EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 8/21/23
PIPELINE NEWS
Associated Press: More hearings begin soon for Summit's proposed CO2 pipeline. Where does the project stand?
Des Moines Register: Meet the Iowans battling over carbon capture pipeline plans as permit hearing is set to begin
Des Moines Register: What legal issues could decide Summit's carbon pipeline permit request? We asked an expert.
DTN Progressive Farmer: Carbon Pipeline Hearings in Iowa
NWestIowa.com: Voices louder ahead of pipeline hearing
Iowa Capital Dispatch: IUB orders Summit to turn over financial details of pipeline
KFYR: Summit Carbon Solutions resubmits revised permit to ND Public Service Commission
Cedar Rapids Gazette: CO2 pipelines must get signoffs beyond Iowa regulators
South Dakota Searchlight: Carbon pipeline company’s water-rights application sparks opposition
WKOW: Activists pressure DNR to shut down Wisconsin oil pipeline
WFAE: Huntersville pipeline cleanup continues, three years after major spill
E&E News: Gas Industry Blasts Biden Pipeline Methane Proposal
Argus Media: US gas sector faults pipeline leak proposal
Reuters: Tennessee natgas pipeline declares force majeure after fire
KOSA: Pipeline rupture in Ward County causes fire
Reuters: Trans Mountain says British Columbia fires pose no risk to its operations
Politico: Mountain Valley pipeline developer registers an in-house lobbyist
WASHINGTON UPDATES
E&E News: Conservative Watchdogs Call For Haaland Ethics Probe
E&E News: Texas Oil Regulator Hopes To Block Gulf Offshore Wind Sale
STATE UPDATES
WV Metro News: As hydrogen projects kick off, environmental groups question effects of carbon capture
Press release: UW to Lead $10M Hydrogen Project With Award From Department of Energy
EXTRACTION
Associated Press: Ecuadorians reject oil drilling in the Amazon in historic decision
Natural Gas World: Time to Act Now on Carbon Capture: Saipem
TODAY IN GREENWASHING
The Telegraph: Water Festival needs support for fifth-grade students to attend and learn
Enbridge: Indigenous engagement and inclusion Enbridge-MHA agreement: ‘It’s an awesome day’
OPINION
Kenosha News: Letter to the editor: Line 5 pipeline project isn't safe
Bleeding Heartland: Why is Summit planning to sequester carbon instead of monetizing it?
Chicago Tribune: Carbon dioxide pipelines in Illinois are a safe investment for the future
Greener Ideal: Is CCUS the Answer to Climate Change or Just Another Excuse
The Regulatory Review: EPA’s New Power Plant Rule Fits Within Court-Upheld Authority
Miami Herald: Biden Should Not Continue To Sacrifice Our Oceans For The Fossil-Fuel Industry
PIPELINE NEWS
Associated Press: More hearings begin soon for Summit's proposed CO2 pipeline. Where does the project stand?
JACK DURA, 8/21/23
“Public utility regulators in Iowa will begin a hearing Tuesday on a proposed carbon dioxide pipeline for transporting emissions of the climate-warming greenhouse gas for storage underground that has been met by resistant landowners who fear the taking of their land and dangers of a pipeline rupture,” the Associated Press reports. “...North Dakota regulators earlier this month denied a siting permit for Summit's proposed route in the state, citing myriad issues they say Summit didn't appropriately address, such as cultural resource impacts, geologic instability and landowner concerns. On Friday, Summit petitioned regulators to reconsider… “But opponents say carbon capture and storage isn't proven at scale and could require huge investments at the expense of cheaper alternatives such as solar and wind power, all at a time when there is an urgent need to phase out all fossil fuels. Carbon capture also is viewed by opponents as a way for fossil fuel companies to claim they are addressing climate change without actually having to significantly change their ways… “Counties don't approve or deny a route, but can institute ordinances' setbacks for land-use purposes that can dictate where a pipeline may go, and can enter into road haul agreements and road crossing permits, Omaha-based attorney Brian Jorde told AP. He represents more than 1,000 landowners opposed to CO2 pipeline projects in four states… “Eminent domain laws vary state by state, Jorde, who represents hundreds of people Summit has sued in South Dakota to take their land for its pipeline, told AP. “When you have the power of eminent domain like a hammer over a landowner's head, you can intimidate them into doing things they wouldn't otherwise do, which is sign easements, which Summit then turns around and says, ‘Look at all these “voluntary” easements we have. Look at all the “support” we have,' which is completely false," Jorde told AP.
Des Moines Register: Meet the Iowans battling over carbon capture pipeline plans as permit hearing is set to begin
Donnelle Eller, 8/20/23
“On Tuesday, the Ames company goes before the board to launch a months-long hearing on its request for a permit to build the Iowa portion of the hazardous liquid pipeline,” the Des Moines Register reports. “It's also seeking eminent domain powers to force about 480 landowners to sell access to their property for the project, which would capture carbon dioxide emissions from ethanol and other agriculture plants across Iowa and four other states, liquefy it under pressure and transport it via the pipeline to North Dakota for sequestration deep underground. Already, the initial pipeline proposal has been rejected in North Dakota, where it encountered landowner opposition, and the company is working on a revised plan to resubmit to regulators there. Iowa's consideration of the pipeline promises to be no less contentious… “Austin Hayek, 37, believes it’s fundamentally wrong for Iowa farmers and landowners to be forced to give a corporation access to their land… “We don’t see the value. We don’t want it,” Hayek, a manufacturing safety manager in Fort Dodge who farms with his father and lives on the family farmstead with his wife and five children, told the Register. “It’s not right to take our property and give it to someone else.” Last November, Hayek won a seat on the Webster County Board of Supervisors, running in part because of his concern about the proposed use of eminent domain by Summit and another pipeline company, Navigator CO2 Ventures… “We should find an alternative to just putting the carbon in a hole,” he told the Register, pointing to other companies that are combining ethanol plants’ carbon dioxide with green hydrogen to make methanol, a low-carbon fuel used to power large freight ships. “Eminent domain should be a last resort.” He told the Register he's also worried about his family’s safety. Carbon dioxide, an asphyxiant, is heavier than air. In a pipeline leak like one that occurred in Mississippi in 2020, the odorless, colorless gas sinks, displacing oxygen. Depending on concentration levels, exposure can cause everything from headaches and drowsiness to confusion and death… “Valen worries that Summit’s proposed pipeline, running about a quarter mile from the fen, will disrupt the year-round groundwater that feeds it… “Thomas Rosburg, a Drake University biology professor, told the Register Valen is right to be concerned. A nearby pipeline “could interfere with that hydrology and cause harm to the fen,” he says in an email.
Des Moines Register: What legal issues could decide Summit's carbon pipeline permit request? We asked an expert.
Donnelle Eller, 8/20/23
“Will Summit Carbon Solutions' planned $5.5 billion carbon capture pipeline across Iowa provide a public benefit to the state and its residents? That will be the question at the heart of a monthslong hearing scheduled to begin Tuesday in Fort Dodge as Summit seeks a permit from the Iowa Utilities Board to build the 700-mile Iowa segment,” the Des Moines Register reports. “...Jennifer Zwagerman, a Drake University law professor and the school's Agriculture Law Center director, told the Register a core legal consideration as the board decides whether to grant the permit will be whether it promotes “public convenience and necessity." “...Zwagerman, though, told the Register it might be trickier for Summit to demonstrate the pipeline would benefit more than just ethanol producers… “Proving the public benefit of carbon capture and sequestration could be more challenging, since its track record isn't as well established, Zwagerman told the Register. Summit and its experts will press the idea that the project will have “greater climate and environmental benefits to the public” by reducing the carbon footprint of Iowa ethanol producers and farmers, she told the Register, while the opponents’ experts will question whether it will have the claimed climate benefits or if better options than sequestration are available… “But opponents say the project wouldn't be feasible without lucrative federal tax incentives, which could reach $100 billion, according to a Bloomberg report. And critics have pointed to the added costs local governments will face if they must respond to a leak or rupture. Summit and other pipeline developers say they will train and equip local emergency responders. But some local first responders complain they haven't been contacted… “The Sierra Club and other groups say Iowa regulators play a role in safety oversight, given the three-member panel's authority over the pipeline's route. Counties also argue that concerns about the pipeline will hamper their ability to grow… “And opponents point to a rupture three years ago in a carbon dioxide pipeline near Satartia, Mississippi, that forced the evacuation of 250 people and sickened 45. Some residents continue to struggle with health issues. As a result, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration said it would strengthen carbon capture pipeline safety oversight. Pipeline critics say projects should be halted until the federal agency has completed its work… “If state regulators were to approve a permit for Summit, Zwagerman told the Register, she thinks they will make construction in Iowa conditional on getting a permit in North Dakota.”
DTN Progressive Farmer: Carbon Pipeline Hearings in Iowa
Chris Clayton, 8/21/23
“The ethanol industry, along with both carbon pipeline backers and opponents, will be watching how a series of hearings in Iowa play out over the next month,” DTN Progressive Farmer reports. “Iowa-based Summit Carbon Solutions starts another critical regulatory push for its proposed 1,250-mile carbon pipeline as the Iowa Utilities Board begins hearings this week for the state permit on the Midwest Carbon Express CO2 Pipeline. This includes Summit's request for eminent domain rights on parcels of land without signed easements… “The Iowa Renewable Fuels Association earlier this year cited that the state's ethanol industry could lose more than $10 billion a year if ethanol plants do not get access to pipelines that can capture carbon emissions… “Earlier this month, the North Dakota Public Service Commission unanimously rejected Summit's initial permit request -- the first time North Dakota officials have rejected a pipeline project… “Critics of the proposal took notice this week when Lynn Helms, North Dakota's director of Mineral Resources, said in a briefing that the state needs carbon dioxide from outside the state to help "stabilize and sustain Bakken oil production." Without carbon capture, Helms said, "we will leave billions of barrels of oil in the ground." Summit, which expects to receive federal tax credits for removing carbon dioxide from the air, has maintained since the beginning of the project that its pipeline and carbon injection would not be used for enhanced oil recovery… “Still, among dozens of comments filed against the project in Iowa, eminent domain for a private company has become a major bone of contention leading to the kind of right-left coalition that would put the Iowa Farm Bureau and the Iowa Sierra Club asking for the same kind of information… “Aaron Lehman, president of the Iowa Farmers Union, in a webinar Thursday added, "This has been an ongoing battle for landowners and environmentalists and farmers." The Iowa Cattlemen's Association also filed a letter citing that the group doesn't intend to halt the development of carbon pipelines in the state, "but rather to protect private property rights." The cattlemen's group stated, "ICA's grassroots-developed policy opposes eminent domain for private use." The group called on the IUB to refrain from approving eminent domain for any proposed carbon pipelines. The cattle producers also called for a minimum separation distance for carbon pipelines from homes and livestock as well.”
NWestIowa.com: Voices louder ahead of pipeline hearing
Elijah Helton, 8/20/23
“Scores of people for and against the proposed Summit Carbon Solutions pipeline are making their final preparations before the CO2 project’s hearing with the Iowa Utilities Board set for Tuesday, Aug. 22,” NWestIowa.com reports. “Proceedings are set to start at 10 a.m., although protesters expect to show up at least an hour early at the Cardiff Event Center in Fort Dodge. The IUB will meet for at least a month, with every weekday adding to testimony. The Iowa Farmers Union, one of several statewide groups organizing against Summit and similar pipelines, held a virtual meeting Thursday, Aug. 17, to discuss the hearing. “It’s super important for people to take action,” said IFU president Aaron Lehman… “Summit missed out on a permit Aug. 4 in North Dakota with a similar process to the IUB’s. That led some Iowa anti-pipeliners to argue the Hawkeye State should postpone its Aug. 22 hearing. They call Summit’s project “a pipeline to nowhere.” “Rushing this only benefits Summit. It does not benefit any of the landowners who never asked to be a part of this process in the first place,” Jess Mazour said. Mazour spoke to the IFU and its virtual audience Aug. 17. She is one of the leading public faces of the anti-pipeline movement in Iowa, working for the Sierra Club.”
Iowa Capital Dispatch: IUB orders Summit to turn over financial details of pipeline
JARED STRONG, 8/18/23
“Summit Carbon Solutions must reveal the financial aspects of its agreements with ethanol plants to the attorneys for two groups that seek to verify the economic claims of Summit’s proposed carbon dioxide pipeline, the Iowa Utilities Board has decided,” the Iowa Capital Dispatch reports. “However, the board agreed with the company in declaring that unspecified “critical timing-related provisions” of the contract should be redacted. The Thursday order follows a dispute over whether the specific terms of the contracts with ethanol plants are germane to the state’s hazardous pipeline permit process. The IUB is tasked with approving routes of such pipelines, but it also must determine that Summit’s project promotes “the public convenience and necessity.” “...The facilities would be eligible for generous federal tax credits for cutting their emissions or for producing low-carbon fuels, and they could gain access to new fuel markets. Summit has said it will take an unspecified portion of the new profits… “Because the economic benefits of the project are a consideration for whether it promotes “the public convenience and necessity,” an administrative law judge ordered Summit this month to provide unredacted copies of its contacts with ethanol producers to the Sierra Club of Iowa and the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation… “The board ordered Summit to provide the contracts with the provisions redacted within two days. The company will use a data-sharing site to disseminate those contracts, where they can be viewed but not downloaded.”
KFYR: Summit Carbon Solutions resubmits revised permit to ND Public Service Commission
Linnette Miner, 8/20/23
“Summit Carbon Solutions (SCS) has resubmitted its pipeline permit to the North Dakota Public Service Commission (PSC),” KFYR reports. “SCS announced on Friday it submitted a revised permit with a Petition for Reconsideration after the PSC denied its first permit in early August. In the petition, SCS addressed and amended concerns of the PSC, including rerouting the pipeline 10 miles north of Bismarck city limits and avoiding areas of concern like game management areas. “Addressing the concerns of the ND PSC is a top priority for us, and we’ve worked diligently to revise our application accordingly,” said Summit Carbon Solutions CEO Lee Blank. “Our aim is to work collaboratively, listen to everyone’s input, and align our project with the long-term vision that North Dakota has for its energy and agricultural sectors. We are confident that our efforts will contribute positively to North Dakota’s future, and we’re excited to be part of this journey.”
Cedar Rapids Gazette: CO2 pipelines must get signoffs beyond Iowa regulators
Erin Jordan, 8/18/23
“If Summit Carbon Solutions wants to build an underground carbon dioxide pipeline through north-central Iowa’s Wright County as it proposes, the company is going to have to pay more than $400,000 in fees to cross agricultural drainage tiles and ditches,” the Cedar Rapids Gazette reports. “Under a resolution passed last month in Wright County, pipeline companies must bore 2 feet below tiles and 5 feet below open ditches — a more expensive process than cutting a trench at crossings, said Dean Kluss, a farmer who chairs the Wright County Board of Supervisors. “There’s millions of dollars of infrastructure out there put in a long time ago,” Kluss told the Gazette about county-controlled drainage tiles that remove water from the flat, rich fields of north-central and northwest Iowa. “To replace it now is extremely costly. That cost should be borne by the industry that wants to put this (pipeline) in.” While the Iowa Utilities Board will decide whether three CO2 pipelines proposed in the state get permits, other government bodies must sign off on parts of these multibillion-dollar projects. And some local regulations may throw a wrench in the works… “A Summit consultant said in May that representatives from 13 tribes, including Cheyenne, Rosebud Sioux, Northern Cheyenne, Mille Lacs, Little Shell Chippewa, Yankton Sioux and Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, had participated in land surveys in Iowa in 2021 and 2022… “Usually, utility projects are reviewed by the Iowa DOT district nearest the construction site. But Deanne Popp, utility program administrator for the Iowa Department of Transportation, decided all the CO2 pipeline projects in Iowa would go to through the Sioux City office… “Wally Taylor, general counsel for the Sierra Club’s Iowa chapter, said he doesn’t think that’s a good idea. “One problem I would see, putting politics aside, is the office in Sioux City going to know about particular facts or concerns in Story County, for instance, or Bremer County? How is the Sioux City office going to know what’s relevant in southeast Iowa?” he told the Gazette. While routing all road crossing reviews through one office may be faster, Taylor told the Gazette that shouldn’t be a priority. “Why are they streamlining anything?” he asked. “These are important issues and there are a lot of concerns that need to be taken into consideration.” “...Summit’s pipeline is slated to pass 131 feet from the boundaries of Earling, a city of just under 400 people in Shelby County, in southwest Iowa, according to Steve Kenkel, a Shelby County supervisor. “We were told originally we don’t have much authority here,” Kenkel told the Gazette. “As we started digging it into it more, the two biggest ways counties have authority is home rule and ordinances. How do we protect our people, our property, our future?” The county passed an ordinance last November setting pipeline setbacks from hospitals, nursing homes, recreation facilities, homes and animal confinements and other locations. The ordinance was built on a 1998 provision requiring communities that want to develop within 2 miles of city limits to work with the county, Kenkel said. Summit sued Shelby County over the ordinance. In July, a federal judge granted Summit an injunction that will halt enforcement until a civil trial in late January.”
South Dakota Searchlight: Carbon pipeline company’s water-rights application sparks opposition
JOSHUA HAIAR, 8/20/23
“State officials are recommending a water-rights permit for a carbon dioxide pipeline company, but some nearby residents who use the same aquifer fear they could be negatively affected,” the South Dakota Searchlight reports. “A corporate entity affiliated with Summit Carbon Solutions, called Redfield SCS Capture, has applied to drill a well that could take up to 21 million gallons of water per year from the Dakota Aquifer, which is an amount equivalent to about 32 Olympic-sized pools… “The state Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources said in a written statement to South Dakota Searchlight that the water will be used for “non-contact cooling.” The department provided no further information, and Summit did not respond to multiple Searchlight messages. Other sources interviewed for this story speculated the water will be used to cool pipes carrying pressurized carbon dioxide. After its use, the water would be discharged into a local waterway, DANR’s report says. The report does not say which body of water, but the site is near Turtle Creek and the James River… “Neither DANR nor Summit responded to questions about whether Summit will apply for new water rights and wells at other locations… “Because some nearby residents sent opposition comments to the state during a public comment period, the proposed permit will be the subject of a contested case hearing this fall. One of those nearby residents is Debra Curtis, who ranches about 2.5 miles from the proposed Summit well and fears it would “reduce the water pressure and flow of my well.” Dave and Stacey Marlow wrote to the department that their drive-in theater “will not have adequate water pressure to continue business” if the project is permitted. “I was told that much water being extracted will create a cone-shaped vacuum into the aquifer,” Dave Marlow told South Dakota Searchlight. “And for wells only a mile or so away, like ours, there’s just not enough pressure.” “...Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources spokesperson Brian Walsh added that three people or entities — Curtis, the Marlows and another rural Redfield resident, Brad Hekrdle — filed comments that automatically triggered a contested case hearing, which will take place Oct. 4 in Pierre before the state Water Management Board.”
WKOW: Activists pressure DNR to shut down Wisconsin oil pipeline
JT Cestkowski, 8/19/23
“Climate activists led by the group Action for the Climate Emergency held a protest and march around Madison's Capitol Square Saturday during the Dane County Farmer's Market,” WKOW reports. “The demonstration aimed to pressure state government officials to shut down the Line 5 oil and gas pipeline operated by the Canadian oil company Enbridge… “Activists warn that a leak or break would not only endanger the Great Lakes but also the environment, residents, and local ecosystems of Northern Wisconsin. Hundreds of miles south of the pipeline, activists thronged Madison's Capitol Square with signs and science. "We're having more natural disasters, we're having more thunderstorms. We're having more drought," said 17-year old climate activist Ali Gomez; who is 53 years younger than the pipeline and concerned about what the planet might look like when she reaches 70… “Enbridge claims it monitors the pipeline closely to prevent spills, but outside Wisconsin's State Capitol the activists asked for the pipeline to be shut down in its entirety. "Shutting down Line 5 leads to better air quality here in Madison," Action for the Climate Emergency Wisconsin Director Marco Marquez said. "Shutting down Line 5 leads to more regular weather patterns here in Madison. And shutting down Line five means that our young people are going to have a future that they can look forward to."
WFAE: Huntersville pipeline cleanup continues, three years after major spill
David Boraks, 8/18/23
“Noting an anniversary: Three years ago this past Monday, Aug. 14, a couple of high schoolers riding an ATV discovered gasoline bubbling up out of the ground along the Colonial Pipeline at the Oehler Nature Preserve in Huntersville,” WFAE reports. “The company initially estimated that about 63,000 gallons were spilled. Estimates have kept growing since then, and Colonial now puts the figure at 2 million gallons, as of July. That makes it the largest gasoline spill on land in the US. Colonial Pipeline has consulted with Mecklenburg County on replanting the gasoline spill site, in Oehler Nature Preserve in Huntersville. But workers are still removing about 1,000 gallons a day from the ground. The company has settled regulatory actions with both federal and state officials so far, and costs of the cleanup have mounted… “Another concern has been whether the same kind of defective repairs that led to the Huntersville spill also exist elsewhere along the 5,500 miles of pipeline… “In June, state regulators gave Colonial the go-ahead to build a wastewater treatment plant on site so it doesn't have to truck contaminated water to another location. It will spend $23 million to build the plant, and then pipe the treated water into a nearby creek. The cleanup is expected to continue for years.”
E&E News: Gas Industry Blasts Biden Pipeline Methane Proposal
Mike Soraghan, 8/21/23
“The oil and gas industry is accusing the Biden administration of "overreach" for its proposed regulations to reduce methane leaks from pipelines,” E&E News reports. “The proposal ‘blatantly’ contradicts Congress' directives, includes "highly inaccurate" cost estimates and would impose ‘highly unrealistic’ deadlines for compliance, according to a recent letter from the American Gas Association. The letter was submitted at the end of the rule's public comment period and was also signed by several state gas associations.”
Argus Media: US gas sector faults pipeline leak proposal
Chris Knight, 8/17/23
“The natural gas sector is urging President Joe Biden's administration to dial back a proposal that federal officials expect would cut by 55pc the volume of methane leaking from natural gas pipelines,” Argus Media reports. “Those regulations, proposed by the US Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), would require pipeline operators to look for leaks more often, follow explicit criteria for making timely leak repairs and cut down on emissions during "blowdowns" that allow for pipeline maintenance. PHMSA says the rule would achieve the climate equivalent of taking more than 5mn cars off the road. But pipeline owners and natural gas producers say the proposal vastly exceeds what the US Congress intended in a 2020 law that mandated tougher leak detection rules. The regulations would cost far more than agency estimates of $740mn-900mn/yr, the industry groups say, and would set compliance deadlines that would be impracticable to achieve. "Extensive changes must be made to PHMSA's proposed rule in order for it to be consistent with Congress' intent," the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America and other major gas industry groups said on 16 August in joint formal comments on the rule.
Reuters: Tennessee natgas pipeline declares force majeure after fire
8/18/23
“Kinder Morgan (KMI.N) unit Tennessee Gas Pipeline on Friday declared force majeure following an explosion and fire caused by equipment failure at a compressor station near Centerville in Hickman County,” Reuters reports. "At this time, the fire remains extinguished," the company said in an email, adding that the evacuation order that was in place has been lifted, and Highway 48 has reopened. One employee was transported to the hospital with symptoms that were not directly related to the incident and has been discharged, the company said. "The six employees who were on site during the incident have been accounted for, and there are no additional injuries to report." Kinder Morgan said that a safety assessment is underway and it will conduct cleanup activities and develop a repair plan once it is safe to access the site.”
KOSA: Pipeline rupture in Ward County causes fire
Micah Allen, 8/16/23
“The company whose pipe caught fire released the following statement about the incident: Northern Natural Gas experienced a pipeline rupture near Monahans, Texas overnight on August 16, 2023. There are no known injuries,” KOSA reports. “There was a fire at the point of the incident, which has been completely extinguished. The site has been secured, and this section of the pipeline system has been isolated. Any residual gas has either burned off or dissipated. There is currently no threat to public safety… “Northern Natural Gas is coordinating with all local, state and federal authorities. Northern Natural Gas is using all necessary resources to investigate the cause of the incident and safely restore service to our customers. We expect to begin repairs to the system later today.”
Reuters: Trans Mountain says British Columbia fires pose no risk to its operations
8/20/23
“Canadian oil pipeline system operator Trans Mountain said on Sunday that the British Columbia wildfires posed no risk to its pipeline operations or its expansion project,” Reuters reports. "Trans Mountain is actively monitoring the wildfire situation and we are in constant communication with local and provincial agencies, including Indigenous communities," Trans Mountain said in a statement. The province imposed an emergency late on Friday, giving officials more power to deal with fire risks. By Saturday, more than 35,000 residents were under an evacuation order and another 30,000 were under an evacuation alert. Trans Mountain said that they maintain several wildfire equipment trailers and caches of equipment that allows for the safe construction and operation of the pipeline adding that underground pipelines are buried a few feet below the surface and are protected from the fire by the soil and constant movement of liquid moving through the pipelines.”
Politico: Mountain Valley pipeline developer registers an in-house lobbyist
CAITLIN OPRYSKO, 8/18/23
“Equitrans Midstream has boosted its lobbying footprint in Washington on the heels of this year’s budget ceiling deal that paved the way for the completion of the company’s contentious Mountain Valley pipeline,” Politico reports. “Equitrans, the pipeline’s developer, registered its first in-house lobbyist at the federal level last month as the newly greenlit project wound its way through a series of legal challenges, according to newly filed disclosures. Michael Killion will lobby for Equitrans on issues related to oil and gas infrastructure, according to the disclosure, including a sweeping energy bill passed by House Republicans and the bipartisan debt ceiling legislation signed into law in June. Killion serves as Equitrans’ deputy general counsel for government affairs and has been with the company since 2011, before the pipeline business was split off from parent company EQT Corporation. In addition to Killion, Equitrans retains Bradley Arant Boult Cummings and Bighorn Public Affairs Group. The pipeline — a joint venture with NextEra Energy, Consolidated Edison, AltaGas Ltd. and RGC Resources for which Equitrans is the lead developer — retains Cassidy & Associates as a subcontractor to Perkins Coie and briefly retained Vinson & Elkins while negotiations for the budget deal were ongoing.”
WASHINGTON UPDATES
E&E News: Conservative Watchdogs Call For Haaland Ethics Probe
Michael Doyle, 8/18/23
“A conservative, self-styled watchdog group filed an ethics complaint Thursday against Deb Haaland, escalating a dispute over the Interior Department secretary’s moratorium on oil and gas leasing near Chaco Canyon National Historic Park,” E&E News reports. “Echoing questions previously raised by congressional Republicans, Protect the Public’s Trust submitted a complaint to the Interior Department’s Office of Inspector General, noting that Somah Haaland, the secretary’s child, belongs to an organization that pressed federal officials to restrict oil and gas leasing in the area around New Mexico’s Chaco Canyon. Somah Haaland narrated a film, titled ‘Our Story: The Indigenous Led Fight to Protect Greater Chaco,’ in which the Interior secretary appeared. At the time of the filming, Deb Haaland was representing a New Mexico congressional district in the House of Representatives. “The American public deserves the assurance that official decisions at the Department of the Interior and other agencies are made in an impartial manner,” Michael Chamberlain, director of Protect the Public’s Trust, said in a statement, adding that ‘Deb Haaland pushed forward in the apparent misconception that people would believe she could be ‘impartial’ in the matter.’ Interior declined to comment on the complaint, other than to point to the background of Protect the Public’s Trust.”
E&E News: Texas Oil Regulator Hopes To Block Gulf Offshore Wind Sale
Heather Richards, 8/18/23
“A Texas oil regulator is urging the state’s governor to try to block the Biden administration’s plan to bring offshore wind to the Gulf of Mexico,” E&E News reports. “Wayne Christian, a Republican commissioner of the Texas Railroad Commission, wrote in a Tuesday letter to Gov. Greg Abbott (R) that the emerging offshore wind industry represents a threat to the state’s longtime economic engine: oil and gas. “Something must be done to stop President Biden from implementing these wind farms in the Gulf of Mexico,” he wrote. “These wind farms are an environmental risk, a public safety hazard, a burden on our electric grid, and a taxpayer boondoggle.” Later this month, the Interior Department will hold the first-ever auction of offshore wind leases in the Gulf of Mexico. The auction will clear the way for the renewable sector to potentially construct wind farms off the coast of Galveston, Texas, and Lake Charles, La. The agency declined to comment on Christian’s letter. Offshore wind farms have the firm support of the Biden administration, which has committed to developing enough offshore wind in the U.S. to serve 10 million homes by 2030. The push is part of a broader attempt to address a warming climate by replacing fossil fuel power on the electricity grid.”
STATE UPDATES
WV Metro News: As hydrogen projects kick off, environmental groups question effects of carbon capture
Brad McElhinny, 8/20/23
“A big question about a hydrogen production project kickstarted by West Virginia officials this month is the feasibility of storing carbon dioxide byproduct underground on public lands,” WV Metro News reports. “That’s just the spearhead of what’s likely to be ongoing public debate over whether that kind of carbon capture storage is truly workable for a range of big projects. Fidelis New Energy plans a multi-faceted project for Point Pleasant aiming to produce hydrogen from natural gas and use the energy for a variety of purposes including carbon-neutral hyperscale datacenters, greenhouses, transportation, and steel production. To aim for zero emissions, the state Division of Natural Resources would directly award leases to Fidelis for the development of pore spaces for carbon capture and sequestration on state-owned properties… “The process sounds like an environmental breakthrough, but climate change activists and conservationists have expressed concern already that projects like the one presented by Fidelis could be a fig leaf: a way to consume natural gas while banking on technology without a track record. “I think there’s pushback because there’s concern about emissions, there are concerns about air and water pollution, there’s concern about geologic issues — and I’m talking about earthquakes, even, in some cases,” Karan May, campaign representative for the Sierra Club in West Virginia, told the News. “And even before getting to all of that, you have this talk about carbon capture as if it’s a proven technology, and it is not. There have been no successful stories of carbon capture utilization and storage that I know of, and yet we have government officials who are ready to spend tens of millions of taxpayer money on something that is likely to fail if it is even developed in the first place.”
Press release: UW to Lead $10M Hydrogen Project With Award From Department of Energy
8/18/23
“The Hydrogen Energy Research Center (H2ERC) in the University of Wyoming’s School of Energy Resources (SER) is set to lead a collaborative project integrating a produced water thermal desalinization technology along with autothermal or steam methane reforming (ATR/SMR) for efficient hydrogen production. Partnered with Los Alamos National Laboratory; Engineering, Procurement and Construction LLC (EPC); and Williams, one of the nation’s largest energy infrastructure companies, the project aims to demonstrate hydrogen production using water produced during oil and gas extraction. “Water is a very valuable resource in Wyoming and in the arid West,” says H2ERC Director Eugene Holubnyak. “Hydrogen production requires water to produce so, if we are able to utilize water that would be normally considered a waste product from oil and gas production and turn it into a value-added resource for another energy-producing technology, we are effectively helping two different energy industries in Wyoming while conserving an indispensable resource.” The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management recently announced that the project had been selected to negotiate a nearly $5 million award as part of the expanded “Clean Hydrogen Production, Storage, Transport and Utilization to Enable a Net-Zero Carbon Economy” funding opportunity with cost share among the project partners, bringing the total endeavor up to $10 million.
EXTRACTION
Associated Press: Ecuadorians reject oil drilling in the Amazon in historic decision
8/21/23
“In a historic decision, Ecuadorians voted on Sunday against the oil drilling of a protected area in the Amazon that’s home to two uncontacted tribes and serves as a biodiversity hotspot,” the Associated Press reports. “With over 90% of the ballots counted by early Monday, around six in ten Ecuadorians rejected the oil exploration in Block 44, situated within Yasuni National Park, one of the world’s most biodiverse regions. The area is inhabited by the Tagaeri and Taromenani, who live in self-isolation… “The outcome represents a significant blow to Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso, who advocated for oil drilling, asserting that its revenues are crucial to the country’s economy. As a result of the vote, state oil company Petroecuador will be required to dismantle its operations in the coming months.”
Natural Gas World: Time to Act Now on Carbon Capture: Saipem
8/21/23
“In the roadmap to reach net zero emissions, carbon capture is a mature technology that can definitely support hard-to-abate industries, given the lack of alternatives for addressing their emissions, Richard Surprenant, business development manager for carbon capture solutions at Saipem,” Natural Gas World reports. “The carbon capture technology has been around for decades but has undergone an evolution with the introduction of advanced solvents, says Surprenant. Saipem has developed its own unique enzymatic technology, which uses a potassium carbonate, that rapidly accelerates capture compared with conventional amine-based methods… “Surprenant says recent policy developments in the US such as incentives included in the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the 45Q carbon capture tax credit favoured the development of carbon capture. He notes that Canada is now trying to match this level of support with various national policies and provincial policies, including in Alberta, British Columbia and Quebec. Over in Europe, Saipem has been able to tap European research funds to improve its carbon capture technology through the ACCSESS initiative. Surprenant also hails the EU’s incoming carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM), which encourages industrial suppliers outside of the bloc to adopt carbon capture as well. In terms of what more policy makers could do, he stresses that there should no longer be an “optionality” for industries to adopt carbon capture, and regulation needs to enforce this. “We don’t have the luxury of time, and if we want to reach net zero we need to act now,” he said. “We need to quickly reach a situation whereby all economic development from now on must deploy carbon capture when needed.”
TODAY IN GREENWASHING
The Telegraph: Water Festival needs support for fifth-grade students to attend and learn
8/20/23
“Lewis and Clark Community College and its National Great Rivers Research and Education Center plan to host the 21st annual Water Festival on Sept. 29,” The Telegraph reports. “More than 800 fifth-graders are expected for a water science field day, the largest festival to date, on L&C’s Godfrey campus, 5800 Godfrey Road… “The water festival costs $50 per student. Mandeville's team has been raising funds since April but she said more is needed to meet the demand. “We don’t want to turn any students away,” Mandeville told the Telegraph. “My team is so grateful to our major sponsors, Phillips66-Wood River Refinery, Illinois American Water, Godfrey Walmart and Enbridge Energy Services…”
Enbridge: Indigenous engagement and inclusion Enbridge-MHA agreement: ‘It’s an awesome day’
8/18/21
“Says Thunder Butte refinery CEO of Enbridge’s pipeline sale to the North Dakota-based nation: “I’m thankful to Enbridge, because now they’re part of our history. They’re our partner,” according to Enbridge.
OPINION
Kenosha News: Letter to the editor: Line 5 pipeline project isn't safe
Marieta Huff, Kenosha, 8/20/23
“On Aug. 10, WI Jobs and Energy brought a 34-foot section of pipe to the Kenosha Union Club. Speakers claimed Line 5 is the safest way to transport oil. Line 5 is not safe!” Marieta Huff writes for the Kenosha News. “...To enable bitumen to flow through a pipeline, it is diluted with a cocktail of natural gas liquids, light crude and naphtha and pumped under greater pressure. The diluents corrode the lining of the pipes and the pressure increases the chance of ruptures in the pipelines. The 2010 Kalamazoo River oil spill, largest on land in U.S. history, is still being remediated. Line 5 under the Straits of Mackinac is 15 years older. The damage would be irreparable if breached… “Rerouting the pipeline around the Bad River Reservation will only cause soil disturbance and endanger more wild rice wetlands and tributaries of the Bad River. Line 5, built in 1953, should be decommissioned! Tar sands crude should stay in the ground!”
Bleeding Heartland: Why is Summit planning to sequester carbon instead of monetizing it?
Nancy Dugan, Altoona, Iowa, 8/18/23
“A small plane with the tail number N215TS has been making routine flights in Alaska in recent months. Its owner is Eagle Wings, LLC, and its Federal Aviation Administration registration shares an address with Summit Agricultural Group in Alden, Iowa,” Nancy Dugan writes for Bleeding Heartland. “When looking at Alaska’s carbon initiatives, one may wonder: Is the Summit project part of a larger plan? Might its pipeline one day transport oil or natural gas?... “But even if these flights are unrelated, other evidence suggests that the Summit Carbon project and Alaska’s aggressive push to advance carbon management and sequestration legislation may not be a mere coincidence. North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum was an early advocate of the Summit project… “It’s more likely Burgum was sending a message to Summit investors or a potential buyer for the project, which now stands at an estimated cost of $5.5 billion. There's been no public word from Summit about where all this money will come from since mid-2022, when the company announced it had raised just over $1 billion to fund the project… “SK E&S is one of many companies comprising the SK Group, South Korea’s second-largest chaebol, which has faced a multitude of legal problems in recent years, both in the U.S. and South Korea. SK Engineering and Construction, another SK Group company, pleaded guilty to defrauding the U.S. Army in June 2020 and was fined more than $68 million. It has faced myriad other legal battles in the U.S… “If carbon dioxide is rapidly becoming a valuable commodity, then why is Summit advancing a plan to permanently sequester it? Will the perceived need for carbon sequestration soon become obsolete?.. “Offtake agreements between Summit and partnering ethanol plants are closely guarded and remain the subject of an ongoing battle between Summit and opposing counsel. What if these agreements allow for alternative uses of CO2, including sustainable aviation fuel? What if these agreements outline alternative plans for carbon capture in the event of a pipeline shutdown or failure?”
Chicago Tribune: Carbon dioxide pipelines in Illinois are a safe investment for the future
Charles McConnell is the energy center officer at the Center for Carbon Management and Energy Sustainability at the University of Houston and a former assistant secretary for the Department of Energy, 8/18/23
“Producing reliable and affordable energy to meet growing societal demands in an environmentally responsible manner is a difficult needle to thread. So how do we do it?” Charles McConnell writes for the Chicago Tribune. “The answer is carbon capture utilization and storage, or CCUS. Ethanol is a fundamental part of the state’s economy and critical to meeting low-carbon fuel standards. CCUS can enable a longer and more prosperous future for ethanol, as well as other carbon dioxide-emitting industries, and for the citizens of Illinois… “Is it safe? Yes. Will it leak? No… “Leading organizations such as the Houston CCS Alliance and the University of Houston’s Center for Carbon Management in Energy are confident that the research and work of carbon capture over the last 25 years ensures a proven process for transporting and storing CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions in geological formations… “Of course, CCUS must be held to a rigorous set of safety protocols as it is introduced to Illinois communities… “A study by the University of Illinois’ Prairie Research Institute concluded that carbon capture technology could add $57.2 million to Illinois’ gross domestic product and increase labor income by $37.9 million… “CCUS technology has been proved to be a safe and effective tool for reducing carbon emissions. Illinois has a unique opportunity to be at the forefront of its adoption and lead the fight against climate change, securing long-term leadership and security of Illinois industries. Illinois can lead a truly sustainable future through CCUS.”
Greener Ideal: Is CCUS the Answer to Climate Change or Just Another Excuse?
EMILY NEWTON, 8/21/23
“Although CCUS is incredibly promising, various activists have voiced concern over its impact. Some experts believe it’s the answer to climate change, while others feel it’s an excuse for manufacturers to produce more greenhouse gas emissions,” Emily Newton writes for Greener Ideal. “...The drawbacks of CCUS include poor resource allocation, issue minimization, and operational complexity. Despite all its benefits, it has multiple concerning aspects. For instance, its actual carbon reduction impact may not be as significant as it initially seems. CCUS projects capture 10%-15% of Scope 1 and 2 emissions — emissions that come directly from operations and indirectly from energy use — and they say they’re carbon neutral because of it. However, the truth is more complex because they don’t factor in Scope 3. Scope 3 emissions come from indirect use when someone processes, transports, or uses a product that creates greenhouse gasses. For oil and gas, it accounts for up to 90% of carbon dioxide emissions, meaning CCUS projects aren’t carbon neutral. By claiming they are, they’re significantly exaggerating their positive environmental impact. Additionally, CCUS leads to poor allocation of natural resources. Carbon capture and storage alone require almost double humanity’s water footprint to reach the EU’s goal of a 1.5° Celcius warming maximum. This is a concerning issue considering how climate change is making water scarce. Historically, CCUS projects have rarely worked like they were supposed to. Although the process is reasonably straightforward in theory, it’s expensive to install and complex to maintain… “People don’t need to wait for some miracle technology. CCUS is an existing practice that could revolutionize how the world approaches climate-change solutions. Most drawbacks of CCUS come from poor implementation — the practice itself is reliable, safe, and effective. If humanity will beat climate change and progress toward a sustainable future, it should capitalize on this method.”
The Regulatory Review: EPA’s New Power Plant Rule Fits Within Court-Upheld Authority
Dena Adler is a senior attorney at the New York University School of Law’s Institute for Policy Integrity, 8/21/23
“A decade-long journey of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reduce climate-related air pollution from power plants reached another milestone in May when the agency proposed new standards for greenhouse gas emissions from coal- and gas-fired power plants,” Dena Adler writes for The Regulatory Review. “Last year, the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in West Virginia v. EPA told EPA how not to reduce climate pollution from the power sector. So, in its new proposal, EPA did what the Court asked: It proposed emission limits based on reducing pollution at individual plants, rather than intentionally shifting generation from dirtier to cleaner power plants. In short, with its proposal, EPA has carried out its duty to regulate greenhouse gas emissions all while navigating the new legal landscape delineated by the West Virginia decision… “Following the Court’s lead, EPA carved a trail for its recently proposed climate rule that is entirely distinctive from the Clean Power Plan. EPA’s proposed rule applies the approach that the Court endorsed in West Virginia: setting emission limits focused on reducing pollution from individual sources. Specifically, the proposed rule would set emissions limits based on what is achievable by, among other measures, technology that captures and stores carbon emissions, a process known as carbon capture and sequestration. It also considers emission reductions achievable through improvements to plant efficiency and increasing co-firing with cleaner fuels, which involves using natural gas at coal plants or low-greenhouse gas hydrogen at natural gas plants… “Critics of the rule say the selected technologies should not be the basis for the standard because they are not ready for prime time. The critics are right that carbon capture and hydrogen co-firing are not yet in widespread use at power plants. But that is not the legal standard. Longstanding federal case law confirms that the “adequately demonstrated” standard does not require that a technology “be routinely achieved within the industry prior to the standard’s adoption.” “...EPA’s recently proposed rule will not be a silver bullet for reducing U.S. emissions. The federal government must still do more to combat the climate crisis and protect frontline communities from the harmful air pollution spewed by fossil fuel-fired facilities. In particular, EPA must set standards for more of the existing gas-fired fleet because the current proposal covers only the largest and most frequently used units.”
Miami Herald: Biden Should Not Continue To Sacrifice Our Oceans For The Fossil-Fuel Industry
Zanagee Artis leads advocacy to limit new fossil-fuel leasing and development on public lands and waters at the Natural Resources Defense Council. He is the founder and executive director of Zero Hour. Kendall Dix is national policy director for Taproot Earth, 8/17/23
“The deadly heat wave gripping the southern United States and northern Mexico is just the latest evidence of the urgency of the climate crisis. We must stop extracting fossil fuels from the earth and burning them,” Zanagee Artis and Kendall Dix write for the Miami Herald. “Yet, the U.S. Department of the Interior is considering a five-year oil and gas leasing program for the nation’s oceans that greenlights new areas for development. The plan, expected this fall, would generate carbon emissions up to 10 times the size of the Willow project, a massive oil-drilling project in the Alaskan Arctic that the Biden administration recently approved. That’s the opposite of what we need. The head of the United Nations recently said fossil fossils are ‘incompatible with human survival,’ while the International Energy Agency (IEA) has recommended an immediate end to new oil and gas supply projects globally to meet net zero carbon emissions by 2050, a date that increasingly looks far too late to prevent the worst impacts of the climate crisis.”