EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 7/7/25
PIPELINE NEWS
WXXI: New York begins review of previously rejected pipeline project, renewing controversy
NJ Spotlight: The battle to stop gas pipeline in N.J. Highlands is over
Bloomberg: Carney Says New Oil Pipeline Proposal ‘Highly Likely’ in Canada
Pipeline & Gas Journal: TC Energy’s North Baja Pipeline Expansion Brings Mexico Closer to LNG Exports
NPR: The hidden cost of oil: Families fractured by a pipeline project
WASHINGTON UPDATES
Hellenic Shipping News: Trump’s budget bill to boost carbon capture subsidy for oil producers
E&E News: Federal exodus imperils Trump’s permitting goals
E&E News: Bipartisan lawmakers call for permitting reform in highway bill
E&E News: FERC proceeds cautiously with Trump-ordered ‘sunset’ for energy rules
Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance: Trump Administration Uses Bogus “Energy Emergency” to Rubberstamp Expansion of Utah Crude Oil Transport Facility
Common Dreams: Trump Admin Quietly Approves Massive Crude Oil Expansion Project
Carbon Brief: Chart: Trump’s ‘big beautiful bill’ blows US emissions goal by 7bn tonnes
E&E News: EPA puts 139 employees on leave who criticized administration
STATE UPDATES
KALB: Exxon sues Allen Parish over local Carbon Capture permitting laws
KPLC: Exxon sues Allen; Vernon ‘hub’ worries lawmaker
KCCI: Gov. Kim Reynolds talks water quality and eminent domain in 1-on-1 interview
South Dakota Searchlight: Q&A: Johnson says ‘proof is in the pudding’ to those challenging his conservative credentials
Politico: Drill, Gavin, drill?
Santa Barbara Independent: Santa Barbara County Being Eyed for New Oil Drilling and Fracking
Guardian: ‘This bill protects our precious waters’: how a Florida environmental group scored a win against big oil
E&E News: Restoration plan aired for 2001 Oregon oil spill
EXTRACTION
E&E News: International tribunal declares right to healthy climate
Press release: Inter-American Court’s Landmark Opinion Recognizes the Right to a Healthy Climate
E&E News: Feds receive application for deepwater gas export project
Reuters: Venture Global inks 20 year LNG deal with Petronas
Reuters: Exxon, QatarEnergy JV asks US regulators for permission to re-export LNG from October 1
Canada's National Observer: Energy minister leans on oil industry talking points in carbon capture announcement
Canadian Press: Ottawa announces funding for five Alberta carbon capture projects
Reuters: UK's Reeves announces National Wealth Fund investment in carbon capture
Zacks: 4 Oil Giants Invest Billions to Lead the Low-Carbon Energy Shift
Gasworld: Japan’s largest carbon capture plant moves forward with MHI design contract
CBC: Suncor fined after protected bird nests were buried at Alberta oilsands mine
Science Daily: Antarctica’s ocean flip: Satellites catch sudden salt surge melting ice from below
OPINION
Inforum: Carbon capture and storage pose real dangers
PIPELINE NEWS
WXXI: New York begins review of previously rejected pipeline project, renewing controversy
Jeongyoon Han, 7/3/25
“A left-for-dead natural gas pipeline is getting a second chance at life in New York, where state regulators this week accepted what they said was a completed application for the project,” WXXI reports. “The first step in the formal review process is to open the application to public comment. That happened Wednesday. The project, called the Northeast Supply Enhancement Line, is an expansion of a pipeline that extends from Pennsylvania to New York and New Jersey. Oklahoma-based natural gas company Williams resurrected the project, buoyed by executive orders from the White House aimed at boosting fossil fuel production, and by recent talks between President Donald Trump and Gov. Kathy Hochul. The completed application – the first in New York during Trump’s second term -- provides what will be a closely watched test for how New York balances the president’s fossil fuel push and its own ambitious environmental sustainability deadlines. “Building this pipeline is flatly inconsistent with New York’s nation-leading climate pollution targets,” Mark Izeman, a senior attorney and strategist with the Natural Resources Defense Council, told WXXI. The group was part of a lengthy legal battle to block the pipeline when it was initially proposed years ago. State officials ultimately denied Williams a permit for the Northeast pipeline project and the similarly-controversial Constitution Pipeline, citing environmental concerns. The Northeast pipeline would have to receive permits from both New York and New Jersey.”
NJ Spotlight: The battle to stop gas pipeline in N.J. Highlands is over
Richard Cowen, 7/6/25
“A four-year legal battle fought by environmentalists to stop the Tennessee Gas Company pipeline expansion through New Jersey appears to have ended in defeat,” NJ Spotlight reports. “The massive compressor station that Tennessee Gas built in West Milford to deliver natural gas to New York does not violate environmental restrictions contained in New Jersey’s Highlands Act, a state appellate court has ruled.”
Bloomberg: Carney Says New Oil Pipeline Proposal ‘Highly Likely’ in Canada
Paula Sambo, 7/6/25
“Prime Minister Mark Carney said a new oil pipeline to Canada’s West Coast is “highly likely” to be proposed as a nation-building project, which could mean it becomes part of Ottawa’s push to fast-track major developments under new legislation,” Bloomberg reports. “Carney, who was attending the annual Calgary Stampede in Alberta’s capital, told the local newspaper that it’s up to the private sector to make the proposal as opposed to a “top-down” approach from government. “I would think, given the scale of the economic opportunity, the resources we have, the expertise we have, that it is highly, highly likely that we will have an oil pipeline that is a proposal for one of these projects of national interest,” he told the Calgary Herald. The comments come weeks after Parliament passed Bill C-5, which streamlines approval for developments of national importance and aims to break down barriers to internal trade. Carney said he also supports a proposed C$16.5 billion ($12 billion) carbon capture system for Alberta’s oil sands as a potential nation-building project. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has suggested that both an oil pipeline and the carbon capture project could proceed as a so-called grand bargain for the energy sector.”
Pipeline & Gas Journal: TC Energy’s North Baja Pipeline Expansion Brings Mexico Closer to LNG Exports
7/5/25
“TC Energy’s (TRP) North Baja Xpress expansion has received regulatory clearance from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), advancing Mexico’s pathway to becoming an LNG exporter, according to a recent analysis by East Daley Analytics,” Pipeline & Gas Journal reports. “The approval, granted May 31, allows TC Energy to begin service on upgrades to the Ehrenberg compressor station in La Paz County, Arizona, which will increase southbound pipeline capacity to the U.S.-Mexico border by 495 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d). According to East Daley Analytics, the North Baja Pipeline, which runs 80 miles through Arizona and California to the Mexico border, is a key part of the supply chain feeding Sempra Energy’s (SRE) Energia Costa Azul LNG facility on Mexico’s Pacific coast. The expansion of Costa Azul, which is converting the terminal from import to export capability, is expected to come online in Q3 2025.”
NPR: The hidden cost of oil: Families fractured by a pipeline project
Willem Marx, 7/7/25
“...In 2017, 88-year-old Ukura Midar was forced from his family's house to make way for an airport that would serve Uganda's burgeoning oil industry,” NPR reports. “The government relocated him and almost his entire community to a settlement called Kyakaboga, 15 miles from the place he had called home for decades… “Midar's story is just one among thousands unfolding across Uganda as the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) project takes shape. Led by French energy giant Total and Chinese partners, the project promises economic benefits but threatens to displace approximately 100,000 people from their homes and livelihoods… “Juliette Renaud of the advocacy group Friends of the Earth sees Midar's experience as part of a global pattern. "Around the world, there is an endless number of big energy projects that have not only led to the grabbing of the land of many communities, but by doing so, are also violating and attacking their cultural rights and identity," she told NPR. The pipeline's impact extends beyond physical displacement, often fracturing family bonds that have held communities together for generations… “A common thread running through these stories is the issue of compensation. While affected residents received payment for their land and crops, many describe a process that left them feeling powerless and undervalued… “Though Joram received more than $30,000 for his land — significantly more than many of his neighbors — he maintains it wasn't nearly enough to replace what he lost. The compensation failed to account for the lifetime of income and family wealth his land provided.”
WASHINGTON UPDATES
Hellenic Shipping News: Trump’s budget bill to boost carbon capture subsidy for oil producers
7/7/25
“Republicans’ “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which narrowly passed Congress on July 3, would award emitters up to $85 per metric ton of CO2 captured and used in enhanced oil recovery,” Hellenic Shipping News reports. “The change would represent a $25/metric ton increase, bringing the incentive on par with the incentive for carbon storage without any associated oil production… “Credit levels would also rise to $85/metric ton for emitters that capture their CO2 for other end uses, such as synthetic fuels production or carbonating beverages. EOR and other utilization projects that pull CO2 from ambient air instead of smokestacks would be eligible for an even higher credit of $180/metric ton, up from $130/metric ton… “The final bill also nixed amendments to 45Q that had been proposed in earlier drafts and opposed by carbon capture advocates, including the elimination of transferability and changes to the base indexing year for inflation. The American Petroleum Institute had lobbied for the boost to EOR, gaining the support of Sens. John Barrasso, James Lankford, Bill Cassidy, John Hoeven, Jim Justice and Tim Sheehy. But the 45Q expansion received mixed reviews from other industry watchers. “If you needed more evidence that ‘carbon capture’ is just a ploy by Big Oil to keep drilling and polluting forever … your Senators just delivered,” anti-pipeline group Bold Alliance said in an email to its supporters ahead of the House vote… “At this point, anything that we can do to see more capture and direct air capture technology being realized is a good thing,” Carbon Capture Coalition executive director Jessie Stolark told HSN… “If oil demand is held constant, EOR also minimizes exploration and drilling because it increases the productivity of existing wells and infrastructure, Stolark told HSN. “I understand the desire to reduce fossil fuel dependence,” Stolark told HSN. “But [EOR is] a way to make sure that we’re utilizing existing resources as opposed to new resources.”
E&E News: Federal exodus imperils Trump’s permitting goals
Miranda Willson, Hannah Northey, 7/2/25
“President Donald Trump’s gutting of federal agencies could undermine his pro-fossil-fuel agenda as permit writers and energy experts head for the exit in droves, current and former government employees say,” E&E News reports. “Agencies like the Army Corps of Engineers and the Interior Department now have fewer people to review permit applications and roll back regulations seen as burdensome to the energy industry. While the Trump administration says it can accelerate project approvals by using artificial intelligence and emergency procedures, the loss of federal experts could slow down environmental reviews required for starting projects. “We just sent an enormous amount of brain power packing through the deferred resignation program and natural retirements,” Steve Tryon, who directs Interior’s Office of Environmental Policy and Compliance, said during a webinar last week. “[It] struck our most senior levels … [and] our newest employees as well.” Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service, for example, has lost considerable subject matter expertise, Tryon said. The service is charged with consulting with other agencies to ensure compliance with the Endangered Species Act and other environmental laws.”
E&E News: Bipartisan lawmakers call for permitting reform in highway bill
Mike Lee, 7/3/25
“A bipartisan group of House members is asking the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee to overhaul the environmental permitting system when they write the next surface transportation bill,” E&E News reports. “It takes an average of nearly five years to complete an environmental impact statement under the National Environmental Policy Act, and more than a fourth of EIS reports take more than six years, according to a letter from 21 House members, which was obtained by E&E. The delays have contributed to the cost of building highways and other infrastructure and slowed economic growth around the country, the letter said, and it asks Transportation and Infrastructure Chair Sam Graves (R-Mo.) and ranking member Rick Larsen (D-Wash.) to include a series of reforms in the next transportation bill, which is scheduled to be completed in 2026… “The letter suggested ways to reduce litigation, such as a statute of limitation for lawsuits and a “harmless error” legal standard.”
E&E News: FERC proceeds cautiously with Trump-ordered ‘sunset’ for energy rules
Francisco "A.J." Camacho, 7/7/25
“The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is poised to start rulemaking to “sunset” certain regulations, according to a draft “notice of inquiry” obtained by E&E News. The notice follows President Donald Trump’s executive order directing FERC to establish sunset dates of between one and five years for rules on energy production. It is the optional first step in commission rulemaking, allowing the agency to gather public feedback before proposing a rule. Energy experts told E&E the draft notice, which is not yet published, shows FERC is being cautious as it begins to implement an executive order expected to create significant uncertainty for industry and legal challenges for the agency. “I see this as the commission being very prudent,” Matt Christiansen, a partner at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati and former FERC general counsel, told E&E, when given a summary of the contents of the document.”
Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance: Trump Administration Uses Bogus “Energy Emergency” to Rubberstamp Expansion of Utah Crude Oil Transport Facility
7/3/25
“The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announced today that it has completed an “accelerated environmental review process” and approved a significant expansion of the Wildcat Loadout Facility near Helper, UT. The facility is used to transfer Uinta Basin crude oil from tanker trucks to rail cars. The expansion is intended to push an additional 80,000 barrels of crude oil per day traveling on train tracks along the Colorado River, raising the risk of oil spills and other accidents. The review, which provided no public input opportunities, was initiated in response to the “National Energy Emergency” declared by President Trump in January 2025… “The agency has offered no explanation for why this long-dormant project, one delayed by the proponent’s own actions, is suddenly an “emergency.” “There is no energy emergency, plain and simple. Hidden behind a shroud of secrecy, the BLM has rushed through its approval of this massive oil shipping expansion project,” said Landon Newell, Staff Attorney for the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA). “This thinly analyzed decision threatens the lifeblood of the American Southwest by authorizing the transport of more than one billion gallons annually of additional oil on railcars traveling alongside the Colorado River. Any derailment and oil spill would have a devastating impact on the Colorado River and the communities and ecosystems that rely upon it.”
Common Dreams: Trump Admin Quietly Approves Massive Crude Oil Expansion Project
Brad Reed, 7/4/25
“The Trump administration has quietly fast-tracked a massive oil expansion project that environmentalists and Democratic lawmakers warned could have a destructive impact on local communities and the climate,” Common Dreams reports. “As reported recently by the Oil and Gas Journal, the plan "involves expanding the Wildcat Loadout Facility, a key transfer point for moving Uinta basin crude oil to rail lines that transport it to refineries along the Gulf Coast." The goal of the plan is to transfer an additional 70,000 barrels of oil per day from the Wildcat Loadout Facility, which is located in Utah, down to the Gulf Coast refineries via a route that runs along the Colorado River. Controversially, the Trump administration is also plowing ahead with the project by invoking emergency powers to address energy shortages despite the fact that the United States for the last couple of years has been producing record levels of domestic oil. Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Rep. Joe Neguse (D-Colo.) issued a joint statement condemning the Trump administration's push to approve the project while rushing through environmental impact reviews… “On Thursday, the Bureau of Land Management announced the completion of its accelerated environmental review of the project, drawing condemnation from climate advocates.”
Carbon Brief: Chart: Trump’s ‘big beautiful bill’ blows US emissions goal by 7bn tonnes
7/4/25
“President Donald Trump’s dismantling of climate policy means the US will add an extra 7bn tonnes of emissions to the atmosphere from now until 2030, compared to meeting its former climate pledge under the Paris Agreement,” Carbon Brief reports. “...Carbon Brief’s analysis of modelling from the Princeton University REPEAT Project shows that this means US emissions are now set to drop to just 3% below current levels by 2030 – effectively flatlining – rather than falling 40% as required to hit the now-defunct target. This would leave the US around 2bn tonnes short of its greenhouse-gas emissions target for that year, adding emissions equivalent to around 4% of the current global total each year. To put this in context, it is roughly the annual output of Indonesia, the world’s sixth-largest emitter… “Carbon Brief has compared the impact of Trump’s policies, including the megabill, to a pathway on which the US meets its former target, under the Paris Agreement, to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 50-52% from 2005 levels by 2030. The cumulative gap between this pathway and the Trump administration’s trajectory amounts to 7bn tonnes of emissions over the next five years. Under this new set of US policies, emissions are only expected to be 20% lower than 2005 levels by 2030, rather than 50-52%, meaning the nation would be 2bn tonnes short of its goal.”
E&E News: EPA puts 139 employees on leave who criticized administration
Kevin Bogardus, Robin Bravender, 7/3/25
“EPA has put more than 100 employees on administrative leave after they signed a letter criticizing the Trump administration, the agency said Thursday,” E&E News reports. “The staffers on leave include 139 current EPA employees who signed an open letter to Administrator Lee Zeldin blasting the Trump administration’s regulatory rollbacks and its push to downsize the agency’s funding and staffing levels, EPA said Thursday. Those employees are on leave pending an investigation, the agency said, after they signed on to a letter using their official titles and EPA positions. “We have a ZERO tolerance policy for agency bureaucrats unlawfully undermining, sabotaging, and undercutting the agenda of this administration as voted for by the great people of this country last November,” EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said in a statement. “Unfortunately, a small number of employees signed onto a public letter, written as agency employees, using their official work title, that was riddled with misinformation regarding agency business,” Zeldin said in the statement. “Our ZERO tolerance policy is in full force and effect and will be unapologetically implemented unconditionally.” Staffers began to receive notice Thursday that they were being put on 10 days of administrative leave pending an administrative investigation, Nicole Cantello, president of a union local that represents EPA employees in the Chicago region, told E&E. “It’s basically a demonstration of weakness, not strength,” Cantello, who signed onto the letter, told E&E… “Marie Owens Powell, president of American Federation of Government Employees Council 238, EPA’s largest union, called EPA’s actions “disgraceful.”
STATE UPDATES
KALB: Exxon sues Allen Parish over local Carbon Capture permitting laws
Rob LaPerle, 7/3/25
“ExxonMobil issued an official complaint for judicial relief to the U.S. District Court system, requesting that an ordinance targeting carbon capture, passed into law by the Allen Parish Police Jury to be declared null and void,” KALB reports. “Allen Parish’s new ordinance requiring a Parish permit for all injection wells is inconsistent with Louisiana law and delays activities permitted by State regulators. We will continue to engage with Allen Parish, and we look forward to advancing projects that drive community growth and development.” “...Additionally, the lawsuit argues the ordinance jeopardizes future, as well as current, carbon capture activities in the area, due to it being drafted to give the parish “complete discretion over whether a permit ever issues and is under no timeline to do so.” “...The company further alleges the ordinance may violate Louisiana state law by granting the parish police jury the authority to regulate a subject that the state legislature exclusively regulates.”
KPLC: Exxon sues Allen; Vernon ‘hub’ worries lawmaker
Theresa Schmidt, 7/3/25
“ExxonMobil Low Carbon Solutions is suing the Allen Parish Police Jury allegedly going beyond its authority. The police jury recently passed an ordinance requiring parish permits for injection wells which are normally under the jurisdiction of the state,” KPLC reports. “In May, many citizens of Allen Parish attended a public hearing to make it clear they want no storage of carbon dioxide in their area. Such issues are regulated by the state, which has its authority from the federal government. The Allen Police Jury decided to pass an ordinance requiring parish permits to go forward with such wells. At this point, the company wants to construct test wells at two sites and say they have state approval to do so… “The company wants a federal judge to find the parish ordinance invalid and unenforceable and let the company move forward. Because it’s in litigation, Allen officials told KPLC they have no comment. In Vernon Parish carbon sequestration news, State Representative Chuck Owens from Leesville told KPLC some businesses are discussing plans to send carbon waste to Vernon Parish for sequestration… ““There is apparently a plan and a framework that has been created by someone where they want to make Vernon Parish the hub, they call it the hub of where carbon will be sequestered. The people of Vernon Parish were not asked about this.”
KCCI: Gov. Kim Reynolds talks water quality and eminent domain in 1-on-1 interview
6/30/25
“With thousands of properties across Central Iowa still under a mandatory lawn watering ban, Gov. Kim Reynolds addressed the ongoing water quality concerns and efforts being made to manage nitrate levels in the region’s drinking water sources in an interview with KCCI Chief Political Reporter Amanda Rooker Friday,” KCCI reports. “...Reynolds also defended her decision to veto House File 639, a bill that sought to impose new restrictions on how private companies can use eminent domain to build pipeline projects. “I spent the entire 30 days meeting with stakeholders from every side of the issue, really trying to dig in and understand if it accomplished what we were trying to do,” Reynolds told KCCI, referring to the period she had to consider the legislation. “It wasn't just about eminent domain. It went way beyond that, and it did have unintended consequences.” Reynolds told KCCI the conversation around property rights and eminent domain is likely to return next legislative session. “It's going to continue to be a conversation. It's going to continue to be a topic in the legislature,” she told KCCI. “And hopefully we can figure out a compromise and address some of the concerns that I saw when I reviewed the bill.” “...Reynolds did not say whether she plans to propose her own legislation next session, but told KCCI that she is "happy to be a part of that conversation.” She also acknowledged tensions with lawmakers, especially after pointed criticism from some members of her own party. “There doesn't seem to be a lot of willingness right now. We'll see what happens with a lot of statements and comments that have been made,” Reynolds told KCCI.”
South Dakota Searchlight: Q&A: Johnson says ‘proof is in the pudding’ to those challenging his conservative credentials
Joshua Haiar, 7/4/25
“U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson’s entry into the 2026 race for South Dakota governor launches him into a Republican primary in which a competitor is making allegiance to President Donald Trump a main issue,” South Dakota Searchlight reports. “...Last legislative session, lawmakers passed and Gov. Larry Rhoden signed a bill banning eminent domain — a legal process for obtaining land access — for carbon dioxide pipelines. As governor, how would you have navigated that? “It’s not my interest in re-litigating every decision that the last administration has done. Fundamentally, this has got to be a forward-looking campaign. And so I just don’t know that there’s any benefit in me being critical of anything that Governor Rhoden has done.”
Politico: Drill, Gavin, drill?
Camille Von Kaenel, 7/3/25
“Gov. Gavin Newsom, the erstwhile fighter of Big Oil, has cracked the door open to more in-state oil extraction — and California oil drillers are hoping to ride the political momentum,” Politico reports. “Newsom told reporters this week he was actively reviewing California Energy Commission Vice Chair Siva Gunda’s recommendations to keep California’s refineries operating profitably after two of them announced plans to close within the past year and triggered a cascade of concerns about fuel supply and prices… “Among Gunda’s recommendations is a call for lawmakers to statutorily approve new wells in Kern County’s oilfields, effectively sidestepping litigation from environmental groups that has snarled the county’s years-long effort to streamline permitting. Gunda, echoing longstanding industry complaints, pointed to the legal gridlock as slowing the in-state production that some refineries depend on because they’re not built to process foreign crude… “Catherine Reheis-Boyd, the president and CEO of the Western States Petroleum Association, told Politico she’s heartened by the prospect of more Kern County drilling. “My hope is that that happens in the short term, not the midterm and not the long term,” she told Politico. “Otherwise we’re going to find ourselves in another very difficult conversation.”
Santa Barbara Independent: Santa Barbara County Being Eyed for New Oil Drilling and Fracking
Callie Fausey, 7/2/25
“President Donald Trump’s push to expand domestic oil and gas production may bring new drilling to California’s Central Coast — including parts of Santa Barbara County,” the Santa Barbara Independent reports. “More than 400,000 acres of federal land — managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and stretching from Fresno to Ventura counties — are now being eyed for new oil and gas leasing and development, as the president calls for ‘Unleashing American Energy.’ The BLM recently announced a 30-day public comment period for its draft environmental review and resource management plan… “With a complete environmental review, the BLM would be allowed to resume its oil and gas leasing program in California, potentially as soon as 2027. However, any future lease sales would still require additional environmental analysis and public engagement before moving forward.”
Guardian: ‘This bill protects our precious waters’: how a Florida environmental group scored a win against big oil
Anthony White, 7/5/25
“The giant and catastrophic Deepwater Horizon oil spill, also known as the BP oil spill, didn’t reach Apalachicola Bay in 2010, but the threat of oil reaching this beautiful and environmentally valuable stretch of northern Florida’s Gulf coast was still enough to devastate the region’s economy,” the Guardian reports. “...Those memories were freshly triggered in April 2024, when the Florida department of environmental protection (DEP) granted a permit to Louisiana-based Clearwater Land and Minerals for exploratory oil drilling on the Apalachicola River basin. So area residents, along with environmental and business groups, formed a Kill the Drill coalition to oppose the permit… “n May, the DEP reversed course and denied the permit… “So to prevent future threats and the DEP from issuing other oil exploratory drilling permits, Shoaf and state representative Allison Tant co-authored House Bill 1143… “In April, the legislature overwhelmingly passed HB 1143 with only one dissenting vote in the Senate. It was presented to Florida’s governor, Ron DeSantis, on 18 June. And, despite a poor recent record on protecting the environment, DeSantis signed the bill last week – handing the coalition that lobbied for it a cheering victory.”
E&E News: Restoration plan aired for 2001 Oregon oil spill
Michael Doyle, 7/3/25
“Twenty-four years after an oil spill poisoned parts of Oregon's Yaquina River, the Fish and Wildlife Service along with state and tribal partners made public Wednesday their long-in-the-making draft restoration plan,” E&E News reports. “The draft plan and damage assessment calls for acquiring and restoring 316 acres of wetlands habitat near the site of the Jan. 27, 2001, accident… “The spill occurred when a Blue Line Transportation-owned tractor-trailer rig carrying 8,300 gallons of fuel oil overturned on U.S. Highway 20, near Toledo, Oregon. The 22-year-old driver died in the accident, according to news accounts at the time, and an estimated 5,800 gallons of fuel oil flowed across the highway, down a steep bank and into the Yaquina River. Oil sheen and tar balls were subsequently discovered along a 17-mile stretch of the river. The spill affected "salmon, migratory birds, beavers and other wildlife within the river’s riparian and upper estuary habitats," the damage assessment reports.”
EXTRACTION
E&E News: International tribunal declares right to healthy climate
Lesley Clark, 7/7/25
“Countries across Central and South America have an obligation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect the environment, a human rights court found last week in a landmark decision that boosts efforts to address climate change in the region,” E&E News reports. “The Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled Thursday that countries bear a responsibility to prevent harms from climate change under the American Convention on Human Rights. It also emphasized a need to protect the rights of Indigenous people and those most vulnerable to environmental harm, including rural communities, children and people with disabilities. The nonbinding opinion also found that countries have an obligation to regulate polluters and adopt ambitious climate targets based on science. And it called on countries to act to prevent climate disinformation. “The court has broken new ground and set a powerful precedent in affirming the human right to a healthy climate,” said Nikki Reisch, climate and energy program director at the Center for International Environmental Law. “The court’s conclusions should put big polluters, like the fossil fuel industry, on notice: Climate-destructive conduct violates the law.”
Press release: Inter-American Court’s Landmark Opinion Recognizes the Right to a Healthy Climate
7/3/25
“In a landmark moment for human rights and climate justice, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (Court) has issued a historic Advisory Opinion (Spanish only, forthcoming in English) recognizing that the climate emergency poses an existential threat to fundamental human rights—especially for children—and affirming that States must take science-based action to prevent further harm. The opinion directly reflects and adopts key arguments made by Our Children’s Trust, University Network for Human Rights, and Defensa Ambiental del Noroeste in our amicus brief to the Court in December 2023 on behalf of 21 young people and with the support of 18 pediatric associations representing over 1 million medical professionals. The Court’s opinion sets powerful legal precedent by: Recognizing the human right to a healthy climate as an independent, enforceable right; Relying on the best available science to conclude that our planet is immersed in a climate emergency that poses serious threats to humanity, especially to those in vulnerable situations such as children… “This is a profoundly consequential human rights opinion on climate change,” said Kelly Matheson, Deputy Director of Global Strategy at Our Children’s Trust. “The Court has delivered a powerful message: safeguarding human rights in the climate era requires urgent, effective, and bold science-based action. The voices of children, youth, frontline communities, and health professionals were instrumental in shaping this outcome.”
E&E News: Feds receive application for deepwater gas export project
Carlos Anchondo, 7/7/25
“A developer is proposing to build and operate a deepwater port that would export liquefied natural gas from about 10 miles off the coast of southeast Texas,” E&E News reports. “ST LNG has filed an application with the Maritime Administration and the U.S. Coast Guard, according to a notice set to be published Monday in the Federal Register. The facility, which could export up to 8.4 million metric tons of gas per year, would add to the production capacity of gas export terminals already running onshore as well as those under construction or not yet built. No deepwater LNG export facilities are currently operational in the United States.”
Reuters: Venture Global inks 20 year LNG deal with Petronas
Curtis Williams, 7/3/25
“U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter Venture Global Inc announced on Thursday that Petronas has agreed to buy 1 million metric tons of LNG from its CP2 project, its first new CP2 customer in two years,” Reuters reports. “A mere startup three years ago, Venture Global has quickly moved to become the U.S.’ second largest LNG producer and has played a key role in keeping the country the world’s top LNG exporter… “If constructed the CP2 plant in Louisiana will be the second largest LNG plant in the U.S. with a combined capacity of 28 MTPA and could make Venture Global the country’s largest LNG producer… “The company has yet to make a financial decision to construct the project but has promised a decision in the second half of 2025… “Venture Global earlier this year moved to commercial operations at Calcasieu Pass and has been selling its cargoes to its long term customers.”
Reuters: Exxon, QatarEnergy JV asks US regulators for permission to re-export LNG from October 1
Curtis Williams, 7/2/25
“Golden Pass LNG, which is owned by Exxon Mobil and QatarEnergy, has asked U.S. regulators for permission to re-export liquefied natural gas from October 1, as the export plant nears production after previous delays,” Reuters reports. “...The project has been plagued with problems and is behind schedule and over budget. In March 2024, its then-lead contractor, Zachry Holdings, filed for bankruptcy and said the project was at least $2.4 billion over the original budget… “Golden Pass could become the 9th U.S. LNG exporter after it starts shipping.”
Canada's National Observer: Energy minister leans on oil industry talking points in carbon capture announcement
Natasha Bulowski, 7/4/25
“At a carbon capture funding announcement, Canada’s energy minister was using rhetoric straight out of Big Oil's playbook,” Canada's National Observer reports. “On Friday, the federal government announced $21.5 million for a handful of carbon capture projects in Alberta, and while the amount isn’t going to move the needle, Energy and Natural Resource Minister Tim Hodgson’s choice of words and tone signal how Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government plans to engage with the fossil fuel industry. Hodgson billed this as “an investment in the long-term future of the oil and gas industry” and highlighted other federal support for carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS). “Every barrel of responsibly produced Canadian oil and every tonne of clean Canadian LNG can displace less clean, riskier energy elsewhere in the world,” Hodgson said at the announcement in Calgary. “Our exports can help our allies break dependence on authoritarian regimes and help the world reduce our emissions.” “...The line that Canadian oil and gas is more ethical and more responsibly produced than in other parts of the world — and that it displaces dirtier fuels elsewhere — are tried-and-true industry talking points. Similarly, the idea that Canada will inevitably remain a major oil producer or be replaced in the market by other players is a familiar oilpatch argument. “Is that Minister Hodgson saying that, or is that somebody from the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers?” Stephen Legault, senior manager of Alberta energy transition at Environmental Defence, asked in a phone interview with Canada’s National Observer. “Because the two, in that statement, sound indistinguishable.” “...Carbon capture and storage has become a major fixation of the oil and gas industry in recent years as it seeks social licence to continue producing despite its climate impacts. “These are talking points that the Pathways Alliance uses to justify trying to extract billions of dollars in Canadian taxpayers’ money to clean up a mess made by the most wealthy companies in the country, and some of them the most wealthy in the world,” Legault told the Observer. Hodgson delivered his remarks at Bow Valley Carbon Cochrane Ltd.’s facility, which is getting $10 million to design and install a system and pipeline to capture carbon from the Interpipeline Cochrane Natural Gas Extraction Plant, transport it and sequester it in a well. Enbridge Inc. and Enhance Energy Inc. are getting $4 million and $5 million, respectively, for work to support separate storage hubs in Central Alberta by identifying underground reservoirs to store the captured carbon… “This $21.5 million comes from the Energy Innovation Program’s $319-million funding stream for carbon capture.”
Canadian Press: Ottawa announces funding for five Alberta carbon capture projects
Lauren Krugel, 7/4/25
“The federal natural resources minister has announced $21.5 million in funding for five Alberta projects that aim to lower the cost of capturing and storing carbon dioxide emissions,” the Canadian Press reports. “But Tim Hodgson had few details to share Friday about how talks are progressing with a group of major oilsands players on a separate $16.5-billion carbon capture, usage and sequestration project that remains in limbo. “It’s something that’s being worked on actively,” Hodgson told CP of the massive project proposed by the Pathways Alliance, a consortium that includes six of Canada’s biggest oilsands producers. “Those conversations are going on. They’re going to happen in private. When there’s a transaction, we’ll let everybody know. But you should assume that everyone is focused on trying to figure out how to make that happen.” “...Bow Valley is a partnership between Inter Pipeline Ltd. and Entropy Inc. It is to receive $10 million to add equipment to the plant, and Hodgson says its emissions reductions will equate to taking more than 12,000 cars of the road a year… “Enbridge Inc. is to get $4 million and Enhance Energy Inc. is to receive $5 million for separate storage hubs in Central Alberta. The remainder of the funds are going toward a project looking to improve analysis technologies and another to test small-scale carbon capture from diesel engines. The announcement comes as uncertainty continues to cloud the Pathways project, which would be one of the largest in the world if built. The companies have not made a final investment decision and federal and provincial support remains a question mark.”
Reuters: UK's Reeves announces National Wealth Fund investment in carbon capture
Elizabeth Piper, 7/6/25
“British finance minister Rachel Reeves will announce on Monday a 28.6 million pound ($39 million) investment by the National Wealth Fund in a carbon capture project that could create jobs in central and northern England,” Reuters reports. “Last year, Britain said it would provide funding of up to 21.7 billion pounds over 25 years to develop carbon capture and storage projects to curb emissions from industry and create new jobs… “On Monday, Reeves will hail the funding as the first step towards the development of a carbon capture pipeline between cement and lime companies in Britain's Peak District, which will store emissions below the Irish Sea, according to a statement from her ministry. "The National Wealth Fund is a force for growth, investing 3 billion pounds into the British economy and securing 12,500 jobs," Reeves said in a statement.”
Zacks: 4 Oil Giants Invest Billions to Lead the Low-Carbon Energy Shift
Turjya Saha, 7/4/25
“The energy world is changing fast, and for oil and energy companies, the message couldn’t be clearer: low-carbon solutions aren’t just a nice-to-have anymore — they’re essential,” according to Zacks. “...Companies like Exxon Mobil Corporation XOM, Shell plc SHEL, TotalEnergies SE TTE, and Chevron Corporation CVX aren’t just sticking to traditional oil and gas anymore — they’re upgrading their whole systems to include low-carbon solutions like carbon capture, hydrogen, and renewable energy. By combining what they’ve done for years with these new, cleaner options, they’re finding smart ways to stay competitive and make real progress toward a greener future. Because they cover the entire process, they can move quickly, make smart investments, and lead the industry through one of its biggest transformations yet… “ExxonMobil, a Spring, TX-based integrated oil and gas company, is placing big bets on carbon capture and low-carbon hydrogen… “Notably, ExxonMobil has pledged up to $30 billion between 2025 and 2030 for lower-emission initiatives, with about 65% of this investment aimed at reducing emissions across the broader industry, not just its operations… “Shell is accelerating its energy transition strategy by investing $10-$15 billion in low-carbon solutions between 2023 and 2025, with a strong focus on hydrogen, renewables, and carbon capture… ”The company’s carbon capture initiatives, such as the Polaris CCS project in Canada, are designed to capture significant volumes of CO2 and support Shell’s goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050… “A landmark initiative is [TotalEnergies’] partnership with Air Liquide to build two green hydrogen facilities in the Netherlands, targeting 45,000 tons of annual production… “Leading oil and energy companies are evolving from fossil fuel producers into diversified energy innovators.”
Gasworld: Japan’s largest carbon capture plant moves forward with MHI design contract
Anthony Wright, 7/7/25
“Japanese industrial group Mitsubishi Heavy Industries will provide the front end engineering design for what is slated to be Japan’s largest carbon capture and storage project,” Gasworld reports. “...The project stems from a partnership between HEPCO, Idemitsu Kosan, and Japan Petroleum Exploration, who worked with Japan Organisation for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC) for the design work of a CCS project in the Tomakomai area of Hokkaido. According to the agreement, CO2 captured at the power station will be stored in deep saline formations in the area, with the aim of storing approximately 1.5 million to two million tonnes of CO2 per year by 2030 offshore Tomakomai city… “To create incentives around carbon capture, the government of Japan announced earlier this year that it will offer subsidies for the use of carbon capture technology for the industrial and power sector and the subsequent storage of emissions. To meet the targets set out by METI, CO2 emitters will be expected to pay out around $63 to $115 per tonne of CO2. The government of Japan is now offering to cover the price difference between CO2 storage costs and carbon capture costs for 10 years in Norway and up to 15 years in the UK.”
CBC: Suncor fined after protected bird nests were buried at Alberta oilsands mine
7/4/25
“Oilsands giant Suncor has been fined $5,000 for burying known habitat for bank swallows during mining operations in northern Alberta three years ago,” the CBC reports. “...The regulator fined the company for failing to ensure that critical bird habitat was protected from ground excavation operations at the mining site. According to the investigation, material was placed over a bank known to be used by bank swallows as a nesting site, likely killing or injuring the birds and destroying their nests. The company failed to complete a required wildlife sweep of the site before the bank was buried, the investigation found… “Suncor, among the largest operators in the oilpatch, has a history of such infractions.”
Science Daily: Antarctica’s ocean flip: Satellites catch sudden salt surge melting ice from below
University of Southampton, 7/2/25
“A massive and surprising change is unfolding around Antarctica. Scientists have discovered that the Southern Ocean is getting saltier, and sea ice is melting at record speed, enough to match the size of Greenland. This change has reversed a decades-long trend and is letting hidden heat rise to the surface, melting the ice from below. One of the most dramatic signs is the return of a giant hole in the ice that hadn’t been seen in 50 years. The consequences are global: stronger storms, warmer oceans, and serious trouble for penguins and other polar wildlife… “Since the early 1980s, the surface of the Southern Ocean had been freshening, and stratification had been strengthening, trapping heat below and sustaining more sea ice coverage. Now, new satellite technology, combined with information from floating robotic devices which travel up and down the water column, shows this trend has reversed; surface salinity is increasing, stratification is weakening, and sea ice has reached multiple record lows -- with large openings of open ocean in the sea ice (polynyas) returning… "Previous projections emphasized enhanced surface freshening and stronger ocean stratification, which could have supported sustained sea ice cover. Instead, a rapid reduction in sea ice -- an important reflector of solar radiation -- has occurred, potentially accelerating global warming."
OPINION
Inforum: Carbon capture and storage pose real dangers
Sen. Jeff Magrum, R, Hazelton, and Sen. Tim Mathern, D, Fargo, serve in the North Dakota Senate, 7/6/25
“As state senators in North Dakota, expressing our strong concerns about carbon capture and storage in the "big, beautiful bill," Sen. Jeff Magrum and Sen. Tim Mathern write for Inforum. “...The idea behind this technology is to fight climate change by reducing C02 emissions from our industries. The problem with technology is that, at best, it is a very expensive way to sequester carbon. At worst, it comes with significant public health threats, is a misuse of taxpayer money, and is destroying private property rights. The transportation and underground storage of C02 pose challenges and risks for communities near pipelines. Because C02 is heavier than air, meaning that it will settle on the ground, threatening people's lives. Excess C02 exposure can cause dizziness, loss of consciousness, memory lapse, and even death. This happened in Mississippi in February of 2022. A carbon pipeline burst, and residents had to be evacuated, with 45 being hospitalized… “The pipeline in Mississippi was only a few inches in diameter. With the pipeline going near or through concentrated populations like Wahpeton, Bismarck and Mandan, EMS would struggle to evacuate or reach people in the case of a burst… “However, Summit itself has admitted that it is not sure what will happen in the pore space until they start doing it… “CCS is being funded by taxpayer subsidies through the 45Q tax program. Meaning that taxpayers are the ones footing the bill for these dangerous projects… “There is a term that applies to money given to corporations that does not serve taxpayers and that could never stand on their own: corporate socialism… “Besides the taxpayer waste and safety aspects of carbon pipelines, these pipelines have also been pushing one of the largest threats to landowner rights. To build the pipeline, Summit and other carbon pipeline companies have been using threats of eminent domain since before their pipeline was approved… “For the reasons listed above, we are opposed to any further support for CCS.”