In the news today…
Energy Efficiency:
- The Hill reports that the Department of Energy proposed a new rule that would revoke Trump-era rollbacks of certain household appliance efficiency standards, saying the previous administration had ignored a prohibition against standards that decrease efficiency. The changes applied to washers, dryers and dishwashers, exempting some from energy and conservation standards by slotting certain models into a separate class of “short-cycle” products.
Minerals:
- St. Joseph News Press carries an op-ed by Michael Stumo, CEO of the Coalition for a Prosperous America, in which he argues in order to keep taxpayer dollars out of China’s hands, it’s time to bring these supply chains home, including mining and critical materials.
Mining:
- Bozeman Daily Chronicle carries an editorial which states the law governing how minerals can be extracted from public land was enacted in 1872 when Ulysses S. Grant was president of the United States. By almost any standard, such a dated law warrants substantial revision to bring it in line with contemporary realities.
Clean Water Act:
- Inside EPA reports a federal judge in South Carolina has granted EPA’s request to remand without vacatur the Trump-era Clean Water Act (CWA) rule that narrowed how states evaluate whether federal permits protect state water quality standards, a decision that will likely ease the Biden administration’s efforts to overhaul the measure.
Coal:
- Argus reports Powder River basin (PRB) coal production climbed by 27pc last quarter from the multi-year low set in the same period of 2020 amid increased electricity demand and higher natural gas prices.