Public Lands Clips: August 8, 2024

 

 

Harris-Walz

 

Tim Walz’s Balancing Act On Agriculture — “As a member of Congress, Tim Walz voted to stop EPA’s ‘waters of the U.S.’ rule to protect waterways from farm runoff. He voted to keep climate change out of the Interior Department’s decisions on conservation and recreation on public lands, and he supported loosening certain pesticide restrictions. Now, he’s running on a ticket that would do the opposite, if Vice President Kamala Harris is elected president with Walz as vice president. … The League of Conservation Voters knocked Walz for twice voting for GOP-led legislation to ease restrictions on pesticides near waterways. The ‘Reducing Regulatory Burdens Act’ passed the Republican-led House but did not advance in the Senate. It would have prohibited EPA and states from requiring water pollution permits for pesticide discharges into navigable waters, if the chemicals were approved by the agency. He voted also to challenge EPA’s WOTUS rule through the Congressional Review Act, reflecting concerns in farm country that the Clean Water Act could be applied to ditches or streams on farms that don’t run all year. Walz once asked at a farm issues forum whether a farmer who dug a hole for a fence post near a stream would fall under the regulation.” [E&E News, 8/7/24 (=)]

 

Trump-Vance

 

 

 

Senate

 

Senators Want Changes To Drought, Conservation Programs — “A bipartisan pair of Senate lawmakers is urging the Biden administration to reform a host of drought mitigation programs in a bid to better address aridification in the West and Great Plains states. Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet (D) and Kansas Sen. Roger Marshall (R) detailed their proposed changes in a letter Wednesday to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. ‘Droughts in Colorado and Kansas are increasing in frequency and intensity,’ the lawmakers wrote. ‘Agriculture in our states is on the frontlines of the effects of long-term drought and producers should be part of the solution to help conserve water while producing food to feed the world.’ The list of changes — including how the agency allocates resources for research and development and altering the standards for programs that provide incentives to farmers conserving water — was spurred by a recent field hearing the lawmakers held in Burlington, Colorado.” [E&E News, 8/7/24 (=)]

 

 

 

U.S. Forest Service (USFS)

 

Forest Service Announces $25 Million Funding Opportunity To Reduce Wildfire Risk In National Forests — “The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service announced Tuesday a funding opportunity through the hazardous fuels transportation assistance program to reduce wildfire risk, expand and create market opportunities, and support local jobs. This program is available to local businesses and partners that remove hazardous fuels from national forests and transport the material to be processed for wood products or services. ‘The timber and wood products industries help support healthy and sustainable forests,’ said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. ‘Thanks to historic funding from the Biden-Harris Administration, this funding opportunity empowers local communities to create and support jobs while helping the USDA Forest Service implement sustainable forest management practices that reduce wildfire risk and support the Wildfire Crisis Strategy.’ … Made possible by the Biden-Harris Administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, the grants support wood utilization facilities across the country and the rural economies that depend on them. In 2023, these grants helped remove almost 59,000 tons of hazardous fuels from nine national forests to facilities that produced peeled poles, firewood and animal bedding.” [KTVZ-TV, 8/7/24 (=)]

 

 

 

 

Atlantic Herring Fishery Teeters On The Edge Of Collapse — “East Coast fishermen are bracing for what could be the tightest catch limits in history for Atlantic herring, a keystone species whose population nosedive since 2020 is rippling through the Atlantic fisheries ecosystem. Last week, scientists working for the New England Fishery Management Council endorsed a record-low catch cap of 2,710 metric tons of Atlantic herring for 2025 with hopes of avoiding full collapse of the nutrient-dense forage fish. The new catch limits, if adopted by NOAA Fisheries, would be a 43 percent drop from the previous record-low cap of 4,814 tons in 2022. Some have said such a restriction would effectively end the Atlantic herring fishery, rendering it a bycatch species without a viable market. Almost all ocean herring today is sold as lobster bait, with only a fraction going for human consumption. Once ubiquitous off the New England and mid-Atlantic coasts, ocean herring have experienced severe population swings over the last decade.” [E&E News, 8/7/24 (=)]

 

 

 

Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)

 

Feds Propose ESA Protections For Florida Lizard — “The Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing federal protections for a Florida lizard found only on 10 islands just off the coast in the Gulf of Mexico. The Cedar Key mole skink, which has found its habitat altered by climate change and land development, would be listed as endangered, the agency said. In proposing the Endangered Species Act protections for the small lizard, FWS also outlined 2,713 acres of critical habitat on the Cedar Key islands, which are southwest of Gainesville. Known to burrow underground, the mole skinks are often found under leaves, seagrass and logs on beaches, the agency said in a news release. About 40 percent of the proposed critical habitat in Levy County would overlap with proposed habitat for the red knot, a bird already listed as a threatened species. ‘The Cedar Key mole skink is a unique and important part of the local ecosystem,’ said Billy Brooks, a fish and wildlife biologist for FWS’ Southeast Region, in a news release.” [E&E News, 8/7/24 (=)]

 

 

 

Fossil Energy

 

ConocoPhillips-Marathon Merger Nears Completion — “An array of pumpjacks operate Thursday, July 7, 2022, in Odessa. (Odessa American File Photo) ConocoPhillips had a busy second quarter, progressing on its new Willow Project oilfield in the National Petroleum Reserve on the North Slope of Alaska, its $22.5-billion merger with Marathon Oil and its liquefied natural gas projects at Port Arthur and Qatar. Chairman-CEO Ryan M. Lance said during his earnings conference call that his company had record production in the quarter with strong contributions from its entire portfolio. ‘In the Lower 48 we still expect to deliver low single-digit production growth in 2024 at a lower level of capital spending relative to 2023,’ Lance said from Houston. ‘Shifting to commercial LNG we recently signed two additional long-term re-gasification and sales agreements to deliver volumes into Europe and Asia, both of which will start in 2027. ‘With these agreements, we have now secured just under 6 million tons per annum of volume placement for our off-take commitments and we continue to work new off-take and placement opportunities as we look to expand our commercial LNG portfolio up to 10 million to 15 million tons per annum in the coming years.’” [Odessa American, 8/7/24 (=)]

 

 

 

Resources For Donald Trump’s Project 2025 And The Environment — “Donald Trump’s Project 2025 is an extreme MAGA policy blueprint that aims to reshape the U.S. federal government significantly. While it touches on nearly every facet of life in America, it poses substantial threats to environmental and climate change action. This is a list of resources that call attention to this terrifying vision of a future America, where climate policies are rolled back, dependency on fossil fuels is increased, federal agencies that manage our public lands and water are weakened, and where the just transition to a renewable energy economy is blocked. … Public Lands … Project 2025 Would Devastate America’s Public Lands by Kate Groetzinger for Center for Western Priorities” [Southern Fired Science, 8/7/24 (+)]

 

 

 

Arkansas

 

Exxon's Latest Lithium Move — “A coalition of Exxon and other would-be lithium extractors recently filed an application with the According to Axios, ‘Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission to establish a royalty rate for landowners. Why it matters: Deciding the rate will help companies assess the potential for profit before they start investing in infrastructure to draw the mineral from brine water found throughout the Smackover Formation. Catch up quick: Exxon — under its recently announced Mobil Lithium banner — hopes to start production in 2027 and by 2030 provide enough for over 1 million EVs annually. State of play: The coalition that filed the application is made up of Albemarle Corp., Saltwerx (an ExxonMobil affiliate), SWA Lithium (Standard Lithium), LANXESS Corp. and TETRA Technologies. The proposed royalty would be calculated by the volume of lithium carbonate produced from an extraction project, times its market index price, times a 1.82% royalty rate, times mineral-rights owners’ acreage. Context: Lithium carbonate is a measure of how much of the mineral is in derivatives like lithium chloride and lithium hydroxide, which are processed for use in rechargeable batteries.” [Axios, 8/8/24 (=)]

 

South Arkansas Landowners, Lithium Extractors Clash Over Royalty Rates — “With massive multinational corporations racing to extract lithium from the Smackover Basin in south Arkansas, you can bet we’re in for some disagreements over the royalty rates landowners can collect for allowing these companies to extract the brine beneath their land. Albemarle Corporation, ExxonMobil, Standard Lithium, Lanxess and Tetra Technologies Inc. filed a joint application July 26 to set a royalty rate of 1.82%. The joint proposal comes after owners of large parcels of land in south Arkansas, represented by the South Arkansas Minerals Association, protested the initial royalty proposed by Lanxess and Standard Lithium. They demanded a 12.5% royalty instead. ‘This application offers a clear and transparent framework for compensating brine royalty owners and provides a consistent approach for the lithium industry in South Arkansas. The application proposes a rate that incentivizes investment while also fairly compensating royalty owners,’ Albemarle Corporation said in an emailed statement to Arkansas Times. ‘We look forward to discussing this proposal with the Arkansas Oil and Gas Commission in September.’” [Arkansas Times, 8/7/24 (=)]

 

Op-Ed: Energy Leadership Requires Partnerships — According to Rep. Rick Beck and Sen. Ben Gilmore, “Arkansas historically has played a significant role in our nation’s pursuit of energy independence by producing fuels that reduce our reliance on foreign countries. The state has a rich history of oil, natural gas and brine production. While we can’t abandon traditional energy resources without jeopardizing reliability, affordability and security, we must explore more efficient uses of these resources and prepare for alternative energy solutions. Today’s decisions will shape the future of our energy sector and elevate Arkansas’ position in global energy leadership. How can we support Arkansas’ energy future? The answer lies deep underground: lithium. Lithium has long been crucial for producing the batteries that power items like smartphones, but its importance has grown recently. As global leaders aim for net-zero emissions, the U.S. increasingly relies on battery-powered machines to meet these goals. Consequently, lithium has become a coveted natural resource worldwide.” [Arkansas Business, 8/7/24 (-)]

 

Colorado

 

Colorado Awarded $25M To Help Clean Up Orphaned Oil And Gas Wells — “Colorado and two other states were awarded a total of $52 million to clean up orphaned oil and gas wells, the U.S. Department of the Interior announced on Friday. Of that $52 million, Colorado will receive $25 million. Illinois was given $25 million and West Virginia was awarded $1.97 million. The $52 million is part of President Joe Biden’s Investing in America agenda. According to the Department of the Interior, Colorado’s $25 million will help fund multiple projects: Plugging 106 orphaned wells Complete equipment decommissioning, remediation and restoration at about 200 additional sites where the wells were previously plugged The three states will ‘measure methane emissions from orphaned oil and gas wells, screen for groundwater and surface water impacts, and seek to prioritize cleaning up wells near overburdened and disadvantaged communities,’ the department said. Orphaned oil and gas wells pollute not only private land, but also public land, including recreation areas and other community spaces.” [KCDO-TV, 8/7/24 (=)]

 

Oregon

 

Efforts To Protect Owyhee Canyonlands Heats Up In Malheur County — “On July 23, Rep. Cliff Bentz, who represents Oregon’s 2nd Congressional District, successfully added an amendment to an Interior Department appropriations bill for the 2025 fiscal year, which seeks to prohibit the creation of any national monuments in Malheur County. The amendment is the latest in an ongoing battle between local activists fighting for added protections for the Owyhee Canyonlands, and those defending neighboring cattle ranches and the area’s rich potential for gold mining. ‘Back in 2015, a small group of mostly urban activists funded by recreational sportswear companies tried to convince the Obama Administration that it should use the Antiquities Act to abruptly impose a national monument designation on 2.5 million acres of the 6.3 million acres making up Malheur County,’ Bentz argued from the House floor on July 23. ‘That’s about 40% of the county’s entire area.’” [KOIN-TV, 8/7/24 (=)]

 

10 Fires Continue To Burn In Willamette National Forest — “Although crews have made progress containing some of the wildfires burning in the Willamette National Forest, officials say increased fire activity is possible. More than 1,500 personnel are fighting 10 fires around Oakridge and Blue River, including the Ore Fire. Spokesperson Mike Smaldino told KLCC the number of firefighters hasn’t decreased, and hotter and drier weather is predicted. ‘Really the biggest things that we watch out for, obviously, on days like that, [is] if the wind picks up at all, it could be our spot fires that might happen,’ he said, adding, ‘Some of these areas, just because it’s so steep in the terrain that we’re at, the spot fires really have a tendency to carry a little bit and to actually start burning.’ Smaldino said his Rocky Mountain-based team is transitioning out, and a California team is taking over. He said local crews did an amazing job when the hundreds of lightning strike fires first started July 17, and other groups continue to rotate in so that no one is overworked. There’s a community meeting on the Ore Fire and the Willamette Complex of fires Thursday at 6 p.m. at Thurston High School. It will also stream live on Facebook.” [KOIN-TV, 8/6/24 (=)]

 

Texas

 

Oil And Gas Jobs Decline Amid Record-Breaking Production — “The United States is pumping out more oil and gas than any country in history. But even as production soars, oil field employment keeps shrinking. The decadelong decline isn’t driven by climate policy or the rise in clean energy. Instead, it’s the result of boom-and-bust cycles — and the fossil fuel industry’s relentless push for efficiency. ‘You just need fewer workers to produce more oil,’ said Greg Upton, executive director of Louisiana State University’s Center for Energy Studies. ‘When you need less workers, that’s a sign of growth. On the other hand, these are real people losing their jobs.’ Oil production is up 5 percent since 2019, the last peak before the pandemic. The industry set a new record for crude production last week, according to data released Wednesday by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, pumping an average of 13.4 million barrels a day. But employment among the people who find that oil and pull it out of the ground is down nearly 20 percent from prepandemic levels.” [E&E News, 8/8/24 (=)]

 

Texas Energy So Bountiful, They Pay You To Take It Away — “Two years ago, natural-gas prices surged after Russia invaded Ukraine and restricted supplies of the fuel to many European countries, terrifying Western leaders. Now, the fuel is so abundant that some U.S. energy producers are often paying other businesses to take it away. Natural gas has traded below zero for much of the year in West Texas, home to the country’s largest oil field, the Permian Basin. Companies operating in the region are drilling primarily for crude oil, but natural gas typically comes out of the ground with that oil — so much of it that on some days, drillers run out of places to store the gas or the pipeline capacity to send it to the Gulf Coast or California, where there is demand for it. The result is an upside-down local market where producers are paying buyers to take a valuable commodity.” [The New York Times, 8/8/24 (=)]

 

Interior To Lease Texas Water Supply For Oil And Gas Drilling — “The Biden administration next week will lease parts of a Corpus Christi, Texas, drinking water reservoir for oil and gas drilling in a rare auction that has environmentalists worried that further fracking in the area could leak contaminants into the drinking water supply. The Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management will lease drilling rights to 6,971 acres in and around Choke Canyon Reservoir, Corpus Christi’s largest drinking water source south of San Antonio. Wells on the leases are expected to produce more than 628,000 barrels of oil. The lease sale is occurring Aug. 15 in a region of south Texas in the midst of an oil and gas boom in the Eagle Ford shale. The area also has widespread surface water quality impairments, according to Environmental Protection Agency data. The city of Corpus Christi and five environmental groups previously objected to a Trump-era lease sale at Choke Canyon Reservoir over possible water pollution threatening the city’s drinking water. The Trump administration dismissed those concerns, saying the city lacked evidence that the drilling would pollute the city’s drinking water.” [Bloomberg Law, 8/7/24 (=)]

 

Virginia

 

Charlottesville City Schools May Add Two Electric School Buses — “This time next year, some kids in Charlottesville could be riding to school in electric buses. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has selected the city as eligible for electric vehicle funding. The Charlottesville Office of Sustainability presented the first of two readings of its resolution at the city council meeting, Monday, August 5. If adopted, the city would use federal funds to help pay for two battery-run buses. The total cost of the buses would be around $800,000. ‘I think that we are at a place where we’ve done a lot of planning, the city has done a lot of commitments and planning, and we really are moving into the chapter of action,’ said Office of Sustainability Director Kristel Riddervold. Riddervold is helping lead the effort to reduce the city’s emissions. That includes school buses. The city’s application for rebates was approved back in May as part of the EPA’s Clean School Bus (CSB) program.” [WVIR-TV, 8/7/24 (=)]

 

 

 

 

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