Author Archives: Terry M. Jarrett

In the news today and from the weekend…

Mining:

• Mother Jones republished from High Country News, reporting that amid the recent skirmishes over revising the reconciliation bill, known as the Build Back Better Plan, lawmakers once again skipped a chance to reform the General Mining Law of 1872.

Coal:

• S&P Global reports hydrogen-based steelmaking is unlikely to displace blast furnace-based steelmaking for two to three decades, which will support demand for metallurgical coal during that period, miners and analysts said at the Financial Times Commodities Asia Summit this week.
• Argus reports coal production from western bituminous mines in Colorado and Utah increased by 6.6pc last quarter when compared with a year earlier, supported by export markets.

World News:

• The New York Times reports the clean energy revolution is replacing oil and gas with a new global force: the minerals and metals needed in electric car batteries, solar panels and other forms of renewable energy, specifically cobalt.
• The New York Times reports Americans failed to safeguard decades of diplomatic and financial investments in Congo, where the world’s largest supply of cobalt is controlled by Chinese companies backed by Beijing.

In the news today…

EPA:

• Politico Pro reports the Biden administration moved Thursday to formally repeal the Trump administration’s controversial rule that vastly restricted the scope of Clean Water Act protections.
• Politico Pro reports EPA announced yesterday it is extending through May a timeline to decide how or whether to proceed with proposed restrictions on mining in Alaska’s Bristol Bay region, which is known for its salmon runs.
• Inside EPA reports EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers are proposing an interim definition of waters of the United States (WOTUS) that aims to provide “stable implementation” of the Clean Water Act (CWA) while the Biden administration seeks to develop a durable definition that will avoid policy pendulum swings with changes in administrations.

Minerals:

• Politico Pro reports imports of vanadium, a key ingredient in military-grade steel, do not harm U.S. national security, the Commerce Department concluded in a report begun under the Trump administration.

Coal:

• Lexington Herald-Leader reports coal production and jobs were up in recent months in Eastern Kentucky over the same time a year ago, providing a boost in a region hit hard by a decline in the industry.
• WV Public Broadcasting reports coal production is up nearly 20% in West Virginia over last year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, and nearly 16% in Appalachia.

In the news today…

Coal:

• Politico Pro reports the EU and the U.S. want to gang up against China’s coal-fired blast furnaces in a green steel alliance — but no one is sure how that will happen.
• The State Journal reports the president of West Virginia’s coal association brags the newly passed federal infrastructure bill is good for both power-generating and steel- and cement-making coal.
• Jackson Hole News and Guide reports the question of what the future of coal in Campbell County will entail long term, remains unanswered. But in the near future, Powder River Basin coal is projected to do well.
• Bloomberg Green reports coal mining chief executives said the fuel they produce is far from being consigned to history, regardless of stricter global climate action agreed at the COP26 summit last week.

Clean Energy:

• Utility Dive reports the U.S. is on track to install 27 GW of new wind generation and 44 GW of solar next year, representing a plateau for wind but a doubling of solar from 2021, according to a new market research report.

In the news today and from the weekend…

Mining:

• S&P Global reports House Democrats latest version of a sweeping social spending bill dropped a provision to impose royalties on hard-rock mining on federal lands.
• Politico Pro reports just four years ago, Maine lawmakers passed one of the most restrictive mining laws in the country, making it very difficult — and in some cases impossible — to open new mines. But the energy transition could test that resolve, with a Canadian company vying to explore for minerals vital for clean technology.
• Politico Pro reports there’s enough lithium in rural North Carolina to supply 3 million EVs a year. Its fate is in the hands of seven county commissioners.
• Politico Pro reports supporters of blocking a controversial mining project on holy Apache land in Arizona are disappointed House Democrats stripped language from their sweeping climate and social programs bill and suspect it was to help vulnerable members win reelection in 2022.

Coal:

• Politico Pro reports the Biden administration arrived this month at international climate talks in Scotland with the intent to prove the United States was again ready to lead the fight against global warming. But when more than 40 countries signed a pledge to phase out coal in the coming decades, the United States was conspicuously absent.

Energy:

• The Daily Wire reports Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm told CNN on Sunday that Americans will pay more to heat their homes this winter as energy prices continue to skyrocket and that the administration hopes that gas prices do not hit $4 per gallon.

Carbon Capture:

• The New York Times reports the U.S. Department of Energy on Friday unveiled its biggest effort yet to drastically reduce the cost of technologies that suck carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, in a recognition that current strategies to lower greenhouse gases may not be enough to avert the worst effects of climate change.
• Washington Examiner reports House Democrats’ $1.85 trillion climate and social spending bill could make it economical for natural gas plants to trap carbon dioxide coming out of the smokestack before it can enter the atmosphere and warm the planet.

Congress:

• Politico Pro reports Congressional Democrats painted a rosy view this past weekend of the prospects for swift legislative action on their massive, $1.7 trillion climate and social spending package.
• Politico Pro reports the House approved bipartisan infrastructure legislation Friday following months of negotiations and Democratic infighting over how to handle the president’s agenda.

World News:

• Mining.com reports from Bloomberg an energy crisis in two of Asia’s key economies that caused power shortages, sent fuel prices surging and risked slowing growth is beginning to ease, though bitter winter weather will pose further challenges.
• Politico Pro reports China’s overseas purchases of coal nearly doubled in October from a year ago as the government leaned on importers to help ease a nationwide power shortage caused in large part by a shortage of the fuel.

In the news today…

Climate:

• The Washington Post and 4StateNews report the international climate conference’s “energy day” dawned with fresh efforts to block the flow of money to fossil fuel companies, as activists brushed aside arguments from corporate leaders of coal, oil and gas firms that they need to help meet the energy needs of consumers over the next three decades.
• Newsweek and The Washington Newsday report ExxonMobil is the world’s most obstructive company when it comes to climate policy, according to a new report.
• The New York Times reports more than 40 countries pledged to phase out coal, the dirtiest fossil fuel, in a deal announced Thursday at the United Nations climate summit that prompted Alok Sharma, the head of the conference, to proclaim “the end of coal is in sight.”

Minerals/Metals:

• Reuters reports the ambitions of COP26 would be impossible without mined materials like copper, aluminum, cobalt, lithium and nickel.

Coal:

• Argus reports US coal exports continued to rise from year-earlier levels in September even as one of the main exit points for thermal coal experienced extensive disruptions.
• Politico Pro reports Southern Co. announced yesterday that it will shutter roughly 55 percent of its coal fleet by the end of the decade as the company shifts to a net-zero electricity mix.

In the news today…

Reconciliation Bill:

• Politico Pro reports House Democrats offered an updated version of their massive social spending bill yesterday — one that stripped out new royalties for hardrock mining but dared moderates like Sen. Joe Manchin to oppose fees on methane and more than $500 billion in other climate policies.

Energy:

• Reuters reports the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will continue to draft rules targeting greenhouse gas emissions from power plants despite a surprise Supreme Court decision last week to review its authority to do so, its administrator told Reuters on Monday.
• Utility Dive reports the Supreme Court’s decision to consider four consolidated appeals could hamper the Biden administration’s goal of cutting U.S. GHG emissions by up to 52% below 2005 levels by the end of this decade.
• Washington Examiner reports a group of Republican senators is introducing a clean energy and climate strategy today that challenges the Biden administration and Democrats’ agenda of massively expanding clean energy while reducing fossil fuel production and use.
• Politico Pro reports the United States committed today with other countries to stop financing fossil fuel projects abroad by the end of next year, in a seismic shift that could stem the construction of natural gas and oil facilities in lower-income nations.

Climate:

• Washington Examiner reports Biden announced that the Energy Department’s next “Earthshot” is focused on accelerating and reducing the cost of technologies that remove carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere.
• Reuters reports Indonesia, Poland, Vietnam and other nations on Thursday pledged to phase out their use of coal-fired power and stop building plants, a deal the COP26 climate summit host Britain described as putting the end of the fuel “in sight”.

In the news today…

Mining:

• Politico Pro reports Minnesota regulators on Friday launched a court-ordered process for assessing the risks to clean water from waste from the proposed PolyMet copper-nickel mine in northeastern Minnesota.
• Politico Pro reports workers at the Shoal Creek coal mine in Alabama have reached a collective bargaining agreement with Peabody Energy Corp. that paves the way for the mine to reopen.

Minerals:

• The Salt Lake Tribune reports high uranium prices and new rare earth production capabilities at the White Mesa Mill could revive the aging facility in San Juan County.
• The Detroit News and Axios report Ford’s CEO is calling to make EVs more affordable and bring mining back to the U.S.

Coal:

• Mining.com reports a labor shortage and reluctance to open new mines has left U.S. coal companies struggling to keep up with surging global demand.
• Metro News reports the president of the West Virginia Coal Association described keeping three coal-fired power plants in West Virginia open as important for local communities and the state.
• Politico Pro reports academic endowments are entering a new normal after the richest school in the world followed the lead of other colleges and universities to divest from fossil fuels.
• Washington Examiner reports China’s decision last week to stop building coal plants overseas suggests Beijing is not ready to grapple with curbing its appetite at home.

Thanks to the Washington Times for carrying my new op-ed piece on how the pace of the energy transition to more intermittent energy sources is racing ahead of practicality. Premature retirements of conventional generation sources (like coal and nuclear) are no longer available to provide power during tight operating conditions, putting the power grid at risk.

In the news today…

Coal:

• Argus reports second quarter Illinois basin coal production climbed by 22pc from a year earlier but remained well below pre-pandemic levels, according to data from the US Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA).

Carbon Capture:

• Politico Pro reports the inclusion of billions of dollars for controversial carbon capture technology in the bipartisan infrastructure bill is dividing traditional climate allies, pitting progressives who argue the measure prolongs the use of fossil fuels against others who see it is as a necessary tool to achieve ambitious U.S. climate goals.

Cybersecurity:

• Upstream reports that the cyberattack on Colonial Pipeline exposed holes in US network defenses.

Electric Vehicles:

• Utility Dive reports Biden’s goal of 50% EV sales by 2030 will test supply chains, utilities, experts say.

In the news today and from the weekend…

Minerals:

• Mining.com reports a North Carolina county imposed a 60-day mining moratorium on Friday, giving officials time to rework local regulations before Piedmont Lithium Inc applies for a necessary zoning variance.

Coal:

• Politico Pro carries an interview with Brian Anderson on his role in finding new paths for coal-reliant communities.
• Politico Pro reports hundreds of union members from multiple states rallied yesterday for Alabama miners who have been on strike against Warrior Met Coal Inc. since early April seeking contract improvements.
• Argus reports US coal exports reached a two-year high in June, helped by a surge in shipments to China, India and Japan.
• The Wall Street Journal reports renewables are replacing coal in the U.S., except in rural areas.

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.

In the news today…

Coal:

• Forbes reports the world has yet to even meet the peak of demand for the least environmentally friendly fuel of all, coal.

Carbon Capture:

• Grand Forks Herald reports North Dakota’s budding roster of carbon capture projects aim to scrub the emissions of the state’s coal and ethanol industries, and even achieve carbon negative oil production.
• Politico Pro reports the Senate infrastructure bill offers billions of dollars to develop carbon capture and hydrogen projects, giving a boost to technologies that oil and gas industry has said were needed to reduce their emissions that contribute to climate change.
• Argus reports US Senators are moving forward with plans to extend mine reclamation fees and expand funding carbon capture utilization and sequestration (CCUS) projects, including pipelines to transport captured CO2.
• Politico Pro reports carbon capture advocates are urging lawmakers to continue approving policies that would help the technology prosper as Congress pushes forward on massive infrastructure spending.

Minerals:

• Canary Media reports shortages of key materials and high shipping costs may soon affect U.S. solar projects.
• Reuters and Mining.com report Piedmont Lithium Inc said on Monday it will delay first shipments of lithium chemicals to electric vehicle maker Tesla Inc and that it does not have a definitive date for when deliveries could begin.

In the news today and from the weekend…

Clean Energy:

• Bloomberg reports that the U.S. needs to rapidly speed its pace of clean energy deployment to reach net zero emissions by 2050, on the order of installing 800 MW of additional generation each week over 2020 levels, a new report shows.

Coal:

• Virginia Mercury reports the declining use of coal-fired power plants in Virginia is raising questions about how long utilities should keep them open.
• WMKY reports a report by University of Tennessee researchers concludes that three West Virginia coal plants will not be economical to operate in five years.
• Associated Press reports member cooperatives of a Minnesota electric company endorsed a deal Friday to sell a financially troubled coal-fueled power plant in North Dakota to a Bismarck firm.

Mining:

• Politico Pro reports Alaska Native leaders urged federal agencies this week to reconsider their approval of a 211-mile-long mining access road planned across the remote interior part of the state.
• Politico Pro reports two tribes that joined a legal battle over plans to build a mine at the largest known U.S. deposit of lithium urged a judge yesterday to temporarily ban digging for an archaeological survey that they say would desecrate sacred tribal lands in Nevada near the Oregon line.

In the news today…

Coal:

• The Wall Street Journal reports Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan made public commitments to environmental sustainability but continue to finance struggling coal and oil-and-gas producers.
• The Herald-Dispatch reports Arch Resources plans to open its new metallurgical coal mine near Philippi, West Virginia, before the end of August, company officials announced Tuesday.
• Politico Pro reports the Biden administration this spring cut the royalty fees a mining company is required to pay on coal dug up at two major operations on public land in the West, an Interior Department database shows.
• WEEK reports Illinois coal plant workers raise concerns about proposed state legislation that would close their facilities by 2035.
• Argus reports coal exports from Hampton Roads, Virginia, climbed in June to their highest level in more than a year, reflecting extended gains in thermal and metallurgical markets.

Energy:

• Politico Pro reports electricity generated from renewables was the second biggest source of power in the United States in 2020, lagging only natural gas-fired power generation for the first time, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
• Argus reports the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has objected to a Texas coal plant’s operating permit after environmental groups challenged a state regulator’s decision to issue the permit.
• Argus reports DTE Energy is considering moving up retirement dates for its coal plants, the utility’s executives said.

Carbon Capture:

• KFYR reports North Dakota’s state and industry leaders are putting tax dollars towards carbon capture technologies.

Mining:

• Mining.com reports a U.S. federal judge ruled on Wednesday that Native American tribes may join a lawsuit seeking to block Lithium Americas Corp’s proposed Thacker Pass mine in Nevada, the latest attempt to halt development of what could become one of the largest U.S. producers of the electric vehicle battery metal.
• Reuters reports Cosam Mullins mined coal in the western hills of Virginia for much of his working life. Now, with mining jobs hard to find, he’s cleaning up the mess the industry left behind.
• The Guardian reports coal miners and union advocates from across the country rallied in New York on Wednesday morning in support of Alabama miners who are four months into a strike against their employer, Warrior Met Coal.

In the news today…

Coal:

• KNKX reports a Washington county that held off a proposal for a coal export terminal will vote on a permanent ban on new fossil fuel infrastructure.
• Argus reports coal exports from Hampton Roads, Virginia, climbed in June to their highest level in more than a year, reflecting extended gains in thermal and metallurgical markets.
• Argus reports market conditions may facilitate enhanced cash flow generation from Arch Resources’ thermal coal mines.
• Argus reports US coal-fired generation rose by 37pc in May from a year earlier amid an increase in electricity use and a drop in power from natural gas and nuclear energy.

Energy:

• Politico Pro reports departing Federal Energy Regulatory Commission member Neil Chatterjee said his handling of a Trump-era push to elevate coal and nuclear plants to boost grid resilience caused the issue to spiral into partisan politics.

Carbon Capture:

• E&E Climatewire reports environmental justice advocates have gotten used to hearing election-season promises, and so they didn’t get too excited last year when Joe Biden offered them this one: access and input to his political agenda.

Minerals:

• Sierra Nevada Ally carries an op-ed which states that lithium is enabling more mining when we need to be mining less.

In the news today and from the weekend…

Minerals:

• Sierra Nevada Ally, The Nevada Independent and Patch report on May 27 of this year, four conservation and public accountability groups filed for a preliminary injunction in the Federal District Court in Reno that asks the court to prohibit construction of the Thacker Pass lithium mine.
• Reuters and Mining.com report a U.S. federal judge has ruled that Lithium Americas Corp may conduct excavation work at its Thacker Pass lithium mine site in Nevada, denying a request from environmentalists who said the digging could harm sage grouse and other wildlife.
• Mining.com reports Rio Tinto has approved a $108 million investment in underground development to enable early orebody access and undertake orebody characterization studies for underground mining at the Kennecott copper operations in Utah.

Mining:

• K2 Radio reports Wyoming continues see increases in employment compared to the lows of 2020, except for the mining sector which is struggling to recover.
• Seeking Alpha reports Komatsu has been losing share in China and is increasingly seeing Chinese competitors taking away share in construction and mining markets across Southeast Asia, undermining some important profit centers.

Coal:

• Argus reports independent power producer GenOn has delayed the retirement dates for two of its coal-fired power plants by more than six months.

Carbon Capture:

• Associated Press reports two companies seeking to build thousands of miles of pipeline across the Midwest are promising the effort will aid rather than hinder the fight against climate change, though some environmental groups remain skeptical.

Mine Safety:

• Associated Press reports falling equipment killed a man at a Wyoming coal mine.