EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 7/7/26
PIPELINE NEWS
iPolitics.ca: Ontario, Alberta to weigh feasibility of new crude oil pipeline linking oil sands to Sarnia
E&E News: Ford pushes Carney to fast-track Alberta-to-Ontario oil pipeline
Canadian Press: A look at defunct past pipeline pitches and their recent revivals
Bloomberg: Trans Mountain 3.0 Revives Indigenous Pipeline Ownership Push
Fraser Institute: Technological limitations, economic and infrastructure challenges raise questions about Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) as foundation for climate policy
Chatham Journal: Advocating transparent Environmental Impact Statement deliberation for the Enbridge NC permit
Bloomberg: Ugandan Farmers to Challenge $5.6 Billion Pipeline in UK Lawsuit
WASHINGTON UPDATES
E&E News: Justice Department calls on states to join oil company investigation
E&E News: Trump admin tees up endangered species policy changes
E&E News: ‘Can you help us?’: US oil execs turn to Trump to topple Europe’s climate rules
E&E News: Trump and AI spark a natural gas boom
Associated Press: Trump pardons former Abramoff partner, 9 people convicted of violating vehicle emissions controls
E&E News: Exxon lawyer to join DOJ energy division
STATE UPDATES
WCHS: Critics warn of carbon capture project risks across Ohio Valley
E&E News: Federal court upholds Southern California gas appliance ban
Verite News: Environmental groups worry proposed rule could chill debate before Louisiana’s utility regulators
Boulder Reporting Lab: Boulder must roughly double emissions-cutting pace to reach 2030 climate goal
E&E News: Denka fined over waste violations at Louisiana plant
EXTRACTION
Bloomberg: Canada Unleashes Wave of Oil Drilling Permits in Next Big Play
Reuters: BP exits Bay du Nord oil project, leaving Equinor as sole owner
Guardian: Smoke, soot and toxic fumes: Nigerian families living in shadow of burning oil well six years after blowout
Eco-Radio: Bomb Train Derailments: Lac Mégantic - East Palestine
OPINION
Missoula Current: Unaddressed health risks of Bridger Pipeline
Santa Barbara Independent: A Vote on Oil Phaseout That Could Make History
Salt Lake Tribune: Rolling back the Oil and Gas Rule is a bad deal for Utah
Las Vegas Sun: Fossil fuels makes little sense, or cents, in Nevada
Yorkshire Post: Carbon capture is vital to securing the economy and enabling British businesses to thrive
PIPELINE NEWS
iPolitics.ca: Ontario, Alberta to weigh feasibility of new crude oil pipeline linking oil sands to Sarnia
Aya Dufour, 7/6/26
“Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith say their governments will begin studies for a proposed Northern Shield Energy Corridor that would transport crude oil along a 3,300-kilometre route stretching from Hardisty, Alta., to Sarnia, Ont.,” iPolitics.ca reports. “...The proposal comes on the heels of a separate one announced last Thursday, when Smith and Prime Minister Mark Carney unveiled a route to B.C.’s southern coast that would follow the existing Trans Mountain corridor… “That pitch is a priority for Alberta, Smith said, adding it is at a relatively more advanced stage than the proposal with Ontario… “Meanwhile, the Northern Shield Energy Corridor is in a more exploratory phase, with a feasibility study underway, led by an advisory team of GHD, EY Canada, Mokwateh, AtkinsRéalis, Wood PLC and Turner & Townsen… “Ontario and Alberta’s proposal echoes the cancelled Energy East line over much of its western route, though it stops well short of the Atlantic. Energy East was aimed at that same Saint John terminal before TransCanada abandoned it in 2017, felled by regulatory hurdles, weak economics and fierce opposition in Quebec — the kind of obstacles any eastern extension would likely face again. The newly proposed corridor would carry about 500,000 barrels of crude a day — expandable to 800,000 — and end at Sarnia, with possible extensions to new and existing ports for overseas export still being explored.”
E&E News: Ford pushes Carney to fast-track Alberta-to-Ontario oil pipeline
Mickey Djuric, 7/7/26
“Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he’s working closely with the federal government to “move quick” on building a pipeline linking Alberta’s oil sands to refineries in Ontario, arguing that the project is critical to strengthening the economy and reducing Canada’s reliance on foreign energy,” E&E News reports. “Finally, for the first time in the history of our country, we’re unleashing an economic power that we have,” Ford told POLITICO on Monday on the sidelines of the Calgary Stampede. The premier says his team is working with Prime Minister Mark Carney’s office on the proposed Northern Shield Energy Corridor, which he told E&E will eventually include an oil pipeline that stretches 3,300 kilometers from Alberta to Sarnia, Ontario.”
Canadian Press: A look at defunct past pipeline pitches and their recent revivals
Lauren Krugel, 7/6/26
“Pipeline proposals long considered dead and buried are coming back from the grave — sort of,” the Canadian Press reports. “Past plans to send oilsands crude east, west and south are being revived with different branding, proponents and routes. And, at least in the first two cases, the efforts are being driven by politicians rather than the private sector. Here is a look at defunct projects of yore and their resurrected versions: East: “...It was 13 years ago that TransCanada Corp. — now TC Energy Corp. — pitched its Alberta-to-New Brunswick pipeline plan called Energy East… “The project attracted fervent opposition from environmentalists and the Quebec government. TransCanada eventually scrubbed the project in 2017, citing “changed circumstances.” “...The new east-west proposal, dubbed the Northern Shield Energy Corridor, would avoid Quebec, at least initially… “West: Northern Shield was announced four days after Alberta filed its application to the federal major projects office for a new pipeline to the West Coast… “An earlier plan to send oilsands crude north serves as a cautionary tale. Enbridge Inc. filed an application to the federal regulator in 2010 for the Northern Gateway pipeline to Kitimat, B.C. The proposal drew fierce opposition from B.C. First Nations that have not signed treaties with the Crown, particularly those on the coast fearful of an oil spill… “South: South Bow Corp., which spun off from TC Energy in 2024, said it had moved on from the contentious Keystone XL proposal, but that it would “continue to explore opportunities that leverage our existing corridor.” “...Prairie connector would use about 150 kilometres of pipe in the ground that had been intended for Keystone XL, South Bow said. The company plans to make a final investment decision next year. At Monday’s news conference, Smith was asked how oilsands companies can produce enough crude to fill pipelines to the east, west and south, in addition to expansions currently underway on existing systems.”
Bloomberg: Trans Mountain 3.0 Revives Indigenous Pipeline Ownership Push
Robert Tuttle, 7/6/26
“Canada’s announcement last week that Trans Mountain Corp. will build a 1 million-barrel-a-day oil pipeline along the government-owned company’s existing Alberta-to-British Columbia route is rekindling Indigenous interest in acquiring a stake in the company,” Bloomberg reports. “Groups including the Western Indigenous Pipeline Group and Project Reconciliation are preparing for a new opportunity to acquire an equity stake on behalf of Indigenous communities. The groups formed after the federal government purchased the only oil pipeline linking Alberta’s oil sands to Canada’s Pacific coast eight years ago. WIPG plans to meet with Pembina Pipeline Corp. in the coming week to discuss the company’s decision to help build the new line, Joe Dion, chief executive officer, told Bloomberg… “Steve Mason, Project Reconciliation’s CEO, told Bloomberg that he’s meeting with his team about reviving the group’s effort to invest in Trans Mountain. Project Reconciliation had earlier sought 100% ownership of the company… “The Indigenous groups told Bloomberg they hope the new pipeline announcement will revive the federal government’s stalled plan to sell part of the Trans Mountain system to First Nation communities… “In Canada, First Nations have influence over economic developments in their traditional territories, after court rulings in their favor and a cultural and political reckoning over past injustices. When resource companies want to build, Indigenous groups are often able to negotiate deals that include equity, revenue sharing, jobs and other benefits — a process dubbed “economic reconciliation.”
Fraser Institute: Technological limitations, economic and infrastructure challenges raise questions about Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) as foundation for climate policy
Kenneth P. Green, 7/6/26
“...Most of the experience with CCUS however (73%) has been to facilitate enhanced recovery of oil and gas for commercial purposes,” according to the Fraser Institute. “Approximately 27% of CCUS use has been dedicated to capturing and storing carbon dioxide as a protection from climate change. Because of the fundamental properties of hydrocarbon energy, CCUS systems require pipeline and storage infrastructure as large as, or larger than, the infrastructure required for oil and gas production itself. Hence, CCUS cannot realistically be expected to sequester more than a small fraction of CO2 emissions from Canada’s overall energy sector. While CCUS technologies have been demonstrated, they have consistently underperformed predictions, routinely capturing less than 80% of predicted capture levels and quantities. While CCUS has proven economically viable for private-sector enhanced recovery of oil and gas, its economic viability for use in long-term sequestration of greenhouse gases in large quantities has yet to be determined. Based on prior experiences with building pipelines in Canada, which have similar environmental impacts and risks, development of CCUS infrastructure at scale will be subject to significant political constraints as well as economic and physical constraints.”
Chatham Journal: Advocating transparent Environmental Impact Statement deliberation for the Enbridge NC permit
7/6/26
“In the formal request posted below, veteran biologist John Alderman urges the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to conduct a comprehensive Environmental Impact Statement for a proposed natural gas pipeline in Chatham County,” the Chatham Journal reports. “The author argues that the project threatens the Rocky River-Deep River system, which serves as the primary critical habitat for the endangered Cape Fear Shiner. Beyond immediate construction damage such as sedimentation and blasting, the letter highlights the need to evaluate indirect development and cumulative stressors on the local watershed. Furthermore, the letter emphasizes the need for public transparency regarding the project’s necessity and its potential to disrupt working farms through eminent domain. Ultimately, John Alderman contends that the region’s ecological rarity warrants the most rigorous federal scrutiny to ensure long-term environmental and agricultural preservation.”
Bloomberg: Ugandan Farmers to Challenge $5.6 Billion Pipeline in UK Lawsuit
David Herbling, 7/6/26
“A group of Ugandan farmers will on Tuesday file a lawsuit in the UK High Court against the East African nation’s $5.6 billion crude pipeline, potentially delaying long-awaited exports due to begin later this year,” Bloomberg reports. “The petition says the 1,450-kilometer (900-mile) East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline will impact water sources, wildlife and biodiversity, heightening concerns over climate change, according to an emailed statement issued by the claimants’ lawyers. The four farmers are asking the British court to apply Ugandan climate, environmental and constitutional law to EACOP Ltd., the UK-registered firm developing, building and operating the pipeline. The company is jointly owned by TotalEnergies SE, Cnooc Ltd. and the state-owned oil companies of Uganda and Tanzania. “The case seeks remedies that could go to the heart of the project’s commercial viability, including an injunction to stop oil being transported through the pipeline, as well as compensation and other legal relief under Ugandan law,” they said in a petition through law firm Leigh Day.”
WASHINGTON UPDATES
E&E News: Justice Department calls on states to join oil company investigation
Cheyanne M. Daniels, 7/6/26
“The Justice Department on Friday urged state attorneys general to investigate whether unlawful conduct is keeping gasoline prices high even as crude oil prices fall,” E&E News reports. “In a letter obtained by POLITICO, DOJ urged the state attorneys general to “use all tools available” under state law to investigate and prosecute any misconduct that may be contributing to high prices at the pump. “In short, companies and individuals who seek to unlawfully exploit our nation’s citizens will face federal investigation, civil liability, and criminal prosecution,” the Justice Department wrote… “Leaders on both sides of the aisle on Capitol Hill have called for the Trump administration to go after the oil industry over high prices at the pump. Late last month, President Donald Trump accused oil majors of keeping gasoline prices high after announcing a ceasefire with Iran.”
E&E News: Trump admin tees up endangered species policy changes
Ian M. Stevenson, 7/6/26
“The Trump administration this year plans to finalize a range of potentially far-reaching changes to wildlife management, including changing the definition of what it means to “harm” an endangered species and making decisions on whether to provide federal protections for certain plants and animals,” E&E News reports. “In its unified agenda, the regulatory blueprint released Friday, the Office of Management and Budget laid out deadlines for decisions on grizzly bear populations and other wildlife. One change expected to be finalized this month would remove prohibitions on second-order “harm” to imperiled species like habitat destruction. That shift was first proposed in April 2025. By October, the Fish and Wildlife Service also plans to finish rules governing how to analyze the economic and other effects of designating critical habitat for species. The changes would put back in place a rule carried out by the first Trump administration that was later revoked under former President Joe Biden.”
E&E News: ‘Can you help us?’: US oil execs turn to Trump to topple Europe’s climate rules
Zack Colman, Ben Munster, Sara Schonhardt, 7/7/26
“The U.S. oil and gas industry has succeeded in exporting massive amounts of natural gas to Europe. Now, with the help of White House officials, it looks like it might also succeed in exporting the Trump administration’s deregulatory agenda,” E&E News reports. “Now the sector is attempting to strong-arm the European Commission, the EU’s executive arm, into delaying the rollout of what the bloc intended to be a major rule to curb a potent climate pollution. It has prevailed in winning the backing of over half the bloc’s 27 member countries, who have joined U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright in calling for swift changes to the rules. At stake is potentially billions of dollars in natural gas that U.S. companies want to continue exporting to Europe but that EU policymakers say must be subject to strict rules governing emissions of methane, a harmful greenhouse gas that has fueled extreme weather around the globe. And it raises worries among climate advocates that the Americans are choking out what the EU intended to be a major initiative to combat climate change, one that had been years in the making… “The lobbying had its effect. At a summit of EU energy ministers last month in Luxembourg, 17 member countries, including Germany, argued to delay the rules under the EU’s current mantra of “competitiveness,” following a push by the populist, fossil-fuel-dependent governments of Czechia and Slovakia. The Department of Energy celebrated the victory.”
E&E News: Trump and AI spark a natural gas boom
Benjamin Storrow, 7/6/26
“To understand how much the American energy landscape has changed since President Donald Trump took office, look no further than the latest predictions from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. At the start of 2025, EIA predicted that 23 gigawatts of new gas plant capacity would be built between 2026 and 2030. The agency’s new forecast for that period: 66 GW ... Trump has spent the first 18 months of his presidency scrapping subsidies for renewable energy projects and rolling back climate rules. Among his administration’s proposals is eliminating carbon dioxide regulations on new gas-fired power plants ... The growth in planned gas capacity nevertheless points to an important shift underway in America’s electricity markets. During the Biden era, new gas plants accounted for 16 percent of new U.S. power plant capacity. That is expected to rise to 24 percent between 2026 and 2030.”
Associated Press: Trump pardons former Abramoff partner, 9 people convicted of violating vehicle emissions controls
Michelle L. Price, 7/3/26
“President Donald Trump on Friday pardoned 11 people, including a former business partner of Washington lobbyist Jack Abramoff and nine people identified by the White House as having helped people bypass emissions control systems on vehicles,” the Associated Press reports. “...It is my Great Honor to have just signed Pardons for six people who were persecuted by the Biden Administration, and were in, or being sent to, prison, for ‘fixing their car,’” Trump wrote on his Truth Social media network… “In a list provided Friday evening by the White House, Trump pardoned 11 people, including nine who faced charges related to violations of the Clean Air Act by disabling emissions monitoring systems on vehicles or selling devices that enabled emissions systems to be bypassed. The pardons come after Trump on Monday signed a memo telling the Environmental Protection Agency that Americans can fix their own vehicles as they see fit. As he signed the memo, Trump referenced a diesel mechanic he pardoned last year who disabled emissions monitoring systems.”
E&E News: Exxon lawyer to join DOJ energy division
Carlos Anchondo, 7/6/26
“A senior-level attorney at Exxon Mobil is retiring from the oil and gas company this month and joining the Justice Department’s newly renamed Energy and Natural Resources Division,” E&E News reports. “I’m excited to contribute to the [Trump] Administration’s energy priorities and to our nation’s environmental and legal landscape,” said Robert Levy, executive counsel at Exxon, in a June post on LinkedIn. Levy said he would depart Exxon after 17 years at the company… “His first day at DOJ will be July 13, Levy said, and he will be a senior counsel within the newly renamed division.”
STATE UPDATES
WCHS: Critics warn of carbon capture project risks across Ohio Valley
Hannah Hayes, 7/2/226
“As multiple carbon capture and storage projects move forward across eastern Ohio and northern West Virginia, supporters say the technology can reduce carbon dioxide emissions from major industrial sources. However, some environmental advocates argue the benefits are being overstated and the risks are not getting enough attention,” WCHS reports. “Critics say the proposed underground storage sites in the region could serve fossil fuel-heavy industrial facilities, including natural gas power plants and steel manufacturers… “Dr. Randi Pokladnik, who holds a Ph.D. in environmental studies, disputes that carbon capture will meaningfully curb emissions and argues it can create a financial incentive for companies to keep producing carbon dioxide. “It’s a way for them to make money,” Pokladnik told WCHS. “So it’s like being paid for your garbage.” “...Pokladnik also raised concerns about potential groundwater impacts… “She also pointed to a 2020 carbon dioxide pipeline rupture near Satartia, Mississippi, where at least 45 people were hospitalized after being exposed to high concentrations of carbon dioxide… “Another concern involves property rights. Under proposed legislation in Ohio, if an operator obtains consent from at least 70% of pore-space owners, state regulators could approve the use of the remaining underground pore space under certain conditions even if some landowners object… “The debate comes as Tenaska proposes multiple energy hubs in the tri-state area that can each store up to 5 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually.”
E&E News: Federal court upholds Southern California gas appliance ban
Alex Nieves, 7/6/26
“A federal court Thursday upheld Southern California regulations that will phase out the sale of large gas water heaters and boilers,” E&E News reports. “What happened: The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in a 2-1 decision that the standards adopted by the South Coast Air Quality Management District in 2024 do not violate a federal law… “The decision bolsters regional air districts’ authority to ban gas appliances in an effort to comply with federal air quality standards for pollutants like nitrogen oxides, which are a major component of smog.”
Verite News: Environmental groups worry proposed rule could chill debate before Louisiana’s utility regulators
Katie Jane Fernelius, 7/3/26
“The Louisiana Public Service Commission, which regulates utilities across the state, is considering adopting a new rule that would require any group that seeks to intervene in regulatory proceedings to disclose all of its funding sources that originate outside of Louisiana,” Verite News reports. “The goal, according to the commission’s directive, is to identify potential foreign interference and further Louisiana’s “energy dominance.” But some statewide advocacy groups and at least one sitting commissioner worry that the new rule, if adopted, would have a chilling effect and limit which groups can and might intervene in utility dockets where key regulatory questions — such as how much ratepayers can be charged for electricity and gas or whether a utility can build or acquire a new power plant — are decided. “It struck me as a solution in search of a problem,” Commissioner Davante Lewis told Verite News. The proposed rule appears to address a narrative promoted by some conservative and tech groups that so-called “green dark money” and foreign influences are driving anti-data center and anti-fossil fuel advocacy… “The rule would require intervenors — any group that formally participates in regulatory dockets before the commission — to disclose how much money they receive not just from foreign countries, but from out-of-state individuals and entities in a sworn affidavit… “An attorney representing CTIA, a wireless communications industry advocacy group, also warned of a potential chilling effect and further noted that they were not aware of any other state utility commission with similar financial disclosure rules for intervenors.”
Boulder Reporting Lab: Boulder must roughly double emissions-cutting pace to reach 2030 climate goal
Por Jaijongkit, 7/5/26
“Boulder’s updated Climate Action Plan offers the city’s latest roadmap for reaching its ambitious climate goals. But the latest emissions data shows the city will have to move much faster to get there,” Boulder Reporting Lab reports. “Boulder has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by about 5% annually since 2018, but the city would need to roughly double that pace to reach its goal of cutting emissions 70% below 2018 levels by 2030, Kate Galbo, the city’s senior sustainability analyst, said… “The plan adds new local climate projections and, for the first time, a second way of measuring emissions that captures the carbon footprint of what Boulder residents buy and consume, even when those emissions occur outside city limits. It also places greater emphasis on ensuring climate investments benefit mobile home residents, low-income households, immigrants and renters, who are disproportionately vulnerable to heat, wildfire smoke, floods and other climate impacts… “The city aims to reduce emissions 70% below 2018 levels by 2030, reach net-zero emissions by 2035 and become carbon-positive by 2040. Galbo told BRL the targets were intentionally set to reflect what climate science says is needed to limit the worst impacts of climate change.”
E&E News: Denka fined over waste violations at Louisiana plant
Alex Guillén, 7/6/26
“The nation’s only neoprene production facility will pay a penalty just shy of $1 million over violations of waste regulations, EPA announced Friday,” E&E News reports. “The Denka Performance Elastomer plant in Louisiana was a high-profile part of the Biden administration’s environmental justice agenda because of its alleged emissions into the surrounding, predominantly Black community. While the Trump administration has pulled back on a separate but related enforcement action and aims to ease rules that applied to the plant, EPA enforcement chief Jeffrey Hall hailed the settlement in a statement. “Denka’s mishandling of hazardous chloroprene waste and its many violations of the law exposed workers and the surrounding community to excessive chloroprene and potentially serious health risks,” Hall said.”
EXTRACTION
Bloomberg: Canada Unleashes Wave of Oil Drilling Permits in Next Big Play
Robert Tuttle, 7/6/26
“As oil prices surged this spring, Alberta producers didn’t look to Canada’s long-cycle oil sands. Instead, they rushed to drill the Clearwater formation, a low-cost conventional oil play that lets producers bring on new supply far more quickly,” Bloomberg reports. “Alberta issued 1,764 drilling licenses between the start of the year and June 12, the most for a similar period since 2014, provincial data show. Nearly one in five permits targeted the Clearwater formation, the highest share on record. For decades, Canada’s oil industry has been defined by the oil sands, where multi-billion-dollar projects can take years to build. Clearwater is changing that equation. As the Iran war exposed the vulnerability of global oil supplies, the formation gave Alberta producers the opportunity to respond to higher prices with new production in months, rather than years… “The Clearwater yields dense, high-sulfur crude oil similar to that found in Canada’s oil sands. But unlike the oil sands, the crude can be extracted at a lower cost using conventional multilateral drilling techniques, without the need for pumping steam into the ground.”
Reuters: BP exits Bay du Nord oil project, leaving Equinor as sole owner
Stephanie Kelly, 7/6/26
“BP has agreed to sell its stake in the Bay du Nord offshore oil project in Canada to partner Equinor as the British energy major sharpens its focus on higher-return opportunities,” Reuters reports. “Under the agreement, Norway’s Equinor will become the sole owner of Bay du Nord, acquiring BP’s 37.2% stake, the companies said on Monday without disclosing financial terms… “BP will retain its 100% ownership of two exploration offshore licences in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador… “Equinor is targeting first oil for 2031, with required investment estimated at about C$14 billion ($9.84 billion).”
Guardian: Smoke, soot and toxic fumes: Nigerian families living in shadow of burning oil well six years after blowout
Valentine Benjamin, 7/6/26
“...Seventy‑year‑old Orugbemi says Ijadopin started coughing one evening in May, inside their small wooden home in Awoye on Nigeria’s Atlantic coastline. After a few days his cough intensified, then he developed a skin irritation, followed by difficulty breathing,” the Guardian reports. “...She believes the sickness is linked to pollution around Awoye, where an offshore oil well known as Ororo-1 has burned continuously for years, releasing smoke, soot and toxic fumes into nearby communities… “Across all the settlements along Ondo state’s Ilaje coast, people share similar stories of persistent coughs, respiratory difficulties, skin problems and collapsing livelihoods that they say are linked to the blowout incident at the oil well in April 2020. Philip Jakpor, executive director of the NGO Renevlyn Development Initiative, told the Guardian people’s experiences reflect a familiar pattern in the oil-rich region: the fallout of environmental disasters persisting for years without health monitoring for the affected population.”
Eco-Radio: Bomb Train Derailments: Lac Mégantic - East Palestine
7/6/26
“... When a derailment releases deadly chemicals into a community, people die, people get sick, and people get cancer years later,” Eco-Radio reports. “Most of the chemicals transported are from the fracking industry, so fracking is the main issue. Damage is, of course, not limited to humans—pets and wildlife are killed, land and water are poisoned. Trauma continues for years afterward. The Lac Mégantic fire was so big it could be seen on satellites. When disasters are forgotten, it is more likely that they will reoccur somewhere else. We will be putting the deadly train derailments of Lac Mégantic on July 6, 2013 and East Palestine, Ohio on Feb. 3, 2023 into the context of what we’ve actually learned and what decision makers SHOULD have learned. Each of these disasters should have caused regulations to be re-written with safety in mind, but that rarely happens, and when it does, it takes years: finally a rail-safety bill is in Congress, 13 years after the Lac Mégantic derailment. We will discuss bomb trains and deadly train derailments with two victims who became activists. We welcome back Jess Conard, an East Palestine resident who was affected by the disaster and was an Eco-Logic guest on November 8, 2023. Jess felt a calling to move from being an activist with Beyond Plastics to founding the new organization RailWatch.net, which collaborates with community leaders, unions, government entities, and industry to navigate rail safety concerns and connect communities to decision makers, grant opportunities, and experts. Gilbert Carette lived in Lac Mégantic when the huge derailment disaster happened. He has followed the aftermath, noting the deadly pollution of the local river and lake, and the toxic air pollution from the train’s contents catching fire. He has witnessed the devastation of the people, community and businesses in his area, to the point of increased suicide rates, and a lack of accountability from the corporations that created the disaster. He experienced the poor reaction of the governments of Canada and Quebec and thus an environmental activist was born… “Join us on Wednesday, July 15, 2026 at 10 a.m. EDT.”
OPINION
Missoula Current: Unaddressed health risks of Bridger Pipeline
Haley Yarborough, storytelling and communications associate, Montana Health and Climate; Robert Byron, MD, MPH Board, Montana Health and Climate; Bob Merchant, MD, Pulmonologist member, Montana Health and Climate, 7/3/26
“On April 30th, President Trump issued a presidential authorization for the construction and maintenance of the Bridger Pipeline 一 a 645-mile crude oil transmission system designed to transport 1,047,000 barrels of tar sands oil across Montana. The cross-border permit was approved without completing any environmental analysis, despite tar sands oil being one of the most environmentally and health-related destructive fuels on the planet,” Haley Yarborough, Robert Byron and Bob Merchant write for the Missoula Current. “... In fact, Bridger Pipeline, the company that will build and maintain the proposed Bridger Pipeline, already has a history of spills: the burst that dumped 50,000 gallons of Bakken crude into Montana’s Yellowstone River in 2015 and a 45,000-gallon diesel spill into Wyoming ranchland. After the burst in the Yellowstone River, around 6,000 residents were advised not to use tap water, and benzene concentrations reached 10–15 ppb, above levels considered a long-term concern. An oil sheen was observed over 59 miles downstream, an indication that communities far removed from the project may still feel the effects. The current proposed pipeline would cross 16 “riverine features” listed as impaired under the Clean Water Act and intersect blue-ribbon fisheries, known for their ecological and recreational value. While the proposed expansion avoids major population centers, it would potentially pass through or near many rural communities, including Malta, Glasgow, Wolf Point, and Poplar near the Fort Peck Reservation, as well as other small towns in eastern Montana… “Groundwater provides around 94% of Montana’s rural domestic water supply. In many Montana counties, more than 40% of residents rely on private wells. This means contamination near pipeline routes could affect households outside municipal water systems… ”While contractors cite this project as an opportunity to provide jobs in the energy sector and increase fuel security, there needs to be a proper evaluation of the consequences this project could pose to Montana Tribes, residents, and the environment that Montanans love and depend on. Approving a project of this scale without environmental analysis does not erase risk; it simply shifts uncertainty onto communities, nearby and distant residents, and future generations expected to bear the costs, few of whom will gain any benefits from the pipeline.”
Santa Barbara Independent: A Vote on Oil Phaseout That Could Make History
Paasha Mahdavi is a professor at UCSB and co-founder of The 2035 Initiative, a think-and-do tank on environmental policy research; Eleanor Thomas is an environmental engineer, a PhD student at the Bren School at UCSB, and an affiliate of The 2035 Initiative, 7/6/26
“Last May, Santa Barbara County took a bold step toward a cleaner future. The Board of Supervisors directed staff to develop an ordinance to phase out the production of oil and gas in our county. That ordinance — which prohibits new oil and gas drilling — has since been drafted, cleared the Planning Commission, and is now up for a vote on July 14. If the board says yes, Santa Barbara County will be among the first in the nation to sunset fossil fuel extraction,” Paasha Mahdavi and Eleanor Thomas write for the Santa Barbara Independent. “...Now is the time for the county to walk the walk and follow through with its commitments. The case for action is clear. Phasing out oil and gas production isn’t just about the climate. It’s about protecting the health and safety of every resident in this county… “And for those worried about the price at the pump: gas prices are set by global markets, not local production. Phasing out Santa Barbara’s wells won’t move the needle for your wallet. In fact, much of Santa Barbara’s oil is exported out of the county anyway — it was never going to end up at your local station… “It’s a worn-out cliche in government that “all politics is local,” but in our current political era, local leadership has never mattered more. Santa Barbara sparked the modern environmental movement after the 1969 oil spill. Now it’s time to lead again by committing to a clean, safe, and just transition away from fossil fuels. Tell your supervisor loud and clear: Vote yes to ban new oil drilling in Santa Barbara.”
Salt Lake Tribune: Rolling back the Oil and Gas Rule is a bad deal for Utah
Jacques Hadler managed Moab Cyclery for over a decade; he was elected to the Grand County Commission in 2020 and re-elected in 2024, 7/5/26
“The clock is ticking for Utah taxpayers as a critical public land policy is now officially on the chopping block. On June 11, the Trump Administration began the process of rescinding the 2024 Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Oil and Gas Rule,” Jacques Hadler writes for the Salt Lake Tribune. “As a professional in the outdoor industry in Moab and an elected official in Grand County, I have seen firsthand how the Utah economy benefits from public lands. Revenues come to our state through a wide variety of sources, from tourism to oil and gas royalties. In Moab, the Park Service, the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management are among our largest employers. But the lasting benefit of public land to the overall Utah economy comes through the quality of life that access to the great outdoors provides. Recreation assets like trails, rivers and lakes have become mainstream economic drivers. From our rural counties to Silicon Slopes, Utah’s outdoor opportunities are attracting business investment because people want to live where they can get outside. Yet, our officials in Washington continue to ignore these 21st century economic drivers and instead are poised to make a decision that is certain to degrade our public lands… “While we all use oil and gas, there is no reason for taxpayers to pick up the tab on clean up or miss out on important royalties from resources on the public lands which we all own. It is time for Utah’s elected officials to support our rural communities by keeping in place practical tools for managing multiple use, like the BLM Oil and Gas Rule.”
Las Vegas Sun: Fossil fuels makes little sense, or cents, in Nevada
Russell Kuhlman is executive director of the Nevada Wildlife Federation, 7/6/26
“We were told that if we gave oil and gas companies free reign on public lands, we would have national security and become energy independent. Then why are Nevadans paying $5 a gallon?,” Russell Kuhlman writes for the Las Vegas Sun. “Obviously, giving the oil and gas companies the keys to our public lands does not directly result in lower gas prices or security. Time and time again, the fossil fuel industry prefers steady, predictable growth and production or a boom and bust cycle… “As every Nevadan and oil speculator knows, Nevada is mainly federal land with very little oil and gas development. Our state only receives about $1-1.5 million a year in oil and gas revenue-sharing funds… “Even though most of these parcels never enter production, the majority of the parcels offered are located in big-game wildlife migration corridors or sage grouse habitat. The BLM mission statement is “is to sustain the health, diversity and productivity of public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.” To achieve this, the BLM is made up of various departments overseeing projects ranging from fossil fuel extraction, livestock grazing, mining, renewable energy and conservation. However, when the BLM sells a parcel for development, wildlife habitat conservation is knocked down the priority list on that landscape.”
Yorkshire Post: Carbon capture is vital to securing the economy and enabling British businesses to thrive
Olivia Powis is the CEO of the Carbon Capture and Storage Association (CCSA), 7/6/26
“This might sound like a climate policy issue, but it’s far more than that. It’s an economic imperative to safeguard the future of British industry. Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) is a crucial linchpin of our competitiveness. It will allow the UK’s vital industries to produce the low-carbon materials increasingly demanded by global markets and ensure we keep making them on British soil,” Olivia Powis writes for the Yorkshire Post. “Heavy industries, such as cement, chemicals and refining, cannot simply switch to renewable power or efficiency measures to eliminate their emissions. In many of these processes, carbon dioxide is an unavoidable by-product. Yet we need these sectors, as they provide materials and fuels essential to modern life, from concrete for our infrastructure to fuel for transport and defence. The urgent question is how to keep these essential industries and their jobs in Britain while slashing emissions. For many of these industries, CCUS is one of the only realistic solutions… “If British industry fails to decarbonise, our goods will face higher costs and new trade barriers, and the price of inaction will be paid in lost investment and jobs overseas… “But we can’t be complacent. Industrial investments are decided for the long term, and companies will only commit to buying low-carbon products and investing in CCUS if they believe Britain is in it for the long haul.”