EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 8/4/23
PIPELINE NEWS
KELO: PUC wants to hear all sides on Navigator pipeline
Wahpeton Daily News: Richland board votes to request investigation of Summit owners
South Dakota Searchlight: Errors and missing info highlighted as carbon pipeline hearing continues
Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Navigator’s carbon pipeline rupture modeling has some shortcomings, consultant testifies
KCCR: Testimony Continues At Casey Tibbs Rodeo Center In Navigator Heartland Greenway Pipeline Application
Hart Energy: Equitrans Midstream Sets Sights on MVP Completion
Pipeline Safety Trust: Bridger and Belle Fourche Pipeline Companies Must Pay $12.5 Million in Civil Penalty Fees After Spills Fouled Waters in Montana and North Dakota
KRIS: Natural gas pipeline impacts cow pasture at Knolle Dairy Farms
KETK: Saltwater from oil pipelines damaging several properties in East Texas, landowners say
Reuters: Canadian Natural says Trans Mountain Expansion to call for pipeline fill this fall
Bloomberg: Canadian Oil-Sands Output Poised to Jump as Pipeline Project Nears Finish
WASHINGTON UPDATES
E&E News: BLM proposes end to new oil leases on 1.6M acres in Colorado
Houston Chronicle: Offshore oil in Gulf faces new restrictions to protect endangered Rice's whales
STATE UPDATES
Louisiana Illuminator: Louisiana residents ask state to halt next phase of carbon capture project
JD Supra: States Continue to Build Out Carbon Sequestration Regulatory Structure in First Half of 2023
Associated Press: California high court says county can’t enforce oil well ban as state debates future of fossil fuels
KMGH: Aurora community fights against oil and gas drilling near their homes
WPVI: Coast Guard responds to oil spill in Philadelphia Navy Yard
EXTRACTION
Natural Gas Intelligence: Energy Transfer Restarting Natural Gas Permit Process for Lake Charles LNG
CLIMATE FINANCE
Reuters: Royal Bank of Canada, criticized on climate, seeks executive to tackle issue
New York Times: Larry Fink’s Bet on Saudi Oil Money Is Also His Latest E.S.G. Woe
OPINION
The Hill: 6 months after the train crash, where is the help for East Palestine?
PIPELINE NEWS
KELO: PUC wants to hear all sides on Navigator pipeline
Bob Mercer, 8/3/23
“The three members of the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission said Thursday they want the full case presented before deciding whether to grant a permit for the proposed Navigator carbon-dioxide pipeline,” KELO reports. “The commissioners unanimously rejected a request from Brian Jorde, the lead attorney for landowners opposed to the project, that a permit not be granted. Jorde wanted the commission to instead return Navigator’s application, because the company failed to timely meet a state law requiring notification of landowners along the proposed route… “Commissioner Chris Nelson said it was too soon to decide the matter… “Jorde meanwhile had two dozen landowners waiting to testify. Nelson said he wanted to hear from them… “Hanson noted that the commission plans a special hearing August 24-25 on the related question that Navigator raised. The company wants the state commission to override pipeline ordinances that were recently passed in Minnehaha County and Moody County. South Dakota law gives the state commission authority to do that… “Daniel Janssen of Dell Rapids, one of the landowners who testified Thursday afternoon, said the field the pipeline would cross on his family’s property is currently planted in alfalfa. “The more information I learned, the less I liked this project,” he said. Janssen (pictured) is a member of the Trent fire department. “I can fight a fire I can see. I can’t see carbon dioxide,” he said.
Wahpeton Daily News: Richland board votes to request investigation of Summit owners
Frank Stanko, 8/2/23
“With a 4-1 vote Tuesday, Aug. 1, the Richland County Board of Commissioners approved requesting an investigation into the ownership of Summit Carbon Solutions,” the Wahpeton Daily News reports. “The Richland board’s vote, made in Hankinson, North Dakota, came after nearly 20 minutes of discussion.”
South Dakota Searchlight: Errors and missing info highlighted as carbon pipeline hearing continues
JOSHUA HAIAR, 8/3/23
“Public utilities commissioners denied a motion to withhold a permit for a liquid carbon dioxide pipeline Thursday, but they acknowledged lacking some useful information from the company applying to build it,” South Dakota Searchlight reports. “...Public Utilities Commission Chairwoman Kristie Fiegen – one of the three elected commissioners tasked with deciding on a permit for the project – asked why the commission is expected to make such a consequential decision, “yet there are errors, we’re missing stuff.” She was referring to a number of incomplete safety, cultural and environmental surveys, and errors that have appeared in some of the information given to the commission. An attorney for the commission, Kristen Edwards, asked the company, “Why didn’t Navigator wait to file for a permit until more surveying was completed?” “...Brian Sterner, an environmental consultant and soil biologist, testified Thursday that he and a colleague “share the concern” that permitting the project prior to the completion of all the environmental analyses may be premature. Brian Jorde, a lawyer representing impacted landowners, cited those issues and the company’s earlier failure to provide timely notice to 204 affected South Dakotans along the would-be-route. He moved to deny the permit. The three commissioners rejected the motion… “Hearings are scheduled to continue through Saturday, and the commissioners’ decision is due by Sept. 26.”
Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Navigator’s carbon pipeline rupture modeling has some shortcomings, consultant testifies
Dominik Dausch, 8/3/23
“As the evidentiary hearing for Navigator Heartland Greenway, LLC's proposed carbon dioxide pipeline continues into its second week, testimony Wednesday shed light on an important but undisclosed component of the system,” the Sioux Falls Argus Leader reports. “South Dakota Public Utilities Commission heard from Matthew Frazell, a consultant with Texas-based Environmental Resources Management, Inc, regarding Navigator's plume model information… “Navigator's plume modeling data has remained confidential throughout the hearing process, but certain witnesses like Frazell have been privy to observing the report. Frazell, in both his in-person and written testimony, said Navigator's report had not provided adequate information to prove that the proposed pipeline would not harm residents or communities in the event of a rupture. He also admitted he was concerned Navigator had not included high consequence areas, such as populated areas, drinking water sources and unusually sensitive ecological areas, in their initial dispersion analysis. The confidential data itself is in some ways bare, Frazell also observed. Navigator's Air Dispersion Guidance report, which contains plume modeling data, contained "just tables of data." Frazell said the documentation does not include "outputs," or visualizations or useful reports showing how communities would be impacted. "[Navigator] does a really good job of saying what was done, what we plan to do, but doesn't say inputs or visual outputs of which HCAs are impacted," Frazell said. Brian Jorde, an attorney representing landowners affected by Navigator's pipeline, called Navigator's models into question while examining Frazell… “The attorney asserted the modeling software demonstrates CO2 dispersion distances for perfectly flat plains, which would not suit South Dakota's varied landscape. Asked by Jorde whether ALOHA and PHAST have little or no ability to account for complex variables that can affect plumes ― meteorology and terrain as prime examples ― Frazell affirmed with a "yes."
KCCR: Testimony Continues At Casey Tibbs Rodeo Center In Navigator Heartland Greenway Pipeline Application
8/3/23
“The evidentiary hearing for the Navigator Heartland Greenway carbon dioxide transmission pipeline continued Thursday at the Casey Tibbs Rodeo Center in Fort Pierre,” KCCR reports. “Brian Sterner with Environmental Research Management testified about what he saw as gaps in Navigator’s information… “Landowner attorney Brian Jorde asked Sterner about the importance of knowing soil temperature… The hearing is expected to continue into Saturday.”
Hart Energy: Equitrans Midstream Sets Sights on MVP Completion
8/3/23
“Equitrans Midstream (ETRN) leaders expressed confidence during their second-quarter earnings call that construction of the long-awaited, long-disputed Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) will be completed by the end of the year,” Hart Energy reports. “...It’s been a long and challenging journey for MVP,” chairman and CEO Tom Karam told analysts. “While we don’t expect the opposition to give up, we have the highest degree of confidence that we will complete the project.” “...Several environmental groups said that Congress and the president had overstepped their boundaries with the legislation and planned to continue fighting the project. The pipeline project was initially slated to cost around $3.5 billion, but delays and permitting costs have driven the estimate to $6.6 billion. Equitrans plans to complete construction by the year’s end, and the estimate includes time lost to bad weather. “Absent some of those extreme conditions, we’re fairly confident that we’re going to bring MVP into line around year-end,” Karam said… “The MVP pipeline will factor heavily into Equitrans’ upcoming financial decisions. Once MVP is in service, the company will deal with project-level debt. Company leaders did not discuss the possible further expansion of the pipeline, called the MVP-Southgate, which would extend the conduit’s footprint into North Carolina. Several other projects for Equitrans, one of the largest midstream companies in the U.S., are also moving forward. The Ohio Valley Connector Expansion (OVCX) project received certification from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on June 15 and received the final authorization from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on July 27.”
Pipeline Safety Trust: Bridger and Belle Fourche Pipeline Companies Must Pay $12.5 Million in Civil Penalty Fees After Spills Fouled Waters in Montana and North Dakota
8/2/23
“The affiliated operators, both owned by Casper, WY based True Companies, transport crude oil through the Great Plains and Mountain West regions. The $12.5 million penalty comes after the entities signed a consent decree acknowledging violations of the Clean Water Act, pipeline safety laws and North Dakota state laws relating to separate oil spills in the states of Montana and North Dakota. In 2015, the Poplar Pipeline, operated by Bridger, catastrophically ruptured at the junction directly under the Yellowstone River just outside the town of Glendive, Montana. The spill, which dumped 50,000 gallons of crude oil into the river, went on to impact the town of Glendive’s drinking water supply. It has since been reported that the rupture occurred when the pipeline was exposed due to river scour. River scour, a type of geohazard, precipitates when sediment erodes from river banks and beds, potentially exposing the pipeline to hazards. This phenomenon is usually attributed to high river flows. The federal pipeline safety regulator, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), one of multiple agencies litigating against True Companies, issued an updated advisory bulletin in June 2022 about the damage geohazards can cause to pipeline systems. “Geohazards are a growing cause of pipeline failures,” Pipeline Safety Trust Policy Director Erin Sutherland said. “PHMSA’s advisory bulletin clearly states that planning for land movement and geohazard threats to pipeline integrity is an immediate need. Operators must take this advice seriously and protect against geohazard-related incidents.” Notably, while regulations require operators to install pipelines with appropriate depth of cover, there is no specific requirement to maintain that depth of cover over time. For True Companies’ subsidiaries, the incidents don’t stop there. In 2016, just one year after the devastating spill in Montana, Belle Fourche’s Bicentennial Pipeline leaked a staggering 600,000 gallons of crude into a tributary of Ash Coulee Creek in North Dakota. The creek itself is a tributary of the Little Missouri River, which too, was contaminated. Belle Fourche didn’t detect its own spill and the incident wasn’t uncovered until reported by a landowner living in the area… “The consent decree takes into account that a financial penalty alone is not enough to shift True Companies’ safety culture in a positive direction. Because of this, the operators will also be legally required to implement certain compliance measures that include: Meeting certain control room operation requirements and related employee training, implementing water crossings and geotechnical evaluation programs, and updating their integrity management programs.”
KRIS: Natural gas pipeline impacts cow pasture at Knolle Dairy Farms
Naidy Escobar, 8/3/23
“Over at the Knolle Dairy Farms, cows are losing their way in their own home,” KRIS reports. “Joe Knolle, the president of farms, signed an agreement with Kinder Morgan Tejas Pipeline LLC. The agreement allows the pipeline company to install natural gas pipelines through a large amount of Knolle's property in Sandia, Texas. But in that agreement, the company agreed to have an entry for the cows every 500 feet, which Knolle said hasn't happened. "This project is being executed in a manner that is placing our livestock in peril and compromising the ability to conduct our normal business," Knolle told KRIS. He told KRIS that there isn't a good line of communication. Originally, the project was supposed to kick off in September or October. He told KRIS that just 10 days ago, over three miles of pipeline were installed without any notice. He added that the cows are overly stressed, having to learn a new way to get around… “The cows have to go around multiple barriers or cross fences to get to what they've always known as a straight shot. He told KRIS six of his cows have died, and although he can't prove it is because of the pipelines—there are tapes and hazards that are made out of plastic, and some of his cows have eaten them. But that's not the only issue he is facing— the farm is also having issues maintaining the grass that his cows depend on for food. He told KRUS contractors cut his irrigation lines… "We've had to fight to be able to even put water on our crops, and the people on the property keep on cutting our irrigation lines and flooding themselves out of their own easement," he added.
KETK: Saltwater from oil pipelines damaging several properties in East Texas, landowners say
Ashlyn Anderson, 8/3/23
“More than two weeks ago, Tate Wilfong found saltwater flooding his land,” KETK reports. “He told KETK the culprit is Vista Energy’s oil pipeline which he has a surface agreement with. “Saltwater on top of the ground when I found it at 8:30 a.m., July 17,” Wilfong told KETK. Before anything could get done, Wilfong had to go out of town and when he came back, there was a big dirt pile. This is the same company that Larry Busby told KETK had a leak on his property about a year ago. Busby told KETK the leak killed his trees and is still affecting two other neighbors’ land that is around the corner from him… “KETK spoke with the owner of the oil company. He said that his employees are currently moving the pile of dirt to restore the property to the owner’s satisfaction. “Which will never be that way because I’ve already seen their work,” Wilfong told KETK. A big concern Wilfong has is that the soil is ruined. “I want them to dig and test and dig and test until they test until there’s not salt or to whatever the salt level is in the ground,” Wilfong told KETK. Neighbors reached out for help to State Representative, Cody Harris. This week, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality surveyed each property assessing the damage… “Landowners are still left frustrated wondering who can help them restore their precious land.”
Reuters: Canadian Natural says Trans Mountain Expansion to call for pipeline fill this fall
Nia Williams, 8/3/23
“The Trans Mountain Expansion (TMX) project is expected to call on oil producers to start filling the pipeline as soon as this month, the president of major shipper Canadian Natural Resources Ltd (CNQ.TO) said on Thursday,” Reuters reports. “The expanded pipeline will require up to 5 million barrels to fill the line before it can start shipping, Canadian Natural President Tim McKay said, a move that is expected to boost the Canadian heavy benchmark crude Western Canada Select (WCS). "From all indications, TMX will be making a call for line fill here in the fall, August, September, October," McKay told analysts on a quarterly earnings call. "From that aspect I look at it as very positive and very constructive for Canada's oil." “...Once complete, TMX will ship an extra 590,000 barrels per day of Alberta oil to Canada's Pacific Coast, adding to the 300,000 bpd of existing capacity. But the project has been dogged by years of regulatory delays and a quadrupling of its budget to C$30.9 billion, and was bought by the Canadian government in 2018 to ensure it got built.”
Bloomberg: Canadian Oil-Sands Output Poised to Jump as Pipeline Project Nears Finish
Robert Tuttle, 8/3/23
“Canadian oil-sands producers including Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. and Cenovus Energy Inc. are rushing to expand production to fill the biggest new pipeline project in more than a decade,” Bloomberg reports. “Canadian Natural will raise output from its Primrose site by 25,000 barrels a day in the current quarter and boost production at its Kirby oil-sands operation by 15,000 barrels a day in the fourth quarter, the company said Thursday… “Alberta’s oil producers will have the ability to ship an extra 590,000 barrels of crude a day to the Pacific Coast next year — the biggest jump in the province’s oil-export capacity in more than a decade — after an expansion of the the Trans Mountain Pipeline begins service. The increase is a welcome turnabout for companies that have suffered for years from discounted prices because of a lack of pipeline space.”
WASHINGTON UPDATES
E&E News: BLM proposes end to new oil leases on 1.6M acres in Colorado
Scott Streater, Heather Richards, 8/3/23
“The Bureau of Land Management proposed Thursday removing more than a million acres of public lands in Colorado from future oil and gas leasing, while also designating tens of thousands of acres of new protected areas in the western part of the state as part of an effort to resolve a series of legal challenges from environmental groups,” E&E News reports. “The proposal, outlined in a draft resource management plan and draft supplemental environmental impact statement, would establish nine formally designated “Areas of Critical Environmental Concern” (ACECs) on more than 100,000 acres of BLM lands… “The revisions BLM identified as its “preferred alternative” would bar new oil and gas leasing across roughly 1.6 million acres, slashing the likely number of oil wells over the next 20 years by nearly 600 wells… “But Kathleen Sgamma, president of the Denver-based Western Energy Alliance, told E&E the proposed plan is aimed at removing oil and gas development from BLM lands, and “will stop responsible energy development and other productive uses of the land.” “...Congressional Republicans have argued that this and other aspects of the plan are a veiled attempt by the Biden administration to remove millions of acres from public use in the name of conservation… “A 90-day public comment period on the proposal will run through Nov. 1.”
Houston Chronicle: Offshore oil in Gulf faces new restrictions to protect endangered Rice's whales
James Osborne, 8/4/23
“Oil and gas companies in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico will soon be required to take extra precautions in running ships to their offshore operations, as a part of a settlement between the Biden administration and the Sierra Club and other environmental groups to protect the endangered Rice's Whale,” the Houston Chronicle reports. “Under the settlement, agreed to last month by the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, oil companies with operations in an 11-million-acre zone stretching across the Gulf of Mexico, must keep boat speeds below 12 mph and avoid traveling at night and during "periods of low visibility." The zone covers seas 300 to 1,200 feet deep in which oil companies have moved to operate so-called deep-water wells, as more shallow oil reserves are tapped out. The agreement has drawn stiff opposition from oil companies in the Gulf, which maintain the provisions stand to limit access to their offshore operations, as well as increase transit times to get there, making the region a less economically viable place to drill. "Our business offshore is a 24-7 business,” Bruce Niemeyer, vice president for the Americas with Chevron, which operates in the Gulf, told the Chronicle… “The Rice's whale is one of the most endangered animal species on Earth, with an estimated 100 left, primarily in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico off the Florida panhandle… “The primary threats to the whales are ship strikes, as well as underwater noise caused by seismic guns used to map oil and gas deposits under the sea floor, NOAA says. In 2020 the Sierra Club and other environmental groups sued the National Marine Fisheries Service arguing that they were not taking required steps to protect endangered species like the Rice's whale, which was listed as endangered in 2019. The environmental groups agreed to pause their litigation in the deal with fisheries reached last month. Under the settlement, oil companies must not only limit their ships' speeds and movements but keep spotters on deck to make sure they don't come within a third of a mile of the whales.”
STATE UPDATES
Louisiana Illuminator: Louisiana residents ask state to halt next phase of carbon capture project
WESLEY MULLER, 8/3/23
“Southeast Louisiana residents say Lake Maurepas is one of the last remaining unspoiled waterways in the state, and they’re begging state officials to stop chemical giant Air Products from building a series of wells and pipelines that will inject 5 million tons of carbon dioxide per year underneath the lake,” the Louisiana Illuminator reports. “Several residents and elected officials traveled to Baton Rouge Wednesday evening for a Department of Natural Resources hearing on one of the initial phases of the project — the construction of a second test well that would allow the company to continue seismic testing of the geology below the lake. The agency is collecting public comments as it considers approval of Air Products’ test well permit. Air Products has plans for a $4.5 billion hydrogen manufacturing complex in Ascension Parish that would use carbon capture technology to capture emissions and pipe the gas about a mile below the lakebed… “The residents who live near Lake Maurepas opposed the company disturbing what they call a beautiful waterscape with a fragile ecosystem that has supported local fisheries and restaurants for generations. Rep. Bill Wheat, R-Ponchatoula, said he has rarely seen such a universal opinion shared by a wide spectrum of residents on a single issue. “People are very concerned,” Wheat told the agency. “Lake Pontchartrain and the surrounding basin has already been affected by industry…Let’s look at some other alternatives…We’ve totally ignored those possibilities.” Wheat introduced legislation this year in an effort to halt or at least slow down carbon capture projects in Lake Maurepas, but the bills failed against pushback from over two dozen lobbyists Air Products hired to shore up its dealings.”
JD Supra: States Continue to Build Out Carbon Sequestration Regulatory Structure in First Half of 2023
BakerHostetler, 8/3/23
“With 45Q tax credits beginning to flow following passage of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, states continue to pass carbon sequestration legislation in the hopes of bolstering and luring industry engaged in carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) activities,” JD Supra reports. “While some states look to support pilot programs, other states are looking to build out a regulatory regime that gives certainty to CCS stakeholders exploring the possibility of investing in or executing on sequestration projects. A brief summary of new legislation and state agency actions can be found below. Colorado: H.B. 23-1210: The Colorado legislature took initial steps to establish a regulatory scheme that would govern future sequestration projects in the state. H.B. 23-1210 requires the Colorado energy office and the office of economic development to contract with an organization for the development of a “carbon management roadmap” for the state… “The state of Colorado’s Land Board adopted a Geologic Carbon Sequestration Leasing Policy… “Indiana: S.B. 0451: The Indiana legislature took steps to further build out regulations relating to its pilot sequestration project in Terre Haute… “Louisiana: H.B. 571: The Louisiana legislature made a number of substantive changes to its carbon sequestration regulatory regime through the passage of H.B. 571… “S.R. 179: The Louisiana legislature also established the Task Force on Local Impacts of Carbon Capture and Sequestration to study and propose recommendations regarding the impact of carbon capture and sequestration projects across the state. S.R. 123 and H.R. 229: Lastly, the Louisiana Senate and House both passed resolutions requesting that the United States Environmental Protection Agency “timely review and grant the state of Louisiana’s application for primacy in the administration of Class VI injection well permitting and to express support in furtherance thereof to maintain and extend Louisiana’s global leadership in transformative energy innovation.” Oklahoma: S.B. 200: The Oklahoma Legislature passed legislation requiring the Corporation Commission and Department of Environmental Quality to “evaluate the regulatory and statutory framework that governs the agency and identify and report any areas in which modifications may be needed to the Secretary of Energy and Environment to provide for the development of underground injection control Class VI wells.” West Virginia: S.B.162: The West Virginia Legislature passed legislation authorizing the director of the Division of Natural Resources to lease pore spaces underlying state forests, natural and scenic areas, wildlife management areas, and other lands under the jurisdiction and control of the director for underground carbon sequestration.”
Associated Press: California high court says county can’t enforce oil well ban as state debates future of fossil fuels
SOPHIE AUSTIN, 8/3/23
“The California Supreme Court ruled Thursday that Monterey County cannot enforce a voter-approved ban on new oil and gas wells, a decision that comes amid an ongoing battle over how the state should address the health and climate impacts of fossil fuel extraction,” the Associated Press reports. “The ruling comes a day after environmental advocates announced a plan to try to enshrine a state law banning new gas and oil wells near homes, schools and hospitals as the oil industry vies for voters to overturn it. Voters could face dueling measures on the November 2024 ballot. The court’s decision dealt a blow to local advocates, who have been fighting for years to change the practices of the oil industry. Voters in the county first approved the ban in 2016, shortly after which Chevron sued. The state Supreme Court said the state, not the county, has the authority to regulate certain methods of oil production that would have been banned by the measure. Laura Solorio, president of Protect Monterey County, which pushed to get the local initiative passed, told AP she was surprised and disappointed by the ruling… “The initiative, known as Measure Z, set out to ban fracking, which involves injecting fluids into the ground to help oil come up; as well as new oil and gas wells; and another practice known as wastewater injection. “Chevron is pleased that this decision brings an end to seven years of litigation and appeals,” said Jeffrey Dintzer, a lawyer representing Chevron, in a statement.
KMGH: Aurora community fights against oil and gas drilling near their homes
Angelika Albaladejo, 8/3/23
“Southshore, a neighborhood with spacious homes along the banks of the Aurora Reservoir, seemed like the perfect place to live when Tisha and Bill Foard moved there with their son, Aiden, 9,” KMGH reports. “...Now, across their block, yard signs show the community is coming together for a new reason: shared concerns about oil and gas wells planned nearby. “You don't expect to buy a house in a nice community, and then have [oil] wells put in your backyards,” Bill told KMGH. But when your backyard sits atop a wealth of oil and gas, it’s fair game for Colorado's oil and gas producers. In the next few years, one of the state’s biggest producers, Civitas, plans to drill at least 600 wells along the Front Range. More than a quarter of those, about 170 wells, are planned for just east of Southshore. “We were just shocked, just in awe, that this could even happen so close to communities with families and homes and children and school buildings,” Tisha told KMGH. The Foards and their neighbors are worried about potential health risks and environmental harm if the drilling plans move forward. So, they created a group called Save the Aurora Reservoir to push back. Almost 1,500 people have joined their group on Facebook… “With so many fears, the Foards plan to join their neighbors in opposing the oil and gas expansion over the coming years as Civitas seeks permit approval from the state and Arapahoe County. That community feedback led the Arapahoe County Board of Commissioners to consider pausing new oil and gas drilling. But after several public meetings, the board voted to accept new drilling proposals like this one.”
WPVI: Coast Guard responds to oil spill in Philadelphia Navy Yard
8/3/23
“The Philadelphia Fire Department and the U.S. Coast Guard responded to an oil spill in South Philadelphia on Thursday,” WPVI reports. “...The fire department said about 100 gallons of oil spilled, some into the river. The leak is now contained and under control. It is not clear what caused the spill.”
EXTRACTION
Natural Gas Intelligence: Energy Transfer Restarting Natural Gas Permit Process for Lake Charles LNG
JACOB DICK, 8/3/23
“Energy Transfer LP plans to restart the permitting process with the Department of Energy (DOE) for its proposed Lake Charles LNG project as it seeks to capitalize on new momentum from offtakers and equity partners,” Natural Gas Intelligence reports.
CLIMATE FINANCE
Reuters: Royal Bank of Canada, criticized on climate, seeks executive to tackle issue
Nivedita Balu, 8/3/23
“Royal Bank of Canada (RY.TO), facing criticism from climate activists for its lending to oil and gas companies, is creating a new position in its senior executive ranks to implement an effective response to climate issues,” Reuters reports. “The Head of Climate Transition will be responsible for leading climate strategy at Canada's top bank and will serve as an advisor on "climate transition" to the chief administration and strategy officer, according to the role advertised as on job portals. Climate and indigenous rights activists have protested against RBC's funding of fossil fuel projects, including TC Energy Corp's Coastal Gaslink pipeline being built on the west coast of British Columbia which is opposed by some indigenous communities. Environmental groups have also asked Canada's Competition Bureau to reject RBC's C$13.5 billion ($10 billion) takeover of HSBC's Canada business saying the deal would limit sustainable choices for consumers and increase climate risks in the country… “An annual bank report card by Investors for Paris Compliance, an organization that holds companies accountable to their net zero commitments, in July said that RBC led fossil fuel lending and underwriting in Canada last year with C$54.8 billion ($41 billion), a 4% rise from 2021.”
New York Times: Larry Fink’s Bet on Saudi Oil Money Is Also His Latest E.S.G. Woe
Maureen Farrell, 8/2/23
“For years, Larry Fink, the chief executive of the giant asset manager BlackRock, has been broadcasting a message to corporate America: Environmental, social and governance goals should be core to how companies do business,” the New York Times reports. “So when BlackRock announced in July that it would appoint Amin Nasser, the head of the world’s largest oil company, Aramco, to its board, investors and politicians immediately called out Mr. Fink on what they said was his hypocrisy. “This is out of line with everything BlackRock has been saying for the last five years about being a leader in the green economy,” Giuseppe Bivona, the chief investment officer of Bluebell Capital, a hedge fund in London, which has been calling for Mr. Fink’s ouster over his handling of investments in fossil fuel companies, told the Times. It’s the latest example of the increasingly difficult situation Mr. Fink finds himself in: His championing of E.S.G. has drawn accusations of “woke” capitalism from the right while his embrace of energy companies has upset those on the left. The political blowback has made it more challenging for Mr. Fink to do his day job of finding new sources of money that BlackRock — which oversees $9 trillion in assets — needs to drive growth and keep shareholders happy. “As one should expect, Larry follows the money,” Terrence Keeley, BlackRock’s former head of the official institutions group, which oversaw sovereign wealth funds, pensions and central banks, told the Times… “The decision to add Mr. Nasser riled Brad Lander, the New York City comptroller. “At a time when financial institutions need to take a collective approach to addressing the financial risks from climate change, BlackRock shareholders expect climate-competent, not climate-conflicted, directors,” Mr. Lander said in a statement.
OPINION
The Hill: 6 months after the train crash, where is the help for East Palestine?
Misti Allison is a software product marketer based in East Palestine, Ohio, where she lives with her family. She is a member of Moms Clean Air Force, and holds a Master’s in Public Health, 8/3/23
“One night, as my 7-year-old son climbed into bed, he turned to me and asked, “Mommy, am I going to die?” Then, he began to sob. Even after all we had been through, this was a new wound. It cut straight through me. I assured my son that no, he was not going to die from living in his own home. People are here to protect us, I said. Meanwhile, my mind raced. Did I tell my son a lie? Are we safe in East Palestine?” Misti Allison writes for The Hill. “I honestly don’t know. Six months ago, today, a train carrying toxic chemicals derailed in my hometown of East Palestine, Ohio, setting off a cascade of disruption for my family and thousands more — and not just in our town. Norfolk Southern purposefully released and ignited 115,000 gallons of vinyl chloride, a lethal flammable gas used to make PVC plastic, and a variety of other chemicals. The smoke wafted for miles. We braved evacuation orders, health scares, a federal investigation and a cleanup that continues. These chemicals create dioxins and cause leukemia, lymphoma, liver cancer, brain cancer, and lung cancer. What’s worse, preliminary research suggests that infants and young children like mine may be significantly more susceptible to the ill effects. At the beginning of this nightmare, the cameras were here, providing global visibility and accountability. Today, they are gone, but we are still fighting to regain our lives. I am forever changed. My dreams of a storybook small-town existence are gone. We’re always on edge. I spend my free time sifting through data, urging elected officials to pay attention to us, and testifying before Congress about the dangers of toxic petrochemicals being shipped past playgrounds, schools, ballparks, village streets, across the country. I’ve added air purifiers in every room, changed sheets after bloody noses, and prayed more than ever. All the while, many residents, myself included, are getting our arms jabbed with needles and peeing in cups in hopes that our health testing yields insights into what our children are facing… “I urge President Biden to declare an emergency as requested by Gov. Mike DeWine exactly one month ago — not only for Ohio but for Pennsylvania and West Virginia residents in the tri-state area… “Congress must pass and sign the Railway Safety Act of 2023 into law to improve train inspections, and mandate that more trains be subject to stringent safety requirements, including those carrying vinyl chloride gas… “On this six-month milestone, I urge our country not to find excuses. Let’s find a way out of this mess.”