EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 7/2/25
PIPELINE NEWS
White House: Trump Approves Pipeline Permit at US-Canada Border
Bloomberg: Trump Grants Steel Reef Permit for Pipelines at US-Canada Border
Boulder Monitor: Gas pipeline through County gains federal approval
Louisiana Illuminator: Louisiana set to receive $412,000 from EPA to address lead pipes in schools, childcare facilities
Carbon Herald: DNV Skylark Project Targets Safer CO2 Pipelines Expansion For Carbon Capture
WASHINGTON UPDATES
Washington Post: Senate passes Trump’s tax bill, sending it to House for final passage
The Hill: House conservatives threaten floor revolt over Trump megabill
Washington Post: What to know as Trump’s tax bill heads to the House
Washington Post: Jeffries: Democrats will use ‘all procedural and legislative options’ to fight bill
E&E News: How the megabill shakes up fossil fuels, renewables
Reuters: US Senate bill’s clean energy cuts draw backlash from labor, business
E&E News: Trump admin greases the skids for faster energy permitting
U.S. Dept. of Energy: Energy Secretary Announces Updated NEPA Procedures to End Permitting Paralysis and Unleash American Energy
Utility Dive: Federal agencies, including FERC and DOE, revoke environmental review rules
Press release: FERC Revises NEPA Procedures to Make Permitting More Efficient
E&E News: Rollins overhauls environmental reviews at USDA
The Hill: Red-state agriculture commissioners push to end funding for certain UN groups
E&E News: White House once again eyes big ESA rule changes
Associated Press: EPA employees sign ‘declaration of dissent’ over agency moves under Trump
Stand Up for Science: Declaration of Dissent
ExxonKnews: Supreme Court denies Exxon request to get rid of citizen lawsuits
New York Times: An Offhand Remark About Gold Bars, Secretly Recorded, Upended His Life
STATE UPDATES
KALB: Cenla residents voice fierce concerns over Carbon Capture during public forum
E&E News: Interior nixes oil permitting accord with California
WZTV: Country Star John Rich joins fight against TVA methane plant in Cheatham County
Your Alaska Link: BLM Takes public comment on proposed reopening of petroleum reserves in Alaska
EXTRACTION
Reuters: Canada ships first LNG export cargo from Pacific coast
Seatrade Maritime: CCS at ‘turning point’, expected to quadruple by 2030, DNV declares
OPINION
Washington Post: We are eating the Earth. The result will be catastrophic.
The Telegraph: Another fake Net Zero market that nobody wanted is set to collapse
PIPELINE NEWS
White House: Trump Approves Pipeline Permit at US-Canada Border
6/30/25
“By virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States of America (the "President"), I hereby grant this Presidential permit, subject to the conditions herein set forth, to South Bow (USA) LP (the "permittee"). The permittee is a limited partnership, organized under the laws of the State of Delaware and owned by affiliates of South Bow Corporation, a Canadian public company organized under the laws of Canada. Permission is hereby granted to the permittee to operate and maintain existing pipeline Border facilities, as described herein, at the international border of the United States and Canada at Cavalier County, North Dakota, for the transport between the United States and Canada of all hydrocarbons and petroleum products of every description, refined or unrefined (inclusive of, but not limited to, crude oil, naphtha, liquefied petroleum gas, natural gas liquids, jet fuel, gasoline, kerosene, and diesel), but not including natural gas subject to section 3 of the Natural Gas Act, as amended (15 U.S.C. 717b). This permit supersedes and revokes the Presidential permit issued previously, dated July 29, 2020. See 85 Fed. Reg. 47005 (Aug. 3, 2020) (notice of Presidential permit). This permit does not affect the applicability of any otherwise-relevant laws and regulations. As confirmed in Article 2 of this permit, the Border facilities shall remain subject to all such laws and regulations.”
Bloomberg: Trump Grants Steel Reef Permit for Pipelines at US-Canada Border
Sam Kim, 6/30/25
The US grants Steel Reef a permit to operate and maintain existing border pipeline facilities for US exports of natural gas liquids to Canada, the White House says in a statement,” Bloomberg reports. “Permit applies to facilities at international border between the US and Canada in Burke County, North Dakota.”
Boulder Monitor: Gas pipeline through County gains federal approval
David Lepeska, 7/1/25
“After an expedited environmental review, the Bureau of Land Management on June 27 approved NorthWestern Energy’s planned 74-mile natural gas pipeline expected to slice through several miles of northeastern Jefferson County,” the Boulder Monitor reports. “...The pipeline route, which also goes through East Helena’s new Prickly Pear Park, includes approximately nine miles of BLM-managed public lands and will follow the existing corridor of Phillips 66 Yellowstone pipeline to minimize ground disturbance and ecological disruption… “The BLM approved NWE’s proposed Helena to Three Forks pipeline following an accelerated 14-day environmental review process in line with the national energy emergency declared by President Donald J. Trump. Due to the reduced review timeframe, the BLM said it was unable to closely examine several potential concerns, including the impact on fire management, wildlife, livestock grazing, public safety, and recreation opportunities.”
Louisiana Illuminator: Louisiana set to receive $412,000 from EPA to address lead pipes in schools, childcare facilities
Elise Plunk, 6/30/25
“Louisiana will get $412,000 in grant funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to remove lead pipes for schools and childcare facilities across the state,” the Louisiana Illuminator reports. “The EPA announced in June that Louisiana is one of the states set to receive part of the $26 million dollars earmarked to replace lead pipes that can lead to a variety of health problems… “About 9 million water service lines in the country— the pipes that carry water from a public facility to houses, schools and businesses— have lead in their pipes, according to the most recent estimate from the EPA. Just over 140,000 of Louisiana’s service lines are estimated to have lead, along with the unknown status of 268,000 other service lines.”
Carbon Herald: DNV Skylark Project Targets Safer CO2 Pipelines Expansion For Carbon Capture
Violet George, 7/2/25
“DNV is leading Skylark, a three-year joint industry initiative to enhance the safety of carbon dioxide (CO2) pipelines as carbon capture and storage (CCS) networks expand to meet global climate targets,” the Carbon Herald reports. “Developed in collaboration with the UK Health and Safety Executive Science Division, University of Arkansas, Ricardo’s UK National Chemical Emergency Centre, NCAS, and the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, the project aims to deliver practical safety data and guidance for operators and regulators. With CO2 pipelines projected to grow from 9,500 km (~5,900 miles) today to over 200,000 km (~124,000 miles) by 2050 (according to DNV’s Energy Transition Outlook 2024), Skylark focuses on understanding CO2 behavior during pipeline failures… “Full-scale tests at DNV’s Spadeadam site will study gas dispersion and crater formation under varied conditions, while wind tunnel experiments and emergency drills will help validate response strategies. Skylark will produce data to refine dispersion models, inform risk assessments, and support the development of regulatory frameworks, ensuring that CO2 pipeline deployment can scale safely alongside industrial decarbonization efforts.”
WASHINGTON UPDATES
Washington Post: Senate passes Trump’s tax bill, sending it to House for final passage
Jacob Bogage, Theodoric Meyer and Liz Goodwin, 7/1/25
“The Senate on Tuesday narrowly approved massive tax and immigration legislation that Republicans hope will become the centerpiece of President Donald Trump’s second term, dramatically reorienting the role of the federal government and unwinding many of the Biden administration’s accomplishments,” the Washington Post reports. “Vice President JD Vance cast the tiebreaking vote for the measure, which extends trillions of dollars in tax cuts from Trump’s first term and implements new campaign promises — such as eliminating income taxes on tips and overtime wages — while spending hundreds of billions of dollars on immigration enforcement and defense… “To reach the Oval Office, the bill must clear one more hurdle: the House, where many members have balked at the Senate’s changes to the measure… “Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), who expressed concerns about its Medicaid cuts, ultimately voted for it. The bill was loaded up with benefits for Alaska, including a special tax break for whaling captains.”
The Hill: House conservatives threaten floor revolt over Trump megabill
Mychael Schnell, 7/1/25
“A handful of hard-line House conservatives are threatening to tank a Wednesday procedural vote for the party’s reconciliation bill, a revolt that would bring the lower chamber to a screeching halt and potentially derail GOP leadership’s plan of clearing the legislation by July 4,” The Hill reports. “Rep. Andy Harris (R-Tenn.), the chair of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, and Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), a member of the group, both announced Tuesday they will vote against a procedural rule — which sets parameters for debate — for the megabill because of their opposition to several parts of the sprawling package. Republicans can only afford to lose three votes and still clear the procedural hurdle, assuming full attendance and all Democrats voting “no.” Harris said other members are considering joining their effort against the rule. “That’s exactly why a group of us are not going to vote to advance the bill until we iron out some of the deficit problems with the bills,” Harris said on Fox News when asked about Elon Musk’s criticism of the bill… “I don’t think the votes are there, just like they weren’t for the Senate initially until some concessions were made,” he added. “I believe that the rule vote will not pass tomorrow morning, and then the Speaker’s going to have to decide how he gets this back into the House framework.” On Monday, Rep. Keith Self (R-Texas), also a member of the Freedom Caucus, floated voting against the rule on the floor, telling reporters “remember, we got to get through the rule vote, too,” when asked if he would support the legislation on the floor. A floor revolt could seriously thwart leadership’s hope of sending President Trump the bill Friday.”
Washington Post: What to know as Trump’s tax bill heads to the House
Marianna Sotomayor and Jacob Bogage, 7/2/25
“You could argue that the easy part is over. Now that the Senate has passed President Donald Trump’s massive tax and immigration bill, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act must pass the House,” the Washington Post reports. “But House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) and his lieutenants have a bumpy road ahead to meet their self-imposed July 4 deadline. The bill’s first stop in the House will be Wednesday in the Rules Committee, a procedural but powerful panel responsible for setting the terms of debate and amendments on the House floor. Without its approval, the legislation cannot advance, and several fiscal hawks on the committee — Reps. Chip Roy (R-Texas), Ralph Norman (R-South Carolina) and Morgan Griffith (R-Virginia) could demand changes to the measure or block it completely. Norman said Tuesday he is voting against the bill in committee unless substantive changes are made. Any change, though, would force the bill back to the Senate, or Congress could convene a conference committee — a group made up of negotiators from the House and Senate — to hash out remaining differences… “And, finally, if the rule is approved, the bill will head for a final approval by the end of the week. The process sounds swift — it is not. It can be delayed at numerous junctures by bands of holdouts. There have been several moments in Johnson’s speakership when bills appeared to be moving along smoothly only to be waylaid and subject to frantic renegotiation.”
Washington Post: Jeffries: Democrats will use ‘all procedural and legislative options’ to fight bill
Amy B Wang, 7/1/25
“House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York) said Tuesday that House Democrats would continue to fight the GOP’s tax and immigration bill as it returns to the House after narrowly passing in the Senate,” the Washington Post reports. “The House could vote on final passage of the bill Wednesday as Republicans rush to get President Donald Trump’s signature legislation to his desk by a self-imposed deadline of Independence Day. Jeffries said that the House Democratic leadership would meet at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, with the broader caucus meeting at 6 p.m., and that he expected House Democrats to all be present and united in opposition to the bill. “All procedural and legislative options are on the table,” Jeffries told reporters, without elaborating on what specific options they were considering.”
E&E News: How the megabill shakes up fossil fuels, renewables
Brian Dabbs, Christa Marshall, 7/2/25
“The fossil fuel sector is taking a victory lap following Senate passage Tuesday of high-profile legislation that also doubled down on Republican plans to slash clean energy tax breaks,” E&E News reports. “This historic legislation will help usher in a new era of energy dominance by unlocking opportunities for investment, opening lease sales and expanding access to oil and natural gas development,” American Petroleum Institute President Mike Sommers said in a statement after the Senate passage… “The legislation comes amid a big push by the Trump administration to build out more fossil fuel infrastructure, primarily new natural gas plants and pipelines and mineral projects… “The Senate bill boosts the fossil fuel sector in ways that are absent in the House reconciliation bill passed in late May. Companies that capture carbon and use it for enhanced oil recovery would receive an $85-per-ton maximum tax credit — the same rate given to companies that sequester the captured carbon geologically underground. The carbon capture tax credit, known as 45Q, is in place for projects that start construction before 2033, marking a rare instance of a tax credit with a long runway in the legislation… “Meanwhile, the Senate is throwing a lifeline to hydrogen energy… “Now, the Senate legislation extends that cutoff to 2028. It’s a big win for an emerging sector with tight margins — but the upper chamber still cuts the credit short five years compared to current law.”
Reuters: US Senate bill’s clean energy cuts draw backlash from labor, business
Valerie Volcovici, 6/30/25
“The U.S. Senate’s proposed cuts to clean energy subsidies and the introduction of a new tax on wind and solar energy in its version of President Donald Trump’s tax and spending bill have drawn searing criticism from business and labor groups since they were unveiled over the weekend, with some arguing the moves could lead to power shortages, raise power prices and kill jobs,” Reuters reports. “...Taxing energy production is never good policy, whether oil & gas or, in this case, renewables,” said Neil Bradley, policy director of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, in a post on X over the weekend. “Electricity demand is set to see enormous growth & this tax will increase prices. It should be removed.” “...Sean McGarvey, president of the North America’s Building Trades Unions (NABTU), which represents over 3 million construction workers, blasted the bill’s impact on jobs. “If enacted, this stands to be the biggest job-killing bill in the history of this country. Simply put, it is the equivalent of terminating more than 1,000 Keystone XL pipeline projects,” he said in a statement, referring to an oil pipeline project blocked by Biden’s administration.”
E&E News: Trump admin greases the skids for faster energy permitting
Brian Dabbs, Francisco "A.J." Camacho, Ian M. Stevenson, 7/1/25
“The Trump administration advanced plans Monday aimed at speeding energy projects through National Environmental Policy Act permitting hurdles,” E&E News reports. “Rules offered by the departments of Energy and the Interior and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission would pare requirements set by NEPA, the landmark 1970 law that requires the government to consider a broad range of a major development project’s environmental impacts… “The changes rolled out Monday follow a unanimous Supreme Court decision in late May to rein in agencies’ NEPA obligations. “America can and will build big things again, but we must cut the red tape that has brought American energy innovation to a standstill and end this era of permitting paralysis,” Energy Secretary Chris Wright said in a statement. “These reforms replace outdated rules with clear deadlines, restore agency authority, and put us back on the path to energy dominance, job creation, and commonsense action. Build, baby, build!”
U.S. Dept. of Energy: Energy Secretary Announces Updated NEPA Procedures to End Permitting Paralysis and Unleash American Energy
6/30/25
“The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced new updates to the Department’s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) procedures, fixing the broken permitting process and delivering on President Trump’s pledge to unleash American energy dominance and accelerate critical energy infrastructure. As part of a government-wide effort to restore common sense to permitting, DOE published an interim final rule rescinding all NEPA regulations and published new NEPA guidance procedures for the Department of Energy… “Key reforms include: Eliminating outdated agency procedures, many of which had not been revised since the 1980’s, while maintaining world class environmental standards and allowing America to build again!; Reducing the maximum Environmental Assessment through Environmental Impact Statement report completion time limitations from three years to two years; Requiring the designation of a "lead agency” and empowers the lead agency to clarify responsibilities of all parties involved, requires coordination amongst the agencies, and requires the agencies collaborate on the development of a single environmental document; Implementing strict deadlines and page limits. This will provide certainty necessary for investment in American infrastructure and end past practices of paralysis by analysis; Providing clear direction that agencies should use common sense, relying only on verified scientific studies that already exist and not contemplating wildly unfathomable scenarios that they do not have legal authority to address; Increasing transparency and allowing project sponsors to participate in the process; Directing agencies to maximize the use of a streamlined process known as "categorical exclusions" for activities that are regularly conducted and widely understood to not impact the environment. Additionally, DOE’s NEPA Procedures include discussion of the recent Supreme Court decision in Seven County, which limits requirements for agencies to analyze upstream and downstream Greenhouse Gas (GHG) effects and curtails radical climate change analysis associated with activities outside agency jurisdiction. DOE NEPA analysis should not consider environmental effects of separate projects, especially those over which DOE does not exercise regulatory authority. DOE’s updated procedures identify specific actions excluded from NEPA review, including issuance of emergency Orders pursuant to section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act and Presidential Permits, and authorizations to import natural gas from any country and to export natural gas to free-trade agreement countries.”
Utility Dive: Federal agencies, including FERC and DOE, revoke environmental review rules
Ethan Howland, 7/1/25
“The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and other federal agencies on Monday revoked regulations governing their handling of environmental reviews of proposed projects under the National Environmental Policy Act,” Utility Dive reports. “Federal agencies revoking their NEPA regulations include the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Energy, the Department of Interior, the Department of Transportation and FERC. Some agencies proposed new regulations to replace the old ones while others replaced the rules with nonbinding guidance, according to Earthjustice. “In all cases, the regulations significantly weaken the implementation of the statute by cutting the public out of NEPA reviews and eliminating all references to consider climate change, environmental justice, and other crucial environmental issues,” the environmental advocacy group said Monday… “CEQ, the White House office that oversees NEPA implementation, removed its NEPA regulations from the Code of Federal Regulations through an interim final rule, effective April 11. That action created “significant legal uncertainty” for project developers, according to attorneys with Foley & Lardner, a law firm. “Until federal courts establish a new ‘doctrine’ for sufficiency of NEPA review in the post-CEQ NEPA regulations world, the future for NEPA lawsuits will likely be fact- and court-specific, potentially leading to variation between circuits and greater uncertainty for infrastructure projects,” John Strom, special counsel, and Peter Tomasi, partner, said in a Feb. 25 blog post.
Press release: FERC Revises NEPA Procedures to Make Permitting More Efficient
6/30/25
“Today, FERC voted unanimously to revise its regulations on the implementation of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and issued a staff manual outlining the revised procedures. This effort was directed by President Trump’s Unleashing American Energy Executive Order 14154 issued on January 20, 2025, which calls for unleashing American energy dominance through efficient permitting. In response to President Trump’s E.O. 14154, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) rescinded its NEPA implementing regulations, which simplified the burdensome environmental review process and enabled FERC to implement revisions at an unprecedented pace. FERC's revisions remove all references to the now inoperative CEQ regulations. "We will continue to ensure our environmental reviews are legally durable so projects stand up in court and get built,” FERC Chairman Mark Christie said. “Thanks to the leadership of President Trump, our new staff guidance on NEPA will inform all interested parties on our process and should be a useful tool in making the permitting process more efficient and transparent.” The FERC staff manual provides details on how staff will: assess what actions are subject to NEPA’s procedural requirements and the requisite level of NEPA review; ensure that relevant environmental information is identified and considered early in the process to support informed decision making; conduct coordinated, consistent, predictable and timely environmental reviews, and reduce unnecessary burdens and delays; and implement NEPA’s mandates regarding lead and cooperating agency roles, time limits, and applicant preparations of environmental documents. .. “Recently FERC also voted unanimously to waive the operation of FERC Order 871 and seek its ultimate repeal. Order 871 has been often used as a barrier to rapid natural gas infrastructure construction. FERC also unanimously voted to raise the amount under which natural gas facility owners do not need to seek a FERC permit for adding or improving their facilities.”
E&E News: Rollins overhauls environmental reviews at USDA
Jordan Wolman, 6/30/25
“Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on Monday unveiled an interim final rule to consolidate and reduce regulations designed to implement a bedrock environmental law,” E&E News reports. “The rule all but eliminates regulations under the National Environmental Policy Act at seven USDA agencies and replaces it with one set of department-wide rules. Projects like constructing rural family housing on small plots of land, thinning forests to reduce wildfire risk and installing telecommunications towers in rural areas would be excluded from intense scrutiny and public comment requirements under NEPA. Rollins’ move would result in a 66 percent reduction of regulations and aligns with President Donald Trump’s larger crackdown on red tape, she announced.”
The Hill: Red-state agriculture commissioners push to end funding for certain UN groups
Brett Samuels - 7/1/25
“Nearly a dozen agriculture commissioners from red states wrote to top Trump administration officials and Republican lawmakers on Tuesday calling for the elimination of federal funding to organizations that promote “net-zero” climate policies,” The Hill reports. “The letter, which was obtained exclusively by The Hill, argues that net-zero policies adopted by certain organizations “will have devastating effects on American consumers, farmers, and ranchers, and further endanger food security for the poor in America.” The agriculture commissioners singled out the United Nations International Maritime Organization (IMO), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the United Nations Environment Programme as organizations that promote those policies. “Each organization is acting, in the words of President Trump’s executive order regarding U.S. funding of the UN and other international organizations, “contrary to the interests of the United States,” and should not receive taxpayer funds,” the commissioners wrote… “Tuesday’s letter from agriculture commissioners cites the IMO’s efforts to impose emissions charges on shipping and the FAO’s call for reduced beef consumption as problematic for the agricultural industry… “These programs that require compliance with a radical climate agenda undermine American farmers and ranchers, threaten to drive up costs for consumers, and weaken food security for working families,” Will Hild, executive director of Consumers’ Research, which has backed the letter, told The Hill.”
E&E News: White House once again eyes big ESA rule changes
Michael Doyle, 6/30/25
“The White House has begun reviewing Endangered Species Act rule changes that target policies crafted during the Biden administration,” E&E News reports. “The ESA regulatory package submitted Friday by the Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA Fisheries would rewrite key rules governing the designation of critical habitat, the listing of protected species and other core elements of the landmark environmental law. While key details remain under wraps, the review now underway by the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, a component of the Office of Management and Budget, signals a formal public proposal is on the horizon. The OIRA review also gives advocates from all sides a chance to weigh in while the proposal is still being polished. “The Trump administration’s sick desire to dismantle every one of our nation’s bedrock environmental laws will set us back decades, and sabotaging the Endangered Species Act is deeply unpopular,” Stephanie Kurose, deputy director of government affairs at the Center for Biological Diversity, told E&E, adding that “these reckless attempts to strip away protections for our most vulnerable wildlife will be met with swift opposition from the American people.”
Associated Press: EPA employees sign ‘declaration of dissent’ over agency moves under Trump
Melina Walling, 6/30/25
“A group of Environmental Protection Agency employees on Monday published a declaration of dissent from the agency’s policies under the Trump administration, saying they “undermine the EPA mission of protecting human health and the environment,” the Associated Press reports. “More than 170 EPA employees put their names to the document, with about 100 more signing anonymously out of fear of retaliation, Jeremy Berg, a former editor-in-chief of Science magazine who is not an EPA employee but was among non-EPA scientists or academics to also sign, told AP. The latter figure includes 20 Nobel laureates. The letter represents rare public criticism from agency employees who could face blowback for speaking out against a weakening of funding and federal support for climate, environmental and health science. Scientists at the National Institutes of Health made a similar move earlier in June… “The letter outlines what the EPA employees see as five main concerns: undermining public trust; ignoring scientific consensus to benefit polluters; reversing the EPA’s progress in America’s most vulnerable communities; dismantling the office of research and development; and promoting a culture of fear, forcing staff to choose between their livelihood and wellbeing… “People are going to die,” Carol Greider, a Nobel laureate and professor of molecular and cellular biology at the University of California, Santa Cruz, who also signed the letter, told AP.”
Stand Up for Science: Declaration of Dissent
6/30/25
“EPA employees join in solidarity with employees across the federal government in opposing this administration's policies, including those that undermine the EPA mission of protecting human health and the environment. Since the Agency's founding in 1970, EPA has accomplished this mission by leveraging science, funding, and expert staff in service to the American people. Today, we stand together in dissent against the current administration's focus on harmful deregulation, mischaracterization of previous EPA actions, and disregard for scientific expertise.Since January 2025, federal workers across the country have been denigrated and dismissed based on false claims of waste, fraud, and abuse. Meanwhile, Americans have witnessed the unraveling of public health and environmental protections in the pursuit of political advantage. Today, we come directly to you, Administrator Zeldin and our elected officials, with the five concerns outlined below. We expect your deliberate consideration of these concerns and look forward to working with you to restore EPA's credibility as a premier scientific institution. Communities across America are counting on you to lead EPA in carrying out its mission.”
ExxonKnews: Supreme Court denies Exxon request to get rid of citizen lawsuits
Emily Sanders, 7/1/25
“The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected a request from ExxonMobil to overturn a historic ruling allowing ordinary people and citizen groups to sue industrial polluters, upholding what legal experts say is a crucial mechanism to deter companies from continuously breaking environmental laws,” ExxonKnews reports. “The decision concludes more than a decade of litigation over toxic pollution from Exxon’s petrochemical complex in Baytown, Texas. In 2010, environmental groups sued Exxon on behalf of residents living near the facility for years of reported violations of its Clean Air Act permits, including pollution of cancer-causing chemicals. A federal judge hit the company with a nearly $20 million penalty, later reduced to $14 million — the largest ever imposed on a company in a citizen-led public interest lawsuit to enforce the Clean Air Act. Exxon did everything it could to battle the ruling. When its appeals failed, the oil giant asked the high court to reconsider whether citizens had standing to sue polluters for environmental harms in the first place. “At trial, Exxon’s neighbors bravely testified to the harms they suffered from the company’s illegal pollution, painting an ugly picture of what it’s like to live in Exxon’s shadow,” Josh Kratka, managing attorney at the National Environmental Law Center, one of the plaintiffs’ lead attorneys, told ExxonKnews. “The Supreme Court saw through Exxon’s claim that its neighbors shouldn’t have the right to hold the company accountable for compliance with the Clean Air Act.” Exxon will now have to pay the fine and make changes to its operations at the facility, where nearby residents continue to live with the consequences of its ongoing pollution… “In a recent letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi urging the Trump administration to get behind an immunity shield for oil companies “similar to the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act of 2005,” the law providing legal immunity to the gun industry, 16 Republican state attorneys general mourned that “Unfortunately, the United States Supreme Court has declined up to this point to tackle these modern-day climate lawsuits and anti-energy state laws head on.”
New York Times: An Offhand Remark About Gold Bars, Secretly Recorded, Upended His Life
Lisa Friedman, 7/1/25
“...Sitting at a table at Licht Cafe, a bar on Washington’s U Street corridor, Brent Efron and his date, Brady, talked a bit about home and hobbies. But Brady — or at least that’s the name he used — repeatedly steered the conversation back to Mr. Efron’s job at the Environmental Protection Agency,” the New York Times reports. “Earlier that evening, Mr. Efron had been out at a happy hour with colleagues where they talked about how proud they were of E.P.A.’s record on addressing climate change and how they worried the Trump administration would reverse any gains… “That was when Mr. Efron first thought of the Titanic analogy. He told his colleagues that the funding for clean energy projects going to states, cities, tribes and nonprofit groups were like gold bars being tossed into lifeboats to protect some of the Biden administration’s work.“What I meant was, we were giving money to protect rural Washington from wildfire smoke, and fund a health clinic in Georgia and a community farm in Missouri and help tribal communities that are falling into the ocean in Alaska,” he told the Times. “Those were lifeboats.” “...Two weeks later, at 3:07 p.m. on Dec. 2, an email landed in Mr. Efron’s inbox. “Project Veritas intends to release a video that contains comments made by you to a Project Veritas journalist,” it read. “Below are some of those quotes. We appreciate any consideration for comment by 8 p.m.” “...The conversation — particularly the phrase “gold bars” — has come to haunt Mr. Efron. Conservative media and Republicans immediately trumpeted those words as supposed evidence that the Biden administration had mishandled funds.”
STATE UPDATES
KALB: Cenla residents voice fierce concerns over Carbon Capture during public forum
Rob LaPerle, 7/1/25
“Passion was at its peak at the Pineville High School auditorium on June 30, as Central Louisiana residents voiced fierce concerns during a gathering hosted by lawmakers, parish leadership, and local officials, aimed at educating residents on the use, implementation, and risks associated with Carbon Capture Sequestration (CCS),” KALB reports. “...Additionally, several lawmakers, including State Representatives Mike Johnson and Brett Geymann, were in attendance to facilitate discussions and provide supporting information on legislation targeting carbon capture… “Several locals in attendance expressed frustrations towards the event, claiming it was biased, with one Deville resident saying, “The people on stage were put there to blow smoke,” a claim denied by Speaker Pro Tempore Mike Johnson… “During the gathering, one member of the public expressed wishes for the state to host a statewide ‘election’ to decide the fate of carbon capture sequestration projects; a wish met with strong vocal support from others in attendance. The largest concerns raised were questions surrounding the safety of pipelines transporting compressed carbon, the current legal language regarding eminent domain rights, and the general efficacy of CCS projects in Louisiana.”
E&E News: Interior nixes oil permitting accord with California
Ian M. Stevenson, 7/2/25
“The Interior Department has rescinded a 13-year-old agreement with the state of California that guides how state and federal officials can collaborate on oil field oversight,” E&E News reports. “In a June 27 letter, four California Republican congressmen thanked Interior Secretary Doug Burgum for rescinding the Bureau of Land Management’s memorandum of understanding with the California Geologic Energy Management Division (CalGEM). The memorandum has been rescinded and is “no longer in effect,” said Jacob Roper, a spokesperson for the California Department of Conservation, in an email Tuesday. CalGEM is part of the conservation department. Interior and BLM did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday on the letter from Republican California Reps. Vince Fong, David Valadao, Doug LaMalfa and Tom McClintock.”
WZTV: Country Star John Rich joins fight against TVA methane plant in Cheatham County
Dennis Ferrier, 6/30/25
“Country music star John Rich has taken on an unexpected new role: activist. Rich is advocating on behalf of Cheatham County residents who are opposing a proposed methane power plant by the Tennessee Valley Authority,” WZTV reports. “He’s been posting videos, conducting interviews, and meeting with local officials, reaching millions on social media along the way. “This is a passion project,” Rich told WZTV. “What’s happening here is unacceptable.” Rich, who has personal ties to Cheatham County and national political connections, including President Donald Trump, has become a high-profile voice in the growing opposition. In one of his videos posted to X, Rich noted the unlikely coalition that has formed. “We live in a politically divided country,” he said. “But I’m seeing left-leaning, even far-left organizations comment on my posts and saying, ‘Yes, yes, yes.’” At the center of the controversy is TVA’s proposal: a 900-megawatt methane power plant with 14 turbines, 10 acres of lithium storage tanks, and extensive transmission lines and pipelines running under natural waterways. The site is near neighborhoods, schools, and farmland—something residents fiercely oppose.”
Your Alaska Link: BLM Takes public comment on proposed reopening of petroleum reserves in Alaska
Max Treece-Noran, 6/30/25
“The Bureau of Land Management has begun the process of re-opening up 82 percent of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, starting with an environmental assessment of their plan,” Your Alaska Link reports. “...The 23-million-acre petroleum reserve is also home to over 4.5 million migratory birds who nest in the arctic plains and wetlands coming from all over the world. Some have stated fears that further drilling in this area would threaten these birds’ nesting and habitats. Others disagree. Anchorage resident, Jim Wright, told YAL, “I don’t see a problem with it really. They are going to succeed one way or the other, they want that oil and they are going to get it.”
EXTRACTION
Reuters: Canada ships first LNG export cargo from Pacific coast
Amanda Stephenson, 6/30/25
“Canada’s first-ever LNG export cargo has been shipped from the country’s Pacific Coast en route to Asia, a spokesperson for the Shell-led LNG Canada said on Monday,” Reuters reports. “...LNG Canada is the first major LNG facility in North America with direct access to the Pacific Coast. It starts at a time when trade tensions with the United States have heightened Canada’s desire to diversify its export markets. “This is something Canada really needs right now,” LNG Canada CEO Chris Cooper told Reuters, pointing to those trade tensions. The LNG Canada project, which is a joint venture between Shell Plc, Petronas, PetroChina, Mitsubishi Corp and Kogas, cost approximately CDN$40 billion (US$29.4 billion) to construct and has been billed as the largest private-sector investment in Canadian history… “Shell and its partners are working towards reaching a final investment decision next year for doubling the project’s capacity, the chief of Shell’s gas business Cedric Cremers told Reuters. Canada is the world’s fifth-largest producer and fourth-largest exporter of natural gas, but until now virtually all of those exports have gone to the United States. LNG Canada offers the country’s natural gas producers access to energy-hungry Asian markets for the first time… “Ed Kallio, executive advisor for data analytics and forecasting firm Incorrys, told Reuters the business case for expanding Canada’s LNG production is weakened by greenhouse gas regulations that U.S. producers don’t face.”
Seatrade Maritime: CCS at ‘turning point’, expected to quadruple by 2030, DNV declares
Paul Bartlett, 7/1/25
“Carbon Capture development has so far been focused on possible applications within energy production but from 2030, the technology will be applied in other hard-to-abate sectors, says DNV Energy Systems’ CEO, Ditlev Engel,” Seatrade Maritime reports. “...In its latest report in the Energy Transition Outlook series released yesterday by DNV, CCS to 2050, the likely path of CCS development over the next 25 years is assessed, together with challenges along the way. DNV’s ‘most likely’ forecast of the world’s energy system of 2050 is one associated with a dangerous 2.2ºC of global warming by 2100. Against this gloomy backdrop, the classification society expects CCS to scale rapidly between now and mid-century. Over the next 25 years, DNV anticipates that CCS will expand from the present 41 million tonnes of CO2 a year to 1,300 million tonnes. The process is likely to require investment of at least $700 billion over the period, without taking into account marinised CCS systems for ships. The technology is expected to grow to capture 6% of global CO2 emissions by 2050, the report states. However, DNV warns that in any net-zero future, orders of magnitude more CCS will be needed.”
OPINION
Washington Post: We are eating the Earth. The result will be catastrophic.
David Von Drehle is a deputy opinion editor for The Post, 7/1/25
“Two forces converged to create the excess carbon dioxide that is warming the globe. One was the Earth, rich with untapped arable land and undiscovered fossil fuels. The other was humans, whose brains figured out how to turn those resources into the churning economies that changed a small world of nasty, brutish and short lives into the modern world we live in,” David Von Drehle writes for the Washington Post. “...“We Are Eating the Earth” digs into the one-third of global carbon emissions associated with agriculture. Grunwald reports that the major gains achieved in renewable energy for homes, businesses and transportation have not been matched in the farm sector. Indeed, misconceptions about the future of farming have often made things worse. His hero and intellectual guide is a lawyer-turned-science-cop named Tim Searchinger, who discovered — mainly by looking and thinking for himself — that the popular carbon solution of 20 years ago, plant-based biofuels, was a disaster in the making. His insight: Land used to grow fuel would not grow food, so in a world of hungry people, land would be cleared elsewhere. Forests and grasslands would be lost, and they absorbed far more carbon dioxide than plant fuels would save. Nothing captures and stores carbon dioxide like nature, so let’s preserve it, Grunwald teaches.”
The Telegraph: Another fake Net Zero market that nobody wanted is set to collapse
Kathryn Porter is an independent energy consultant, 6/29/25
“This week came news that UK bioethanol producer Vivergo Fuels is once again on the brink of closure – this time as a result of the UK’s trade deal with the US, which removes tariffs on cheaper American bioethanol imports. Its rival, Ensus UK, faces a similarly uncertain future,” Kathryn Porter writes for The Telegraph. “Vivergo produces enough bioethanol to supply about 30 per cent of the UK’s bioethanol needs for low carbon road fuels. Government rules require a percentage of bioethanol to be blended into petrol before it can be sold in order to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions associated with transport – considered to be one of the hardest to abate sectors… “And that’s the heart of the issue: the UK bioethanol industry wasn’t created to meet any actual consumer demand – it exists to satisfy a policy target: the use of green fuel in transport. Now it faces extinction thanks to a different policy priority: that of securing an advantageous trade deal with the US. American bioethanol is cheaper to produce. If it now enters the UK tariff-free, it will almost certainly displace UK-made bioethanol. But once the emissions from transatlantic shipping are factored in, much of the carbon benefit from the RTFO is wiped out… “This is a textbook example of how net zero policies can create artificial markets that collapse as soon as political winds shift… “This is a cautionary tale. When governments create fake markets, they distort industries, misallocate capital, and raise consumer costs – all for gains that may prove illusory. There are very good reasons why we don’t have a centrally planned economy, and it’s time ministers stopped pretending we do.”