EXTRACTED: Daily News Clips 9/22/23
PIPELINE NEWS
E&E News: Feds say states can regulate path of CO2 pipelines
Politico: CO2 pipeline politics get messy
Bleeding Heartland: Summit Carbon hearings: Who's behind the curtain?
San Diego Union-Tribune: Barrio Logan biofuel plant pulls controversial pipeline plans under community pressure
E&E News: Federal court weighs blocking Line 5 pipeline shutdown
Reuters: TC Energy's Coastal GasLink pipeline fined for environmental non-compliance
Canadian Press: Pathways Alliance watching Trans Mountain's latest hurdles with dismay
RTO Insider: Enbridge Announces Project to Increase Northeast Pipeline Capacity
WKDZ: Land Acquisition Continues For Five-County Gas Pipeline Project
Reuters: Deals on the rise in US oil and gas pipeline sector
Norfolk Daily News: Ponca Sacred Corn harvest gathering set for Saturday
WASHINGTON UPDATES
E&E News: Democrats Pledge To Protect, Expand Biden's Climate Corps
Washington Post: The U.N. chief called for ending fossil fuels. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission wasn’t listening.
E&E News: Oil Industry Asks EPA To Delay Methane Rule, Citing Equipment Backlog
STATE UPDATES
Billings Gazette: No federal oil and gas leases in Montana in 2023
WYFI: Indiana regulators concerned about technology, speed needed to comply with power plant rule
EXTRACTION
DeSmog: Oil Lobby Claims More Production Won’t Raise Emissions, But Ignores Crucial Data
TODAY IN GREENWASHING
Kalkine Media: Enbridge Is Committed to Indigenous Collaboration
OPINION
NOLA.com: Committee of 100: Louisiana can boom with new carbon capture initiatives
Resilience.org: How to Take out a Pipeline
The Hill: We’re past the point of no return on climate emissions — it’s time we turn to carbon removal
PIPELINE NEWS
E&E News: Feds say states can regulate path of CO2 pipelines
Mike Soraghan, 9/19/23
“Federal regulators are saying that state and local governments are free to regulate where carbon dioxide pipelines can be built, clarifying a contentious issue in the debate about big projects to carry the greenhouse gas in the Midwest,” E&E News reports. “In a letter sent Friday to pipeline developers, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) said that since it doesn't regulate where CO2 and other hazardous liquid pipelines can be built, states can. "The responsibility for siting new carbon dioxide pipelines rests largely with the individual states and counties through which the pipelines will operate and is governed by state and local law," Alan Mayberry, the agency's top career pipeline safety official, wrote in the letter… “Some counties in the six states crossed by the pipelines have proposed or passed land use and zoning rules, including restrictions preventing pipelines from being built close to homes, schools and other facilities. Developers of the two largest proposed projects, Summit Carbon Solutions LLC and Navigator CO2 Ventures, have said the counties' proposals have crossed in to the realm of pipeline safety standards, which is the exclusive jurisdiction of the federal government, through PHMSA… “Opponents of the projects say the PHMSA’s letter argument allowing state and local regulation proves what they have been saying all along. Jess Mazour, a program coordinator with the Sierra Club's Iowa chapter who is organizing opposition to CO2 pipelines in the Midwest, told E&E more than a dozen counties put their proposals on ice because of the threat of litigation from pipeline companies. "This should encourage counties to move forward and implement their ordinances” restricting pipelines, Mazour told E&E… “Developers’ requests to preempt county ordinances were a key reason why South Dakota state utility regulators denied permits recently to both Summit and Navigator. Before that, North Dakota regulators denied Summit's request for a permit.”
Politico: CO2 pipeline politics get messy
ARIANNA SKIBELL, 9/21/23
“The push for carbon dioxide pipelines is scrambling political fault lines, making allies out of enemies and friends into foes,” Politico reports. “...Some well-known Republicans have endorsed the planned pipelines as a way to preserve the ethanol industry, a staple of the Midwestern farm economy. But to the party’s far-right flank, the pipelines are part of the “the Green New Deal, radical climate change agenda.” And while the Biden administration says the pipelines are key to meeting U.S. climate goals, not all environmentalists are on board. Green groups have laid much of the groundwork for local opposition to the Midwest pipeline projects. The Green New Deal as proposed by the progressive Sunrise Movement also does not include carbon capture, which many climate activists see as a way for fossil fuel companies to keep producing… “Major oil and gas companies are also fans, looking to capitalize on generous tax benefits for carbon storage projects. That’s making it awkward for some high-profile Republican governors, such as Kim Reynolds of Iowa and Kristi Noem in South Dakota. Both have largely avoided weighing in, instead saying the pipelines’ fate is not in their hands… “The conservative push against the pipelines is also making it sticky for some environmental groups, which support local landowner opposition but don’t want to align themselves with the projects’ more radical hard-right opponents. Those figures include Steve King, a former member of Congress who was sidelined by his own party for making racist comments and was defeated in a primary in 2020. “There are some lines that we do draw,” Jess Mazour, a program coordinator with the Sierra Club’s Iowa Chapter who is organizing opposition to the pipelines, told Politico. “We try to keep our message pretty tight. We keep it focused on the pipeline.”
Bleeding Heartland: Summit Carbon hearings: Who's behind the curtain?
Nancy Dugan, 9/21/23
“Last week, North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley denied a request from three counties in the state to investigate Summit Carbon Solutions’ investors,” Bleeding Heartland reports. “...But Summit Carbon Solutions, LLC as it exists today was formed in Delaware in 2021, according to the Iowa Secretary of State's database of business entities… “Wrigley explained in a recent letter to county commissioners that the effective date of the new legislation means "this office is unable to conduct a civil review of the company." Wrigley’s argument underscores one of the more disturbing aspects of the Summit Carbon matter, which is the false premise that state and local governments are powerless to regulate a Delaware LLC whose ownership structure remains largely a mystery, and whose own legal arguments identify the pipeline it proposes to build as a security threat… “Summit Carbon argues that all safety issues are in the hands of the federal government. Only they aren’t. The states decide the route, and the states decide if the company and its business plan pose risks to the safety and well-being of their citizens and communities that are too great to assume. To argue otherwise is to argue that no entity is responsible for these critical issues. That’s unacceptable… “On September 21, the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation filed a Motion for Official Notice with the Iowa Utilities Board and accompanying Attachment A, which is a September 15 letter from the U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration addressed to Lee Blank, chief executive officer of Summit Carbon Solutions. The four-page letter responds to inquiries “regarding the ability of federal, state, and local governments to affect the siting, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of carbon dioxide pipelines.” “...Regarding the role of local government, the letter states the following: Local governments have traditionally exercised broad powers to regulate land use, including setback distances and property development that includes development in the vicinity of pipelines. Nothing in the federal pipeline safety law impinges on these traditional prerogatives of local – or state – government, so long as officials do not attempt to regulate the field of pipeline safety preempted by federal law… “It is not clear how the September 15 PHMSA letter may influence federal or state court rulings in the Summit Carbon matter. That letter does clarify, “Sharing appropriate information with state or local governments and emergency planners, which may include dispersion models or emergency response plans, may help stakeholders make risk-informed decisions.” The federal agency's assessment appears to contradict testimony James “Jimmy” Powell, Summit Carbon’s chief operating officer, provided during the Iowa Utilities Board's September 5 evidentiary hearing… “So, PHMSA and the federal government don’t think it’s a good idea to release that information, and someone with criminal intent could use it to impact public safety,” Powell testified.
San Diego Union-Tribune: Barrio Logan biofuel plant pulls controversial pipeline plans under community pressure
EMILY ALVARENGA, 9/21/23
“After months of outcry from neighbors weary of pollution and wary of a growing industrial presence, a Barrio Logan biofuel company has withdrawn its plans for a pipeline connecting its warehouses,” the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. “Although New Leaf Biofuel said the project would cut down on truck traffic in a neighborhood already choked with diesel pollution, residents worried it would further cement the plant’s place in the community — and said it symbolized the failure to rid their community of the heavy industry that has long made it one of the city’s most polluted. At a Barrio Logan Community Planning Group meeting last month, New Leaf’s chief executive listened to the roughly 75 residents who’d shown up to express concerns. After a heated debate, CEO and cofounder Jennifer Case suggested she was changing her mind about New Leaf’s plans, telling the San Diego Union-Tribune she would seek to move some operations. On Tuesday, city officials announced New Leaf had officially rescinded its pipeline proposal — a decision met with praise from community leaders and residents alike. “The original purpose of New Leaf’s pipeline project between the two facilities was to reduce the impact of our operations on the neighborhood, but after feedback from the community and Environmental Health Coalition, we have decided that it is in everyone’s best interest that we withdraw the application,” Case told the Union-Tribune… The Environmental Health Coalition released a statement Thursday congratulating the residents of Barrio Logan, whose voices they said helped spur New Leaf’s withdrawal. “This is a turning point in realizing the spirit of the updated Barrio Logan community plan, which envisioned a true separation between industry and residents,” it said. “While we celebrate this victory we know that there is still a lot of work to do to defeat environmental racism in Barrio Logan.”
E&E News: Federal court weighs blocking Line 5 pipeline shutdown
Niina H. Farah, 9/21/23
“A federal appeals court is facing pressure to block an order threatening to shut down Enbridge Inc.’s Line 5 pipeline, including from Canadian officials who say the plan violates an international treaty,” E&E News reports. “A 12-mile segment of the decades-old oil conduit that crosses reservation land in Wisconsin is at risk of eventually rupturing as erosion has stripped away the riverbank protecting the buried pipe near a bend of the Bad River, according to litigation filed by the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Chippewa Indians. In a "friend of the court" brief to the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday, Canadian officials said a lower bench order this summer to stop operating the pipeline through the Bad River Reservation in three years or less would violate a 1977 treaty between the United States and Canada. The two countries have been in talks behind closed doors on how to resolve Canada's treaty concerns over Line 5, as opponents of the pipeline have pushed the Biden administration to halt its operation.”
Reuters: TC Energy's Coastal GasLink pipeline fined for environmental non-compliance
Nia Williams, 9/21/23
“British Columbia has fined Coastal GasLink, the natural gas pipeline being built by TC Energy (TRP.TO), C$346,000 ($256,810) for non-compliance with environmental regulations, the Canadian province said on Thursday,” Reuters reports. “British Columbia's Environmental Assessment Office fined Coastal GasLink C$340,000 for deficient erosion and sediment control measures, and a C$6,000 penalty for providing "false and misleading" information relating to maintenance inspection records. The deficiencies were identified during four multi-day inspections along the pipeline construction route in April and May 2022… ”The fines are the latest in a series of financial penalties paid by the troubled project, totalling more than C$800,000. The 670-km (416-mile) pipeline, co-owned with private equity firm KKR (KKR.N) and Alberta Investment Management Corp, has been dogged by delays and rising costs. It is 94% finished and scheduled for mechanical completion late this year, Coastal GasLink said. It is expected to cost C$14.5 billion, more than double the initial estimate.”
Canadian Press: Pathways Alliance watching Trans Mountain's latest hurdles with dismay
Amanda Stephenson, 9/21/23
“The group behind a proposed carbon capture and storage (CCS) network for Alberta's oilsands is watching the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion's latest regulatory hurdles with dismay,” the Canadian Press reports. “The Pathways Alliance, a consortium of Canada's biggest oilsands companies, wants to get its proposed $16.5 billion carbon pipeline and underground storage hub up and running in northern Alberta by 2030… “It is key to the oilsands industry's commitment to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from production by 2050 — something it must do in order meet Canada's international climate commitments… “But the Pathways project is facing its own set of political and regulatory uncertainties, which it must clear before construction can begin. Pathways Alliance president Kendall Dilling told CP the Trans Mountain pipeline is a case study in how hard it can be to get major infrastructure projects across the finish line in this country. "I'm not going to lie, that keeps me up at night," Dilling told CP. "We look at that [Trans Mountain], and that's not a good outcome for anyone." “...The Crown corporation in charge of the project has run into fresh construction issues in B.C., and a B.C. First Nation is opposing the company's efforts to modify the pipeline's route as a result. The Canada Energy Regulator heard arguments from both Trans Mountain Corp. and the First Nation earlier this week, and is expected to issue its decision on the matter shortly. It's the latest hurdle for a project which has already run into everything from environmentalist opposition, to ballooning labour costs and supply chain challenges, to construction woes caused by extreme weather. The estimated capital cost for Trans Mountain, which was bought by the federal government for $4.5 billion in 2018, has already spiralled to $30.9 billion, and the company has said its most recent challenges could add an additional $86 million to the final price tag.”
RTO Insider: Enbridge Announces Project to Increase Northeast Pipeline Capacity
Jon Lamson, 9/21/23
“Enbridge is soliciting requests for service as part of a natural gas pipeline expansion project that would significantly increase capacity to the Northeast,” RTO Insider reports.
WKDZ: Land Acquisition Continues For Five-County Gas Pipeline Project
Joshua Claussen, 9/21/23
“Land acquisition continues to be the main focus of a five-county natural gas pipeline project to benefit multiple municipalities in western Kentucky,” WKDZ reports. “After providing an update to the Todd County Industrial Foundation, Pennyrile Regional Energy Agency board chairman Eston Glover told Your News Edge that about 15 percent of the land acquisition process remains… “When it’s completed, the pipeline will extend from the Lamasco area of Lyon County, where it will connect to an ANR Pipeline. It will follow along Interstate 24 to the state line, and follow along U.S. Highway 79 north of Guthrie, just shy of Novelis. The pipeline is set to benefit southern portions of Lyon and Caldwell counties, as well as the Cadiz Industrial Park, the Hopkinsville Industrial Park, and Commerce Park II/TVA Megasite in Christian County. Installation of the first pieces of the pipeline could begin in the summer of 2024.”
Reuters: Deals on the rise in US oil and gas pipeline sector
9/21/23
“Magellan Midstream Partners' (MMP.N) unitholders on Thursday voted in favor of the U.S. pipeline operator's planned sale to larger peer ONEOK (OKE.N) for $18.8 billion,” Reuters reports. “The oil and gas pipeline business has seen increased consolidation this year as U.S. production grows and new-pipeline permitting problems have made existing operators more valuable. Here are the major deals in the U.S. pipeline sector in 2023…”
Norfolk Daily News: Ponca Sacred Corn harvest gathering set for Saturday
9/21/23
“Bold Nebraska, the Tanderup family and members of the Ponca Nation will host the 10th annual harvesting of the Ponca Sacred Corn on Ponca Nation land situated with the Tanderup family farm near Neligh — the land where ancestors crossed the Ponca Trail of Tears — on Saturday, Sept. 23,” the Norfolk Daily News reports. “Ten years ago, Ponca Nation of Oklahoma member Mekasi Camp first had the dream to bring the Ponca Sacred Corn back to its ancestral land in Nebraska as medicine and and a form of prayer to protect it from the now-canceled Keystone XL pipeline. The farm just north of Neligh has been in Art and Helen Tanderup’s family for generations. The tract of land used to restore the Ponca Tribe’s sacred corn to the Indigenous people’s ancestral homeland was deeded back to the Ponca in June 2018. The tribe had been absent from the land for 137 years, after being forcibly removed by the U.S. government. The “Trail of Tears” route also crosses the Tanderup farm… “Saturday’s event will include a communal meal featuring Indigenous dishes prepared by Ponca members Stacy Laravie and Mekasi Camp.”
WASHINGTON UPDATES
E&E News: Democrats Pledge To Protect, Expand Biden's Climate Corps
Emma Dumain, 9/21/23
“Congressional Democrats are vowing to defend President Joe Biden’s new federal green jobs program from future Republican attacks,” E&E News reports. “ Biden took executive action Wednesday to create the American Climate Corps after Congress failed to include such a program in the Inflation Reduction Act. It’s a step for which many Democrats — particularly progressives — have been clamoring for years. But the executive order is also one that a GOP administration down the line could easily dismantle. Indeed, Republican lawmakers who have long railed against the concept will now likely look to deny the effort funding. “Our mission from here on out is that, when we take back the majority in the House of Representatives, that this represents just a down payment on the program,” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said Wednesday… “We want to expand this,” said Ocasio-Cortez during a press conference outside the Capitol with fellow lawmakers and advocates.”
Washington Post: The U.N. chief called for ending fossil fuels. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission wasn’t listening.
Maxine Joselow, 9/22/23
“On Wednesday, U.N. Secretary General António Guterres warned that humanity is running out of time to phase out fossil fuels to avert a climate catastrophe,” the Washington Post reports. “...A day later, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission voted to approve the expansion of two liquefied natural gas projects on the Gulf Coast, potentially locking in planet-warming emissions for decades to come. During its monthly meeting Thursday, FERC granted certificates for the expansion of Sempra Energy’s Port Arthur Phase II project in Jefferson County, Tex., and Venture Global’s Calcasieu Pass project in Cameron Parish, La… “In the middle of this climate emergency, the Biden administration is lighting the fuse to massive carbon bombs,” Jamie Henn, founder and director of Fossil Free Media, told the Post. To be clear, FERC is an independent agency that does not directly answer to President Biden… “Still, Henn argued the commission’s decisions undermined the climate record of Biden, who skipped the summit in New York on Wednesday, instead sending climate envoy John F. Kerry. Environmental justice activists said the first project in particular could increase not only planet-warming emissions — but also health-harming air pollution — in overburdened communities of color. At a rally outside FERC’s headquarters before the meeting, activists emphasized that the mostly Black and Latino residents of Port Arthur, Tex., already live near three oil refineries, two liquefied natural gas terminals and at least 40 other facilities that release toxins into the air. “We don’t want to see any of these projects approved. Enough is enough,” John Beard, founder and executive director of the Port Arthur Community Action Network, told the Post. “We refuse to be sacrificed anymore.”
E&E News: Oil Industry Asks EPA To Delay Methane Rule, Citing Equipment Backlog
Carlos Anchondo, 9/21/23
“The American Petroleum Institute is urging EPA to delay implementation for parts of its proposed methane rule because of equipment supply constraints,” E&E News reports. “In a two-page letter on Wednesday, API President and CEO Mike Sommers urged EPA to adopt an ‘extended implementation timeline’ for some requirements in the rule, which would set limits on methane emissions from U.S. oil and gas infrastructure. Some of the equipment needed to comply with the rule has a backlog of six to 24 months, he wrote, adding that the rule's implementation ‘could extend the current supply chain backlog by an additional six months on average.’”
STATE UPDATES
Billings Gazette: No federal oil and gas leases in Montana in 2023
Tom Lutey, 9/19/23
“There will be no federal oil and gas lease sales in Montana this year,” the Billings Gazette reports. “Montana produces about a tenth as much oil from federal land as neighboring states Wyoming and North Dakota, according to The Department of Interior… “This was the first full year of federal leases offered under regulatory reforms championed by President Joe Biden, who steered oil and gas leases toward competitive bidding, while also increasing royalty payments from 12.5% to 16.67%, on par with the Montana state rate. Required amounts for cleanup bonds were increased for the first time in 63 years, up from $10,000 to $150,000. There were concerns in the fossil fuel industry ahead of the new rules that tougher leasing standards would discourage interest in low-production areas, like Montana… “The pulled Montana parcels were nominated for sale in September. There were 25, the most parcels for lease in Montana for several years. Shortly after the leases were pulled, Republicans in the Montana congressional delegation wrote Secretary of The Interior Deb Haaland wanting to know why Montana parcels were offered just once in the last two years. A spokesman for U.S Sen. Steve Daines said Haaland hasn't responded to the letter sent in June.”
WYFI: Indiana regulators concerned about technology, speed needed to comply with power plant rule
REBECCA THIELE, 9/21/23
“Utilities, industries and state regulators are all concerned about a proposed federal rule to nearly eliminate carbon emissions at power plants. It was one of many topics at a legislative summer study committee last week,” WYFI reports. “The rule would require coal and natural gas plants to store 90 percent of their carbon dioxide emissions underground in about a decade… “Indiana Department of Environmental Management Commissioner Brian Rockensuess said many of these technologies haven’t been proven at the scale needed for Indiana utilities. Even if they were, he said that’s not enough time for them to get the permits, permissions and build the infrastructure needed for these projects.”
EXTRACTION
DeSmog: Oil Lobby Claims More Production Won’t Raise Emissions, But Ignores Crucial Data
Taylor Noakeson, 9/21/23
“It is a well established fact that increasing oil production leads to increased emissions, and that major reductions in oil production and consumption are necessary to avoid catastrophic climate change,” DeSmog reports. “Despite the scientific consensus supporting this fact, a recent news release from a Canadian oil industry lobby group made the remarkable claim that Canadian oil production increased over the past decade while emissions decreased. The analysis note issued by the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP) was widely circulated in a Canadian Press wire story published on August 31 under the title “Oil and gas sector says new data shows it can both hike output and lower emissions.” “...A crucial detail omitted from the CAPP’s statement, however, is that their estimate did not include some of the most significant sources of emissions. Instead, the analysis note stated only that “Conventional production refers to all oil and natural gas production outside of Canada’s oil sands.” “...Even though that data is available at all of the same sources used, CAPP’s analysis focuses exclusively on conventional oil and gas production, therefore excluding the oil sands,” Julia Levin, associate director covering climate with Environmental Defence, told DeSmog. “[It] is highly misleading, given that unconventional production, such as the oil sands, is way more emissions intensive.” “...Production and emissions data shows Canada has the ability to grow its production and role as a secure provider of responsibly produced energy while lowering greenhouse gas emissions,” stated the analysis note. Levin argues this too is misleading: “The decision to omit oil sands lets the industry manufacture trends that aren’t representative of the entire sector,” she told DeSmog. “The oil sands are the biggest driver of new production and emissions growth, with emissions rising 137% since 2005…The science is clear, countries must phase out oil and gas production in order to avoid catastrophic climate change.”
TODAY IN GREENWASHING
Kalkine Media: Enbridge Is Committed to Indigenous Collaboration
9/22/23
“Enbridge is committed to respectful and productive collaboration with Indigenous peoples. While we have worked to expand Indigenous inclusion within our projects and operations and across our company, we recognize that there is more work to do. In September 2022, Enbridge was proud to release our first Indigenous Reconciliation Action Plan (IRAP). Informed by extensive engagement and consultation with Indigenous peoples across North America, the IRAP extends our longstanding commitment to advancing reconciliation in the communities where we live and work. The plan expresses our intention to be an even stronger partner and employer in the years ahead. As we work to achieve new levels of economic inclusion and respectful engagement with Indigenous peoples, we will continue to report publicly on our results, including as they relate to the specific commitments expressed in our IRAP. It reflects our commitment to facing the complex history of Indigenous peoples across Turtle Island1 and to building a shared future on new foundations of respect and recognition. Our projects and operations span Treaty and Tribal lands, the National Métis Homeland, unceded lands and the traditional territories of Indigenous nations, Tribes, Governments and Groups (Indigenous groups) across Turtle Island… “Enbridge has worked to foster respectful, collaborative relationships with Indigenous peoples for many years. Over the past several years, we have deepened our efforts in this area by further formalizing our commitments, enhancing our policies and practices, and reporting our results.”
OPINION
NOLA.com: Committee of 100: Louisiana can boom with new carbon capture initiatives
Scott Ballard, executive committee, Committee of 100, 9/21/23
“Louisiana is set to become the carbon capture capital of the South,” Scott Ballard writes for NOLA.com. “The federal government just announced that it is preparing to dole out hundreds of millions of dollars to jump-start carbon capture projects here in Louisiana, an announcement that has major companies lining up to invest in our state. It’s an economic opportunity that’ll mean more good-paying jobs for Louisianans and tax revenue that will support communities across our state. However, whether or not those investments can be put to use depends on if the Environmental Protection Agency decides to grant state agencies primary responsibility, or primacy, for the permitting of new Class VI carbon capture projects. If the EPA gets that choice right and gives state agencies here in Louisiana permitting primacy, it would kick our state’s oil and natural gas industry into overdrive. However, if the EPA decides to keep that authority for itself, it could stifle economic growth in Louisiana… “These new carbon capture projects represent a major opportunity to grow the economy here in Louisiana. Companies are ready to pour money into Louisiana, and there are over 20 new carbon capture projects ready to be built in our state — investments that will drive thousands of jobs and billions of dollars into Louisiana. Ultimately, it's critical that the EPA allows state agencies here to take advantage of those opportunities and unlock our economy.”
Resilience.org: How to Take out a Pipeline
Greg Mikkelson, 9/22/23
“The speed of economic growth hinges to a large extent on the supply of fossil fuel, especially of oil and gas, which depends in turn on pipeline capacity,” Greg Mikkelson writes for Resilience.org. “...Spiderwebs of pipelines hold six continents in thrall to climate-wrecking, air-polluting oil and gas. Partly owing to this vast, expanding network, global fossil fuel use continues to rise… “Climate activism has prevented several pipelines from being built on Turtle Island (the continent also known by the non-indigenous name of North America). These are shown as green lines in the map above. They include the Keystone XL (KXL) pipeline, which President Biden canceled on his first day of office. Among existing pipelines, Enbridge Line 5 stands out as a prime candidate for decommissioning. This is because it is especially harmful, and thus especially vulnerable, as described below… “As it snakes across the upper Midwest, Line 5 invades and degrades Anishinaabe treaty lands and leaks more than 15,000 gallons per year on average. Because of the decaying condition of the 70-year-old pipeline and because of the erosion around it, it is arguably just a matter of time before a catastrophic spill poisons the Great Lakes, which hold more than one-fifth of the world’s surface freshwater. And the reality is that, decaying or not, pipeline accidents will occur in proportion to their proliferation… “Support from those involved in struggles against two other Enbridge tar sands pipelines—Lines 3 and 9—has bolstered the fight against Line 5. Individuals and groups engaged in the heroic campaign against Line 3 (now re-named Line 93), which ends where Line 5 begins, have lent tremendous help. For example, the citizen-science group Waadookawaad Amikwag keeps discovering and exposing more cases of damage to aquifers caused by construction of Line 3.”
The Hill: We’re past the point of no return on climate emissions — it’s time we turn to carbon removal
Sir David King is the founder of Cambridge’s Centre for Climate Repair. Sware Semesi is the director general of the Marine Parks and Reserves Unit of Tanzania, 9/21/23
“Covering 70 percent of the planet, the ocean has borne the brunt of damage caused by our disrupted climate — absorbing more than 90 percent of the excess heat trapped on the planet, and 26 percent of all civilization’s carbon dioxide pollution,” Sir David King and Sware Semesi write for The Hill. “...Decreasing emissions must remain an urgent priority of the global community, but the problem is this: Even if we stopped all emissions today, existing carbon pollution in the air will continue to warm the planet to devastating levels. New tools are urgently needed to restore the climate and repair the ocean, particularly carbon dioxide removal, including potential ocean-based pathways… “The ocean is the largest carbon sink on the planet, already holding about 50 times more carbon in the deep ocean than what is in the atmosphere. There are a number of ways the ocean naturally cycles carbon that could be enhanced and accelerated. And the sheer size of the ocean also means that these potential solutions could be scaled to meaningful levels. However, ocean-based carbon dioxide removal options are not well understood; this is why earlier this month more than 200 internationally renowned scientists published an open letter endorsing the need to prioritize and accelerate ocean-based carbon removal research as a potential tool in the climate action toolbox… “Our planet is in peril and we need to investigate and employ every possible option. Ocean-based carbon dioxide removal is a potential tool in this fight. Let’s use the power of science to illuminate the path forward.”