work is complete.”
CBC: Imperial Oil pipeline near Winnipeg restored to full capacity, province says
Arturo Chang, 6/27/24
“A pipeline that regularly supplies fuel to the Winnipeg region is now operating at full capacity, the Manitoba government says,” the CBC reports. “...Imperial shut it down in March after inspectors raised concerns about a section of the pipe near St. Adolphe, which is south of Winnipeg. Service was partially restored last month, after one of two fuel lines returned to service… "The province engaged in oversight of the repair work to ensure all precautions were taken to protect the environment and worked closely with suppliers and industry partners to maintain the supply of fuel," the news release said.
The Narwhal: Inside a former TC Energy exec’s claim he got pro-pipeline messaging ‘stuck on government letterhead’
Matt Simmons, 6/27/24
The call starts as a run-of-the-mill internal corporate presentation. With a cheerful preamble, Liam Iliffe, a B.C.-based political staffer turned industry executive, introduces himself to his colleagues at TC Energy, a major North American energy company that builds and operates crude oil and natural gas pipelines and other energy infrastructure,” The Narwhal reports. “He summarizes his background working for the BC New Democrats as a senior advisor under former premier John Horgan. He talks about how his work there included ensuring cross-party support for legislative changes needed to push through the Coastal GasLink pipeline and LNG Canada. The call is a “lunch and learn” session for the company’s external relations employees across North America. Eight minutes in, things get interesting. Warming to his task, Iliffe starts to outline strategies he says the multinational fossil fuel company uses to influence provincial, federal and state governments in Canada, the United States and Mexico. The corporation employs lobbyists and analysts in key political centres including Ottawa and Washington D.C. In 2023, TC Energy posted earnings of $11 billion. Speaking for 42 minutes, Iliffe goes on to claim TC Energy has surreptitiously influenced many major policy decisions. “We’ve had some really remarkable results in terms of our message being repeated back to us by key decision makers in government,” he says, adding “we’ve been given opportunities to write entire briefing notes for ministers and premiers and prime ministers and it gets stuck on government letterhead.” He says TC Energy played a pivotal role in excluding pipelines from key climate regulations in British Columbia, saving the company billions in revenue. He claims TC Energy leverages relationships with Canadian ambassadors, Indigenous leaders and senior government officials to sway government decisions. He suggests the company conducts impromptu lobbying of elected officials by placing its staffers in positions where they can “bump into” prominent decision makers in informal settings. Notably, he claims these tactics were successful in persuading B.C. Premier David Eby to change his mind about taking action to address the climate crisis… “The Narwhal obtained two hours of leaked recordings from the call on March 28, 2024, that appeared to implicate TC Energy in a concerted effort to influence premiers, ambassadors, cabinet ministers, the media and more… “The recording reveals several key tactics allegedly used to influence government and sway public opinion… “This individual is no longer with the company,” an unnamed spokesperson with TC Energy’s media relations team wrote in an email. “We apologize to the Government of British Columbia, Premier David Eby and all our partners, stakeholders and rights holders for any impact on our valued, trusted and longstanding relationships.”
WASHINGTON UPDATES
E&E News: Trump, Biden get heated in climate fight
Brian Dabbs, Robin Bravender, 6/28/24
“President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump traded blows on climate policy Thursday night as they sparred during a presidential debate in Atlanta,” E&E News reports. “Biden hammered his predecessor on his green record and played up his own work on climate change. Trump defended his environmental policies and his decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate accord. Climate and energy played a small part in the 90-minute debate that featured extensive personal attacks between the two men and offered little new information about either candidates’ views on policies. Climate was no exception. Asked about his plans to tackle climate change, Trump first pivoted to brag about his support from police and hammer Biden on his policies toward Black Americans. Pressed on the climate topic, Trump — who has promised to reverse Biden’s policies to slash emissions — instead touted his support for clean air and water… “Earlier on Thursday, Trump released climate talking points for the debate, which he said were from his former EPA administrator, Andrew Wheeler… “But Trump declined to focus on emissions during the debate. He said he withdrew from the Paris accord because it was a “rip-off” and he “didn’t want to waste that money.” Biden shot back at his rival: “I don’t know where the hell he’s been.” Trump hasn’t “done a damn thing on the environment,” Biden said. Climate change is “the only existential threat to humanity.” And Trump “didn’t do a damn thing about it. He wants to undo all that I’ve done.” Biden touted the passage during his administration of the Inflation Reduction Act — the “most extensive climate change legislation in history” — and heralded the new American Climate Corps that puts young people into climate and renewable energy jobs. Trump slammed Biden’s environmental approach as a “green new scam,” deriding “money that’s being thrown out the window.”
Politico: Climate Nothing-Burger
6/28/24
“Voters hoping for a substantive discussion on climate and energy issues were left sorely disappointed by last night’s debate, as President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump spent mere minutes on the existential threat facing the planet,” Politico reports. “The candidates largely stuck to their talking points on the topic, with the sharpest exchange coming over the nearly nine-year-old Paris climate agreement… “Biden – whose performance raised major concerns among his supporters – did little to articulate how his historic climate legislation would address the issue, offering just one mention of it. “I’ve passed the most extensive climate change legislation in history — in history,” he said. “The only existential threat to humanity is climate change. And he didn’t do a damn thing about it. He wants to undo all that I’ve done.” “...When pressed to answer a climate question, Donald Trump was utterly incoherent,’ EDF Action president David Kieve told Politico.
Heatmap: Biden Had His Climate Moment and He Used It to Talk About Paris
KATIE BRIGHAM, 6/28/24
“In an altogether distressing debate in which climate was far from a main focus, the two candidates did have one notable exchange regarding the Paris Agreement,” Heatmap reports. “After Trump initially dodged a question about whether he would take action to slow the climate crisis, he then briefly noted “I want absolutely immaculate clean water and I want absolutely clean air. And we had it. We had H2O.” Well it is true that there was H2O during Trump’s presidency, Biden responded by criticizing Trump’s decision to pull out of the Paris Agreement. “I immediately [re]joined, because if we reach 1.5 degrees Celsius, at any one point, there’s no way back,” Biden said. “The only existential threat to humanity is climate change. And he didn't do a damn thing about it.” “...In response to Trump’s defense of his decision to exit the agreement, Biden countered, “We were the only ones of consequence who were not members of the Paris Accord. How can we do anything if the United States can't get its pollution under control?” He said the U.S. had made significant progress on climate, and while it felt like a moment to, I don’t know, note the job growth from the administration’s investment in cleantech manufacturing (in predominantly red states), Biden instead cited the formation of the Climate Corps, a nice but thus-far modest fellowship program that puts young Americans to work fighting the climate crisis. Most of the public likely hasn’t heard of it, and Biden has been mostly quiet about it of late. The exchange ended when Biden said, “We're moving in directions that are going to significantly change the elemental cause of pollution. But the idea that [Trump] claims that he has the biggest heart up here and is really concerned about pollution, and about climate, I've not seen any indication of that.”
NPR: Biden Has Taken More Action On Climate Than Any President. His Pitch? It Creates Jobs
Jeff Brady, 6/26/24
“Joe Biden has one line he loves to repeat about climate change. ‘When I think of climate... I think of jobs,’ Biden said at an event with union members just before Earth Day this year. It’s a line that draws applause from a union audience. But it also sums up how Biden has approached his work on climate change – as an economic opportunity as well as an environmental problem,” NPR reports. “It’s a strategy born, in part, of the moment when Biden was elected, says Gina McCarthy, Biden’s former White House National Climate Advisor… “In 2022, he worked with Democrats in Congress to pass the most ambitious climate legislation in U.S. history, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The law directs hundreds of billions of dollars to boost renewable energy, electric cars, and cleaner manufacturing. His administration has also drafted sweeping new rules to clean up pollution from cars and power plants. Those efforts are projected to reduce the country’s greenhouse gas emissions up to 42% by 2030, compared to peak 2005 levels, according to the research firm Rhodium Group. Biden has pledged to essentially zero out greenhouse gas emissions by 2050… “President Biden is the greatest climate president we’ve ever had, by far,” Tiernan Sittenfeld, senior vice president of government affairs at the League of Conservation Voters, told NPR.”
New York Times: Supreme Court Blocks Biden Plan on Air Pollution
Adam Liptak, 6/27/24
“The Supreme Court temporarily put on hold on Thursday an Environmental Protection Agency plan to curtail air pollution that drifts across state lines, dealing another blow to the Biden administration’s efforts to protect the environment,” the New York Times reports. “The ruling followed recent decisions chipping away at the agency’s authority to address climate change and water pollution. Under the proposal, known as the “good neighbor” plan, factories and power plants in Western and Midwestern states must cut ozone pollution that drifts into Eastern ones. The emissions cause smog and are linked to asthma, lung disease and premature death. The ruling was provisional, but even the temporary loss for the administration will suspend the plan for many months and maybe longer. The vote was 5 to 4… “Justice Amy Coney Barrett, joined by the court’s three liberal members, issued a spirited dissent predicting that the majority had created a “yearslong exercise in futility.” “Given the number of companies included and the timelines for review,” she wrote, “the court’s injunction leaves large swaths of upwind states free to keep contributing significantly to their downwind neighbors’ ozone problems for the next several years.” She called one argument set out in the majority opinion “a feeble response.” Another, she said, “throws at the wall a cherry-picked assortment of E.P.A. statements.” “None stick,” she added.
Washington Post: Supreme Court blocks EPA’s ‘downwind’ air-quality initiative’
Justin Jouvenal and Maxine Joselow, 6/27/24
“The Supreme Court dealt a blow to the Environmental Protection Agency’s regulation of air quality on Thursday, putting on hold a major initiative to improve public health by reducing smog-forming pollution from power plants and factories that blows across state lines,” the Washington Post reports. “The decision is the third time in as many years that the court’s conservative majority has sharply challenged the EPA’s power to regulate pollution, following rulings in 2022 and 2023 that targeted the agency’s ability to limit greenhouse gases and protect wetlands from runoff… “The EPA contended that those concerns were unfounded and said the plan is critical for the health of residents in downwind states, particularly the young and elderly, who are susceptible to asthma, emphysema and other lung diseases exacerbated by ground-level ozone, the main component of smog. But most of the court’s conservatives, led by Justice Neil M. Gorsuch, rejected the EPA’s contention… “The EPA said in a statement that it was disappointed in the ruling, but looked forward to defending the “good neighbor” plan before the D.C. Court of Appeals as the lawsuit continues… “The Supreme Court agreed to hear the request, but went a step further, saying it would also consider whether it is reasonable to do so before a lower court had suspended the rule… “The ruling once again demonstrates the skepticism with which the Supreme Court’s conservative majority views federal regulation not specifically approved by Congress, and the justices’ willingness to curb the power of federal agencies… “The court has not yet ruled on a challenge to the legal precedent known as Chevron deference, which holds that courts defer to federal agencies on reasonable interpretations of ambiguous statutes.”
E&E News: Wall Street’s Supreme Court win could slow energy enforcement
Niina H. Farah, Mike Soraghan. 6/28/24
“Federal energy regulators may face enforcement delays and see more cases wrested from their control in the wake of a Supreme Court ruling Thursday that limits the role of in-house judges,” E&E News reports. “The 6-3 decision led by Chief Justice John Roberts in Securities and Exchange Commission v. Jarkesy found that a hedge fund manager facing fraud charges from the SEC was entitled to a jury trial. The case is expected to broadly reshape the role of administrative law judges, who levy fines and resolve disputes at other agencies such as the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. FERC Chair Willie Phillips said Thursday that attorneys at the agency are “taking a careful look” at the decision, but he did not comment in detail on the effects of the ruling. Legal observers say that companies facing civil penalties at FERC and other agencies are likely to invoke Jarkesy to argue for trials in federal court, rather than before in-house judges, Joel Eisen, a law professor at the University of Richmond, told E&E “This will undoubtedly hamper the ability of agencies to conduct enforcement that depends on civil penalties,” Eisen told E&E. Agencies may opt to take fewer enforcement actions against companies because it takes longer and is more expensive to take a case to federal court, Harold Krent, a professor at the Chicago-Kent School of Law, told E&E… “The ruling comes as the Supreme Court is targeting other facets of federal agencies’ power. The justices could decide as soon as Friday whether to weaken the Chevron doctrine, which helps regulators defend their rules against legal attack… “Legal observers told E&E the SEC ruling could affect FERC’s natural gas cases because the two agencies have similar enforcement processes. Carolyn Elefant, a former FERC attorney who now represents landowners, told E&E Jarkesy is more likely to affect market manipulation cases, which can involve fraud claims, than pipeline matters, which generally involve violations of a FERC permit, known as a certificate. She told E&E the ruling could make it harder for the federal government to go after large energy companies. “These agencies are underfunded. They’re going up against these billion-dollar companies,” Elefant told E&E. “It really puts them at a disadvantage.”
InsideEPA: Countering FERC, Environmentalists Cite Need To Find GHG ‘Significance’
6/27/24
“Environmentalists are urging a federal appeals court to reject new claims by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) that it need not determine if a project’s greenhouse gas emissions are ‘significant’ as part of an environmental review, arguing such findings are ‘deeply ingrained’ in the agency’s review practice,” InsideEPA reports. “The environmentalists explain their view in a June 24 letter to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in Healthy Gulf, et al. v. FERC, where they are challenging FERC’s approval of the Commonwealth liquified natural gas (LNG) export terminal in Louisiana. The groups are responding to FERC’s June 17 letter that cites a separate recently issued D.C. Circuit ruling rejecting environmentalists’ challenge to a Mid-Atlantic gas pipeline upgrade as reason for the court to dismiss this case. “Regardless, FERC waived any argument that it is not required to determine significance. The obligation to make this determination is so deeply ingrained in FERC’s practice that FERC didn’t dispute it in administrative proceedings; FERC argued that it was unable to make such a determination here, but never disputed that it would be required to do so if possible,” the environmentalists’ letter argues.”
E&E News: Republicans Work To Expand Congressional Review Act’s Scope
KELSEY BRUGGER, 6/28/24
“Lawmakers are increasingly testing the customary bounds of a law that allows Congress to undo administration regulations,” E&E News reports. “Once rarely used, the Congressional Review Act has become a favored tool by Republicans to attack President Joe Biden’s agenda. And administration critics are not only filing CRA resolutions against countless administration rules. They’re also going after actions like transportation grants “The Congressional Review Act is an incredibly important tool for reining in abuses from the regulatory state,” Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), ranking member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, told E&E. Last fall, Cruz asked the Government Accountability Office whether lawmakers could use the CRA to kill a $5.5 billion transportation funding notice because of provisions related to climate change and historically disadvantaged communities…”
The Hill: Democrat probes 18 oil companies after FTC collusion accusations
RACHEL FRAZIN, 6/27/24
“Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) is probing 18 oil and gas companies after the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) accused the former CEO of firm Pioneer Natural Resources of colluding with foreign oil producers last month,” The Hill reports. “Whitehouse, who chairs the Senate Budget Committee, asked the companies for copies of any communications with the foreign oil powers, known collectively as OPEC, related to oil production or prices. The senator particularly cited FTC’s accusation that Pioneer’s Scott Sheffield “sought to align oil production across the Permian Basin in West Texas and New Mexico” with that of OPEC and its allies… “Democrats have repeatedly accused fossil fuel companies of price gouging, which the industry has denied. This latest line of inquiry from Whitehouse comes after he recently accused major oil firms and lobby groups of promoting disinformation about climate change.”
Reuters: US energy production exceeds consumption by widest-recorded margin
6/26/24
“U.S. energy production overshadowed consumption by 9 quadrillion British thermal units (quads) in 2023, according to an analysis released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) on Wednesday that showed the widest margin in records dating back to 1949,” Reuters reports. “Energy production rose 4% to hit a record of nearly 103 quads in 2023, the analysis found, while energy consumption eased 1%. The 2023 rise in U.S. energy production was driven by increases in natural-gas and crude-oil production, the analysis found. Multiple indicators suggest that the U.S. oil and gas industry has thrived under President Joe Biden’s administration, despite its push to decarbonize the U.S. economy. Dry natural gas production increased 4% in 2023 – logging a 58% rise since 2013 – and crude-oil production has grown 69% since 2013. Crude production is up 9% from 2022… “Natural-gas production has continued to increase despite lower prices because natural gas is produced as a byproduct of crude-oil production. That’s especially true in the Permian Basin, which accounts for almost half of U.S. crude-oil production,” Chris Higginbotham, an EIA spokesperson, told Reuters.”
STATE UPDATES
Politico: Oil industry group drops ballot initiative to drill near California homes
Wes Venteicher, 6/26/24
“An oil industry group is withdrawing its ballot challenge to a California law that bans drilling within 3,200 feet of homes, businesses and schools, the group announced Wednesday,” Politico reports. “The California Independent Petroleum Association said it would remove the measure from the ballot by Thursday's deadline to submit or withdraw initiatives. The organization said it plans to sue over the law instead… “The decision means the 2022 law — which was on pause pending a keep-or-overturn decision from the state’s voters — will take effect after the initiative is withdrawn. It's the latest blow against the oil industry in California, where Gov. Gavin Newsom, the state Legislature and environmental lawsuits have aggressively sought to curb extraction, refining and sales.”
North Dakota Monitor: North Dakota officials object to Minnesota carbon-free energy law in public comments
MARY STEURER, 6/27/24
“North Dakota officials on Wednesday approved a letter to Minnesota regulators warning that the state’s recent carbon-free energy standard may be unconstitutional,” the North Dakota Monitor reports. “The Minnesota legislature in 2023 adopted a policy requiring utility providers in the state to use exclusively carbon-free electricity sources by 2040. The rule applies not only to electricity produced in-state, but also electricity that comes from across state lines. The North Dakota Industrial Commission — which comprises Gov. Doug Burgum, Attorney General Drew Wrigley and Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring — fears the plan could put the state’s coal and gas industries in jeopardy. Minnesota is a major consumer of North Dakota energy, the North Dakota Lignite Energy Council told the North Dakota Monitor previously… “First, it claims the policy violates the federal Commerce Clause because it attempts to regulate the commercial activity of another state. It argues that the law conflicts with the Federal Power Act because it seeks to restrict wholesale electricity sales. North Dakota also makes the case that the plan illegally tries to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from power plants, which it claims is a power given by the Environmental Protection Agency under the federal Clean Air Act. A footnote in the letter states that North Dakota reserves the right to pursue legal action or other means of challenging the policy in the future… “The letter urges Minnesota to consider electricity produced using carbon capture technology as partially or fully compliant with the new rules so that North Dakota energy companies can retain Minnesota customers. “Failure to properly include (carbon capture, utilization and storage) and other similar technologies as ‘carbon free’” means the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission is “parochially and arbitrarily narrowing the definition of ‘carbon free’ to only those energy generation technologies that do not emit any carbon dioxide whatsoever, and exclusively to those that can be implemented within the borders of Minnesota.”
KFDM: Cheek community expressing concerns on environmental safety ahead of ExxonMobil project
Mya Caleb, 6/27/24
“Some residents of the Cheek community in Jefferson County are expressing disapproval of the new ExxonMobil carbon capture project, citing concerns about environmental safety,” KFDM reports. “While ExxonMobil says the project will help keep CO2 out of the air, community members aren't fully convinced. “Why would we approve of them coming in and putting a facility out here that is gonna lower the value of the properties? No one is gonna move out here with that around," Preston Frank, a member of the Cheek community, told KFDM… “Residents are still concerned about safety and believe environmental racism plays a role. "It's the only community in Jefferson County where you have black people owning large tracts of land. Why would they pick this particular community out of all of Texas?" Frank told KFDM… “ExxonMobil is negotiating lease agreements with residents living near the project to move forward with a plan in case CO2 moves into the subsurface beneath their properties. ExxonMobil also works with first responders near the carbon capture facilities and holds CO2 emergency response training.”
E&E News: California Senate advances bill to penalize oil wells near homes
Wes Venteicher, 6/27/24
“A California state Senate committee voted Tuesday to approve a bill targeting low-production oil wells within 3,200 feet of homes and schools, raising the stakes for an oil industry group’s decision this week on whether it will advance or drop its effort to get voters to protect wells in the same zone,” E&E News reports. “The Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee approved Assemblymember Isaac Bryan’s A.B. 2716 on a 6-4 vote. The bill would fine oil companies $10,000 per day for operating wells that produce less than 15 barrels per day in the setback zone. Democratic state Sen. Melissa Hurtado joined Republicans in opposing it and Democratic state Sen. Susan Talamantes Eggman declined to vote, citing concerns about jobs and California’s ability to meet its continued demand for gasoline. The bill could factor into the California Independent Petroleum Association’s decision — due by Thursday — on whether it will drop its referendum challenge to California’s oil setback law, which prohibits new wells plus a procedure that rejuvenates existing wells within the 3,200-foot zone.”
Guardian: Lawyers could charge big oil with homicide after 2023 Arizona heatwave
Dharna Noor, 6/26/24
“Prosecutors in Arizona could reasonably press homicide charges against big oil for deaths caused by a July 2023 heatwave, lawyers wrote in a new prosecution memorandum,” the Guardian reports. “[T]he case for prosecuting fossil fuel companies for climate-related deaths is strong enough to merit the initiation of investigations by state and local prosecutors,” the document says. The memo, published by the consumer advocacy non-profit Public Citizen on Wednesday, concludes that the state could pursue reckless manslaughter or second-degree murder claims for the extreme weather event that killed hundreds of residents and which climate scientists found would have been “virtually impossible” but for the climate crisis, caused primarily by the burning of fossil fuels… “Forty cities and states have sued major oil companies in recent years for their role in the climate crisis and in sowing climate doubt. Each of those existing cases is based on civil charges such as tort law and racketeering protections. Last year, Public Citizen proposed also filing criminal charges – most notably, homicide – against the companies. The scheme may seem radical, and experts say filing such litigation would be an uphill battle. But the idea has sparked curiosity among experts and public officials and won support from likely voters. The prosecution memo marks a step toward putting the legal theory into action. “Although civil remedies are of course vital, sometimes only our criminal laws can measure up to the harm someone has inflicted,” Cindy Cho, a former federal prosecutor of over a decade and co-author of the memo, told the Guardian. “If human-generated climate change is killing people, and the organizations that generated it knew the risks, then it stands to reason that criminal charges may be exactly what society expects.”
E&E News: Arizona gas boost signals national emissions challenge
Benjamin Storrow, Jason Plautz, 6/28/24
“A fight over a new gas plant in Arizona is exposing the challenges of greening the West’s power grid,” E&E News reports. “Electricity demand is climbing in the Grand Canyon State, driven by a combination of a growing population, climate-fueled heat waves and a robust economy — symbolized by a massive semiconductor under construction in Phoenix. UniSource Energy Services, which serves parts of western and Southern Arizona, proposed expanding an existing gas plant to meet the need for additional electricity on its system. But in a twist, the power company proposed installing a collection of smaller turbines that effectively enable it to bypass a comprehensive state environmental review. The move was approved by state utility regulators earlier this month. Environmentalists warn the decision sets a dangerous precedent — one that could allow power companies to run roughshod over Arizona’s environmental laws and exacerbate the very heat waves that are driving the need for more electricity.”
E&E News: BLM Wyoming Oil Sale Nets $5M
HEATHER RICHARDS, 6/28/24
“A Biden administration oil and gas lease sale in Wyoming brought in $5 million Thursday, adding to federal funds from several summer energy auctions held by the Interior Department,” E&E News reports. “The largest single winning bid — more than $2 million — was for 1,300 acres in the state’s prolific Powder River Basin oil play. Overall the sale’s proceeds were modest compared with historic highs set in previous auctions in the oil- and gas-rich state. About 84 percent of the land offered in the auction was sold, totaling about 8,500 acres. The White House also held a sale in New Mexico earlier this month that brought in $34 million and an auction in Nevada on Tuesday that no one showed up for. The Biden administration has scaled back oil and gas leasing to curtail drilling on public lands, sparking fights with Republican lawmakers.”
Alaska Beacon: Hilcorp Announces Plan To Buy Eni’s Oil Fields On Alaska’s North Slope
Yereth Rosen, 6/27/24
“Hilcorp Energy Co. said on Wednesday it has struck a deal to buy the Alaska assets of the Italian oil company Eni SpA,” the Alaska Beacon reports. “Eni’s Alaska assets, the Oooguruk and Nikaitchuq oil fields, together produce about 22,000 barrels per day. Hilcorp, a privately held independent producer that came to Alaska only a little over a decade ago, is now one of two major operators in the state. The deal with Eni gives it an even bigger hold on the North Slope, where it has been operating the nation’s largest oil field for the past four years.”
EXTRACTION
OilPrice.com: $200B In Carbon Capture Investment Needed Over Next 10 Years
Alex Kiman, 6/27/24
“By 2034, the world will have developed carbon capture capacity of 440 millions tonnes per annum (Mtpa) while storage capacity will reach 664 Mtpa, requiring $196 billion in total investment, global energy data and analytics provider Wood Mackenzie has predicted,” OilPrice.com reports. “In a report titled “CCUS: 10-year market forecast”, WoodMac projects that nearly half of CCUS (Carbon Capture, Utilization & Storage) investment globally over the next decade will go into CO2 capture, with the remaining $53 billion going into transport and $43 billion to storage. The energy experts estimate that government support in key countries is currently at $80B, with the U.S. accounting for half of that, followed by the United Kingdom at 33% and Canada at 10%. “This is a huge ramp-up from where the industry is today. Government funding plays a critical role in driving the first wave of CCUS investments. We see governments offering capex grants, opex subsidies, tax incentives and contracts for differences for CCUS. While no single mechanism has been used predominantly and each country devises novel methods to incentivize investments, nearly $80 billion is directly committed to CCUS across five key countries,” Hetal Gandhi, the APAC CCUS lead with Wood Mackenzie, has said… “Despite the large, forecasted increase in projects, WoodMac sees a carbon capture capacity of 440 Mtpa by 2034, failing to meet industrial demand at 640 Mtpa. However, on a brighter note, analysts have predicted that almost 80% of the planned pipeline storage capacity of 664 Mtpa will be available by 2030… “In a report released in 2023, McKinsey & Company estimates that the world needs to capture at least 4.2 gigatons of CO2 per annum (GTPA) to achieve net-zero commitments by 2050. That’s 120x higher than the current total annual capacity of ~45?Mt?CO2 by the 35 commercial CCUS facilities available globally… “Thankfully, Big Oil will be able to put some of that captured CO2 into good use--in their own oilfields… “Although Zhao acknowledges that he focused on a specific project in Canada, he told OilPrice he would expect to see “similar results” for large-scale CCS projects around the world. Zhao’s claims might not be exaggerated: The Wasson Field’s Denver Unit CO2 EOR project resulted in a nearly seven-fold increase in crude production after injecting CO2.”
DeSmog: Exxon’s Imperial Deletes CEO Claim That CCS Is ‘Critical’ to Paris Climate Goals
Geoff Dembicki, 6/27/24
“Exxon’s Canadian subsidiary Imperial Oil has deleted from its website a document in which its CEO and chairman Brad Corson claims to investors that carbon capture and storage is “critical” to achieving the “climate goals outlined in the Paris Agreement,” DeSmog reports. “ That 2021 investors update is one of at least 39 documents referencing the technology, also known as CCS, that has been removed in recent weeks from the Imperial site following the passage in late June of new anti-greenwashing legislation in Canada, according to a DeSmog analysis. Known as Bill C-59, the legislation prohibits companies from making green claims unless they can provide credible evidence that their environmental record is actually improving, with penalties of up to $10 million for false statements. Though Imperial, along with its parent company Exxon, has researched carbon capture and storage for decades, the oil sands producer isn’t offering proof for its frequent assertions to investors and the Canadian public that the technology will enable “net zero emissions.” “...If we were playing poker this would definitely be a tell,” Keith Stewart, senior energy strategist with Greenpeace Canada, told DeSmog. “And I’d be all in on my bet that they are not confident in the statements they have made that carbon capture is a climate solution.” “...It shows how ridiculous the idea of net-zero oil sands is in the first place,” Jordan Kinder, an assistant communications professor at Wilfrid Laurier University and author of the new book Petroturfing, told DeSmog.”
Heatmap: Carbon Removal’s Existential Question: It starts with ethanol.
EMILY PONTECORVO, 6/27/24
“...But a new kind of carbon removal project shows how this formula can conceal consequential differences between approaches,” Heatmap reports. “A few months ago, Puro.earth, a carbon removal registry, certified a small ethanol refinery in North Dakota to sell carbon removal credits — the first ethanol plant to earn this privilege. Red Trail Energy, which owns the facility, captures the CO2 released from the plant when corn is fermented into ethanol, and injects it into a porous section of rock more than 6,000 feet underground… “But if you zoom out, the picture changes. For the carbon to get from the atmosphere to the ground, a few other things had to happen. The corn had to be grown, harvested, and transported in trucks to the plant. It had to be put through a mill, cooked, and then liquified using heat from a natural gas boiler. And this was all in service, first and foremost, of producing ethanol to be burned, ultimately, in a car engine. If you account for the CO2 emitted during these other steps, the process as a whole is putting more into the atmosphere than it’s taking out. So, is Red Trail Energy really doing carbon removal? Puro.earth takes the first view — the registry’s rules essentially draw a box around the carbon capture and storage, or CCS, part of the process. Red Trail has to count the emissions from the energy it took to capture and liquify and inject the carbon, but not from anything else that happened before that… “But the nonprofit CarbonPlan, a watchdog for the carbon removal industry, argues that it’s a mistake to call this carbon removal… “Even if it’s relatively easy, though, it’s not free, and the ethanol industry has historically ignored the opportunity. But in the past few years, federal tax credits and carbon markets have made the idea more attractive… “But today, two years after Red Trail began capturing carbon, the company’s application to participate in California’s low-carbon fuel market is still pending… “Though there is seeming consensus among carbon market participants that this is carbon removal, scientists outside the industry are more skeptical. Katherine Maher, an Earth systems scientist who studies the carbon cycle at Stanford University, told Heatmap she understood the argument for calling ethanol with CCS carbon removal, but she also couldn’t ignore the fact that capturing the carbon requires energy to grow the corn, transport it, and so on.”
Hart Energy: Walking the Talk: Exxon Mobil Makes CCUS Strides
Velda Addison, 6/27/24
“Developing carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) is no easy—or cheap—task,” according to Hart Energy. “But Exxon Mobil is showing that its projects are not all talk, Carl Fortin, global business manager of carbon capture and storage for the supermajor, told Hart Energy. That is the case on the U.S. Gulf Coast, where the energy giant and its partners are making moves in what Fortin told Hart could be a $6 trillion global market by 2050. With its $4.9 billion acquisition of Denbury in 2023, Exxon Mobil now has the world’s largest CO2 pipeline. More than 900 miles of the company’s 1,700 miles of CO2 pipeline is on the U.S. Gulf Coast, where industrial emissions emitters make for a large customer base, plus storage. In Baytown, Texas, Exxon is developing a low-carbon intensity hydrogen plant, using natural gas as feedstock and carbon capture. It plans to produce up to 1 Bcf/d of hydrogen while capturing more than 98% of the CO2 for storage underground. The CCS part of the project would be among the world’s largest, storing up to 10 million metric tons (mt) of CO2 per year—equal to the emissions from more than 2 million cars.”
Washington Post: How water could be the future of fuel: A new generation of fuels could power planes and ships without warming the planet.
Nicolás Rivero, Emily Wright and Mark Felix, 6/27/24
“The tangle of pipes at this industrial plant doesn’t stand out in this city built around the carbon-heavy business of pumping oil and refining it into fuel for planes, ships, trucks and cars. But this plant produces fuel from a different source, one that doesn’t belch greenhouse pollution: hydrogen. Specifically, hydrogen made from water using renewable electricity, also known as green hydrogen,” the Washington Post reports. “...Turning hydrogen into liquid fuel could help slash planet-warming pollution from heavy vehicles, cutting a key source of emissions that contribute to climate change. But to fulfill that promise, companies will have to build massive numbers of wind turbines and solar panels to power the energy-hungry process. Regulators will have to make sure hydrogen production doesn’t siphon green energy that could go towards cleaning up other sources of global warming gases, such as homes or factories… “To wean machines off oil, companies like Infinium, the owner of this plant, are starting to churn out hydrogen-based fuels that — in the best case — produce close to net zero emissions… “For now, these fuels are expensive and almost no one makes them, so the U.S. government, businesses and philanthropists including Bill Gates are investing billions of dollars to build up a hydrogen industry that could cut eventually some of the most stubborn, hard-to-remove carbon pollution… “But if they’re not made with dedicated renewable energy, hydrogen-based fuels could generate even more pollution than regular diesel, creating a wasteful boondoggle that sets the world back in the fight against climate change… “The danger of using grid power for hydrogen production is that, across the United States, just like in Texas, 60 percent of that energy comes from fossil fuels. Making hydrogen from electricity that dirty is worse than simply making it from fossil fuels, according to an April 2023 analysis from Energy Innovation, a clean energy think tank. Experts say that for green hydrogen to be truly clean, it has to be made at a plant hooked up to its own dedicated wind turbines and solar panels, or follow strict rules for using newly added renewable electricity from the grid. Federal officials are setting clean power rules that will decide which hydrogen plants qualify for billions of dollars in tax credits. The stakes are high: If the rules are too lax, the government could subsidize hydrogen production that adds as much as 60 million extra tons of carbon to the atmosphere each year, according to an Energy Innovation analysis published in February.”
Carbon Tracker: Kind of Blue: The real climate impact of Blue Hydrogen and Gas-CCS
Lorenzo Sani, 6/20/24
“Our report reveals that CO2 emissions from Blue Hydrogen and Gas-CCS projects could be two to three times higher than reported when considering upstream emissions from gas extraction, processing and transport,” according to Carbon Tracker. “Proponents of Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) technologies promise that CCUS-based hydrogen (i.e., blue hydrogen) and gas power plants with CCS (i.e., gas-CCS) can offer a low-carbon solution to decarbonise industrial and power sector. This report evaluates the impact of upstream emissions to determine whether or not gas-based CCUS technologies could have a positive climate impact, assuming the technology would work as claimed by the CCUS industry. This problem is particularly important for the UK and EU which following the 2022-23 energy crisis are increasingly reliant on imported LNG, particularly from the USA. Our report features a comprehensive analysis of upstream emissions from various sources and countries. It includes two case studies that highlight the flawed assumptions in the environmental applications of two planned projects in the UK. Additionally, it offers a detailed set of policy recommendations for British and European policymakers.”
Energy News Network: Natural gas’ new “greenwashing scam”
Kathryn Krawczyk, 6/26/24
“When you see an “all natural” label on a snack, you might be tempted to think it’s a healthy choice. But there’s no way around the facts: organic potato chips just aren’t as good for you as a carrot,” Energy News Network reports. “A similar marketing strategy is popping up in the fossil fuel industry. As the world wakes up to natural gas’ emissions impact, some producers are adopting a “certified” or “responsible” label to convince customers they’re a climate-friendly choice. But according to a new report, it’s all a “scam.” Gas producers have started working with third-party contractors they say will evaluate their gas extraction processes for leaks and “certify” those with a lower methane emissions. As industries increasingly seek out clean energy, gas producers hope this label will make them more desirable. But as the report from climate groups Oil Change International and Earthworks details, gas certification isn’t yet regulated, and its monitoring systems often miss methane leaks. Dakota Raynes, an author on the study, summed up its findings to Inside Climate News: “Certified gas is a greenwashing scam.” A third-party gas certifier disputed the report’s findings. But Democratic U.S. senators recently came to the same conclusion, calling gas certification a “dangerous greenwashing scheme” in a letter urging the Federal Trade Commission to crack down on the industry claims. “The reality is that gas certification schemes allow the oil and gas industry to justify the continued expansion of methane gas use and undermine efforts towards a just transition to renewables,” the senators said.
Petroleum Economist: Higher carbon prices give boost to industrial CCS
Rhys Tims, 6/27/24
“Improved financial incentives are spurring investment in CCS in industry, although challenges remain in sectors such as steel and cement,” Petroleum Economist reports. “The CCS project landscape remains dominated by natural gas processing applications, but greater policy support and rising carbon prices mean there is a pipeline of projects in the ‘hard to abate’ sectors, such as cement and steel, according to Gulf Energy Information. “Most CCS projects and the overwhelming majority of the capture capacity associated with those projects is related to natural gas processing—projects such as Melkoya in Norway and Gorgon CCS in Australia, for example,” GEI analyst Seth Haskell said at Carbon Economist’s CCS Strategy Europe event in June. The CO₂ captured by natural gas processing projects is most often used for enhanced oil recovery (EOR), rather than being sequestered…”
Eos: Fifty-Three Experts Weigh in on the Global Methane Budget
Aaron Sidder, 6/26/24
“Accurate estimates of atmospheric greenhouse gas levels are needed to understand and address the drivers of climate change,” according to Eos. “Of particular interest is atmospheric methane, which has increased in concentration by 160% since preindustrial times and accounted for 35% of warming from greenhouse gases from 2010 to 2019. The Global Methane Budget (GMB) debuted in 2016 to track trends and estimates of both anthropogenic and natural methane emissions. Updated in 2020, the GMB integrates research from top-down studies, which provide broad, regional-level pictures of methane sources and sinks, and bottom-up studies, which provide more detailed views of specific emissions sources. But uncertainties (quantitative estimations of error) in the data behind the GMB vary from sector to sector.”
CLIMATE FINANCE
Reuters: BP halts hiring, slows renewables roll-out to win over investors
Ron Bousso, 6/27/24
“BP’s new CEO Murray Auchincloss has imposed a hiring freeze and paused new offshore wind projects as he places a renewed emphasis on oil and gas amid investor discontent over its energy transition strategy, sources at the company told Reuters. “The moves, which have not previously been reported, are part of a decision by Auchincloss to slow down investments in big budget, low-carbon projects, particularly in offshore wind, that are not expected to generate cash for years, several sources at BP who declined to be named told Reuters. They mark a stark reversal from the direction the CEO’s predecessor Bernard Looney took to rapidly move away from fossil fuels. This has weighed on BP’s shares as returns from renewables shrank, while profits from oil and gas soared in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine… “Auchincloss and Chief Financial Officer Kate Thomson have prioritised investing in and even acquiring new oil and gas assets, particularly in the Gulf of Mexico and in the U.S. onshore shale basins, where BP already has large operations, company sources briefed on the matter told Reuters. BP will also consider investing in biofuels and some low-carbon businesses that can generate returns in the short term.”
OPINION
Cedar Rapids Gazette: Summit, ethanol and King Corn win, again
Todd Dorman, 6/27/24
“It’s heartwarming to see a team of ragtag underdogs win the big game. That’s what happened Tuesday when the Iowa Utilities Board approved an application by Summit Carbon Solutions to build a nearly 700-mile carbon pipeline in the state,” Todd Dorman writes for the Cedar Rapids Gazette. “The board also gave Summit permission to use eminent domain authority to obtain more than 800 remaining land parcels owned by people who won’t sell. Summit’s team is led by Bruce “Republican megadonor” Rastetter. It includes former governor and U.S. ambassador to China Terry Branstad, former Branstad aide and Reynolds chief of staff Jake Ketzner and Jess Vilsack, son of the former governor and current U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. All three members of the utilities board were appointed by Gov. Kim Reynolds, who clearly supports the project but didn’t admit that publicly. Nobody thought they could do it. OK, I’m being snarky. Everyone thought they would do it. After all, according to Inside Climate News, the project could be eligible for $18 billion in federal tax credits over 12 years… “OK, well, at least the sequestered carbon won’t be used for Enhanced Oil Recovery, where more oil is squeezed out of wells using carbon. That would not be climate friendly. "Today, we don’t have any shippers who want to ship CO2 for EOR. When that changes, we will likely move it for that purpose," said Wade Boeshans, Summit's executive vice president, at a December 20 event held by Friends of Ag and Energy in Bismarck, North Dakota, according to reporting by Reuters back in March… “The utilities board is just one more example of a regulator structure in Iowa that just can’t say no, leaving us in a terrible fix. The common good is no match for what’s good for King Corn in Iowa. Yes, it’s not over. Summit’s permit isn’t valid until it gets permits in Nebraska and South Dakota. An appeal is coming. There will no doubt be legal action. Public opposition will continue. Can Summit’s team overcome those obstacles?”
Rochelle News-Leader: Sound policymaking needed to fully scale sustainable aviation fuel
Brian Duncan of Polo and Ogle County is the president of the Illinois Farm Bureau, 6/26/24
“Ethanol represents a significant market for my Ogle County family farm. We can deliver corn to seven ethanol plants within a 70-mile radius, and distillers’ grains are a valuable input for our livestock enterprises,” Brian Duncan writes for the Rochelle News-Leader. “...But this demand did not build itself. Decades of sound policymaking created channels and incentives for the agriculture and biofuels industries to supply a growing market… “Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), a bio-based jet fuel made from corn ethanol or soybean oil, holds similar economic and environmental opportunities as a path to decarbonize the aviation industry with homegrown biofuels… “Sound, reasonable policies are needed to ensure that significant changes and cost investments are worthwhile… “Without a viable SAF market, corn farmers risk losing out on $2 billion per year through 2050. These are real, tangible dollars that farm families can use to sustain their operations and pass them on to the next generation. To fully scale SAF technology and realize its market potential, today’s policy decisions around SAF must provide the certainty and flexibility farmers need to meet demand. Airlines and biofuel producers require a solid backstop to their major investments into SAF technology just as much as farmers deserve credit for adopting and implementing sustainable farm practices used to produce SAF feedstocks. This economic opportunity is too valuable to get wrong.”
Cowboy State Daily: I've Seen A Key Part Of Wyoming's All-Of-The-Above Energy Strategy
J.T. Larson represents House District 17 in Rock Springs, 6/27/24
“Last week, I was honored to speak at the unveiling ceremony of the first direct air capture (DAC) system in the world designed for mass production. I came away encouraged,” J.T. Lawson writes for the Cowboy State Daily. “...Behind this simple machine, though, are a lot of complicated parts. It took thousands of hours from many engineers, welders, fabricators, electricians, programmers, and supply chain experts to bring this machine to life, so I want to congratulate CarbonCapture Inc. for pulling it off. Well done! Now comes the hard part—deploying the machines (which CarbonCapture calls “modules”) in various locations around the country to build projects for massive removal of CO2 from the air to utilize in products or permanently and safely store it underground. .. “They also need the world-class energy resources that Wyoming can provide from coal with carbon capture and sequestration, wind, solar and nuclear. They need Wyoming’s all-of-the-above energy strategy… “We’ve welcomed ExxonMobil’s pioneering carbon capture and enhanced oil recovery facility at Schute Creek. We’ve pushed SER to pioneer research in geology and carbon use… “Wyoming is an ideal place for carbon capture and sequestration, but it’s not the only place in the U.S. where it can be done. Two other states, Louisiana and Texas, have managed to attract major DAC companies with hundreds of millions of dollars of both federal and private investment that will roll into their local economies… “Our state must encourage a key component of an all-of-the-above energy strategy and make it a Wyoming-branded industry.”