Monthly Archives: May 2023

In the news today…

Coal:

• E&E Greenwire reports federal officials will start a formal, court-ordered environmental review around the effects of either scrapping or keeping intact an Obama-era ban on coal leasing on public lands.

EPA:

• Grist reports on the pending Supreme Court ruling on the Clean Water Act.
• Roll Call reports the Biden administration will propose a rule this month to cut greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, a central plank to meet its climate targets, and if enacted, a first in U.S. history.
• Politico Pro reports the U.S. Court of Appeals on Monday stayed EPA’s February rejection of plans submitted by Texas and Louisiana to curb interstate pollution from their power plants.

Mining:

• Mining.com reports the United States Army is improving the slim odds for the Northern Dynasty Minerals Pebble project in southwest Alaska which has already been blocked by environmental authorities.

Permitting:

• Reuters reports that Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) introduced his latest permitting reform measure that aims to set a two-year limit on environmental reviews for major federal energy projects, reduce court delays over energy projects and calls for completing the $6.6 billion Mountain Valley Pipeline, while also directing President Joe Biden to designate and prioritize the permitting of at least 25 high-level energy projects. The Building American Energy Security Act comes after the House GOP passed its priority energy legislation at the end of March, which included provisions to boost oil and gas production and repeal some Inflation Reduction Act tax credits.

World News:

• Washington Examiner reports Germany is moving to reopen many of its mines in an effort to reduce dependency on China and other countries for critical materials imports—and instead begin extracting them itself.
• E&E Climatewire reports the United States will help the Philippines build out its supply chain of minerals needed for green technology, President Joe Biden announced Monday during a visit by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to the White House.

Good Monday morning!

In the news today and from the weekend…

Grid:

• Utility Dive reports that a pending Senate bill would require a 30% transfer capacity between grid operators and transmission planning regions. Building those transmission lines could produce a “stunning payoff,” Daniel Palken, an aide to Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., said. “The technical term for this would be ‘a gold mine.'”

Mining:

• Forbes reports the world needs copper like that which would come from mines like Twin Metals Minnesota.
• E&E Daily reports House Republicans will travel to northern Minnesota this week for a field hearing that’s poised to highlight the Biden administration’s efforts to block mining in a region home to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

ESA:

• Associated Press reports for the third time in a decade, federal wildlife officials are contemplating whether the bi-state sage grouse deserves protection under the Endangered Species Act.

EPA:

• Washington Post reports the United States doesn’t have a plan to limit greenhouse gas emissions from existing power plants. But that could change as soon as this week, as the Biden administration readies a proposal it hopes won’t run afoul of the Supreme Court.