Public Lands Clips: April 22, 2024

White House

Biden’s Earth Week Kickoff: $7B Solar Grants, Expanded Climate Corps — “The Biden administration will mark Earth Week with a raft of new grants and initiatives in the coming days, culminating Thursday with the roll out of new pollution standards for power plants. On Monday — the last Earth Day of this term — President Joe Biden will travel to Prince William Forest Park in Virginia to announce the recipients of $7 billion in solar power grants for low- and moderate-income communities. Biden will also use the park — developed in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps — as his backdrop to announce the expansion of the newly formed American Climate Corps. White House climate adviser Ali Zaidi told reporters Friday that Biden’s remarks will cast the climate crisis as an opportunity ‘for us to come together to unlock economic opportunity, to create pathways to middle class-supporting careers, to save people money and improve their quality of life.’” [E&E News, 4/22/24 (+)]

American Climate Corps To Focus On Next-Generation Workers — “Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) speaks at a press conference on President Joe Biden’s launch of the American Climate Corps, September 20, 2023. The American Climate Corps is ‘an opportunity to turn anxiety into action.’ That’s how Michael D. Smith, the CEO of AmeriCorps, describes the historic workforce development program that aims to bridge the skills gap that many workers face in a sector experiencing critical labor shortages. Established by a Biden administration executive order, the Climate Corps will train and deploy thousands of young Americans to work on clean-energy, conservation, and climate resiliency projects across the country. The ACC’s job board will debut by the end of April. ‘We’ve heard a lot from young Americans about climate anxiety,’ Smith told The American Prospect. ‘It’s been heartbreaking to hear young people say, ‘This is overwhelming. I don’t know what to do, I don’t know if I want to bring children into this world.’ Smith says the ACC ‘gives you a way to not wait for somebody else to do something, but for you to jump in the arena right now to make a difference on an issue that is bigger than all of us.’” [The American Prospect, 4/22/24 (+)]

AP | Biden Is Marking Earth Day By Announcing $7 Billion In Federal Solar Power Grants — “President Joe Biden is marking Earth Day by announcing $7 billion in federal grants for residential solar projects serving 900,000-plus households in low- and middle-income communities. He also plans to expand his New Deal-style American Climate Corps green jobs training program. The grants are being awarded by the Environmental Protection Agency, which unveiled the 60 recipients on Monday. The projects are expected to eventually reduce emissions by the equivalent of 30 million metric tons of carbon dioxide and save households $350 million annually, according to senior administration officials. Biden’s latest environmental announcements come as he is working to energize young voters for his reelection campaign. Young people were a key part of a broad but potentially fragile coalition that helped him defeat then-President Donald Trump in 2020. Some have joined protests around the country of the administration’s handling of Israel’s war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Senior administration officials said young Americans are keenly invested in the Biden climate agenda and want to actually help enact it. The Climate Corps initiative is a way for them to do that, the officials said.” [ABC News, 4/22/24 (+)]

The American Climate Corps Designed The Next Great Government Logo — “U.S. government brand identities are a mixed bag. Once you’ve put the NASA meatball and National Park Service badge on a special shelf, you’re left with a voluminous aerie of eagles, and a smattering of official marks that all look perfectly official . . . and, ultimately, entirely forgettable. Which is a problem if you’re trying to rally younger generations around a new idea—like, say, the American Climate Corps, which formally launched today with the debut of its new website and jobs program. How do you brand it? ‘Design has an incredible power, and it is something that can make a big difference in whether something succeeds,’ says Loyalkaspar executive creative director Anna Minkkinen, whose team worked on the initiative alongside the White House. ‘And this particular issue has struggled to gain a foothold—people don’t know how to cope with this situation, and how to do something actionable and tangible.’” [Fast Company, 4/22/24 (+)]

Biden To Tout First Job Listings In American Climate Corps Program At Earth Day Event — “President Biden is expected to announce the first slate of job listings under his climate and jobs program in a speech on Earth Day. Biden is slated to travel to Prince William Forest Park in Virginia to announce the availability of 2,000 climate-related jobs listed at ClimateCorps.gov. These jobs are the first subset of a total of 20,000 jobs under the program, which seeks to put young people to work in areas such as renewable energy, conservation and making infrastructure better able to stand up to the changing climate. The administration is also set to announce that members of the American Climate Corps will also have access to a ‘streamlined pathway into federal service.’ In addition, Biden is expected to announce that the government is naming 60 organizations to be the recipients of a total of $7 billion in grants aimed at advancing rooftop solar.” [The Hill, 4/22/24 (+)]

On Earth Day, Biden Is Launching A New Site To Apply For Climate Corps Jobs — “President Biden is marking Earth Day on Monday by launching a website for applications for his Climate Corps jobs and training program, a plan that has attracted a lot of interest from young Americans. Biden has been racing to push forward on initiatives that appeal to a generation that was a big part of his 2020 win — a demographic he has struggled with heading into his reelection bid this fall. The latest NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll found that 61% of voters under 30 disapprove of his performance as president. Issues like climate change, gun violence prevention and student loan debt are important for young voters, and in recent weeks, Biden has unveiled a host of initiatives in these areas. Biden launched the climate service program last fall, and within weeks the White House received more than 42,000 expressions of interest from Americans, most of them between the ages of 18 and 35.” [NPR, 4/22/24 (+)]

Earth Day: Biden To Announce $7B In Solar Energy Grants, 2,000 Climate Corps Jobs — “President Joe Biden will announce $7 billion from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Solar for All grant competition along with the first jobs climate-related positions at ClimateCorps.gov when he visits Prince William Forest Park in Virginia on Monday to mark Earth Day. The White House said it hopes its Solar for All grants will help more than 900,000 households in low-income and disadvantaged communities get solar power. It said solar power could save about $400 per household in electricity costs and prevent 30 million metric tons of carbon pollution over 25 years. ‘The selectees will provide funds to states, territories, tribes, municipalities, and nonprofits across the country to develop long-lasting solar programs that enable low-income and disadvantaged communities to deploy and benefit from distributed residential solar,’ the White House said.” [UPI, 4/22/24 (+)]

Congress

House

House Hearing To Target Federal Land Policy ‘Overreach’ — “A House Natural Resources subcommittee field hearing in Utah this week will focus on federal land management policies that some Western congressional leaders complain hamper economic development by prioritizing conservation. The Subcommittee on Federal Lands hearing set for Monday will likely serve as a political counter to the suite of major federal rules and initiatives rolled out over the past two weeks that are aimed at bolstering President Joe Biden’s appeal to conservationists and young climate activists during an election year, and that have angered Republican lawmakers. The hearing will likely include a discussion on recently finalized Bureau of Land Management rules that substantially increase royalty rates and the minimum bond requirement for drilling a federal lease, and another rule that streamlines permitting and cuts by as much as 80 percent the acreage rental rates and capacity fees for wind and solar power projects. And Republican lawmakers are almost certain to speak against BLM’s finalization last week of a broad new public lands rule that elevates conservation on par with energy development, livestock grazing and other uses on the 245 million acres that BLM oversees.” [E&E News, 4/22/24 (=)]

Department of the Interior (DOI)

Bureau of Land Management (BLM)

US Will Lease Public Lands For Conservation Under New Policy — “The Biden administration on Thursday finalized new measures to protect the health of U.S. public lands, including by leasing acreage for conservation in much the same way as it offers land for development like drilling, mining and grazing. The regulations from the Interior Department will help guard nearly a tenth of America’s land base from the impact of climate change and enable industries to offset their environmental footprints, the agency said. The move is consistent with the administration’s goal to put climate change at the center of agency decisions and with Biden’s pledge to conserve 30% of America’s land and water. … Conservation groups said the BLM for too long had focused on development rather than preserving land health. ‘This rule gives the BLM the tools it needs to right these wrongs and start improving the health of our public lands,’ Center for Western Priorities spokesperson Kate Groetzinger said in a statement. ‘It also provides tools for extractive industries to be part of the solution, rather than exacerbate the problem.’” [Reuters, 4/18/24 (+)]

Here’s Why Arizonans See BLM Rule As Key To Future For Public Lands — “After prioritizing extractive industries for the past 40 years, today the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released its final ‘Public Lands Rule’ to balance and uphold its multiple-use mission. The Biden administration’s bold, comprehensive framework places cultural lands protection, conservation, access to nature, wildlife, and climate change mitigation on equal footing with industrial development across the West. Lawmakers, local officials, recreationists, conservationists, and Tribal nations throughout Arizona are celebrating this once-in-a-generation opportunity for local collaboration with the agency to address intensifying drought, wildfires, and other threats to public lands and waters. ‘Arizona’s public lands are defining and iconic, home to culturally significant areas that have been home to Indigenous people since time immemorial. They provide vital habitat that must be protected from the threat of mining and development. The Bureau of Land Management’s Public Lands Rule is overdue and urgently needed to restore and strengthen these treasured landscapes for the health of our communities, the deep connections from the numerous Tribes in Arizona and elsewhere, the plants and animals that are part of this amazing landscape, and the planet,’ said Sandy Bahr, Grand Canyon Chapter Director, Sierra Club” [AZ Big Media, 4/21/24 (+)]

Boise State Public Radio | Newly Finalized BLM Public Lands Rule Opens Door To Leases For Restoration, Mitigation — “The Bureau of Land Management has finalized a new Public Lands Rule to help guide decision-making on its 245 million acres. The agency says the new rule puts conservation on equal footing with other uses of public lands, like ranching and mining. Among other changes, it creates a framework for so-called restoration and mitigation leases. Respectively, those would allow third parties to do restorative work on BLM land and offset the negative impacts of large projects like solar energy plants. ‘Mitigation leases would, for the first time, create a clear and consistent mechanism for those investments to happen on BLM-managed public lands,’ a BLM fact sheet on the rule reads. ‘They would be issued at the discretion of the BLM and must not conflict with valid existing rights or previously authorized uses.’” [KNPR-Radio, 4/21/24 (=)]

Federal Lands Will Be Managed With An Eye To Conservation Under New BLM Rule — “The Bureau of Land Management has issued its final rule for federal lands, putting conservation on equal footing with other uses such as mining and grazing. ‘Today’s final rule helps restore balance to our public lands as we continue using the best-available science to restore habitats, guide strategic and responsible development, and sustain our public lands for generations to come,’ said Interior Secretary Deb Haaland in a statement. … A number of conservation groups also hailed the move. ‘For too long, the BLM has allowed extractive industries to have their way with our public lands. That’s led to degraded landscapes across the West and the decline of iconic species, like the greater sage-grouse,’ said Kate Groetzinger with the Center for Western Priorities. ‘This rule gives the BLM the tools it needs to right these wrongs and start improving the health of our public lands. It also provides tools for extractive industries to be part of the solution, rather than exacerbate the problem.’ The president of Trout Unlimited, Chris Wood, described the rule is a restatement of the obvious. ‘Conservation is a vital part of the BLM’s multiple use mandate; just as it has been since passage of the Federal Lands Policy Management Act in 1976.’” [Colorado Public Radio, 4/18/24 (+)]

Biden’s Bureau Of Land Management Will Offer Leasing Of Public Lands For Conservation — “The Biden administration has finalized a new rule to protect United States public lands, including offering leasing of the lands for conservation in a similar manner as it does for drilling, grazing and mining, reported Reuters. The final Public Lands Rule will help the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to improve and protect the resilience and health of these lands from the impacts of climate change. At the same time, the regulations will help preserve intact landscapes and essential wildlife habitat, facilitate ‘responsible development’ and recognize natural and cultural resources, a press release from BLM said. ‘As stewards of America’s public lands, the Interior Department takes seriously our role in helping bolster landscape resilience in the face of worsening climate impacts. Today’s final rule helps restore balance to our public lands as we continue using the best-available science to restore habitats, guide strategic and responsible development, and sustain our public lands for generations to come,’ said Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland in the press release.” [EcoWatch, 4/19/24 (+)]

BLM Finalizes Rule Focused On Conservation — “The Bureau of Land Management has finalized a rule agency officials say will put conservation on an equal footing with other uses of the lands it administers, after making changes to a draft proposal in response to concerns over the rule’s potential reach, including when it comes to what initially were called conservation leases. The BLM said in a news release that its Public Lands Rule provides tools for the agency ‘to help improve the health and resilience of public lands in the face of a changing climate; conserve important wildlife habitat and intact landscapes; facilitate responsible development; and better recognize unique cultural and natural resources on public lands.’ ‘BLM already has regulations around oil and gas, grazing and timber, around many of the things we do, but until now we didn’t have regulations addressing the conservation side of our mission,’ the BLM’s principal deputy director, Nada Wolff Culver, said in a video from the agency announcing the final rule.” [Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, 4/18/24 (+)]

BLM To Finalize Rule Allowing Federal Leases Targeted At Protection Of Natural Areas — “The Bureau of Land Management will publish a final rule soon allowing the nation’s public lands to be leased for environmental protection, a Thursday news release from the Interior Department said. The rule, which proponents and detractors say marks a shift in the agency’s focus toward conservation, directs land managers at the agency to identify landscapes in need of restoration and to create plans to fill those needs. It also creates two new types of leases focused on protecting natural areas. The BLM already leases parcels of land for extractive industries including energy development, mining and livestock grazing. The rule is likely to set off a conflict in Congress, where Republicans immediately on Thursday renewed their criticism of President Joe Biden’s conservation policies.” [Idaho Capital Sun, 4/19/24 (+)]

BLM Set To Finalize Rule Allowing Federal Leases For Protection Of Natural Areas — “The Bureau of Land Management will publish a final rule soon allowing the nation’s public lands to be leased for environmental protection, a Thursday, April 18, news release from the Interior Department said. The rule, which both proponents and detractors say marks a shift in the agency’s focus toward conservation, directs land managers at the agency to identify landscapes in need of restoration and to create plans to fill those needs. It also creates two new types of leases focused on protecting natural areas. The BLM already leases parcels of land for extractive industries including energy development, mining and livestock grazing. The rule is likely to set off a conflict in Congress, where Republicans immediately on Thursday renewed their criticism of President Joe Biden’s conservation policies.” [Malheur Enterprise, 4/21/24 (=)]

BLM Revises Oil, Gas Leasing Terms On Federal Lands — “The Bureau of Land Management has updated fiscal terms for oil and gas leasing on federal lands. The new rule raises the minimum lease bond amount to $150,000, up from the $10,000 set in 1960, and sets the minimum statewide bond at $500,000, while eliminating nationwide and unit bonds. Under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, royalty rates will be 16.67% until Aug. 16, 2032, an increase from the current minimum of 12.5%. After this date, 16.67% will become the minimum royalty rate. The minimum bid at auctions for federal oil and gas leases will rise from $2 per acre to $10 per acre. Leases will include an annual rent of $3 per acre during the first two years, increasing to $5 per acre for the next six years, and then to $15 per acre thereafter. After Aug. 16, 2032, these rental rates will become minimums and are subject to increase, up from the previous rates of $1.50 per acre for the first five years and $2 per acre for the following five years.” [Midland Reporter-Telegram, 4/20/24 (=)]

Oil Companies Must Set Aside More Money To Plug Wells, A New Rule Says. But It Won’t Be Enough. — “For the first time in more than 60 years, the Bureau of Land Management will force oil and gas companies to set aside more money to guarantee they plug old wells, preventing them from leaking oil, brine and toxic or climate-warming gasses. The rule, finalized this month, comes at a critical time. Money previously set aside to clean up wells on federal land would have covered the cost of fewer than 1 out of 100, according to the government’s own estimates, and the vast majority of the country’s wells sit inactive or barely producing, meaning they’ll soon need to be plugged. But the federal agency’s work falls short of protecting taxpayers from the oil industry’s cleanup costs, according to a ProPublica and Capital & Main review of contracts or other cost estimates at tens of thousands of wells across the country. While the updated rule will shrink the gap between companies’ financial guarantees to plug wells, known as bonds, and the cost of the work, it still leaves a significant shortfall.” [ProPublica, 4/19/24 (+)]

New Mexico News Connection | BLM's 'Public Lands Rule' Could Reform Conservation, Access In NM — “Balancing the needs of the many with those who have traditionally reaped benefits from public lands is behind a new rule issued Thursday by the Bureau of Land Management. A quarter-million acres of public lands, including 13 million in New Mexico, now fall under the Public Lands Rule. The BLM is charged with managing multiple uses but has historically prioritized extraction, such as oil and gas drilling, along with cattle grazing, over conservation and outdoor recreation. Jesse Duebel, executive director of the New Mexico Wildlife Federation, believes the new rule is more fair-minded. ‘I really feel like this new rule doesn’t minimize those other things,’ Duebel asserted. ‘The other uses are still going to be allowed to continue but now, decisions are going to be made with conservation in the forefront. And of course, conservation by definition, is the ‘wise use’ of our natural resources.’ The rule requires BLM managers to prioritize designating more ‘Areas of Critical Environmental Concern’ in their land use planning. Right now the number is small, but they help protect cultural sites and wildlife habitat.” [Public News Service, 4/19/24 (+)]

BLM Finalizes Controversial Public Lands Rule — “The U.S. Bureau of Land Management finalized its controversial public lands rule on Thursday. This rule is controversial because it allows for conservation leasing which advocates say puts conservation on equal footing with fossil fuel extraction and grazing. In addition to allowing conservation leasing, the rule calls on the BLM to designate more Areas of Critical Environmental Concern, which can help protect sacred sites and resources as well as wildlife habitat. These ACECs are designated to protect site-specific resources, which means the activities allowed in a particular ACEC may be different from those allowed in another. However, they can also provide economic benefits to a community in terms of bringing in tourism. Because of the conservation leasing proposal and the focus on ACECs, Republicans at the national level have fought against this rule, including introducing legislation in an attempt to force the BLM to withdraw it. Among the Republicans leading the effort is Utah Representative John Curtis who said in a press release that it ‘undermines the very people who rely on our federal lands for ranching, grazing, recreation, and beyond.’” [NM Political Report, 4/19/24 (~)]

NV Stakeholders Celebrate New BLM Public Lands Rule — “This week, the Bureau of Land Management announced an update to its Public Lands Rule to help recognize conservation as an essential component of public land management, putting it on equal footing with other land uses. Jen Gurecki, co-founder and CEO of the Reno-based outdoor and sporting goods company Coalition Snow, said the new rule meets the needs and desires of all Nevadans. She noted public lands are used for a wide array of purposes and interests but until now, not all of them were adequately reflected. Gurecki is hopeful it will now change. ‘What I like about this rule is that it actually added so much context to the idea of conservation; that it’s not about something that keeps people out but it’s something that brings people in,’ Gurecki pointed out. ‘That is really important, not only for the health of the economy but for the health of people.’ Outdoor recreation contributed more than $6.1 billion to Nevada’s economy in 2022, helping to support more than 53,000 jobs in the Silver State, according to federal data. Gurecki added she worried if the BLM rule was not implemented, public lands and outdoor recreation opportunities would have been compromised.” [Public News Service, 4/19/24 (+)]

Environmental Group Praises New BLM Rule Elevating Conservation Uses — “Durango-based Western Leaders Network and other environmental groups on Thursday issued the following press releases on a new rule released by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management putting conservation on equal footing with mining, oil and gas drilling and cattle grazing: Today, the Department of the Interior has taken a significant step toward protecting public lands and cultural resources. The new rule, released under the Bureau of Land Management, not only advances the Biden administration’s national climate and environmental justice goals but also underscores the administration’s commitment to these crucial issues. The BLM Conservation and Landscape Health rule updates existing land management protocols to place conservation on an equal footing with extractive resource development. It also gives the agency clearer authority to prioritize public land health and climate resilience on BLM lands.” [RealVail, 4/19/24 (+)]

States Newsroom | Key Takeaways From Outdoor Recreation Bill — “The U.S. House of Representatives threw its support behind one of the country’s largest ever bills focused on outdoor recreation last week, sending the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Act to the U.S. Senate with unanimous approval. Known as the Explore Act, the 220-page package seeks to streamline the permitting process for outdoor recreation companies, study internet access at national parks, identify potential long distance bike trails and paths, support recreation and tourism economies and towns, and allow for new rock-climbing routes on public land. Many of the provisions come from Utah Republican Rep. John Curtis, who called it ‘a testament to our collective commitment to enhancing and preserving access to America’s stunning public lands and waters.’ In addition to receiving bipartisan support in the U.S. House, the bill got a thumbs up from outdoor and environmental advocacy groups like the Sierra Club, the Outdoor Industry Association and the Specialty Equipment Market Association, which promotes motorized recreation and off-roading.” [Missoula Current, 4/19/24 (+)]

Bureau Of Land Management’s Draft Plan Sparks Debate Over Sage-Grouse Conservation — “The Bureau of Land Management has announced a proposed draft plan aimed at conserving the greater sage-grouse and its habitat, a move that could tighten restrictions on drilling, mining and other commercial activities on public lands spanning 10 Western states. To address what is becoming evident of a decades-long decline in sage-grouse populations, the BLM — joined by a mix of input from federal, tribal, state and local agencies — is in the process of finalizing revisions to 77 existing conservation plans developed nearly 10 years ago. The bureau oversees the largest portion of sage-grouse habitat in the United States, encompassing nearly 70 million acres out of a total of 145 million acres it manages. The BLM’s updated conservation plans cover greater sage-grouse populations in California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.” [St George News, 4/19/24 (=)]

Buncha Hippies At Interior Just Made New Rule For Public Lands And We're So Happy We Could Cry — “The US Department of the Interior has a nice little present for America: a new ‘Public Lands Rule’ that will fundamentally change how the government manages public lands. For the first time ever the US will require that recreation, conservation, habitat preservation, and clean energy development balance out land use policy, which for most of US history has been aimed primarily at handing over parcels of public lands for commercial exploitation. As the Washington Post explains (gift link), this is a big fucking eco-deal, man. Interior’s Bureau of Land Management, known as the nation’s largest landlord, has long offered leases to oil and gas companies, mining firms and ranchers. Now, for the first time, the nearly 80-year-old agency will auction off ‘restoration leases’ and ‘mitigation leases’ to entities with plans to restore or conserve public lands.” [Wonkette, 4/19/24 (+)]

New Rule For Public Land Management Emphasizes Indigenous Knowledge — “Today, April 19, the Department of the Interior announced a finalized strategy to guide its management of public lands. The Public Lands Rule emphasizes the use of science and data, including Indigenous Knowledge, to guide balanced decision-making, according to the Department of the Interior. The rule applies the existing fundamentals of land health across BLM programs, establishes restoration and mitigation leases, and clarifies practices to designate and protect areas of critical concern. The final rule clarifies and refines concepts first proposed in April 2023. The Bureau of Land Management received and considered over 200,000 comments on the proposed rule from individuals, state, tribal and local governments, which were incorporated into the final rule. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland said the new rule helps to restore the balance to public lands for generations to come.” [Yahoo! News, 4/19/24 (+)]

Biden Admin Faces Heat After Announcing Drastic Plan That Fuels Radical 'Climate Change' Agenda — “The Biden Administration is facing heat after announcing on Friday that it plans to block oil and gas drilling across millions of acres in an Alaskan reserve. The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) outlined new restrictions on oil and gas reserves along 13 million acres on a petroleum reserve in Alaska, claiming the move will conserve land that is important to the ‘Alaska Native people’ and the ‘fish and wildlife.’ ‘Following significant engagement with the public, Alaska Native Tribes, and Alaska Native Corporations, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) finalized the Management and Protection of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A) rule that will ensure maximum protection for significant resource values on the more than 13 million acres of Special Areas in the western Arctic, while supporting subsistence uses and needs for Alaska Native communities,’ the agency said.” [Townhall, 4/19/24 (=)]

The Daily Caller | ‘Huge Step Back’: Dem Rep Slams Biden Admin For Climate Decision Strangling Oil Industry — “The Biden administration just announced sweeping moves to limit fossil fuel development in energy-rich Alaska, and Democratic Rep. Mary Peltola isn’t happy about it. The Department of the Interior (DOI) on Friday approved a rule restricting new oil and gas leasing across 13 million acres of federal land in northern Alaska and effectively blocking a road crucial to a large mining project. ‘Alaska has a wealth of natural resources that can be responsibly developed to help boost domestic manufacturing and innovation — in the end, it should be up to Alaskans to decide what they want developed in their regions,’ Peltola, the sole person representing Alaska in the House of Representatives, said to the Daily Caller News Foundation. Peltola called the Biden administration’s decision ‘a huge step back.’ President Joe Biden cited preserving ‘Alaska’s majestic and rugged lands and waters’ and ‘sustaining a vibrant subsistence economy for Alaska Native communities’ as part of his rationale for the move to restrict drilling in a statement released Friday.” [Shore News Network, 4/20/24 (-)]

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox Vows To Sue Over New BLM Landscape Rule — “A sweeping new rule by the Bureau of Land Management aimed at conserving the federal land it manages on a landscape-wide basis has evoked a threat by Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, who says he is already preparing to challenge the regulations in court. ‘Utah has a long track record of successful conservation and restoration of its public lands in tandem with local BLM offices,’ Cox said in a statement released Thursday. ‘The added layers of red tape and federal bureaucracy embedded in the BLM’s Public Lands Rule create new roadblocks to conservation work. The health of Utah’s lands and wildlife will suffer as a result. This rule is contrary to the bedrock principle of ‘multiple-use’ in the BLM’s governing law, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act. I look forward to working with Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes and his office to challenge this rule in federal court as soon as possible.’ In June 2023, Cox, along with governors from Montana, South Dakota, Idaho, Nevada and Wyoming, sent a letter asking the BLM to withdraw its initial draft of the Public Lands Rule. Although the BLM made some positive changes based on the states’ feedback, they assert the final rule still contains ‘alarming’ provisions that interfere with on-the-ground management.” [The Deseret News, 4/19/24 (=)]

US Gas Producers Irked By Price Hike On Federal Leasing — “The US Interior Department this week hiked the price tag associated with producing natural gas on federal lands as part of a sweeping rule targeting the financial obligations of onshore operators. Gas industry groups warn that the new rules’ bonding and other requirements will lead to early termination of leases for ‘marginal’ properties held by smaller producers, resulting in wasted gas resources. The American Petroleum Institute, Colorado Oil & Gas Association, New Mexico Oil & Gas Association and a slew of other lobby groups argued in earlier comments that federal leasing contributed $24.2 billion to the US GDP each year between 2013 and 2022. ‘The many added costs and burdens in the proposed rule needlessly place these substantial economic returns at risk,’ they wrote. But Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on Apr. 12 finalized the changes, including raising federal onshore royalty rates for the first time in more than 100 years. The final rules codify a rate increase from 12.5% to 16.67%, first outlined in the Inflation Reduction Act, making the change permanent.” [Energy Intelligence, 4/19/24 (~)]

Biden Administration Criticized For Limits To Arctic Oil, Gas Drilling — “The Biden Administration’s energy policies are in the spotlight again following the U.S. Department of the Interior’s new limits to oil and gas drilling in the Arctic. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) updated its regulatory framework for the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A). The reserve consists of 23 million acres of public land in Alaska extending from the Brooks Range to the Arctic Coast. BLM cited wildlife protection efforts, climate change and indigenous communities’ continued reliance on its resources as reasons for the new restrictions.” [Hart Energy, 4/19/24 (-)]

Association Condemns BLM’s Conservation And Landscape Rule As Industry Lockout — “The Essential Minerals Association (EMA) has raised objections to the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM’s) final Conservation and Landscape Health rule, citing concerns over what it perceives as a deliberate exclusion of the mining sector from federal lands. ‘Our nation’s federal lands exist to serve many purposes, including mining essential minerals vital for our everyday lives. It is extremely disappointing that the political officials at BLM are issuing a rule that not only exceeds their lawful authority, but also essentially blocks off large swaths of federal lands for responsible use by the minerals industry,’ said EPA president Chris Greissing. The rule, according to the EMA, favours conservation as an eligible use and expands designations of Areas of Critical Environmental Concern, deviating from the multiple use concept outlined in the Federal Land Management Policy Act. Greissing highlighted the rule’s instruction to refrain from authorising activities that could affect ‘landscape resilience,’ including mining, despite its historical coexistence with other land uses on BLM lands.” [Mining Weekly, 4/22/24 (-)]

BLM Rule Threatens Multiple Use Management Of Public Lands — “The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and Public Lands Council (PLC) expressed serious concerns about the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) final ‘Conservation and Landscape Health’ rule that reimagines the agency’s requirements to manage lands for multiple uses, including livestock grazing. ‘The BLM has a statutory responsibility to ensure multiple use on our nation’s public lands, which includes livestock grazing. It is extremely concerning that this rule makes serious additions to the leasing structure for federal lands without authorization or direction from Congress. Changes that aren’t based in law not only compromise the security of grazing on the landscape but make cohesive management much more challenging,’ said NCBA President and Wyoming rancher Mark Eisele. ‘Ranchers have always and will always be serious partners in conservation and sensible land management but after a year of feedback from agricultural organizations and local stakeholders, BLM has decided to move forward with the most concerning parts of this proposal.’” [Morning Ag Clips, 4/19/24 (-)]

A New Rule Aims To Fortify Public Lands Against Climate Change. Here’s Why Utah Wants To Fight It. — “The Bureau of Land Management oversees nearly 23 million acres of Utah’s land for grazing, oil and gas, mining and logging. Thursday, the agency published a rule that puts conservation on par with those commercial uses in an endeavor to build resilience to climate change. The BLM says that the new Public Lands Rule restores balance on public lands across the country by protecting land health, establishing ‘restoration and mitigation leases’ and clarifying protections for Areas of Critical Environmental Concern. The final rule affects one-tenth of American land. Conservation groups laud the rule, arguing that it fills gaps in the current implementation of the agency’s mandate, which is outlined in the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976. ‘A rule like this should’ve been on the books 45 years ago,’ said Aaron Weiss, deputy director for the nonprofit Center for Western Priorities. But industry representatives and Utah politicians say that the change poses a threat to their lifestyles and livelihoods. ‘Utah has a long track record of successful conservation and restoration of its public lands in tandem with local BLM offices,’ said Utah Gov. Spencer Cox in a statement. ‘The added layers of red tape and federal bureaucracy embedded in the BLM’s Public Lands Rule create new roadblocks to conservation work. The health of Utah’s lands and wildlife will suffer as a result.’” [The Salt Lake Tribune, 4/18/24 (=)]

Biden Admin Limits Drilling In Alaska In Latest Oil Industry Crackdown — “The Biden administration on Friday dealt another blow to the U.S. oil industry by declaring millions of acres in Alaska off limits to new oil drilling. The Department of the Interior announced on Friday that it will prohibit any new oil drilling project in the U.S. Arctic Ocean as well as on 11 million acres of Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve and nearly 3 million acres of Alaska’s coastal waters, according to Politico. President Joe Biden is ‘proud that [his] Administration is taking action to conserve more than 13 million acres in the Western Arctic and to honor the culture, history, and enduring wisdom of Alaska Natives who have lived on and stewarded these lands since time immemorial,’ the White House said in a statement on Friday.” [The Washington Free Beacon, 4/19/24 (-)]

BLM Frustrates Gov. Gordon Again With New Public Land Conservation Rule — “A new Biden administration rule will make conservation one of many recognized multiple uses on the 18.4 million acres of public land overseen by the Bureau of Land Management in Wyoming, a move that frustrated Gov. Mark Gordon and unleashed a cascade of criticism from politicians and industry. The 178-page final Conservation and Landscape Health Rule would ‘codify conservation tools’ to better meet legal requirements to ‘protect intact natural landscapes and restore degraded landscapes to achieve ecosystem resilience.’ It will become effective in about 30 days, according to an advance copy released Thursday before its publication in the Federal Register. The federal agency manages almost 30% of Wyoming’s 62 million acres for the American public under a multiple-use mandate calling for energy development, livestock grazing, recreation and other activities. At the same time, the BLM must ensure natural, cultural and historic resources are maintained across its jurisdiction, which covers about 10% of the country.” [WyoFile, 4/19/24 (=)]

‘National Security Suicide’: Alaska Senator Slams Biden Admin's Move To Restrict Drilling And Mining — “Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) criticized the Biden administration’s decision to put millions of acres of Alaskan wilderness outside the reach of oil drilling and critical mineral mining, likening the moves to ‘national security suicide.’ ‘Well, it’s lawless. He doesn’t have the authority to do it. ... It’s, as I say, national security suicide,’ Sullivan said Sunday during an interview on CBS’ ‘Face the Nation.’ Alaska has long been at odds with the federal government over the use and protection of its enormous natural resources, particularly when a Democrat is in the White House. The Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management on Friday officially recommended against building the Ambler Road — a proposed 211 mile-long roadway that would have expanded mining operations into an undeveloped part of the state — a recommendation that effectively kills the project and puts zinc and copper deposits out of reach. Interior also issued a final rule that will remove the entire U.S. Arctic Ocean, 11 million acres of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska and nearly 3 million acres of federal waters off the Alaska coast from consideration for new oil and gas leasing.” [Politico, 4/21/24 (=)]

Sullivan Blasts Biden’s Moves To Restrict Drilling And Mining In Alaska As ‘National Security Suicide’ — “Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska.) ripped into the Biden administration’s decision to restrict drilling on millions of acres of government-owned lands in Alaska, arguing it was a ‘lawless’ move. ‘It’s lawless. [President Biden] doesn’t have the authority to do that,’ Sullivan said Sunday on CBS News’s ‘Face the Nation.’ ‘And I could go into all the laws that support me on that. It’s, as I say, national security suicide.’ The Biden administration announced last week it would block off oil and gas drilling on 13 million acres in the Western Arctic that are part of an area known as the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska. The reserve, which spans 23 million acres, can be found in Alaska’s North Slope and was originally set aside in 1923 by President Harding as an emergency supply of oil for the Navy. The administration also issued a document signaling it will deny approval for a posed industrial road, known as the Ambler Access Project, which would have spanned more than 200 miles, including federally owned land.” [The Hill, 4/21/24 (=)]

Sen. Sullivan: WH Block On Alaskan Resources 'Lawless' — “The Biden administration’s actions blocking natural resource development in Alaska, including the rejection of a road project that would have opened up millions of acres of wilderness to oil drilling and mineral mining, is equal to ‘national security suicide,’ Alaska GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan said Sunday. ‘It’s lawless,’ Sullivan told CBS’ ‘Face the Nation.’ ‘He [President Joe Biden] doesn’t have the authority to do it, and I could go into all the laws that support me on that. It’s, as I say, national security suicide.’ Biden also won’t sanction Iranian oil and gas, said Sullivan, ‘but he has no problem sanctioning Alaska.’ ‘This administration has issued 63 executive orders and executive actions, singularly focused on Alaska to shut our state down,’ he said. ‘Now that, of course, hurts my constituents. National resources, energy critical minerals, that’s an American strength.’” [Newsmax, 4/21/24 (-)]

Biden ‘Doesn’t Have The Authority’ To Limit Oil And Gas Leasing In Alaska: Dan Sullivan — “President Joe Biden ‘doesn’t have the authority’ to restrict new oil and gas leasing on federal petroleum reserves in Alaska, Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK) said Sunday in response to the Democratic administration’s environmental protection plan. ‘Leaders of the North Slope of Alaska were unanimous in opposition to this,’ Sullivan said Sunday, adding that Biden was not being forthright about the wants of Alaska Native communities in regard to the new oil and gas leasing rule. Sullivan’s comments come days after the Biden administration finalized a rule on Friday to freeze new fossil fuel leases on nearly half of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska. In a statement released Friday, Biden touted the restrictions, saying that he is ‘proud that my Administration is taking action to conserve more than 13 million acres in the Western Arctic and to honor the culture, history, and enduring wisdom of Alaska Natives who have lived on and stewarded these lands since time immemorial.’” [Washington Examiner, 4/19/24 (-)]

Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)

Enviro Groups Say Federal Plan Threatens At-Risk Bats — “A coalition of environmental groups sued the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Thursday in North Carolina federal court alleging that a plan to allow logging in the Nantahala and Pisgah national forests will harm endangered bats on the brink of extinction. The groups Defenders of Wildlife, MountainTrue, The Sierra Club and the Center for Biological Diversity accused the federal natural resources agencies of using shoddy studies and misanalysizing information to justify allowing five times more logging in the two national forests to the detriment of the northern long-eared bat, the Indiana bat, the Virginia big-eared bat and the gray bat. In doing so, the agencies violated the Endangered Species Act and the Administrative Procedures Act, a law outlining how federal agencies go about making policies, the environmental groups said. ‘When endangered or threatened species are teetering on the brink like this, the Endangered Species Act requires federal agencies like the Forest Service to ensure that their actions will not jeopardize those species’ continued existence or prospects for recovery,’ the lawsuit said.” [Law360, 4/19/24 (=)]

National Park Service (NPS)

Biden Urges People To Visit Parks During National Park Week — “President Joe Biden on Friday encouraged Americans to visit the nation’s parks and to take advantage of free admission on Saturday to kick off National Park Week. ‘Each time my family and I have visited one, we have left feeling inspired by our nation’s natural beauty and humbled by the responsibility that we all share to make sure that it endures,’ the president said in a statement. ‘This National Park Week, we recommit to the work of protecting our nation’s natural treasures for the ages.’ Biden signed a proclamation designating April 20-28 as National Park Week, urging ‘all Americans to find their park, recreate responsibly, and enjoy the benefits that come from spending time in the natural world.’ In his proclamation, Biden called parks part of ‘the heart and soul of our nation.’ ‘From the high plateaus and deep ravines of the Grand Canyon to the hallowed grounds of Gettysburg and the rolling forests of the Great Smoky Mountains, our national parks unite and inspire us, connecting us to something bigger than ourselves,’ he said. ‘This week, we recommit to protecting and caring for all 429 parks and encourage Americans everywhere to enjoy them.’” [E&E News, 4/19/24 (+)]

Energy Industry

Clean Energy

US Offshore Wind Needs American-Made Ships. The First Is Nearly Ready — “In order to make good on its ambitious offshore wind plans, Virginia electric utility Dominion Energy first had to get into the shipbuilding business. The regulated monopoly is building Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind, a $10 billion, 2.6 gigawatt wind project 23.5 miles offshore of Virginia Beach. The project is tied with New England Wind for the title of largest of its kind approved by the federal government, and represents a pivotal step toward the Biden administration’s goal of installing 30 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2030. But to shuttle the necessary foundations, nacelles, and turbine blades from the port of Hampton Roads, Virginia, to the project, Dominion must obey a protectionist law from more than a century ago. The Jones Act, formally known as the Merchant Marine Act of 1920, mandates that ships carrying goods between American ports must be made in the U.S., flagged in the U.S., owned by Americans, and staffed by an American workforce.” [Canary Media, 4/19/24 (+)]

Fossil Energy

Louisiana’s Flagship University Lets Oil Firms Influence Research – For A Price — “For $5m, Louisiana’s flagship university will let an oil company weigh in on faculty research activities. Or, for $100,000, a corporation can participate in a research study, with ‘robust’ reviewing powers and access to all resulting intellectual property. Those are the conditions outlined in a boilerplate document that Louisiana State University’s fundraising arm circulated to oil majors and chemical companies affiliated with the Louisiana Chemical Association, an industry lobbying group, according to emails disclosed in response to a public records request by the Lens. Records show that after Shell donated $25m in 2022 to LSU to create the Institute for Energy Innovation, the university gave the fossil fuel corporation license to influence research and coursework for the university’s new concentration in carbon capture, use and storage. Afterward, LSU’s fundraising entity, the LSU Foundation, used this partnership as a model to shop around to members of the Louisiana Chemical Association, such as ExxonMobil, Air Products and CF Industries, which have proposed carbon capture projects in Louisiana.” [The Guardian, 4/21/24 (+)]

BP Defeated Thousands Of Suits By Sick Gulf Spill Cleanup Workers. But Not One By A Boat Captain — “John Maas spent years buying and outfitting a 17-foot aluminum boat called the Superskiff 1 so he could take customers fishing for sea trout and flounder in the Gulf of Mexico. But before the Mississippi captain could make his first charter trip in 2010, the BP Deepwater Horizon drilling rig blew up 120 miles (193 kilometers) to the south, killing 11 people and sending many millions of gallons of oil into the sea. As for many along the Gulf coast, the disaster changed Maas’ life. Fishing stopped when oil contaminated the water, so he used his boat to help clean up the spill. It was nasty work under oppressive, humid heat in oily water and around the chemical dispersant Corexit deployed in massive quantities to break up oil. Maas said the Corexit smelled like burning brake fluid and caused his eyes to water and skin to burn. ‘You were coughing and things like that. It’s like tear gas almost,’ he said in an interview.” [Associated Press, 4/19/24 (+)]

Op-Ed: We Know How To Prevent The Next Deepwater Horizon Spill: Stop Fast-Tracking Approval For Drilling — According to Donald Boesch, “Fourteen years ago, the British Petroleum (BP) Deepwater Horizon offshore drilling rig suffered a blowout in water a mile deep. The Gulf of Mexico explosion took the lives of 11 people, released 134 million gallons of oil into the Gulf over 87 straight days, wreaked widespread ecological harm, displaced communities, and devastated local economies. Ultimately, the worst oil spill in U.S. history cost $17.2 billion in damage. President Obama appointed me to the national commission to investigate the causes of this disaster. Through the course of our investigation, my colleagues and I discovered that (in addition to multiple direct errors) the Interior Department had performed no meaningful analysis of the potentially significant environmental consequences when it considered BP’s applications for Deepwater Horizon. Instead, the government had essentially rubber-stamped BP’s exploration plans and drilling permits using a decades-old policy to exempt them from the typically mandatory environmental review. Known as a ‘categorical exclusion,’ this became a routine practice — one that the Interior Department continues to regularly employ.” [The Hill, 4/20/24 (+)]

States & Local

Alaska

Biden Arctic Oil Plan Sparks Pushback From Native Leaders — “Alaska Native leaders are slamming President Joe Biden’s plan to restrict oil development across 13 million acres of the western Arctic, saying the administration ignored Indigenous protest. The Interior Department said its final rule, announced Friday, will protect the wildlife and ecosystem in the oil-rich National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A), the largest swath of public land in the country. Its mandate that the Bureau of Land Management mitigate the damages of drilling could be used to thwart oil and gas proposals in the reserve’s most protected areas. The rule follows a rush of conservation announcements from the White House in recent days as it woos environmental voters ahead of the November presidential election. But the oil plan has sparked anger and frustration from Alaskans who say they were ‘stonewalled’ when they attempted to meet with Interior Secretary Deb Haaland about the proposed rule last year. ‘The Department of the Interior seems to believe that they care about this land more than we do,’ said North Slope Borough Mayor Josiah Patkotak in a statement Friday. ‘The elected leaders of the North Slope spoke in unison in opposition to this rule and the rulemaking process. To refuse to listen to our voices is to say that you know better.’” [E&E News, 4/19/24 (=)]

Oil, Gas Drilling Blocked In Alaska Wilds As Biden Seeks Green Cred — “The United States on Friday blocked oil, gas and mining operations across tracts of unspoiled wilderness in Alaska, winning praise from environmentalists for safeguarding habitat for polar bears, caribou and other Arctic species. More than 13 million acres (5.2 million hectares) will come under new federal protection, while a permit to build a major road to access mineral deposits was denied in moves that angered industry bodies and some locals. ‘Alaska’s majestic and rugged lands and waters are among the most remarkable and healthy landscapes in the world,’ President Joe Biden said. ‘These natural wonders demand our protection.’ But the state’s lawmakers in Washington slammed the measures, forming a bipartisan front to say they would fight to overturn them. ‘The Biden administration may be focused on short-term political gains, but at the expense of Alaska’s long-term future,’ Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski said, citing future jobs and national energy security.” [Barron’s, 4/19/24 (~)]

Biden Thwarts Trump And Blocks Mining Road, Oil Drilling In Alaska — “President Joe Biden’s administration on Friday safeguarded millions of acres in Alaska from fossil fuel drilling and mining — the latest in a frenzy of environmental actions in recent weeks that have drawn praise from green groups and condemnation from industry and Republican lawmakers. The Interior Department finalized a rule that bars oil and gas development across more than 13 million acres of the National Petroleum Reserve on Alaska’s North Slope. Established in 1923, the 23 million-acre reserve is the largest tract of federal land in the country and home to vast oil and gas deposits. Interior also moved to block construction of the Ambler Road, a proposed 211-mile mining road that would have cut through a portion of Alaska’s pristine Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve to access billions of dollars’ worth of copper deposits. Both actions ultimately reverse decisions from Donald Trump’s presidency.” [HuffPost, 4/19/24 (+)]

KINY-TV | Audubon Hails Administration Move To Strengthen Protections For Arctic — “The National Audubon Society on Friday, April 19 praised a new rule from the Department of the Interior strengthening protections for 13 million acres of ‘special areas’ in the National Petroleum Reserve–Alaska. The rule also creates a process for designating new Special Areas within the Reserve—a region that is home to numerous Alaska Native communities and one of the most important habitats for birds and wildlife on the planet. ‘This rule is critical to protecting the Western Arctic,’ Marshall Johnson, chief conservation officer at National Audubon Society said. ‘As the Arctic rapidly warms, these new regulations will ensure that critical bird habitats like the Teshekpuk Lake Special Area will be resilient in the face of climate change. It is long past time that these lands and waters are given maximum protection.’ The 23-million-acre National Petroleum Reserve–A is the nation’s largest tract of public land. Five designated Special Areas cover more than 13 million acres within the NPR–A, making them some of the nation’s largest swaths of protected public land.” [Local First Media Group, 4/19/24 (=)]

Biden Administration Sharply Limits Drilling In Alaska Arctic — “The Biden administration on Friday issued new restrictions on oil and gas leasing across vast swathes of Alaska’s Arctic while simultaneously ruling out construction of a controversial road state officials proposed to access mining areas in sensitive wilderness. New limits on fossil fuel production in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska was cheered by conservation advocates but panned by others including representatives for indigenous Alaskan communities that claimed the changes would reduce them to poverty. A U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management rule finalized Friday ensured maximum environmental protections for more than 13 million acres of special areas in the reserve that are habitats for bears, caribou, and migratory birds, according to the agency. The rule will limit future oil and gas leases and industrial development, it added. The new rule also codifies a ban on new leasing across a further 10.6 million acres of the reserve, about 40% of its total area, the agency said.” [Law360, 4/19/24 (=)]

Curbs On Arctic Oil Boost Biden’s Climate Credentials — “Polls show some voters confused about where President Joe Biden stands on using public lands for more oil and gas drilling. His agencies’ newest actions are aimed squarely at them. The Interior Department made two moves in Alaska today that could bolster Biden’s environmental credentials as climate activists press the White House to put the brakes on the United States’ record-high oil production and to protect more public land from development, Heather Richards and Hannah Northey write. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland announced ‘maximum protections’ from oil development for about 13 million acres inside Alaska’s Northern Slope. In an environmental review, Interior also effectively blocked construction of the Ambler Road project along the Brooks Range that would have allowed access to undeveloped mineral deposits. Interior found that building the 211-mile road would irrevocably harm wildlife. Biden is looking for ways to repair the political damage done after the White House signed off on ConocoPhillips’ Willow project in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. The Biden administration approved the $8 billion Arctic drilling project in March 2023.” [Politico, 4/19/24 (+)]

Biden Administration Limits Gas And Oil Drilling In Alaska — “The Interior Department released a new regulation Friday that will affect 13 million acres in Alaska, prohibiting drilling for oil on the land. The Management and Protection of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska rule will affect 40% of Alaska’s reserve, as 10.6 million acres will be completely protected by the Bureau of Land Management while the remaining amount will have limited protection. According to the Interior Department, this area is a ‘globally significant intact habitat for wildlife, including grizzly and polar bears, caribou and hundreds of thousands of migratory birds.’ President Joe Biden expressed his pleasure in the regulation in a statement Friday, saying he is ‘proud’ of the conservation effort.” [Washington Examiner, 4/19/24 (-)]

Tribes, Activists Gird For Fight Over Ambler Road Rejection — “Alaskan tribal members and environmental advocates who cheered the Biden administration’s move to block the proposed Ambler mining road are now girding for political and legal attacks from opponents eager to overturn the decision. But having a federal analysis rejecting the project in hand, they said, will help. ‘I feel like we’re in a much better place than we were before, when the prior administration rushed that EIS and our fight and our lawsuit was for a full SEIS,’ Brian Ridley, chief of the Tanana Chiefs Conference, told reporters on a call Friday. ‘Now I feel like we have a much stronger report to back up all of the things that we’ve been fighting — the animals, the water, you name it.’ First Chief of Evansville Frank Thompson said the decision amounted to ‘temporary shelter,’ noting that tribes are fighting other exploratory mining projects in the state, including the Roosevelt project in northern Alaska, where miners are exploring for copper, zinc, lead, silver and gold mineralization. ‘This is sort of a big small win in the fight that, I believe, is going to be forthcoming,’ said Thompson. ‘I’m so thankful for the administration hearing our voices.’” [E&E News, 4/19/24 (=)]

Arizona

BLM Advances Large Solar, Power Line Projects In Arizona And Nevada — “The Biden administration advanced Friday a large-scale solar project in Arizona and a major transmission line upgrade in Nevada that is slated to carry solar power produced in the state to markets across the West. The Jove Solar Project in southwest Arizona would rank among the largest solar plants in the country if built, producing up to 600 megawatts of electricity, which is enough to power more than 180,000 homes. The photovoltaic solar project would cover nearly 3,500 acres of public land but is designed to avoid a sensitive desert wash area in order to ‘maintain wildlife habitat connectivity and preserve natural features,’ according to a draft environmental impact statement for the project. The 155-mile-long GridLiance West Core Upgrades Transmission Line Project is designed to upgrade the electricity carrying capacity of existing lines in southwest Nevada, near Las Vegas. The project involves installing upgraded power lines across more than 4,300 acres of federal lands, according to the draft EIS.” [E&E News, 4/19/24 (=)]

Hawaii

Hawaii High Court Chides State’s ‘Bad Faith’ Water Moves After Wildfire — “The Hawaii attorney general’s office must pay attorney fees for using last year’s Maui wildfire tragedy to file a petition in ‘bad faith’ that blamed a state court judge for a lack of water for firefighting, Hawaii’s Supreme Court ruled. It seems the state ‘tried to leverage the most horrific event in state history to advance its interests,’ the ruling issued Thursday said. The day after the historic town of Lahaina burned in a deadly August fire, the state attorney general’s office, representing the Board of Land and Natural Resources, filed a petition alleging east Maui stream flow protections established by Judge Jeffrey Crabtree caused the water shortage. ‘Naturally we paid attention,’ said the unanimous opinion authored by Justice Todd Eddins. ‘The Department of the Attorney General initiated an original proceeding during an unthinkable human event. The petition advanced an idea that legal events impacted the nation’s most devastating wildfire.’ The Sierra Club of Hawaii complained the state exploited the tragedy to help a private company monopolize water, noting that east Maui reservoirs were of no use to west Maui, where a wildfire killed at least 101 people.” [E&E News, 4/19/24 (=)]

New Jersey

Brigantine, Ventnor Respond To Offshore Wind Lawsuit Dismissal — “A lawsuit filed by eight shore towns against the Atlantic Shores offshore wind project was dismissed in court Thursday due to a lack of standing for homeowners and municipalities, Mayor Vince Sera said. ‘Personally, I have a very hard time understanding how homeowners and municipalities have no standing in this case when these ocean wind projects will have major negative impacts to the ocean environment, our local economies, the value of people’s homes, and will dramatically increase the cost of electricity paid by everyone in New Jersey,’ Sera said in a news release. The lawsuit was filed by Barnegat Light, Beach Haven, Brigantine, Harvey Cedars, Long Beach Township, Ship Bottom, Surf City and Ventnor on Dec. 1. It called for an independent review on the 1,510-megawatt wind turbine facility Atlantic Shores is working to build anywhere from 9 to 20 miles off the towns’ coasts.” [Press of Atlantic City, 4/21/24 (=)]

New Mexcio

DOI Bans New Mining Claims On 4,200 Acres Of NM Land — “The U.S. Department of the Interior has closed down any new mining claims for the next 50 years on 4,200 acres in Sandoval County, New Mexico, in an effort to protect the area with significant cultural ties to two Native American tribes. DOI Secretary Deb Haaland on Thursday signed off on Public Land Order 7940, which protects Bureau of Land Management-managed public lands in Placitas, New Mexico, an area about 25 miles north of Albuquerque and the ancestral home of the Pueblos of San Felipe and Santa Ana, according to the federal agency. The order also forbids mineral sales and oil and gas leases on the lands for the next 50 years, subject to valid existing rights, the DOI said. ‘Indigenous communities have called the Placitas area home since time immemorial, with evidence of their presence found from nearly every settlement period of the past 10,000 years,’ Haaland said in a statement Thursday. ‘The site contains significant cultural ties to neighboring Pueblos and provides outdoor recreation opportunities to the local community. I appreciate the work of so many people who came together to ensure that future generations will be able to continue to enjoy the beauty and unique values of these special lands.’” [Law360, 4/19/24 (=)]

Interior Secretary Bans New Mining And Oil And Gas Exploration On Some New Mexico Land — “By signing a document during a recent ceremony, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland just banned mining and oil and gas drilling on more than 4,200 acres of land in New Mexico. The land in question is just northwest of the city of Albuquerque and is managed by the Bureau of Land Management in an area called Placitas. The final mineral withdrawal protects, preserves, and promotes the scenic integrity, cultural importance, recreational values and wildlife habitat connectivity of the lands and the surrounding area. The lands will be closed to new mining claims, mineral sales, and oil and gas leases for the next 50 years, subject to valid existing rights. ‘Indigenous communities have called the Placitas area home since time immemorial, with evidence of their presence found from nearly every settlement period of the past 10,000 years,’ said Secretary Deb Haaland.” [OK Energy Today, 4/20/24 (=)]

New York

NY Nixes Power Deals With Trio Of Offshore Wind Projects — “New York officials on Friday said they wouldn’t offer power contracts to a trio of offshore wind projects, the latest setback for the Empire State in efforts to make offshore wind a key component of its clean energy future. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, the state agency responsible for procuring and contracting clean energy projects, had in October provisionally awarded contracts to the 1,404-megawatt Attentive Energy One, 1,314-megawatt Community Offshore Wind and 1,314-megawatt Excelsior Wind projects. But NYSERDA on Friday closed its offshore wind solicitation without finalizing those awards, saying the developers couldn’t agree to terms following major changes to the equipment that would be supplied for their projects. Specifically, NYSERDA said that units of GE Renewables, which in October received a provisional $300 million grant to manufacture wind turbine nacelles and blades in the state, switched to a smaller turbine size, meaning more turbines would have to be installed. A NYSERDA spokesperson said Friday that the agency hopes to conduct another offshore wind solicitation, as well as offer the $300 million manufacturing grant in a future solicitation. ‘NYSERDA remains committed to advancing New York’s offshore wind industry in pursuit of the state’s Climate Act goals,’ the spokesperson said. ‘Next steps will be announced in the near future.’” [Law360, 4/19/24 (=)]

Catch Up Quick: Offshore Wind Woes And Iran Sanctions — “🛑 New York State officials have ended negotiations with companies planning three offshore wind projects totaling 4 gigawatts, Ben writes. Why it matters: It’s the latest setback for several states’ and companies’ plans to build Atlantic Coast projects — and another hit to the White House target of 30 GW of offshore wind capacity built by 2030. State of play: In this case, it’s not just about now-familiar inflation and interest rate woes. Officials said GE Vernova’s product pivot away from planned 18 MW turbines ‘caused material changes to projects.’ Go deeper.” [Axios, 4/22/24 (=)]

New York Ends Talks With Offshore Wind Developers In Blow To Sector — “New York ended contract negotiations with three offshore wind developers after the companies couldn’t reach agreements on terms. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority said the decision not to move forward came after GE Vernova pivoted away from an 18 megawatt turbine in favor of smaller turbines.” [Bloomberg, 4/19/24 (=)]

3 Blue State Offshore Wind Projects Scrapped In Blow To Biden’s Green Agenda — “Three New York offshore wind projects were canceled Friday in the latest sign of trouble for the stumbling industry and President Joe Biden’s green energy agenda, according to Politico. The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the agency that handles offshore wind contracts, disclosed Friday that it could not finalize power purchase agreements with three developers that received conditional awards from the state in October 2023, according to Politico. The announcement amounts to a cancellation of the projects, which deals a blow to New York’s goal to reach 70% green energy generation by 2030 and Biden’s goal to install enough offshore wind capacity nationwide to provide enough electricity to power 10 million U.S. homes by 2030. New York announced awards for the three projects canceled Friday after the state’s Public Service Commission (PSC) shot down a push by other developers to charge more for the power their projects would produce to offset rising costs, according to Politico. Several other projects were canceled following the PSC’s rejection, with similar dynamics playing out in other blue states like New Jersey and Maryland in recent months as well.” [The Daily Caller, 4/19/24 (-)]

3 Offshore Wind Projects Nixed In New York — “New York canceled power contracts for three offshore wind projects Friday, citing a turbine maker’s plans to scrap its biggest machines. The news is a heavy blow to the U.S. offshore wind industry and a major setback for the climate ambitions of New York — and President Joe Biden. The three projects would have delivered 4 gigawatts of offshore wind to the state, amounting to almost half of New York’s 2035 goal. The failed projects add to a tumultuous period for the Empire State, which saw delays on four other projects due to cost problems. Two of them proceeded after securing new contracts with higher prices, while two others have been paused. Offshore wind has been hit hard by rising construction and financing costs. BloombergNEF estimates that the cost of building an offshore wind project rose 60 percent between 2021 and 2024, driven in large part by rising interest rates. Provisional contracts awarded in October to the three projects canceled Friday were supposed to be a solution for ballooning costs. They included higher prices that were indexed to inflation.” [E&E News, 4/19/24 (=)]

3 More Offshore Wind Projects Bite The Dust — “Things are looking down again for New York’s embattled offshore wind industry. The state is abandoning all three of the offshore wind projects it awarded conditional contracts to last October, after failing to secure final agreements with any of the developers, Politico reported Friday. New York officials and the Biden administration had lauded the three projects — which were expected to supply about 12% of New York’s electricity in 2030 — as a key milestone in the nation’s transition to renewable energy. The planned investments in offshore wind were ‘demonstrating to the nation how to recalibrate in the wake of global economic challenges while driving us toward a greener and more prosperous future for generations to come,’ Gov. Kathy Hochul said at the time. The projects all hinged on the availability of a larger turbine then in the works from General Electric — and faltered after GE decided to stop work on the new turbine earlier this year. Combined, the three projects would have added more than 4,000 megawatts of offshore wind capacity to the regional electric grid. Their termination puts New York’s ambitious climate target of 70% renewable energy by 2030 further out of reach.” [Heatmap, 4/19/24 (~)]

New York Ends Third Wind Round Without Awards Due To Material Modifications — “In the latest setback to U.S. plans to accelerate renewable energy development, New York State regulators today reported they closed the third round of offshore wind solicitation with no final awards. Last fall, New York’s Governor Kathy Hochul had hailed the round as the state’s largest investment in renewable energy, which included the preliminary selection of 4GW of offshore capacity as well as other projects. ‘Subsequent to the provisional award announcement, material modifications to projects bid into New York’s third offshore wind solicitation caused technical and commercial complexities between provisional awardees and their partners, resulting in the provisionally awarded parties’ inability to come to terms,’ today’s announcement from NYSERDA (New York State Research and Development Authority) stated. The state company set up to oversee the renewable energy programs said no final awards will be made, concluding the round, but that it will ‘look to advance a future competitive solicitation.’” [Maritime Executive, 4/19/24 (=)]

Major Offshore Wind Projects In New York Canceled In Latest Blow To Industry — “New York’s signature offshore wind projects meant to boost confidence in the industry are being scrapped, a major hit to the industry in the state and the nation. The decision is another setback to New York’s aspirations to achieve 70 percent renewable energy by 2030 and be a hub for the nascent industry in the United States. It will also be another challenge for President Joe Biden’s already likely out-of-reach 30 gigawatt goal for offshore wind by 2030. NYSERDA, the state authority in charge of the deals, announced Friday that no final agreements could be reached with the three projects that received provisional awards in October 2023. Those bids were all linked to major supply chain investments by General Electric and a larger turbine it planned to build that was aimed at boosting the region’s renewable energy portfolio. ‘Subsequent to the provisional award announcement, material modifications to projects bid into New York’s third offshore wind solicitation caused technical and commercial complexities between provisional awardees and their partners, resulting in the provisionally awarded parties’ inability to come to terms,’ NYSERDA wrote in an announcement.” [Politico, 4/19/24 (=)]

Eversource Advances On Sale Of Sunrise Wind Stake To Ørsted — “US utility company Eversource Energy (NYSE:ES) said on Friday it had finalised definitive agreements to sell its 50% stake in the 924-MW Sunrise Wind offshore wind project off the US East Coast to Denmark’s Ørsted A/S (CPH:ORSTED). The deal is on track but not yet closed. It still depends on certain conditions, including execution of the OREC (Offshore Wind Renewable Energy Certificates) contract with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). Eversource expects to close the transaction later this year, it said. Following the sale, Eversource will be a service provider to the Danish energy group and lead the onshore construction of the project. In January 2024, the New England utility agreed to exit its 50/50 joint venture for Sunrise Wind with Ørsted and sell its half to the partner. The deal rested on the success of Sunrise Wind in New York’s solicitation for offshore wind capacity.” [Renewables Now, 4/19/24 (=)]

Eversource Finalises Sunrise Wind Exit — “Eversource Energy has finalised definitive documents regarding its previously announced agreement to sell its 50% ownership stake in the 924MW Sunrise Wind scheme to Orsted. Under a separate construction management agreement, Eversource will remain contracted to lead the onshore construction of the project following the closing. In this role, Eversource will be a service provider to Orsted and will not have any ongoing ownership interest in the site, nor any ongoing financial obligations associated with project costs. Eversource Energy chief executive and president Joe Nolan said: ‘We are proud of the work we have already accomplished for Sunrise Wind and look forward to assisting Orsted and the State of New York in advancing this important clean energy project through our continued onshore support.” [reNews, 4/19/24 (=)]

New York Says It Is Not Moving Forward With Three Offshore Wind Farms — “New York State on Friday stalled three major offshore wind-energy projects after General Electric Vernova (GE.N), opens new tab changed the turbine design, which the state said ‘materially altered’ the plans. New York provisionally approved the projects in October 2023. They are Attentive Energy One being developed by TotalEnergies (TTEF.PA), opens new tab, Rise Light & Power and Corio Generation; Community Offshore Wind, which is backed by RWE (RWEG.DE), opens new tab and National Grid Ventures (NG.L), opens new tab; and Vineyard Offshore’s Excelsior Wind. But since then, GE Vernova decided to move from its 18 megawatt Haliade-X turbine platform to a smaller turbine. This caused ‘technical and commercial complexities’ for the developers, the New York State Research and Development Authority said in a statement that announced it would not sign final contracts. ‘Given these developments, no final awards will be made,’ NYSRDA said, adding it will ‘look to advance a future competitive solicitation.’” [Reuters, 4/19/24 (=)]

How The Death Of A Mega-Turbine Rattled US Offshore Wind — “The wind industry’s global race to make ever-bigger turbines stumbled to a sudden slowdown last week, jarring U.S. offshore wind projects. When GE Vernova confirmed that it was canceling one of the largest wind turbines ever designed, it signaled a pause in an arms race that for years had led manufacturers to go higher, longer and wider when building towers, blades and other components. Now, that decision is reverberating across U.S. efforts to build wind projects in the Atlantic. New York canceled power contracts for three offshore wind projects last week, citing GE Vernova’s decision to abandon its largest turbine model, a massive 18-megawatt machine. The timing could hardly be worse. Offshore wind is the keystone of New York’s plan to generate 70 percent of its power with renewable energy by the end of the decade. The canceled projects pushed New York further adrift of meeting its goal. Today, a little more than a quarter of New York’s power comes from renewable sources, the vast majority of it hydropower. Offshore wind was supposed to help the state reach 70 percent, with New York officials targeting 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2035. Last week’s decision nixed almost half of it.” [E&E News, 4/22/24 (=)]

How A Turbine Put The Brakes On NY Offshore Wind Projects — “The fledgling US offshore wind industry took another blow Friday — but for a new reason: a desired turbine isn’t available. The absence of 18-megawatt turbines set off a chain of events leading to New York State ending negotiations for three major projects that would have totaled 4 gigawatts. The cancellation represents about two-thirds of projects in development there. The decision is a big step back for an industry that had thought it was inching forward after sustaining repeated disappointments in the past year due to inflation, higher interest rates and supply-chain kinks. It reinforces the challenge for President Joe Biden to meet his target of 30 gigawatts of offshore wind nationwide by 2030 — as well as for New York’s goal.” [Bloomberg, 4/19/24 (=)]

Wyoming

BLM Aims To Protect White Mountain Petroglyphs — “The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) requested to extend a public land order to protect the White Mountain Petroglyphs in Sweetwater County. As stated in a recent public notice, the Secretary of the Interior has proposed to extend Public Land Order (PLO) No. 6597 for an additional 20-year term. This has been requested by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). PLO No. 6597, as extended by PLO No. 7621, withdrew 20 acres of BLM land from settlement, sale, location, or entry under the general land laws, including the United States mining laws, but not from leasing under the mineral leasing laws, to protect the scientific, artistic, and educational values of the White Mountain Petroglyphs Site in Sweetwater County. According to James Fisher, lead public affairs specialist for the BLM, the White Mountain Petroglyphs site is part of a cultural landscape that is culturally important to several Native American tribes in the region, featuring rock art panels dating back 200 plus years.” [Rocket Miner, 4/19/24 (+)]

Research, Analysis & Opinion

Has The U.S. Really Conserved A Third Of Its Waters? Here’s The Math. — “Almost everyone loves the ocean. But not everyone agrees on what it means to protect it. The United States is conserving approximately one-third of the country’s ocean areas, according to an early analysis released Friday by the Biden administration — suggesting the president is meeting a key environmental goal laid out at the beginning of his term. But others say that’s not the case. Some of those areas still allow for commercial fishing, advocates say, and fall short of protections needed to save marine ecosystems facing dire threats. ‘It’s padding the numbers,’ said Brad Sewell, oceans director at the Natural Resources Defense Council. The disagreement comes as the White House on Friday outlined how much progress the country has made in achieving President Biden’s ambitious goal of conserving at least 30 percent of U.S. lands and waters by 2030.” [The Washington Post, 4/19/24 (+)]

AP | Mined Mineral Uptick Sparks Indigenous Outcry Over Business As Usual — “Indigenous representatives from 35 countries issued a declaration Thursday criticizing the fact that they are too rarely consulted about mining that takes place on or near their lands, an issue that has become more acute with increased demand for minerals needed in the transition to a cleaner energy system. ‘We recognize and support the need to end fossil fuel reliance and shift to renewable energy as critical in addressing the climate crisis,’ the statement read. ‘However, the current trajectory of the energy transition fails to meet the criteria of justice, social equity, and environmental sustainability, particularly from the perspectives of Indigenous Peoples’ rights and well-being.’ The document comes out of the Conference on Indigenous Peoples and Just Transition, which took place in New York last week. Indigenous leaders from the U.S., Canada, Brazil, Kenya, Australia and Norway among other countries attended. Lithium, nickel and cobalt are often used in batteries, which are key to both electric vehicles and extending production from solar and wind farms. Copper and aluminum are in higher demand as countries expand their electrical grids. Lesser-known rare earth elements are used in magnets in electric motors.” [E&E News, 4/19/24 (=)]

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