Monthly Archives: May 2020

In the news today…

Minerals:

• E&E Daily reports Republican lawmakers introduced a bill yesterday aimed at reducing dependence on China for critical minerals by boosting domestic mining and processing.
• Prescott eNews reports Congressmen Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04) and Michael Waltz (FL-06) introduced the American Critical Mineral Exploration and Innovation Act of 2020.
• Mining.com reports from Reuters on the U.S. House bill introduced to bolster domestic mining and processing of minerals.
• Washington Examiner reports House Republican leaders introduced legislation Thursday to encourage U.S. production of critical minerals used in clean energy technologies.

Energy:

• E&E Greenwire reports the United States consumed more energy from renewable sources last year than it did from coal for the first time since before 1885.

Carbon Capture:

• E&E Energywire reports the Treasury Department issued a long-awaited rule outlining how companies can claim federal tax credits for carbon storage.

Coal:

• The Athens News reports on the post-coal future for the Ohio Appalachian region.
• The Guardian reports more than 6,000 coal miners lost their jobs in March and April as the industry suffers its biggest decline in 60 years.
• Casper Star Tribune reports nearly 100 furloughed miners returned to work at the Decker Coal Company on Tuesday.
• Argus reports Illinois basin coal production fell to an historic low in the first quarter amid an ongoing demand slump.
• Argus reports a federal appeals court has agreed that the city of Oakland, California, breached its contract with Oakland Bulk and Oversized Terminal (OBOT) when it banned coal and petroleum coke handling and storage in the city.

Clean Water Act:

• Inside EPA reports several federal courts are poised to become test beds for applying the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on when pollutants that travel through groundwater to navigable waters require a Clean Water Act (CWA) discharge permit.

In the news today…

Energy:

• E&E Energywire reports Southern Co. will be a net-zero emissions company by 2050, its CEO, Tom Fanning, said yesterday.
• E&E Energywire reports the IRS yesterday offered a pandemic-related extension to key requirements needed for renewable projects to qualify for a lucrative tax credit.
• E&E Energywire reports American Electric Power Co. is set to spend about $2 billion on wind generation for customers in at least three states — Arkansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma — as it continues to navigate pushback in Texas.
• E&E Daily reports a group of congressional Democrats called on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission earlier this week to reject a petition that could upend net metering policies in states across the country.

Coal:

• Utility Dive reports two Wisconsin coal plants cost Alliant Energy’s Wisconsin customers $16 million in 2019 alone, according to a report released Tuesday from the Sierra Club.
• Axios reports the new IEA report shows why, absent tougher climate policies, coal will remain a huge player in global power markets despite its much publicized declines in the U.S. and Europe.
• E&E Greenwire reports environmental groups are accusing EPA of dropping critical water protections in New England after approving a key permit for the region’s largest coal-fired power plant that doesn’t require cooling towers for water discharged into the Merrimack River.

Minerals:

• E&E Greenwire reports a uranium producer may reopen a mine near the Grand Canyon after a federal judge on Friday ruled against groups that challenged the company’s mineral rights.
• Associated Press reports a federal judge has ruled against environmental groups and a tribe in their bid to keep a uranium mine south of the Grand Canyon from operating.
• Mining.com reports Rio Tinto has developed a way to extract high-purity scandium oxide from waste at its titanium dioxide production facilities in Quebec.

Climate:

• E&E Daily reports Joe Biden would likely have to rely on executive actions to pursue his green initiatives should he win the election.

In the news today…

Environment:

• Alternet claims that the Trump administration’s “gutting” of environmental protections will lead to hundreds of thousands of deaths.

Coal:

• Energy News Network reports facing the closure of a coal-burning plant that had been its main source of power for decades, a southern Minnesota utility recently unveiled an aggressive plan to develop renewable energy over the next decade.
• Politico Pro and E&E News PM report the city of Oakland, Calif., unlawfully passed an ordinance barring coal from being transported through a rail-to-ship terminal, a split panel of judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for 9th Circuit in San Francisco ruled on Tuesday.
• E&E Climatewire reports there are 13 coal plant closures scheduled for 2020.
• Power Magazine reports coal is still king worldwide, thanks to Asia.

Minerals:

• Mining.com reports the electric vehicle revolution has slowed due to the coronavirus pandemic, slowing lithium production as well.
• Mining.com reports USA Rare Earth, the funding and development partner of the Round Top Heavy Rare Earth project in West Texas, together with Texas Mineral Resources, announced Tuesday that it has successfully completed its Phase I bench scale testing at Inventure Renewables laboratory in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

EPA:

• Inside EPA reports environmentalists, public health advocates and former EPA scientists are clashing with major industry groups over EPA’s plan to retain its suite of particulate matter (PM) ambient air limits.
• E&E Greenwire reports Colorado is suing the Trump administration over its changes to the Clean Water Rule.

Utilities:

• Utility Dive reports the chief operating officer of ComEd says the utility has taken several steps to ensure worker safety during the pandemic.

In the news today and from the weekend…

Coal:

• Associated Press and Montana Public Radio report a judge threw out a lawsuit Friday from a coalition of states, environmental groups and American Indians seeking to revive an Obama-era moratorium against U.S. government coal sales on public lands in the West.
• Politico Pro reports a federal judge on Friday said he’ll not second-guess the Interior Department’s justification for resuming coal leasing on federal lands, but noted the challengers still have another option.
• Casper Star Tribune reports coal firm Navajo Transitional Energy Company announced Thursday it will furlough 93 hourly workers and lay off eight salaried employees at its Antelope coal mine near Wright in response to the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Biomass Magazine reports DOE plans to offer funding for new projects that gasify a mix of coal and biomass to generate electric power and a carbon-free hydrogen co-product.
• S&P Global reports weekly U.S. coal production was estimated at approximately 8.2 million st in the week ended May 16, down 1.6% from the previous week.
• E&E Climatewire reports coking coal remains strong globally during the coronavirus pandemic.
• E&E Energywire reports Wisconsin’s second largest electric utility on Friday said it will shut down its Edgewater coal-fired power plant on Lake Michigan by the end of 2022 as it continues a transition to cleaner energy.

Energy:

• Inside EPA reports the COVID-19 pandemic is driving a sudden “paradigm shift” in how utilities plan for resiliency to avoid power outages, boosting interest in microgrid and other technologies to stabilize renewables when large coal and gas plants shutter.
• Inside EPA reports investor groups, lawmakers and others are ramping up a fight over whether pending COVID-19 recovery legislation should support fossil fuels or zero-emission sustainable clean energy, creating a significant hurdle for Congress to overcome before advancing any bill.
• The Hill reports Republicans are pushing for assistance from the Trump administration for both the renewable energy and fossil fuel industries.

Minerals:

• E&E News PM and Mining.com report the Army Corps of Engineers has chosen its preferred plan for the proposed Pebble copper and gold mine.
• E&E Climatewire reports a shortage of mined minerals may provide a push for ocean mining.

MATS:

• Washington Examiner reports Westmoreland Mining is bringing the Trump administration to court over its revisions to the Obama-era mercury and air toxics standards.

Clean Water Act:

• E&E Daily reports top Republicans on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee are backing a Clean Water Act exemption for trains hauling coal and other polluting materials over the nation’s waters.

In the news today…

Minerals:

• Mining.com reports Cypress Development‘s Clayton Valley lithium project in Nevada could produce 27,400 tons lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) per year over a 40-year mine life, according to a pre-feasibility study released this week.

Coal:

• Washington Post and Mining.com report Arch Resources has changed its name in a rebranding effort.
• The Wall Street Journal reports Murray Energy Corp. acknowledged Wednesday that it has defaulted on its $440 million bankruptcy financing package.
• Power reports GenOn Holdings, which owns a coal-fired power plant in Maryland, announced it will retire the facility’s three generating units, which have been in operation for about 60 years.
• The Waterways Journal Weekly reports Warrior Met Coal announced in February plans to develop a new long-wall mine near its existing mines.

Energy:

• Argus reports U.S. electricity generation is increasing moderately as states start to reopen economies following Covid-19 shutdowns, giving a small boost to coal in key parts of the country.
• Argus reports the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) expects COVID-19 to slow power demand growth on the state’s grid through 2024.

Carbon Capture:

• Inside EPA reports adopting state-of-the-art CCS technologies at coal-fired power plants could overcome the long-running problem of CCS worsening water scarcity in certain geographical regions and instead make the facility’s water usage sustainable.
• Inside EPA reports a global think tank that supports carbon capture and storage (CCS) is touting a study showing the technology is vital for tackling climate change and achieving net zero carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 2020, and that CCS can also drive significant economic growth.

WOTUS:

• Inside EPA reports a federal judge is asking California and other states challenging the Trump administration’s waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule to explain by May 22 why they would face “irreparable harm” from letting the policy take effect June 22 before he rules on whether to stay it, saying it is unclear that the states would suffer such harm.

World News:

• Mining Technology reports the coronavirus pandemic has upturned global mining supply chains.

In the news today…

Mining:

• The Washington Post reports more than 250 outdoor sporting businesses and groups want the Trump administration to reject the Pebble Mine permit in Alaska.

Renewables:

• E&E Energywire reports wind farms often produce less power when they age past the 10-year mark because the loss of federal tax credits halts maintenance.

Minerals:

• Mining.com reports U.S. domestic production of uranium concentrate plunged 89% to 174,000 pounds of triuranium octoxide last year.
• E&E Daily reports a bipartisan group of senators pressed the Commerce Department yesterday to reduce the amount of Russian imported uranium allowed under yearly quotas.
• S&P Global reports after years of double-digit expansion, global demand for lithium may not grow at all this year as the coronavirus pandemic paralyzes economic activity.

Coal:

• Wyoming Public Media reports Arch Resources has changed its name in a move to transition away from thermal coal.
• Steamboat Pilot & Today reports more than half of the workforce at Twentymile Coal Co.’s Foidel Creek Mine have been or will be furloughed at different stages over a four-week period.
• Energy News Network reports Ohio’s coal mining counties have been hit even harder as unemployment surged following the country’s coronavirus outbreak.
• The Georgia Recorder reports the gradual retirement of coal-fired power plants in Georgia is leaving a state program that polices industrial polluters short on cash.

Paycheck Protection Program:

• Washington Post reports emergency payroll checks have gone to at least 21 energy companies, many of which were already having financial difficulties, especially coal companies.

Carbon Capture:

• Washington Examiner reports a push by senators to grant a one-year extension to carbon capture incentives.
• E&E Energywire reports the final batch of IRS guidance documents needed to unlock the expanded tax credit for carbon capture and storage technologies could soon be “forthcoming.”

WOTUS:

• Inside EPA and Politico Pro report 17 states are seeking a national injunction to block implementation of the Trump administration’s WOTUS policy.

In the news today…

Minerals:

• E&E Greenwire reports a uranium mining company is clamoring for the Commerce Department to release its investigation into whether reliance on foreign uranium poses a national security risk.

Coal:

• Mountain Town News reports the Colorado Public Utilities Commission decided to launch an investigatory docket about Comanche 3, Colorado’s largest coal plant. which should include modifications of the unit and even retiring options.
• Inside EPA reports DTE Energy is poised to sign a legal settlement with Sierra Club agreeing to retire four of five coal plants at issue in long-running litigation over alleged violations of the Clean Air Act NSR program, even though it has inked a parallel draft deal with the Justice Department that lacks such retirement pledges.
• Argus reports 9,200 coal jobs have been lost since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
• Associated Press reports a Colorado coal mine will furlough more than half its workforce.
• E&E Climatewire reports the transition from coal to natural gas has seen an increase in emissions in Virginia.

Renewables:

• Reuters reports that global growth in renewable energy capacity this year is expected to slow for the first time in two decades, the International Energy Agency said today.

In the news today…

Mining:

• The Financial Times carries an op-ed which argues that miners are well positioned to handle uncertain demand and could fare well in the recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

Energy:

• Washington Examiner and E&E Energywire report the energy sector, including the coal mining industry, is seeing record job losses.

Coal:

• E&E Greenwire and Argus report the Trump administration on Friday agreed to review the impact of coal mining on Appalachian crawfish and other endangered species nationwide, according to a settlement reached with environmental groups.
• Mining.com carries an op-ed from Bloomberg which argues that Republicans helped coal and oil companies obtain bailout money from the coronavirus relief funds.
• Argus reports US coal producer Blackhawk Mining has halted production at the Spurlock mining complex in eastern Kentucky and laid off 182 employees.

World News:

• The Guardian reports the global coal industry will never recover from the coronavirus pandemic because renewables are now cheaper for consumers and a safer bet for investors.

Electric Vehicles:

• Utility Dive reports that integrating energy storage with electric vehicle charging will be important for helping to manage EVs growing demands on the grid, a report says.

In the news today and from the weekend…

Mining:

• Associated Press reports oil extraction and mining businesses had the best success in getting loans from the Paycheck Protection Program.

EPA:

• Inside EPA reports environmentalists are citing the Maui outcome to push for stricter CWA permit enforcement.

Coal:

• Utility Dive reports Texas may restart a coal generator to meet summer electricity demand.
• Inside Climate News reports Great River Energy has announced that in 2022, it will close the largest coal-fired power plant in North Dakota and replace it with renewable sources.
• Inforum carries a letter from Sen. Merrill Piepkorn which advocates retraining for workers of the soon-to-close coal plant in North Dakota.
• Detroit News and Argus reports DTE Energy is slated to reduce pollution at five coal-fired power plants in southeast Michigan as part of a settlement that resolves a decade-old lawsuit, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
• WyoFile reports the battle over permitting of Wyoming’s first new coal mine in decades resumed before regulators Wednesday with opposing sides alternately claiming the proposal is environmentally sound or a “slick campaign.”

Minerals:

• The Georgia Recorder reports Twin Pines Minerals pitched their mining project at a virtual meeting, with many critics coming forward.
• Junior Mining Network reports Alaska is poised to make an economic comeback with minerals mining, according to Northern Dynasty Minerals.

Health:

• U.S. News and World Report reports the COVID-19 pandemic is stretching medical resources thin in mining regions like the Appalachian Mountains.

In the news today…

Air Quality:

• The Chicago Tribune reports air quality in Chicago has not improved despite the pandemic.
• The Daily Sentinel reports Arch Resources is being sued over its emissions.

EPA:

• Inside EPA reports EPA has missed President Donald Trump’s executive order deadline to finalize controversial changes to its regulations governing how states ensure federally permitted activities protect state water quality standards.

Coal:

• Politico Pro and Courthouse News Service report a federal judge appeared skeptical of arguments on Wednesday that the Interior Department failed to comply with his order to conduct an environmental review before lifting the federal coal leasing moratorium.
• E&E Greenwire reports a coal company is a step closer to opening a new mine in Wyoming despite the resource’s financial woes in the state.
• Mining.com reports the energy transition away from coal in the U.S. can be a lesson looking forward.

Energy:

• Argus reports ERCOT expects record power demand this summer, potentially resulting in the need to declare energy emergency alerts.

Supreme Court:

• Inside EPA reports the Supreme Court’s consideration of hydrology in its recent decision finding Clean Water Act (CWA) permits may be necessary for discharges of pollutants that travel through groundwater could lead the court to reject the Trump administration’s definition of waters of the United States (WOTUS) for failing to reflect science.

In the news today…

Coal:

• Science Alert reports the benefits of phasing out coal far outweigh the real-world costs, scientists say, and that’s the case even when climate change is left out of the equation entirely.
• E&E Greenwire reports attorneys for the federal government and environmental groups each appealed a March ruling that required a stronger environmental analysis for a planned Montana coal mine.
• E&E Climatewire reports environmental groups announced yesterday that they plan to sue the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection over what they say is the agency’s failure to adhere to federal reporting requirements for a coal mine reclamation fund.
• Power reports U.S. coal-fired power generation last year was at its lowest level since 1976, according to data released May 11 by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).

Energy:

• E&E Daily reports House Democrats are calling on at least two energy-related businesses to return forgivable government loans or to provide an explanation as to why they should keep the money.
• E&E Daily reports Senate Democrats want the Federal Reserve to reconsider offering a financial lifeline to struggling oil and gas companies.
• The Office of Nuclear Energy reports establishing the Uranium Reserve program is exactly what we need at this crucial time to de-risk our nuclear fuel supply.

Carbon Capture:

• Washington Examiner reports the Carbon Capture Coalition says prior abuse of federal tax credits reported recently by the Treasury Department’s watchdog underscores the need for IRS to issue the remaining guidance for implementing the updated 45Q program.

Mining:

• The Journal reports a number of Western environmental advocacy groups sent a letter to Congress this week, asking for funding for abandoned mine reclamation and cleanup in the next trillion-dollar stimulus bill.
• E&E Daily reports a bipartisan group of lawmakers asked House leaders yesterday to compel the Trump administration’s mine safety officials to make mines safe during the coronavirus pandemic.

Minerals:

• Mining.com reports from Bloomberg mine developers scrambling to fund projects to meet forecast demand for battery metals see the threat of looming supply crunches as a trigger for electric-vehicle makers to step in with investments.

In the news today and from the weekend…

EPA:

• The Heartland Institute reports EPA has finalized a rule to alter the way it calculates costs and benefits for MATS.
• Politico Pro and E&E Greenwire report House Democrats have unveiled legislation to overturn the Trump administration’s WOTUS rule to restrict the reach of the Clean Water Act.

Coal:

• Grand Forks Herald reports Great River Energy will shut down Coal Creek Station if a new buyer cannot be found.
• KXNet reports hundreds of North Dakotans will lose their jobs when Coal Creek Station closes.
• E&E Climatewire reports coal plants remained the largest individual sources of CO2 in America.

Minerals:

• Mining.com reports production of battery metals, such as graphite, lithium and cobalt, will have to increase by nearly 500% by 2050 to meet the growing demand for clean energy technologies, the World Bank said on Monday.
• Mining.com reports a new extraction and purification method for rare earth metals is being developed that will have little to no environmental impact.
• Casper Star-Tribune carries an op-ed by Dr. J. Winston Porter, a former assistant administrator of the EPA, in which he argues that the U.S. can no longer afford to rely on China for minerals.

Clean Energy:

• Axios reports that clean energy won’t be leading the recovery because polices that would have the biggest impact on climate change are not the biggest job creators in the short term. Innovation into new technology, like long-term energy storage and carbon-capture equipment that are key to big emission reductions, will create jobs over a long period of time, but not immediately.

In the news today…

Coal:

• Utility Dive reports the majority of coal-fired power in the ​Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) was self-scheduled and 88% was dispatched economically from 2017 to 2019, according to an April analysis from the grid operator.
• S&P Global reports COVID-19 has not changed plans for coal power plant retirements.
• The Chattanooga Times Free Press reports for the first time in more than six decades, the Tennessee Valley Authority got more power from renewable sources than from burning coal during the first three months of 2020.
• E&E Energywire reports North Dakota’s Coal Creek Station, a workhorse of the Upper Midwest power fleet, will burn its final ton of lignite in a couple of years following a decision announced yesterday that underscores the industry’s struggle to survive.

Minerals:

• Nevada Current carries an op-ed which argues that mining corporations Newmont and Barrick should be taxed more to support Nevada during the COVID-19 crisis.
• Reuters reports a coalition of 14 environmental groups and outdoor recreation businesses sued BLM and the Forest Service on Wednesday in Washington D.C. federal court over their renewal of mining leases in Minnesota.
• E&E Energywire reports nuclear plants across the nation are facing a challenge of trying to maintain social distancing while moving forward with massive operations during the pandemic.

In the news today…

Minerals:

• Jacksonville Free Press reports the U.S. needs a domestic uranium source to stay afloat.

NEPA:

• The EHS Daily Advisor reports 172,000 comments have been filed against changes to NEPA.

Coal:

• Bloomberg, Yahoo Finance and the Washington Post report coal companies have received more than $31 million from the Paycheck Protection Program.
• Politico Pro and The Hill report Democrats seek to stop fossil fuel companies from receiving coronavirus relief packages.
• GreentechMedia reports the U.S. is lagging on providing a ‘just transition’ for coal and nuclear industry workers.
• The Lexington Herald-Leader reports coal companies like Rhino Resource Partners are receiving PPP loans before other small businesses.
• Made in Alabama and Birmingham Business Journal report Warrior Met Coal is planning a new mining operation in Tuscaloosa County.
• E&E Energywire reports carbon capture and sequestration makes water scarcity a bigger problem.

Mining:

• KUNR reports mining companies in Nevada are essential during the coronavirus pandemic and are taking steps to increase social distancing on site and other safety measures.
• AZCentral carries an op-ed which argues current law ties the hands of neighborhood advocates who wish to stop mining projects in their area.

World News:

• Benzinga reports global metals mining companies will come together this week to discuss the situation under the coronavirus pandemic.

In the news today and from the weekend…

EPA:

• E&E News PM reports the country’s blue states launched their legal attack on the Trump administration’s Clean Water Rule, saying it “opens the door to new and worse industry pollution.”

Coal:

• Gillette News Record reports Peabody may sell assets to handle the financial pressures of the pandemic.
• E&E Greenwire reports Rhino Resource Partners received a $10 million loan from the Paycheck Protection Program.
• The Hill reports fossil fuel companies have received more than $50 million in federal coronavirus relief.
• Mining.com reports global coal demand is heading for its biggest annual drop since World War II as economic activity plunges due to coronavirus lockdowns.
• Argus reports the second-largest US coal producer Arch Coal announced that it is changing its name to Arch Resources to reflect its shift to the metallurgical market.
• The Casper Star Tribune reports Wyoming’s coal industry is vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• E&E Climatewire reports natural gas may be emitting more pollution than previously calculated, erasing the difference between gas and coal for emissions.

Minerals:

• Mining.com reports the US government has stepped up efforts to ensure the supply of critical minerals from outside China.

In the news today…

Coal:

• The Wall Street Journal reports instead of stashing away cash for tough times, coal producers spent billions of dollars in dividends and stock buybacks to benefit their investors.
• Washington Examiner reports fossils fuels, particularly coal, have been harder hit by the coronavirus crisis than renewables.
• The Hill carries an op-ed which argues the coronavirus crisis only highlights why reinvestment in coalfields in Arizona is critical.
• Bloomberg reports Consol Energy Inc.’s effort to push rival coal company Murray Energy Corp. into liquidation is aimed at shuttering mines and reducing output in an oversupplied industry, according to the largest U.S. coal miners’ union.

Carbon Capture:

• Washington Examiner reports the Carbon Capture Coalition is re-upping its request that Congress provide a “direct pay” option for the 45Q federal tax credits and extend the deadline by which projects must begin construction to qualify.
• Politico Pro reports nearly $900 million in claimed carbon capture tax credits over a decade failed to follow EPA guidelines requiring companies to prove they successfully sequestered the carbon dioxide, according to the IRS’s inspector general.

Minerals:

• AZ Big Media reports environmentalists say uranium mining near the Grand Canyon is unwanted and unneeded.
• The Ripon Advance reports U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber (R-MN) on April 28 introduced legislation that would put an end to America’s dependence on foreign nations for critical minerals by bolstering the nation’s domestic supply chain.
• Power reports the nation’s nuclear industry this week blazed ahead on efforts to energize a U.S. commercial fuel supply that it says will be crucial for the widespread development and deployment of advanced nuclear reactors.

World News:

• Forbes reports Britain has gone three weeks without using coal for energy.