General
News
Environmentalists
Back Congressional Effort To Restore Methane Controls. According
to Utah Public Radio, “Environmentalists and others are optimistic that key climate-change regulations on methane leaks – rolled back during the Trump administration – soon will be reinstated. The U-S Senate passed a Congressional Review Act resolution last
week to reverse a 2017 executive order that eliminated an E-P-A rule requiring oil and gas producers to control methane emissions. ‘It would do some very simple things that most of the big oil and gas companies already support, which are on-the-shelf technologies
to capture leaks and also phase out the practice of flaring,’ Jason Keith said. Keith, with the Moab-based group Public Lands Solutions, said controlling emissions at wells on public lands in Utah and other states could ‘cool down’ the current methane ‘hot
spot’ in the Four Corners region. The measure now is pending in the House. Many petroleum producers consider methane to be a waste product not worth the effort to capture. However, a recent study found that controlling methane emissions now could slow global
warming by as much as 30 percent. Keith’s group analyzes public lands for recreation opportunities. He said emissions from more than 8-thousand inactive wells in states such as Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming pose a serious threat to people, wildlife,
outdoor recreation and rural economies. ‘You’re going to get people to show up if your brand says ‘Protected landscapes, healthy recreation experience,’’ he said. ‘For us, something like the effort to roll back the rollback is one of the easiest things that
we can do to try to start addressing climate change.’ He added that capping wells and collecting methane also could provide a financial benefit.” [Utah Public Radio,
5/4/21
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MI
Groups Press Congress To Pass Tougher Methane Rules. According
to Public News Service, “Clean-air advocates are pressing Michigan’s members of Congress to get rid of the Trump administration’s rules that allow methane emissions from oil and gas facilities - rules that rolled back stricter Obama-era regulations on methane
leaks. The move would clear the way for the Environmental Protection Agency, under President Joe Biden, to propose tougher rules this fall. Elizabeth Hauptman, a coordinator for the Michigan chapter of Moms Clean Air Force, noted that methane is a powerful
greenhouse gas that contributes to the climate crisis and pollutes the air. ‘And this will increase ground-level ozone pollution and smog, and smog is a lung irritant that triggers asthma attacks,’ she said. ‘My son Oscar has asthma, so I understand how vital
these protections are for his life and kids like him.’ The Trump administration had argued that energy prices could rise if companies are forced to install methane-capture equipment and monitor and fix methane leaks at well sites. Nonetheless, the resolution
now in Congress has the support of oil companies, including BP and Shell. Hauptman said the climate already is warming in Michigan, so there’s no time to lose. ‘We need these methane standards back in place now to reduce the dangerous climate pollution,’ she
said. ‘Moms and dads want climate action. We want our leaders to stand up for our children’s health.’ Under the Congressional Review Act, lawmakers have a period of about six months to rethink and repeal any rules put in place during the final months of a
prior administration, and they only need a simple majority to change them. Last week, the U-S Senate voted to repeal Trump’s rollback of methane rules. Now, the resolution is in the House.” [Public News Service,
5/5/21
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Burning
Natural Gas Is Now More Dangerous Than Coal In Illinois, Study Shows. According
to the Chicago Tribune, “Pollution from natural gas is now responsible for more deaths and greater health costs than coal in Illinois, according to a new study highlighting another hazard of burning fossil fuels that are scrambling the planet’s climate. Researchers
at Harvard University found that a shift away from coal during the past decade saved thousands of lives and dramatically reduced health impacts from breathing particulate matter, commonly known as soot. But the numbers declined only slightly for gas, another
fossil fuel that by 2017 accounted for the greatest health risks. About half the deaths from soot exposure that year can be attributed to the state’s reliance on gas to heat homes and businesses, the study found. Coal is more deadly only when used to generate
electricity. The alarming findings raise questions about whether Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proposed transition to a zero-carbon economy would move fast enough in phasing out the use of gas — not only to blunt the impacts of climate change but also to ensure Illinoisans
breathe clean air. Chicago appears to be locked into a gas-dependent future. Peoples Gas is charging its customers $7.7 billion during the next two decades to replace aging distribution lines throughout the city, even though an accelerating shift to renewable
energy could make the project obsolete before it’s completed. ‘What the Harvard researchers found shows we need to stop burning things,’ said Brady Anne Seals, manager of the carbon-free buildings program at the Rocky Mountain Institute, a nonprofit research
group that helped finance the pollution study. ‘We don’t have the luxury of time any more to meet our climate goals. Then there are these health impacts people are feeling right now.’ Soot is considered one of the most harmful forms of air pollution, in particular
tiny particles invisible to the human eye that can lodge deep in the lungs and penetrate the bloodstream.” [Chicago Tribune,
5/5/21
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Why
California Is Planning To Ban Fracking. According
to the New York Times, “Good morning. A little more than a week ago, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that not only would California effectively ban hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, by 2024, but the state also would work to phase out oil extraction entirely by
2045. ‘As we move to swiftly decarbonize our transportation sector and create a healthier future for our children,’ he said in a statement just after Earth Day, ‘I’ve made it clear I don’t see a role for fracking in that future and, similarly, believe that
California needs to move beyond oil.’ It was — like the governor’s promise last year that the state would ban the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035 — a sweeping pronouncement meant to show urgency in addressing climate change while the state he leads struggles
with many of its most dire effects. But meeting those goals requires complex regulatory maneuvering. A ban on fracking — a technique for fracturing underground rock formations to extract oil and natural gas — along with a broader shift away from fossil fuel
production, has been both long sought by environmental groups and fiercely opposed by trade and labor groups seeking to protect jobs, particularly in places like Kern County, where the oil industry is a dominant force. I wanted to know more about the state’s
plans, so I spoke with two of California’s top environmental leaders: Jared Blumenfeld, who heads California’s Environmental Protection Agency, and Wade Crowfoot, who oversees the California Natural Resources Agency. Here are excerpts from our conversation.
First, I want to ask you to explain a bit more about the governor’s announcement. What more will the state need to do to meet that 2045 goal? Blumenfeld: So we set a bold 2045 carbon neutrality goal as a state. Then, last October, when I went out with the
governor in the middle of that orange sky apocalypse, he was like, ‘You need to do everything you can to accelerate that, and look at other things we’re not doing.’” [New York Times,
5/4/21
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Nev.
Democrat's Bill Would Reform Federal Leasing. According
to E&E News, “Nevada Democratic Rep. Susie Lee joined the push for federal oil and gas reform yesterday, introducing a bill to limit the practice of oil speculating on public lands. Lee’s legislation would bar the Bureau of Land Management — a subagency of
the Interior Department — from leasing areas for oil and gas development that regulators estimate have a low potential for those resources. It is a House companion to Nevada Democratic Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto’s ‘End Speculative Oil and Gas Leasing Act,’
S. 607. The intent of the measures is to limit the federal oil and gas footprint to areas with the greatest reserves, address permitting workloads and prioritize land uses with low carbon interest. Lee noted more than 60% of Nevada land is managed by BLM,
but very few oil- and gas-bearing formations have been identified in the state. Nevada is occasionally subject to the interest of ‘wildcatters,’ or oil and gas drillers who explore unproven areas in hopes of making a big discovery. They defend the practice
as one with little impact on federal surfaces. Speculative leases are often left undrilled. But Lee said leasing these parcels is an inefficient use of taxpayer resources. ‘The reckless leasing of these lands has led to a number of administrative costs as
state and federal agencies are often burdened with the tasks of reviewing dubious proposals, monitoring these leases, and diverting precious limited resources,’ Lee said in a statement. The companion bills have found favor with more than a dozen conservation
groups, including the Natural Resources Defense Council and Taxpayers for Common Sense. They dislike the speculation, arguing it gives oil and gas companies 10-year rights in areas that could be better used for wildlife, habitat conservation and other interests.”
[E&E News, 5/5/21
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AP
| Oil And Gas Royalties Set Monthly Record. According
to E&E News, “New Mexico has set a record for the highest monthly royalty earnings from oil and gas leases, state officials announced yesterday. The State Land Office reported that nearly $110 million was earned in April, which was more than any month in state
history. The previous record was nearly $109 million in February 2020, just before a global price war and pandemic market forces disrupted the oil industry. Public Lands Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard said the revenue will benefit public schools, hospitals
and other programs that are funded by drilling and other development on state trust land. Revenue from activities on trust land on average saves the typical New Mexico household an estimated $1,500 per year in taxes that would otherwise be needed to fund state
operations, Garcia Richard said. ‘This is a huge monetary relief for hard working New Mexico families, particularly during the coronavirus pandemic,’ she said in a statement. While oil and gas is a driving force of New Mexico’s economy and the state budget,
the Democratic land commissioner said the resources are finite and aren’t a stable long-term budgeting tool for the state. ‘We are committed to diversifying the revenue coming from state trust land by increasing renewable energy generation, creating new outdoor
recreation opportunities, seeking out new commercial business development, and looking at innovations in agriculture for additional revenue generation,’ Garcia Richard said. Recent data from the state’s Oil Conservation Division showed that oil and gas production
in New Mexico increased more than 10% last year compared with the year before, even as demand for fuel dropped during the pandemic. Overall, the state produced about 370 million barrels of oil in 2020, compared with about 330 million barrels in 2019.” [E&E
News, 5/5/21
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Builders
Of Contested Memphis Pipeline Weigh Route Changes. According
to E&E News, “Plains All American Pipeline LP says it is considering changing the route of its proposed Byhalia Connection oil pipeline in the Memphis, Tenn., area and has agreed to pause its work on the pipeline for two months. The delay was a peace offering
to the Memphis City Council, and yesterday it helped lead to a truce until at least early July in their dispute about where to build the pipeline. The Memphis pipeline fight has gained national attention as a battle about environmental justice, or reducing
pollution in low-income minority areas. The truce turns down the heat and will likely shut off the spotlight — at least temporarily. The 50-mile Byhalia pipeline, a joint venture project of Plains and Valero Energy Corp., would connect the Diamond and Capline
pipelines through the Memphis area. For its part, the City Council agreed to delay consideration of the centerpiece of its anti-pipeline effort, a local law tightly regulating pipelines. It was put off until July. ‘Circumstances with our project have changed,’
Brad Leone, Plains’ director of communications and public affairs, told council members by video link yesterday. ‘The construction of our pipeline is not imminent.’ Leone said the company is pulling back on lawsuits it filed to condemn land for the pipeline
and said the pause will allow the company to ‘consider other options outside of the currently proposed route.’ Leone gave no indication of whether the company intends to make minor changes to the planned route to avoid controversial properties, or whether
it is looking at a whole different path. The pipeline is proposed to run through Memphis for 7 miles in an area that is low-income, more than 95% Black and already surrounded by industry (Energywire, May 3).” [E&E News,
5/5/21
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Feds
Warn Of Safety Gaps Following Deadly Oil Site Poisonings. According
to E&E News, “Federal investigators have found a string of safety lapses at a Texas oil field facility where two people died in a poison gas accident in 2019 and are urging state and federal agencies to warn other companies about the problems. The U.S. Chemical
Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) made the recommendations yesterday after a three-hour videoconference to discuss its investigation into the deaths of Jacob and Natalee Dean, who died when they were overcome by hydrogen sulfide gas at a pump station
on the outskirts of Odessa, Texas (Energywire, July 21, 2020). Hydrogen sulfide is a well-known danger in the oil field, but the pump station didn’t have a working alarm system to notify workers about the gas, and the company that owned the station, Aghorn
Energy, didn’t have written procedures to ensure that workers followed basic safety rules like using personal gas detectors, the board’s investigators said. The findings are important because Texas has at least 5,000 similar facilities that also handle hydrogen
sulfide, many of them close to populated areas like Odessa, CSB Chairman Katherine Lemos said. ‘This is a call to action for all companies, large and small, to step up to the plate, to prioritize the safety for your workers and the community,’ she said. Jacob
Dean was a pumper for Aghorn, a job that put him in charge of maintaining equipment at several oil and gas leases. The pump house where the accident occurred, known as the Foster D, served a series of oil wells that had been flooded with water to boost their
production. The water, which contained hydrogen sulfide and other gases, was pumped to the surface along with oil, separated into tanks and piped to the Foster D stationm where a battery of pumps reinjected it into the oil-bearing formation.” [E&E News,
5/5/21
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Republicans
On 30x30: 'Catchy Tagline' On An Empty Package. According
to E&E News, “While the White House continues to mull the details of its ambitious conservation plans, House Republican lawmakers already skeptical of President Biden’s ‘30x30’ pledge yesterday volleyed a new round of criticisms at the program. Arkansas Rep.
Bruce Westerman, the top Republican on the House Natural Resources Committee, led a virtual panel discussion yesterday on the administration’s 30x30 pledge, which aims to conserve 30% of the nation’s lands and waters by 2030. ‘At this point the administration
has failed to develop its policy beyond a catchy tagline,’ Westerman asserted. ‘They have not defined a baseline of current conservation practices, established metrics for measuring progress, or even provided a clear understanding of how they define the word
‘conservation.’’ Biden committed to the policy — which aims to address climate change and protect biodiversity — in an executive order signed in late January and directed the Interior Department to propose guidelines on determining how to tally land and waters.
The agency issued that report last week to the National Climate Task Force led by White House climate adviser Gina McCarthy, but the White House has yet to release it to the public (Greenwire, April 27) During a nearly two-hour session, Republican lawmakers
reiterated their concerns that the 30x30 pledge is a ‘haphazard goal’ that will ‘lock up millions of acres of land and water.’ ‘True conservation is about managing our lands and waters for their environmental quality, not quantity,’ Westerman said. Montana
Rep. Matt Rosendale (R), who criticized federal land management in his state as subpar compared to state and private efforts, likewise slammed the 30x30 program as an ‘arbitrary top-down government mandate.’” [E&E News,
5/5/21
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Old
Pipelines Become New Flashpoints For U.S., Canada Environmental Clashes.
According
to Politico, “Four years after a Democrat last occupied the White House, Canada’s energy industry is once again being forced to defend pipelines as necessary infrastructure to move a vital resource — oil — to market. But this time, it’s not just new projects
being scrutinized for their potential to tie the continent to carbon-intensive fossil fuels for decades. Instead, environmentalists and their Democratic allies are using U.S. state laws and permitting rules to target old systems that they say are unsafe and
have outlived their time. The new battles have become domestic and international flashpoints, pitting states against states and the U.S. against Canada. And they could multiply as North America’s pipelines age and as activists seize on a legal weapon unrelated
to climate change and greenhouse gas emissions. In Michigan, the fight is raging over Line 5, a conduit that has snaked under the Great Lakes since 1953. The pipeline is under attack from Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, after years of public concern about
its safety, given its path through the heavily traveled Straits of Mackinac between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. ‘I don’t think anyone today would permit such an oil pipeline flowing through 20 percent of the world’s freshwater,’ former Michigan Rep. Mark
Schauer, a Democrat, said in an interview. ‘It makes no sense whatsoever.’ The regulatory and legal processes governing repairs and expansions give pipeline opponents an opening to appeal to political leaders or judges to weigh in on the need for safety of
aging lines. Enbridge Inc., a Canadian energy transportation company that owns the line, promised former Gov. Rick Snyder, a Republican and Whitmer’s predecessor, that it would replace the portion of the pipe under the straits and encase it in a concrete tunnel
to protect against anchor strikes — all at no cost to the state” [Politico,
5/5/21
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Chad Ellwood
Senior Research Associate
Climate Action Campaign
614.570.3644
He/Him