EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 6/5/25

PIPELINE NEWS

• KCLU: Company says stop work order on controversial Santa Barbara County oil pipeline won't affect plans

• KEYT: Santa Barbara County Judge temporarily halts Sable Offshore’s plans to restart oil production off the Gaviota Coast

• Center for Biological Diversity: Court Bars Restart of Santa Barbara Pipeline While Lawsuit Proceeds

• Michigan Public: Groups want Michigan officials to deny a permit for a proposed tunnel for Enbridge Line 5

• Reuters: CEO seeking to build Pennsylvania LNG terminal meets with White House

• Sun Herald: Chevron wants to store carbon dioxide under South MS. Some landowners concerned

• TAPinto: Franklin Township Residents Urged to Register as Intervenors in Proposed Pipeline Project

• National Post: In Quebec, opposition mounts against a pipeline project that doesn't exist

WASHINGTON UPDATES

• Heatmap: The Senate Takes Its First Pass at IRA Repeal

• E&E News: EPW megabill text includes climate cuts, permitting changes

• Mother Jones: Here’s One Biden Climate Provision Republicans Are Unlikely to Kill

• NOTUS: The Senate Doesn’t Like House Republicans’ Carbon Capture Tax Credit Cuts

• E&E News: House panel sets vote on energy, permitting bills

• Odessa American: Carbon capture gains energy industry prominence

• Heatmap: White House takes aim at climate programs in rescission package

• Reuters: U.S. Moves to Block Enterprise Products’ Exports to China Over Security Risk

• Stateline: Long-thwarted efforts to sell public lands see new life under Trump

• E&E News: Interior intends to lose a lot of lawyers. What happens then?

• New York Times: Electricity Prices Are Surging. The G.O.P. Megabill Could Push Them Higher

• E&E News: EPA’s new AI tool disagrees with Zeldin on climate change

STATE UPDATES

• E&E News: 3 local governments appeal climate losses to Maryland Supreme Court

• Appeal-Democrat: Feds yank $270 million grant for Sutter County carbon project

• Indiana Public Radio: U.S. Dept. of Energy cancels grants to decarbonize two Indiana manufacturing plants

• Kay News Cow: Luttrell comments on passage of carbon capture bill

• PV Magazine: Largest hydrogen plant in North America slated for California

• Michigan Advance: Lawmakers hear proposals on incentives for Michigan sustainable aviation fuel market

• Spectrum News: City leaders call for pushback amid federal offshore drilling considerations

• E&E News: Pennsylvania lawmakers go after local drilling restrictions

• Associated Press: New Mexico appeals court rejects lawsuit against oil and gas regulators

• The Advocate: Gov. Jeff Landry pushes back on oil industry over legacy lawsuits: 'The definition of hypocrisy'

• The Advocate: McNeese State University selected as home of new LNG safety center

EXTRACTION

• New York Times: Europe Wants to Banish Russian Gas. The U.S. May Have Other Plans.

• Mongabay: Carbon capture projects promise a climate fix — and a fossil fuel lifeline

• New Scientist: Rivers are leaking ancient carbon back into the atmosphere

• Lakeland Today: Report shows Alberta is producing more oil and less emissions

• Bloomberg: Petronas Is Said to Weigh Sale of $7 Billion Canada Business

CLIMATE FINANCE

• Bloomberg: BlackRock Escapes Texas Oil-Boycott List After ESG Retreat

OPINION

• Deseret News: Tax credits with a scalpel — how to boost American energy without killing innovation

• Oklahoma Voice: Oklahoma oil and gas drillers face few regulations amid lingering concerns about health impact

• Resource Works: Ksi Lisims LNG too important to fail
  

PIPELINE NEWS

KCLU: Company says stop work order on controversial Santa Barbara County oil pipeline won't affect plans
Lance Orozco, 6/4/25

“The company trying to restart the Santa Barbara County oil pipeline which ruptured in 2015, causing a major spill is responding to a court ruling temporarily ordering work to stop on the project,” KCLU reports. “A Santa Barbara County Superior Court judge issued a temporary restraining order Tuesday in connection with Sable Offshore Corporation’s project… “Wednesday, Sable issued a response to the ruling, saying it won’t stop preparations to restart the pipeline. It contends the restart effort is governed and permitted though a federal court ruling. "The court decision does not impede Sable's preparations for restarting the flow of oil," Steve Rush, Sable's Vice President of Environmental and Governmental Affairs, told KCLU. "Restart of the Las Flores Pipeline System is governed by a federal consent decree." “...Opponents contend that much more environmental and safety review is needed, and that restarting the system would set the stage for another environmental disaster.”

KEYT: Santa Barbara County Judge temporarily halts Sable Offshore’s plans to restart oil production off the Gaviota Coast
Mina Wahab, 6/3/25

“Linda Krop has been fighting for what she explains as environmental justice,” KEYT reports. “There's been no environmental review. There's been no public input. There's been no public hearings. So we need everything put on hold until we can have those opportunities,” Krop, who is the lead lawyer at the Environmental Defense Center, told KEYT. The Environmental Defense Center had filed a lawsuit in April challenging the state waivers the Office of the State Fire Marshal had given Sable. Despite Sable saying they have completed hydrotesting, the EDC says they did not have “normal” pipeline safety requirements… “It’s a 6 week delay until the next hearing on July 18th, but that could pose problems for Sable, who have told investors oil would be pumping come July. EDC Executive Director Alex Katz told KEYT it’s now time for the governor to break his silence. “What we want the governor to do is to make sure that his agencies are following the law and defending our state from another ecological and environmental and economic disaster,” Katz told KEYT.”

Center for Biological Diversity: Court Bars Restart of Santa Barbara Pipeline While Lawsuit Proceeds
6/3/25

“A Santa Barbara Superior Court granted a request for immediate relief today, preventing the restart of a pipeline that caused one of California’s worst oil spills while a lawsuit related to the restart is being resolved. The request filed by the Center for Biological Diversity and the Wishtoyo Foundation responded to an announcement by the pipeline’s owner, Sable Offshore Corp., that it had resumed oil production from one of three offshore platforms related to the pipeline on May 15. The company says it is storing that oil in onshore tanks while it seeks to restart the failed Las Flores pipeline system. The groups filed the request as part of their pending lawsuit against the Office of the State Fire Marshal, which challenges the agency for issuing Sable waivers from safety requirements to prevent corrosion. The Santa Barbara-based Environmental Defense Center filed a similar lawsuit and request for relief on behalf of a group of environmental organizations. The Fire Marshal did not comply with environmental review and pipeline safety laws before issuing the waivers for this flawed pipeline. No state agency under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration has conducted a full environmental review of the restart project… “Today, we celebrate an enormous victory in our long battle against the restart of the Santa Ynez Unit and Las Flores Pipeline System,” said Mati Waiya, executive director of the Wishtoyo Chumash Foundation. “Our communities have remained steadfast in the face of such disregard for the environment and our collective safety.” Today’s ruling to grant the request was made by Judge Donna D. Geck. She set a hearing for July 18 to determine whether to extend the injunction.”

Michigan Public: Groups want Michigan officials to deny a permit for a proposed tunnel for Enbridge Line 5
Lester Graham, 6/5/25

“Opponents of drilling a tunnel to house an oil and natural gas liquids pipeline beneath the Straits of Mackinac gathered last night, calling on the State of Michigan to take a harder look at the project when it reconsiders a Water Resources Permit,’ Michigan Public reports. “...One of the speakers at an event last night said the Army Corps of Engineers is taking less of a look at the environmental impact than the Michigan Public Service Commission and EGLE, both of which have approved permits, although the EGLE permits will have to be reconsidered… “Nobody so far in this permitting process have looked at the actual environmental impacts of building a tunnel through the most sensitive part of the bottomlands of the Great Lakes,” said Sean McBrearty, Michigan state director of Clean Water Action… “For the Love of Water (FLOW) Executive Director Liz Kirkwood outlined the legal proceedings that have occurred during the permitting process… “And they’re saying that multinational corporations should be able to trump sovereign rights of states and indigenous peoples because oil is more important and their profits are more important than our ability to govern and protect the most important thing, which is water,” Kirkwood told the audience in Traverse City and online. McBrearty of Michigan Clean Water Action said Enbridge has been on a campaign to discredit the environmentalists and businesses opposed to the Line 5 tunnel, by buying ads on media and buying gasoline at stations to give away to people in small towns to persuade them to support the tunnel project.”

Reuters: CEO seeking to build Pennsylvania LNG terminal meets with White House
Jarrett Renshaw, Timothy Gardner and Curtis Williams, 6/4/25

“The CEO of a company seeking to build a liquefied natural gas terminal near Philadelphia told Reuters on Wednesday he met officials at the White House this week to "provide intelligence" about the project in the works for years despite local opposition. Penn America Energy Holdings wants to export 7.2 million tons a year of LNG from a site near Philadelphia to markets in Europe and Asia. Franc James, the CEO, told Reuters he had a meeting at the White House on Tuesday and that the company is considering several locations other than the original site in Chester, Pennsylvania… ”Developing a project in the Northeast is quite different than the Gulf Coast, Louisiana and Texas, so it requires a great deal of support, not only politically in the state, but also with communities ... in terms of pipeline transmission as well as ... along the Delaware River." “...The project has support from U.S. Senator Dave McCormick, a Republican from Pennsylvania. It has been opposed by Senator John Fetterman, a Democrat… “Analysts told Reuters it has an uphill battle, especially to get LNG on the water by 2030, which James said is a target. Alex Munton, director of global gas and LNG research at consulting firm Rapidan Energy Group, told Reuters the proposal has faced significant objections from local opponents.

Sun Herald: Chevron wants to store carbon dioxide under South MS. Some landowners concerned
Mary Perez, 6/5/25

“Chevron says it’s starting to build a system that will collect carbon dioxide at its Pascagoula refinery, send it through a pipeline to a spot north of Vancleave, and store it deep underground forever,” the Sun Herald reports. “This is something rare for South Mississippi and for the world. Only about 45 commercial carbon capture facilities are operating globally, with 19 of them in the United States… “A one page website fact sheet gives the basics about carbon capture and how Chevron is taking steps to protect people and the environment as it looks at site selection, design, development and operations of the Pascagoula Refinery Carbon Capture and Storage project in South Mississippi. It doesn’t answer people’s questions about how the carbon dioxide will get from Pascagoula to Vancleave, where the storage injection site will be, and if the process will affect drinking water sources in Jackson County. The project is something residents of the northern parts of Jackson County talk about when they meet around town and comment on in private groups on Facebook. They’ve met with Chevron representatives individually and in groups. They don’t want their names on the record as being for or against the project — and those who signed an agreement with Chevron are prohibited from disclosing the terms… “The company said it’s too early to provide the exact route, but said the pipeline will follow mostly existing rights of way for pipelines and utilities. Whether the pipeline will run on the surface or be buried will be determined as the project continues, but Wilding told the Sun Herald Chevron takes the safest approach… “Residents who shared their concerns on private Facebook sites said they are most concerned with whether the water aquifers they use for their well water will be contaminated by the gas and if there will be enough safety features in place to protect their families.”

TAPinto: Franklin Township Residents Urged to Register as Intervenors in Proposed Pipeline Project
Malik A. Lyons, 6/4/25

“A proposal to build a massive natural gas compressor station in Franklin Township is once again under federal review, and township officials and environmental advocates are urging residents to take immediate legal action to help stop it,” TAPinto reports. “Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC (Transco), a subsidiary of energy giant Williams, has submitted a formal petition to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) requesting expedited reissuance of its previously vacated certificate for the Northeast Supply Enhancement (NESE) Project. If granted, the company could resume plans to construct Compressor Station 206 off Route 27 — a 32,000-horsepower natural gas facility within close proximity to homes, schools, and preserved open space. FERC has opened a 21-day window for public input. Residents must register as intervenors by 5:00 p.m. on June 24, 2025, to preserve their legal right to comment, challenge decisions, and stay informed as the application progresses… “Residents, property owners, civic organizations, environmental groups, and even neighboring municipalities should consider filing, as the pipeline’s route and associated impacts could shift over time. Intervenor counts are closely watched by agencies, lawmakers, and the energy sector as a barometer of public opposition. “Numbers matter,” reads a recent township announcement. “FERC, other agencies, and even financial analysts look at how many people intervene to gauge how controversial a project is.” “...Franklin Township officials have not yet formally responded to the new filing, but past resolutions reflect strong opposition to the project. Local environmental groups are already mobilizing.”

National Post: In Quebec, opposition mounts against a pipeline project that doesn't exist
Antoine Trépanier, 6/5/25

“At Quebec’s National Assembly and on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, pipelines have dominated the debates. The only issue? No projects involving the province are on the agenda,” the National Post reports. “I think there is a fixation on pipelines on (Prime Minister Mark) Carney’s part at the moment, not on the part of Quebecers,” Bloc Québécois MP and former Greenpeace activist Patrick Bonin told NP. Since taking office in May, Bonin has mentioned the pipeline issue more than 20 times in his speeches on the floor of the House of Commons. “We will not allow the government to build a pipeline through Quebec,” he said on Monday. According to Bonin, the prime minister is “rolling out the red carpet for the oil companies” by meeting with some 20 CEOs in Calgary the day before his meeting with the premiers in Saskatoon and by hoping to speed up environmental assessments… “Any pipeline project, any kind, is bad for the environment, bad for the economy, bad for Quebec,” Ruba Ghazal, the Quebec solidaire House leader at the National Assembly, told NP… “But what worries many Quebec MPs, particularly from the Bloc Québécois, is that the prime minister is using pipeline expansion as a solution to U.S. President Donald Trump’s attacks on Canada.”

WASHINGTON UPDATES

Heatmap: The Senate Takes Its First Pass at IRA Repeal
Emily Pontecorvo, 6/4/25

“The Senate GOP began working through Trump’s “One Big, Beautiful” budget reconciliation bill this week, and at least so far, it’s hardly deviating from the stark cuts to the Inflation Reduction Act that have already passed the House,” Heatmap reports. “Republicans on the Environment and Public Works Committee released their section of the bill on Wednesday evening, and it retains many of the policy repeals and funding rescissions that were in the House version. To be clear, it does not touch the IRA’s clean energy tax credits, the most controversial climate-related parts of the package. Their fate will be up to the Senate Finance Committee, which is not expected to release text for its section of the bill until at least next week. There has been no indication that Republicans in the upper chamber intend to fight for any of the myriad grant programs the IRA created… “The text proposes the same pay-to-play permitting scheme that was in the House bill and would allow energy infrastructure developers to pay for expedited permitting. Like the House bill, it also asserts that environmental assessments made under this program “shall not be subject to judicial review.” Coming up, we’ll be on the lookout for a text from the Energy and Natural Resources committee, which will reveal whether Senate Republicans have any interest in saving the Department of Energy’s loan guarantee program, administered by the Loan Programs Office, which provides essential support for the nuclear industry.”

E&E News: EPW megabill text includes climate cuts, permitting changes
Andres Picon, Nico Portuondo, 6/5/25

“The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee released its portion of Republicans’ party-line reconciliation bill Wednesday, largely concurring with the House’s plans to repeal environmental regulations and billions of dollars of unobligated funding from Democrats’ 2022 climate law,” E&E News reports. “The committee’s proposal comes as the Senate is racing to transform and ultimately pass the sweeping tax, energy and national security bill that the House approved last month. EPW’s portion of the megabill mirrors much of what the House Energy and Commerce Committee proposed in its own text, save for some relatively minor changes and omissions, mainly due to jurisdictional differences between the chambers. The text would gut climate and air pollution programs created by the Inflation Reduction Act, delay the implementation of Democrats’ methane pollution fee and implement a narrower repeal of EPA’s vehicle emissions rule.”

Mother Jones: Here’s One Biden Climate Provision Republicans Are Unlikely to Kill
Julia Haney, Rebecca McCarthy, 6/5/25

“...Last summer, ExxonMobil sponsored weeklong camps to teach grade school students from Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi about the virtues of these aquifers, specifically their ability to serve as carbon capture and sequestration wells, where oil, gas, and heavy industry can bury harmful emissions deep underground,” Mother Jones reports. “In one exercise, students were given 20 minutes to build a model reservoir out of vegetable oil, Play-Doh, pasta, and uncooked beans. Whoever could keep the most vegetable oil (meant to represent liquified carbon dioxide) in their aquifer, won. This kind of down-home carbon capture boosterism is a relatively new development for the oil and gas giant… “Now that Congress has turned its attention to rolling back government spending on renewable energy, it appears that most of the climate “solutions” being left off the chopping block are the ones favored by carbon-intensive companies like Exxon. Corporate tax breaks for carbon capture and storage, for instance, were one of the few things left untouched when House Republicans passed a budget bill on May 22 that effectively gutted the Inflation Reduction Act, the Biden administration’s signature climate legislation. What remained of the IRA’s clean energy tax credits were incentives for nuclear, so-called clean fuels like ethanol, and carbon capture… “Essentially, we, the taxpayers, are subsidizing a private sewer system for oil and gas,” Sandra Steingraber, a senior scientist at the nonprofit Science and Environmental Health Network, told Mother Jones… “That the carbon capture tax credit was never in danger of being revoked is a testament to its importance to the oil and gas industry, Jim Walsh, the policy director at the nonprofit Food and Water Watch, told Mother Jones. “The major beneficiaries of these tax credits are oil and gas companies and big agricultural interests.” “...You can keep some really played out oil fields going for a long time, and you can get the public to pay for it,” Carolyn Raffensberger, the executive director of the Science and Environmental Health Network, told Mother Jones, explaining the potential impact of the budget bill. “So the argument is, ‘This is a win for the climate, it’s a win for energy dominance.’ [But] it’s really a budget buster with no guardrails at all.” To some observers, keeping the carbon capture credit looks like a flagrant giveaway to the oil and gas industry. Juhn estimated that the credit could end up costing taxpayers more than $800 billion by 2040.”

NOTUS: The Senate Doesn’t Like House Republicans’ Carbon Capture Tax Credit Cuts
Shifra Dayak, 6/4/25

“Senate Republicans don’t sound happy with how their counterparts in the House are treating carbon capture technology,” NOTUS reports. “The House GOP’s reconciliation bill puts limitations on the carbon capture tax credit that have frustrated industry leaders and senators alike. “Carbon capture credits are important for us, for natural gas and coal industries,” Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia told NOTUS. “I know they shortened them, so I think we’ll take a look at that.” Sen. Jim Justice — also from West Virginia, which is among the leading states in the nation for carbon capture projects — struck a similar tone. “Carbon capture is really, really important, and we’ve got to solve that riddle,” he told NOTUS. “I think we’ve probably got a whole lot of a long way to go, and a whole lot of things will change when we get the final verbiage and everything.” The House’s reconciliation bill massively scales down the transferability of tax credits for carbon capture projects. The ability for developers to sell carbon capture tax credits to another entity in exchange for cash is key to driving progress in the carbon capture and storage development space, experts told NOTUS. “Transferability has really emerged as a powerful tool for project deployment,” Carbon Capture Coalition executive director Jessie Stolark told NOTUS. “To say that it’s not going to be there is, for some projects, really, really harmful, and it really endangers their ability to move forward.” “...We’re really more interested in what the Senate is proposing as opposed to what the House is proposing,” Sen. Mike Rounds told NOTUS, though he noted that he hasn’t yet seen the specifics on carbon capture technology but wants to “get into it.” Energy experts have suggested that even a five-year timeline, once proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency, is too restrictive for carbon capture and storage developers.”

E&E News: House panel sets vote on energy, permitting bills
Nico Portuondo, 6/4/25

“A House Energy and Commerce subcommittee will vote this week on legislation to address long-held Republican concerns around electric reliability. Lawmakers discussed the 13 bills during a hearing in April,” E&E News reports. “They focus heavily on easing permitting for fossil fuel and nuclear infrastructure… “Republicans believe baseload energy sources — unlike wind and solar — can better allow the U.S. to meet power demand. But Democrats expressed opposition to almost all the bills during April’s hearing, wanting more attention for renewables. Legislation from Rep. Kathy Castor (D-Fla.) was part of the hearing but not on the markup agenda. The ‘Expediting Generator Interconnection Procedures Act of 2025’ would have helped renewable energy projects access the grid.”

Odessa American: Carbon capture gains energy industry prominence
Bob Campbell, 6/4/25

“Talk about carbon capture and storage and you step into a hot debate with the U.S. Department of Energy having canceled grant awards for select CCS projects and with the related 45Q tax credit coming under fire from some conservatives,” the Odessa American reports. “The Texas Independent Producers & Royalty Owners and Permian Basin Petroleum associations note that multi-billion dollar investments are being made in CCS. “Despite strong opinions from both sides of this debate, we will likely see continued investment in carbon capture and storage with private partnerships enhancing financial certainty for related projects while many in Congress aim to preserve the 45Q tax incentives,” TIPRO President Ed Longanecker told OA… “Proponents say the momentum behind CCS is complementary to the oil and gas industry and it can evolve into a meaningful secondary stream as carbon markets mature while further reducing emissions and supporting private sector decarbonization goals,” he told OA… “Writing for the Texas Public Policy Foundation on Monday, Texas Railroad Commissioner Wayne Christian said the credits should be eliminated. “This tax credit isn’t about climate responsibility or innovation, it’s about corporate welfare,” Christian said. “...The U.S. oil and gas industry has long taken pride in its independence and innovation, but in recent years some of the largest players have begun mimicking the subsidy-seeking behavior of the green energy sector, seeking taxpayer handouts to support technologies like CCS that cannot compete without government support.” “...These projects would not be viable without federal support. If a technology requires permanent subsidies to function, it is not a market-ready solution….That’s not innovation, that’s dependence and it’s antithetical to the kind of capitalism that built America’s energy sector.”

Heatmap: White House takes aim at climate programs in rescission package
Jeva Lange, 6/4/25

“The White House on Tuesday formally asked Congress to rescind $9.4 million in federal funds to make permanent some of the Department of Government Efficiency’s spending cuts,” Heatmap reports. “...Of particular note to Heatmap readers is the proposed recission of $1.7 billion of the $3.6 billion appropriated for the Economic Support Fund which, in the words of the State Department, “promotes the economic and political foreign policy interests of the United States by providing assistance to allies and countries in transition to democracy.” That has historically included working with partners to mitigate the impacts of climate change, although the White House said it aims to “refocus remaining resources on activities that align with an America First foreign policy.” Similarly, the White House asked Congress to rescind $125 million from the Clean Technology Fund, which provides financial resources for developing countries to invest in clean energy projects, arguing that it does “not reflect America’s values or put the American people first.” The White House also asked Congress to pull the full $460 million appropriated to Assistance for Europe, Eurasia, and Central Asia, which, it argued, has become a “mechanism for funding wasteful programs, including … climate programming.”

Reuters: U.S. Moves to Block Enterprise Products’ Exports to China Over Security Risk
Arathy Somasekhar and Georgina Mccartney, 6/4/25

“Enterprise Products Partners said on Wednesday it received notice that the U.S. Commerce Department intends to deny its requests to export three proposed cargoes of ethane, totaling around 2.2 million barrels, to China,” Reuters reports. “The move could pressure U.S. ethane exports, and force producers to seek alternate buyers and raise costs for Chinese petrochemical firms, which rely almost exclusively on U.S. producers for ethane imports. The Bureau of Industry and Security, an agency of the Department of Commerce, informed pipeline and terminal operator Enterprise in a letter two weeks ago that exports of ethane and butane pose an unacceptable risk of military end-use in China, according to a company filing. Enterprise said last week that its ethane and butane exports could be hurt by a Department of Commerce requirement that it apply for a license to export to China… “Exports of ethane to China account for about half of the total U.S. exports of the shale gas… “Chinese petrochemical firms use ethane as a feedstock because it is a cheaper alternative than naphtha, while U.S. oil and gas producers need China to buy their natural gas liquids as domestic supply exceeds demand.”

Stateline: Long-thwarted efforts to sell public lands see new life under Trump
Alex Brown, Clark Corbin and Kyle Dunphey, 6/4/25

“Public outcry was swift and forceful after a U.S. House committee last month hastily approved an amendment directing the federal government to sell off more than half a million acres of public land,” Stateline reports. “A few days later, lawmakers advanced the larger bill — a sweeping list of President Donald Trump’s priorities — but stripped the federal lands provision. Yet leaders on both sides of the issue say the battle over selling off federal lands is likely just heating up. Some conservatives in Western states have complained for decades that the feds control too much of the land within their borders. They see a long-awaited opportunity in a Trump administration that’s sympathetic to their cause. Public lands advocates are bracing for more attempts to turn land over to states, industry groups and developers. ‘The threat level is red alert,’ said Randi Spivak, public lands policy director with the Center for Biological Diversity, an environmental nonprofit. ‘Some of these states have been champing at the bit for decades to privatize. They’re certainly not going to let this opportunity pass without an aggressive effort.’

E&E News: Interior intends to lose a lot of lawyers. What happens then?
Michael Doyle, Heather Richards, 6/3/25

“President Donald Trump’s Interior Department intends to lawyer down, not up, even as its litigation risks start to climb,” E&E News reports. “The resulting tension could spell trouble if the Interior solicitor’s office ends up with the White House’s proposed 38 percent funding cut while an aggressive agenda all but invites more legal challenges. “It could just be a disaster for the department,” former Interior Solicitor Robert Anderson, who ran the office during the Biden administration, cautioned to E&E. He added that “cutting the staff is only going to make it more difficult for them to do an adequate job that will withstand scrutiny from the inevitable lawsuits.” The escalating legal battles are already taking place. The PACER court records system shows that Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has been named in some 69 federal lawsuits filed since Jan. 21. During a comparable period in the Biden administration, then-Interior Secretary Deb Haaland or her acting predecessor were named in 44 lawsuits.”

New York Times: Electricity Prices Are Surging. The G.O.P. Megabill Could Push Them Higher
Brad Plumer and Rebecca F. Elliott, 6/4/25

“The cost of electricity is rising across the country, forcing Americans to pay more on their monthly bills and squeezing manufacturers and small businesses that rely on cheap power,” the New York Times reports. “And some of President Trump’s policies risk making things worse, despite his promises to slash energy prices, companies and researchers say… “In its current form, that bill would abruptly end most of the Biden-era federal tax credits for low-carbon sources of electricity like wind, solar, batteries and geothermal power. Repealing those credits could increase the average family’s energy bill by as much as $400 per year within a decade, according to several studies published this year. The studies rely on similar reasoning: Electricity demand is surging for the first time in decades, partly because of data centers needed for artificial intelligence, and power companies are already struggling to keep up. Ending tax breaks for solar panels, wind turbines and batteries would make them more expensive and less plentiful, increasing demand for energy from power plants that burn natural gas.”

E&E News: EPA’s new AI tool disagrees with Zeldin on climate change
Jean Chemnick, 6/5/25

EPA has a new generative artificial intelligence tool. And it believes climate change is dangerous,” E&E News reports. “That puts it at odds with the Trump administration, which aims to sideline climate change research and data to make it easier to repeal regulations… “But the tool itself answered questions submitted by three agency employees, who were granted anonymity to avoid retribution… “The AI tool is clear that heat-trapping pollution poses a threat to public health and welfare — a key aspect of a foundational EPA scientific conclusion, known as the endangerment finding — that underpins most climate regulations. Zeldin is expected to try to undo the finding soon. The AI tool listed “extreme weather events,” vector-borne diseases, and food and water shortages among the threats posed by human-caused warming, in search results shared with E&E. “Climate change is real and is supported by a vast body of scientific evidence,” it states in one answer. “It refers to significant and lasting changes in the Earth’s climate, particularly an increase in global temperatures, largely due to human activities such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation and industrial processes.” Trump has rejected the basic tenets of climate change and is pursuing an energy agenda that promotes unfettered production of oil, gas and coal.”

STATE UPDATES

E&E News: 3 local governments appeal climate losses to Maryland Supreme Court
Lesley Clark, 6/5/25

“The Maryland cities of Baltimore and Annapolis, along with Anne Arundel County, are appealing a trio of losses in their lawsuits seeking to hold the oil and gas industry financially liable for climate change,” E&E News reports. “The parties filed a consolidated brief with the Maryland Supreme Court on Tuesday, arguing that the circuit courts that dismissed the lawsuits misunderstood the claims in the cases and that the verdicts should be reversed. They wrote that the two courts that rejected the lawsuits adopted the industry’s “mischaracterization” of the cases as efforts to limit greenhouse gases nationally and globally. Rather, the governments argued, the lawsuits argue that the companies violated state consumer protection laws by knowingly misleading purchasers about the dangers of burning fossil fuels. “Remedying deceptive and misleading commercial conduct as alleged here is within the core of state police powers,” the appeal says, quoting a 2018 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that found it “is well settled that the states have a legitimate interest in combating the adverse effects of climate change on their residents.”

Appeal-Democrat: Feds yank $270 million grant for Sutter County carbon project
6/4/25

“Calpine Sutter Energy Center lost a $270 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy on May 30, as the federal government axed $3.7 billion for carbon capture and decarbonization projects across the country,” the Appeal-Democrat reports. “The grant was intended to fund the Sutter Decarbonization Project, building an underground pipeline to capture carbon emissions at the SEC and store that carbon approximately 10 miles southwest of the facility… “Conrad Schneider, senior director at the Clean Air Task Force, released a counter statement, calling Wright’s action “bad for U.S. competitiveness in the global market and also directly contradictory to the administration’s stated goals of supporting energy production and environmental innovation.” “...Calpine did not respond to requests for comment. Calpine announced nine months ago it had entered into a cost share agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations to help bring about the Sutter Decarbonization Project.”

Indiana Public Radio: U.S. Dept. of Energy cancels grants to decarbonize two Indiana manufacturing plants
Rebecca Thiele, 6/3/25

“The U.S. Department of Energy canceled 24 grants last week, many of them going to projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in manufacturing,” Indiana Public Radio reports. “That includes two projects in Indiana — one at Kraft Heinz in Noble County and another at cement-maker Heidelberg Materials in Lawrence County.The DOE said the projects “failed to advance the energy needs of the American people,” were too expensive and wouldn’t earn a “positive return on investment.” The grants totaled $3.7 billion… “David Perkins is the senior vice president of sustainability and public affairs for Heidelberg Materials North America — which planned to store its carbon emissions underground with the help of a $500 million federal grant. Perkins told IPR the cement-maker is still figuring out what this means for its carbon storage project and how the company might appeal the decision. “The cement sector is a really critical part of our overall economic prosperity. So we’re hopeful that we can work with the DOE to help them understand that and how this really does align with that mission of supporting domestic manufacturing,” Perkins told IPR.

Kay News Cow: Luttrell comments on passage of carbon capture bill
6/4/25

“A bill aimed at establishing clear guidelines for carbon capture and storage in Oklahoma has received final legislative approval and will take effect later this year,” Kay News Cow reports. “Rep. Ken Luttrell, R-Ponca City, co-authored Senate Bill 269 with Sen. Dave Rader to ensure the state maintains regulatory control over carbon sequestration efforts. The measure gives the Oklahoma Corporation Commission exclusive authority over Class VI CO2 injection wells and related storage units. “These companies are willing to invest millions in Oklahoma without asking for tax credits or special incentives from the state,” Luttrell told KNC. “In return, this bill gives them regulatory certainty under Oklahoma’s authority, while also protecting landowners and ensuring long-term accountability.” “...No injection may occur without commission authorization, and the agency is directed to issue a certificate of completion within 50 years of injection ending, assuming regulatory compliance and maintained mechanical integrity… “SB269 goes into effect Nov. 1.”

PV Magazine: Largest hydrogen plant in North America slated for California
Michael Puttré, 6/3/25

“Element Resources is investing $1.85 billion in what is planned to be North America’s largest hydrogen production facility,” PV Magazine reports. “Construction on the Lancaster Clean Energy Center (LCEC), located in that city about 70 miles north of Los Angeles, is scheduled to begin later this year. Steve Meheen, CEO of Element, told pv magazine USA that the LCEC will be a fully integrated green hydrogen power plant that is not reliant on off-site grid electricity nor any outside water source. “The LCEC will be powered fully by on-site solar energy and use groundwater from the aquifer under the land,” Meheen told pv. “The facility will only use 15 to 20% of the water formerly being used to irrigate carrots, onions and potatoes on the land, significantly minimizing water usage. A long-duration battery energy storage system will ensure 24/7 hydrogen production.” Gov. Gavin Newsom recently announced the company would be among the beneficiaries of a $30.5 million in tax credits as part of the state’s California Jobs First initiative. When operational in mid-2027, the 2,100-acre facility will deliver zero-carbon hydrogen fuel to the heavy- and medium-duty transportation sectors, public transit authorities, rail and port operations.”

Michigan Advance: Lawmakers hear proposals on incentives for Michigan sustainable aviation fuel market
Kyle Davidson , 6/3/25

“Members of the Michigan House and Senate on Tuesday took up a set of mirrored proposals to establish incentives to produce more “sustainable aviation fuel” which blend traditional jet fuel with propellants sourced from biomass like corn, soybeans, cover crops, forestry residue and hydrogen,” Michigan Advance reports. “Rep. Jerry Neyer (R-Shepherd), who sponsored House Bills 4424 and 4425, told members of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee that his legislation is aimed at bringing Michigan into the sustainable aviation fuel supply chain. If passed, Neyer said the bills would grant farmers access to another revenue stream and encourage the expansion of ethanol production facilities and the construction of fuel blending facilities. Sen. Joe Bellino (R-Monroe), who sponsored the Senate’s package alongside Sen. Sam Singh (D-East Lansing), explained to members of the Natural Resources and Agriculture Committee that the bills would simply allow aviation companies who choose to use the fuels to claim a tax credit.”

Spectrum News: City leaders call for pushback amid federal offshore drilling considerations
Elizabeth Martinez, 6/3/25

“Myrtle Beach city leaders are calling for residents to push back against federal offshore drilling considerations off the South Carolina coast,” Spectrum News reports. O”n April 18, the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) unveiled plans to roll out a new five-year national oil and gas leasing program. Roughly 30 planning areas are slated for selection, including the entire South Carolina coastline. The move follows one of President Trump’s many executive orders upon taking office, revoking President Biden’s previous memorandum that prohibited oil and gas leasing developments in large portions of the Outer Continental Shelf.”

E&E News: Pennsylvania lawmakers go after local drilling restrictions
Shelby Webb, 6/4/25

“Pennsylvania lawmakers are considering a bill that would withhold some funding from local governments that restrict where the oil industry can build fracking pads,” E&E News reports. “The bill, S.B. 102, would prohibit counties and municipalities from receiving impact fees from fracking operations if they pass local rules that “unreasonably” restrict oil and gas activity. It was written in reaction to a growing number of local ‘setback’ ordinances in western Pennsylvania that increase the distance between oil development and nearby homes and bodies of water. Industry groups and the bill’s supporters say it would ensure impact fees go to municipalities that are most affected by drilling and continue to host more oil and gas production. But local government leaders — along with environmental groups — say the bill would hurt local budgets and could have a chilling affect on their ability to pass zoning ordinances. “The state set the standards for us in the municipal planning code, and they set us up to be the ones to have to administer zoning,” Thomas Casciola, chair of the Board of Supervisors for the Cecil Township in western Pennsylvania, told E&E. “And yet now they’re upset because we’re doing it.”

Associated Press: New Mexico appeals court rejects lawsuit against oil and gas regulators
Morgan Lee, 6/3/25

“A New Mexico appeals court rejected a lawsuit alleging that the nation’s No. 2 oil-producing state failed to meet constitutional provisions for protecting against oil and gas industry pollution, in an opinion Tuesday,” the Associated Press reports. “Environmental advocates vowed to appeal the matter to the state’s top court. A panel of three judges on the New Mexico Court of Appeals found that it was beyond the judiciary’s authority to weigh whether the pollution controls are adequate, writing that the state Constitution directs the Legislature to balance the benefits of environmental regulation with natural resources development.”

The Advocate: Gov. Jeff Landry pushes back on oil industry over legacy lawsuits: 'The definition of hypocrisy'
David J. Mitchell, 6/3/25

“Gov. Jeff Landry said Tuesday that the oil industry was engaging in "hypocrisy" for claiming that Louisiana’s litigation environment was stifling their business yet, at the same time petitioning state government to help with many new carbon capture projects,” The Advocate reports. “Landry, a longtime supporter of the oil industry, leveled the criticism in a surprise appearance in the House Natural Resources and Environment Committee, where he threw his political weight behind a bill that would make numerous changes to state laws and regulations… “Among them was a controversial amendment that Landry said he wrote himself: It would prohibit indemnification, a legal tool that allows companies to pass off the responsibility to clean up old wells when it sells them to another company. The amendment would also retroactively remove those protections from previous deals. Some Republican committee members aired concerns about the last-minute nature of the changes. They also raised fears about the indemnification amendment and other proposed changes to legacy oil field cleanup litigation, which they said had already alarmed constituents who are large landowners or work in oil and gas. One representative of a Louisiana landowner trade group, Don Caffery of the Natural Resources Management Association, told the committee the indemnity provision is his group's major concern, claiming the change would be unconstitutional. Without it and the guarantee of protection from legal liability for past actions, it would lock out future oil and gas exploration for Louisiana landowners, he argued.

The Advocate: McNeese State University selected as home of new LNG safety center
Courtney Pedersen, 6/3/25

“McNeese State University will soon be the home of a federal liquefied natural gas research hub, where they will develop new technologies and safety protocols for the fast-growing industry sector,” The Advocate reports. “On May 19, the U.S. Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration announced that it has selected Lake Charles' McNeese State University for its National Center of Excellence for Liquefied Natural Gas Safety. “The Center will advance LNG safety by promoting collaboration among government agencies, industry, academia, and other safety partners,” PHMSA Acting Administrator Ben Kochman said in a news release. “Consolidating such remarkable levels of expertise will benefit the LNG sector for many generations to come.” “...By the time all aspects are complete and they are ready for a ribbon cutting, Rousse expects it to be the end of the 2025-26 academic year.”

EXTRACTION

New York Times: Europe Wants to Banish Russian Gas. The U.S. May Have Other Plans.
Anton Troianovski, Jeanna Smialek and Melissa Eddy, 6/5/25

“An American investor tried last month to sell top German economic officials on an audacious plan to buy a Russian undersea pipeline. Despite years of international friction over the pipeline, he proposed to eventually activate it and deliver natural gas to Germany,” the New York Times reports. “The investor, Stephen P. Lynch, had already made the pitch to the Trump administration, which he was betting would want U.S. control over a pivotal piece of energy infrastructure. Now the Germans wanted to hear for themselves about Mr. Lynch’s proposal to lead a takeover of the much-criticized pipeline on the floor of the Baltic Sea, called Nord Stream 2. The German officials were skeptical in their May 6 meeting in Berlin, Mr. Lynch recalls, asking him how he intended to persuade them to allow Russian gas to flow through the pipeline, which was partially sabotaged in 2022. That was not his job, Mr. Lynch says he answered, predicting that the Germans would persuade themselves eventually of the benefits of buying cheap Russian gas again. Amid the frantic geopolitical jockeying of recent months, touched off by Mr. Trump’s re-engaging with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, the future of Europe’s energy supply has emerged as a source of tension and vulnerability as the continent seeks to chart an independent course… “European officials now appear concerned that companies and politicians could be tempted anew by cheap Russian energy, especially if the fighting ends in Ukraine and Moscow deepens its rapprochement with Washington.”

Mongabay: Carbon capture projects promise a climate fix — and a fossil fuel lifeline
Nithin Coca, 6/4/25

“Governments across Southeast Asia are looking at carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) as a way to meet climate targets,” Mongabay reports. “Projects have been proposed in Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, with Japanese companies involved in all three countries. Critics say CCS costs too much to be commercially viable, underperforms at capturing carbon, and serves as a diversion from actually reducing emissions… “The government and Petronas have announced plans to make the Kasawari field the world’s largest offshore carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) project, storing CO2 from around the world as soon as 2028. The plan is to build a fixed offshore platform 200 kilometers (120 miles) from the coast, where compressed CO2 will be reinjected into a depleted reservoir via a 138-km (86-mi) subsea pipeline. It’s part of an ambitious plan to make CCS central to Malaysia’s energy transition, after its inclusion in the National Energy Transition Roadmap, and the March passage of a Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage (“CCUS”) Bill, which sets guidelines for CO2 storage and transport… “Despite ERIA’s assertion that costs have fallen, CCS for climate mitigation is only operational in a few projects around the world, where it captures less carbon than promised and remains expensive, costing more than $200 per metric ton of CO2, far above the $10-$15 generally seen as commercially viable. Moreover, in Southeast Asia, carbon pricing is low and governments are reluctant to commit financial resources to unproven technologies. “We do not see a viable path toward its commercialization in Malaysia,” Meenakshi Raman, president of Sahabat Alam Malaysia, a local nonprofit, told Mongabay… “Despite studies, meetings and plans, it’s not clear if commercial CCS is any more viable today than when the Asia CCUS Network launched in 2021.”

New Scientist: Rivers are leaking ancient carbon back into the atmosphere
Madeleine Cuff, 6/4/25

“Rivers around the world are leaking ancient carbon back into the atmosphere. The finding has taken scientists by surprise and suggests human activities are damaging the natural landscape far more than first thought,” New Scientist reports. “Researchers already knew rivers released carbon dioxide and methane as part of the global carbon cycle – the short-term movement of gases that happens as living things grow and decompose. They are thought to emit around 2 gigatonnes of this carbon each year. But when Josh Dean at the University of Bristol, UK, and his colleagues set out to determine how old this carbon really is, they found that around 60 per cent of global river emissions are from thousands-of-years-old stores. The team used radiocarbon dating to assess the age of carbon and methane released from more than 700 river segments across 26 countries. “What really surprised us, when we compiled all the data that we could get, was that as much as half [of the carbon being released] could be coming from these much, much older carbon stores,” Dean told NS. “There’s a sort of continuous leak, or sideways flow, of these older carbon stores.”

Lakeland Today: Report shows Alberta is producing more oil and less emissions
6/4/25

“Alberta is producing more oil and fewer emissions, according to a new report,” Lakeland Today reports. “The Alberta Oil Sands Greenhouse Gas Emissions Intensity Analysis shows the province's oil sands have reduced emissions per barrel by 26 per cent in 2023, which is a four per cent improvement over the 2022 reporting period. The report also shows that Alberta's oil production has grown 96 per cent since 2012 and has now reached production levels of 1.56 million barrels per day… “Alberta continues to lead the way in responsible energy development," said Minister of Environment and Protected Areas Rebecca Schulz. "This is why countries around the world are looking to us as a responsible producer of choice.”

Bloomberg: Petronas Is Said to Weigh Sale of $7 Billion Canada Business
Dinesh Nair and Elffie Chew, 6/3/25

“Petroliam Nasional Bhd. is considering options for its Canadian company formerly known as Progress Energy Resources Corp., including a sale, according to people familiar with the matter,” Bloomberg reports. “Petronas, as the Malaysian state energy firm is known, is working with a financial adviser on a potential disposal, the people told Bloomberg, asking not to be identified because the deliberations are private. A transaction could value the Canadian business at $6 billion to $7 billion, they told Bloomberg… “Petronas bought Progress Energy for about $5.3 billion in 2012, boosting the Kuala Lumpur-based firm’s shale-gas assets and gas supplies. It also holds a 25% stake in the LNG Canada project, a joint venture for liquefied natural gas in which Shell Plc, PetroChina Co. Ltd., Mitsubishi Corp. and Korea Gas Corp. also participate.”

CLIMATE FINANCE

Bloomberg: BlackRock Escapes Texas Oil-Boycott List After ESG Retreat
Danielle Moran, 6/3/25

“BlackRock Inc. was removed from Texas’ blacklist of companies that boycott fossil fuels, ending a three-year standoff over the environmental policies of the world’s largest asset manager,” Bloomberg reports. “The move means pension funds and other state-run investment accounts — which manage more than $300 billion of assets — will be allowed to purchase BlackRock shares, invest in its exchange-traded funds and hire the firm for advice and risk management. Inclusion on the list resulted in some Texas entities pulling billions of dollars of assets from the firm… “The move marks a win for BlackRock Chief Executive Officer Larry Fink, who has been courting Texas leaders… “BlackRock and a number of other financial firms including UBS Group AG and BNP Paribas SA were added to Texas’ blacklist in 2022. The action followed a law that restricted business with companies that the state considered to be hostile to the energy industry. Since then, the ESG push at investment firms, pension funds and law practices has faded somewhat, partly because of efforts to avoid attacks by President Donald Trump and Republicans.”

OPINION

Deseret News: Tax credits with a scalpel — how to boost American energy without killing innovation
John R. Curtis is the junior U.S. senator for Utah, 6/4/25

“...Specifically, the Senate must solve the right problem relating to American energy. The right policy solution must navigate tax credits and regulatory reform in what I believe is central to America’s economic future, the planet and our national security: energy,” John R. Curtis writes for Deseret News. “I am convinced the next great opportunity for economic growth — and energy dominance — won’t come solely from government programs… “Some conservatives understandably want to end the energy tax credits created by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and frankly, I agree with them on many provisions that included frivolous spending… “But we must be wise — we simply cannot afford to treat good policy ideas as guilty by political association. That would be a quest for political power over intelligence and strategy. The simple truth is this: many of these credits are Republican policies that we fought to protect. They support strategic energy assets and a robust domestic economy. That’s why businesses from across the energy spectrum — oil and gas, nuclear, renewables — have already made billions in long-term investments based on these policies. We must build a thoughtful, principled bill that doesn’t pull the rug out from under American innovators. Doing otherwise risks freezing investment, delaying domestic production, increasing costs, and forfeiting our energy edge and national security to China and Russia.”

Oklahoma Voice: Oklahoma oil and gas drillers face few regulations amid lingering concerns about health impact
Mike Altshuler is a retired educator and environmental activist who lives in Edmond, 5/30/25

“The oil and gas industry is a major economic engine in Oklahoma, contributing significantly to jobs and tax revenue. But, we are paying for this lucrative driver of our economy with environmental degradation and harm to community health,” Mike Altshuler writes for Oklahoma Voice. “And unfortunately our state and federal leaders have continued to have little interest in passing regulations governing the industry that would protect public health despite first being alerted to risks over four decades ago… “Every stage of production can produce what is known as “technologically enhanced naturally occurring radioactive material,” or TENORM… “Currently, there are no dedicated federal regulations to ensure comprehensive and safe management of radioactive oil and gas materials. The industry was granted a federal exemption in 1980 that legally defined its waste as nonhazardous, despite containing toxic chemicals, carcinogens, heavy metals, and radioactivity… “The industry is trying to pivot now toward the treatment of oilfield waste, but the problem is that if you remove the radioactive heavy metals that are already at elevated levels, you just concentrate them… “Oklahoma has over 10,600 such wells. Unfortunately, injection wells pose their own set of problems. The U.S. Geological Survey has linked them to earthquakes. In Oklahoma, earthquakes have increased 900-fold since 2008, when fracking became more prevalent… “If lawmakers really want to improve Oklahoma’s lagging health outcomes, perhaps new laws governing the oil and gas industry’s disposal processes would be a place to start.”

Resource Works: Ksi Lisims LNG too important to fail
Nelson Bennett, 6/4/25

“The BC Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) is expected to soon determine whether the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission (PRGT) pipeline project has been “substantially started” as per the conditions of its provincial environmental certificate. Later this summer, the EAO is also expected to issue a recommendation on the Ksi Lisims LNG project, which would be supplied by the PRGT pipeline,” Nelson Bennett writes for Resource Works. “If these regulatory hurdles are cleared, the project is still likely to face court challenges, including judicial review applications from environmental groups and potentially the Gitanyow First Nation. The stakes are high: Ksi Lisims LNG represents a $20 billion investment and is a clean energy mega-project that the government of Premier David Eby cannot afford to lose, both in terms of economic development and reconciliation with Indigenous communities. Should the EAO conclude that PRGT has not made a substantial start, the project’s environmental certificate would expire. The proponents—the Nisga’a Nation and Western LNG—would then be required to restart the environmental review process from scratch. This would result in years of delay and potentially hundreds of millions of dollars in additional costs. Timing is especially critical for LNG projects targeting Asian markets, where long-term supply contracts, often lasting 15 to 20 years, must align with project timelines. Ksi Lisims aims to be operational by 2029… “If federal and provincial leaders are serious about supporting “nation-building” infrastructure, then Ksi Lisims LNG should be at the top of the list—particularly if the EAO process creates further complications.”