Oil And Gas Health Impacts Cost $77 Billion Per Year, Study Finds. According to Axios, “The EPA is in the final stage of establishing nationwide rules to limit air pollution from oil and gas development, with a primary focus on methane — a powerful greenhouse gas. ‘In limiting methane emissions from production sites, you're also limiting these other criteria pollutants that this study looks at,’ according to Jon Goldstein, EDF's senior director of regulatory and legislative affairs. He notes that it ‘boosts the climate case and the public health case’ for tougher methane-emissions regulations on a national scale.” [Axios, 5/10/23 (=)]
Will A Permitting Overhaul Be In A Debt Limit Deal? Here Are Three Reasons It Might Not Be. According to the Washington Post, “House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has pushed to include Republicans’ energy package — including provisions aimed at speeding up the permitting process for energy projects — in a deal to raise the government’s debt ceiling. But his efforts to include a permitting overhaul face long odds, for at least three big reasons. For one thing, when Democrats and Republicans talk about ‘permitting reform,’ they’re talking about very different things. Republicans have primarily sought to speed up the permitting process for fossil fuel and mining projects, while Democrats have largely tried to expedite clean-energy projects and transmission lines. For another matter, lawmakers have until sometime in June to lift the debt ceiling or risk a calamitous default. But it would probably take longer to iron out any bipartisan deal on permitting, given the significant differences between the parties. Third, and perhaps most importantly, the debt limit negotiations have shown little sign of progress.” [Washington Post, 5/10/23 (=)]
The Complete Guide To CCS And The EPA Power Plant Rule. According to Politico, “The looming EPA rule on power plants is expected to point to carbon capture as a viable option to cut emissions. But many questions remain about whether the technology can be deployed fast enough and cheaply enough across the nation's power sector. It ran into hurdles and cost overruns when large projects were proposed in the past. Gas plants — which are a growing part of the electricity mix — also pose higher cost challenges than some previous projects. Even so, the International Energy Agency said last month that deployment needs to increase fourfold over projects currently planned to reach climate goals.” [Politico, 5/10/23 (=)]
Activists Enraged As Bipartisan Mining Bills Gain Momentum. According to Politico, “Bipartisan lawmakers from mining-heavy Western states are pushing legislation to tackle growing legal challenges facing U.S. mining, triggering pushback from tribal, climate and conservation groups. The industry maintains a legislative fix is critical to ensuring projects aren’t stymied in court, especially those needed to produce minerals needed for electric vehicle batteries and renewable technologies. But green groups argue the congressional push could actually endanger public land and hamstring renewable energy development.” [Politico, 5/10/23 (=)]