Author Archives: Terry M. Jarrett

In the news today…

Mining:

• The Wall Street Journal reports the next boom in electric vehicles could be the world’s mining fleet as the industry moves away from diesel.

Coal:

• The Courier Journal reports, despite the president declaring that the ‘coal industry is back,’ jobs and production are down in Kentucky.
• The Conversation reports coal bankruptcies are the latest reminder that it is past time for a just transition for coal miners.
• Argus reports U.S. thermal coal exports fell for an eighth month in September, led by a decline in bituminous shipments.
• Argus reports CONSOL Energy maintained its sales outlook for 2019 despite challenges in the coal industry.
• Argus reports Hallador Energy’s sales increased to 2.1 million short tons in the third quarter, up from 2 million short tons a year earlier.
• E&E Greenwire reports Bob Murray may have been the last coal magnate of his type now that he has stepped down as CEO of Murray Energy.

EPA:

• E&E News PM reports PacifiCorp is asking EPA to scrap part of a regional haze reduction plan as it requires a retrofit that will cost millions and result in “no measurable visibility improvements.”

In the news today…

Environment:

• Bloomberg Environment reports the Justice Department may further restrict the use of supplemental environmental projects (SEPs) which allow businesses to conduct environmental projects to lower transgression fees.

Mining Law:

• The Hill reports Democrats are preparing to counter White House efforts to allow mining near the Grand Canyon.
• The Arizona Daily Star posted a letter to the editor in response to an article on Rep. Grijalva’s  mining reform bill, claiming the Representative is uninformed about mining law.
• Mining.com reports Hudbay Minerals will appeal the court ruling that barred the miner from building a major copper mine in Arizona.

Coal:

• E&E Greenwire reports Robert Murray will step down as CEO and president in the wake of his company’s filing for bankruptcy.
• Argus reports Peabody Energy lowered its U.S. thermal outlook amid weak electricity demand and decisions to close some Illinois basin properties.
• Argus reports U.S. thermal coal prices were unchanged while natural gas prices rose.
• E&E Daily reports the Murray Energy bankruptcy sparked alarm concerning the miners pension fund.

Minerals:

• E&E Energywire reports lithium could be California’s next ‘gold rush’, given the demand for lithium in electric vehicles.

FERC:

• Utility Dive reports 11 attorneys general urge FERC to respect state energy rights, which allow states to shape their own resource mixes.

In the news today…

Emissions:

• E&E Daily reports Sen. McConnell joins Sen. Barrasso in support of S. 2662, which revamps the New Source Review program.

Mining:

• Greenwire reports Earthworks wants an investigation into possible insider trading by an investor involved in EPA’s actions surrounding the proposed Pebble Mine.
• E&E Daily reports President Trump nominated former Ohio regulator Lanny Erdos to director of OSMRE.

Coal:

• Politico Pro reports FERC’s decision on how it will define grid resilience will be a consensus decision that is supported by all members.
• Science Daily reports replacing coal with other energy sources saves billions of gallons of water.
• E&E Energywire reports renewable power capacity is expected to increase 50 percent globally over the next five years, but coal will still dominate, according to an IEA report.
• Argus reports thermal coal prices are unchanged in the over-the-counter market.
• Argus and S&P Global report Arch Coal expects its Powder River Basin volumes to be lower this quarter than the third quarter’s two-year high.

In the news today…

Coal:

• The Bismarck Tribune reports coal communities in North Dakota and Montana look to an uncertain future among coal power plant closures.
• The Southern Illinoisan carries an op-ed which argues that Illinois must embrace renewable energy jobs as the coal industry dwindles.
• Argus reports Blackjewel and Contura Energy have transferred ownership of two coal mines in Wyoming to FM Coal affiliate Eagle Specialty Minerals.
• E&E Daily reports a Pennsylvania bill would provide a tax credit to help power plants burn coal from cleaning up old piles of mining waste.

Electric Grid:

• The Park Record reports PacifiCorp is providing an example of how quickly renewables are being adopted while coal is being removed from energy portfolios.
• Argus reports MISO expects to significantly cut coal-fired generation looking out to 2033, with wind and solar expected to replace most of the displaced power.

Minerals:

• The Elko Daily Free Press carries a negative op-ed which argues hardrock mining companies create high amounts of pollution and that mining law needs to change to cover clean up costs of mining.
• WV News reports WVU received $5 million to construct a rare earth elements recovery site at a new acid mine drainage treatment plant.
• Reuters reports Rio Tinto is studying ways to extract lithium from waste rock at a mine it controls in California.

EPA:

• E&E News PM and Politico Pro report a panel of judges grilled EPA regarding a set of decisions related to MATS and may ultimately send the rule back to EPA.
• Politico Pro reports EPA will publish its repeal of the Obama administration WOTUS rule today.

Public Lands:

• The Hill reports Sens. Tom Udall and Michael Bennet have introduced a resolution that would require conserving 30 percent of the United States’ lands and oceans by 2030.

In the news today…

Minerals:

• The Miami Herald reports Standard Lithium will be testing a new method for pulling battery-grade lithium from a saltwater sea under Arkansas soil.
• The Los Angeles Times reports EnergySource is operating a geothermal lithium plant in southern California.
• The San Francisco Chronicle reports Midas Gold is asking for a lawsuit to be put on hold so it can mine in central Idaho and clean up old mining sites.
• E&E News PM reports the White House has given itself another month to address mining industry concerns about how American nuclear plants get their uranium.

Coal:

• The Rocket Miner carries an editorial which states the current decline in coal is different than previous boom and bust patterns and Wyoming needs to turn to new industries to grow.
• The West Virginia Record reports two former coal miners filed lawsuits against a respirator manufacturing company, claiming the respirators failed to protect them.
• The Casper Star Tribune and WyoFile report Wyoming lawmakers met to find effective policy changes to protect the state and counties from the outbreak of coal company bankruptcies.
• WyoFile reports a new Wyoming law aimed at extending the life of coal-fired power plants is being tested now as PacifiCorp looks to shut down coal plants in Wyoming.
• E&E Energywire and Argus report the University of Notre Dame is shuttering its coal-fired power plant a year ahead of schedule and turning to renewable energy sources.

EPA:

• E&E Greenwire reports an unofficial panel of air quality experts has tentatively concluded the EPA’s fine particulate matter standards need significant tightening.

In the news today…

EPA:

• Inside EPA reports industry groups are praising EPA’s decision to forgo setting financial responsibility requirements under the Superfund law for the electric power generator sector, while environmentalists argue the approach increases risks of contamination.
• Inside EPA reports environmental groups have begun to outline issues they intend to raise in their litigation challenging EPA’s ACE rule, targeting the ACE rule’s narrow interpretation as unlawful.
• E&E Greenwire reports a pair of judges would like to investigate whether they should drop the case over the Obama administration’s Clean Water Rule in light of the repeal and eventual replacement of the WOTUS rule.

Coal:

• The Casper Star-Tribune and E&E Greenwire report the federal government has been investigating coal operator Blackjewel for potential fraud since before the company filed for bankruptcy.
• Argus reports the U.S. Interior Department has asked a federal bankruptcy court to extend the deadline for some of Blackjewel’s financial restructuring while it completes an investigation into potential fraud.
• Argus reports U.S. electric power sector coal use will fall by 14 percent this year according to the EIA’s Short-Term Energy Outlook.
• Politico Pro and E&E Energywire report a federal judge blocked the parts of an Obama-era Interior Department rulemaking that updated how royalties are calculated on coal mined from federal lands.
• E&E Energywire reports Xcel Energy Inc. is planning new investments in wind and solar in order to shut down coal plants and shift the market towards electric vehicles.
• WV Metro News reports three underground coal mines and two preparation plants in West Virginia have been idled by Blackhawk Mining and its subsidiaries.

Mining:

• E&E Greenwire reports the proposed Twin Metals copper-nickel mine is one of many controversies over public lands.
• E&E Greenwire reports Senate Indian Affairs Committee ranking member Tom Udall led a field hearing on the Southwest’s legacy of uranium mining.
• Politico Pro and E&E News PM report a coalition of Alaskan groups sued EPA on Tuesday over its withdrawal of an Obama-era proposal that would have preemptively vetoed the construction of the Pebble Mine.

In the news today…

Mining:

• The Arizona Daily Star reports a former Coronado National Forest supervisor says his experience with the Rosemont Mine shows it’s time to overhaul the 1872 Mining Law.
• The Journal reports a West Virginia researcher believes West Virginia’s coal mines can be used as sources for rare earth elements.
• Deseret News (UT) and Salem News (OH) carry an op-ed by Michael Stumo, CEO of the Coalition for a Prosperous America, in which he argues the U.S. needs to encourage domestic mining of critical minerals in order to compete with China in the clean energy and advanced technology industries.

Minerals:

• The Farmington Daily Times reports Rep. Grijalva traveled to Window Rock, Arizona to learn about the legacy of uranium mining on Navajo land.

Coal:

• The Hartford Courant reports Deputy Secretary Dan Brouillette, who would likely succeed Energy Secretary Rick Perry should Perry resign, would also support subsidizing coal plants.
• Ohio Valley ReSource reports worker training programs alone will not be enough to save those in coal country.
• Colorado Politics reports PacifiCorp’s decision to move away from coal-fired power could hasten the closure of the Craig power plant in northwest Colorado.
• Argus reports BLM is proposing trimming the amount of land it makes available for coal leasing in the Powder River Basin.
• E&E Energywire reports the Lignite Energy Council in North Dakota is advertising that a new Tesla Model X electric car is powered by coal.
• KXLH reports residents of a West Virginia coal town say that now is the time to rebuild and sustain the coal industry which built their towns.

FERC:

• E&E Energywire reports FERC has dismissed Tri-State Generation & Transmission Association Inc.’s bid to fall under the agency’s oversight, setting back plans that could have preserved the utility’s use of coal power.

In the news today and from the weekend…

Electric Grid:

• The Harrisburg Patriot-News (PA) carries an op-ed from Forrest Remick, emeritus professor of Nuclear Engineering at Pennsylvania State University and retired commissioner of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, in which he argues that the loss of baseload power in Pennsylvania, and other states, is a reliability and affordability crisis driven largely by out-of-market subsidies for renewable sources of energy.

Mining:

• The Minneapolis Star Tribune carries an op-ed asking Gov. Tim Walz to stop the Twin Metals mining project in order to preserve the environment.

Coal:

• Deseret News reports PacifiCorp released a draft of its new 20-year energy plan that includes the closure of 83 percent of its coal units by 2038.
• Utility Dive reports Pennsylvania has committed to joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a mandatory carbon cap and trade program in the Northeast.
• E&E Greenwire reports a federal bankruptcy judge has approved the Navajo Transitional Energy Co.’s takeover of Cloud Peak Energy Inc.
• E&E Cliamtewire reports coal is being increasingly shunned by investors, pushing people into other markets.
• The Wall Street Journal reports Murray Energy has entered a forbearance agreement to buy time to negotiate a restructuring deal possibly before a potential filing for bankruptcy.

Minerals:

• GreenBiz reports modern society requires mined metals, but mining comes with environmental consequences as well.

EPA:

• E&E Climatewire reports EPA discouraged federal judges from delaying action on the ACE rule litigation, while challengers want to wait until EPA’s revised NSR program is complete.

In the news today…

BLM:

• The Union of Concerned Scientists carries an opinion piece which argues that William Perry Pendley has too many conflicts of interests to adequately fill his position at BLM.

Coal:

• E&E Energywire reports coal use in the southeastern United States is significantly decreased according to an IEEFA report.
• E&E Greenwire reports the former Blackjewel mines in Wyoming will reopen under new ownership, and roughly 500 employees will be rehired.
• The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports Murray Energy has entered into forbearance agreements with its lenders after failing to make loan and interest payments due last month.
• E&E Climatewire and The Seattle Times report Pacificorp will retire 16 of its 24 coal units over the next decade and replace them with solar and wind power.
• The Associated Press reports Navajo Transitional Energy Co. will retain 1,200 employees at the three coal mines in Wyoming and Montana that it just bought through a bankruptcy auction.

Minerals:

• The Chicago Tribune reports mining produces minerals necessary for modern life, but it also cause damage to the environment.
• InsideSources carries an op-ed which argues that there is a vast ocean of mineral wealth in New Mexico and officials should not cave to environmentalists to stop mining projects.
• Mining.com reports the price of copper has weakened again, signaling a short term difficulty in trade due to lower for longer price.
• Mining.com reports copper is suffering both supply and demand hits, causing both trouble with production and in trade.
• The Financial Times reports, despite the call for a green revolution, copper prices continue to fall, even though copper is essential in green applications.

EPA:

• E&E Climatewire reports EPA is expected to soon propose plans to make future Clean Air Act rules look less beneficial and more costly.

In the news today…

Mining:

• E&E Greenwire reports Acting Bureau of Land Management chief William Perry Pendley has a long history of supporting coal leasing and minerals land sales.
• E&E Greenwire reports that Interior Secretary David Bernhardt signed a secretarial order keeping William Perry Pendley at the helm of the Bureau of Land Management for an additional four months.

Minerals:

• The Boston Herald carries an op-ed which argues the decline in U.S. mining is detrimental to our economy and national security, using uranium mining as an example.
• The Wall Street Journal reports that demand for nickel, driven by EV batteries, is outpacing supply.
• Bloomberg reports that President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau have discussed the necessity of securing reliable quantities of critical minerals and rare earths.

Coal:

• The Charlotte Business Journal reports pollution controls at a Duke Energy coal plant are not working efficiently due to decreased activity from the plant.
• The Navajo Times reports delegates and shareholders were not notified that Navajo Transitional Energy Company intended to buy Wyoming coal mines.
• The Billings Gazette reports a study finds the purchase of coal mines by Navajo Transitional Energy Company to be ‘prudent’, despite objections from the Diné communities.
• E&E Greenwire reports nearly 70 people have been arrested at a protest outside a coal-fired power plant in New Hampshire.
• E&E News PM reports North American Coal Corp. is urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to move forward with litigation on the ACE rule.
• The Financial Times reports on how Britain has for all intents and purposes phased out coal.
• S&P Global reports on the White House’s intent to nominate the FERC general counsel for a commission seat.

NAAQS:

• Inside EPA reports the “shadow” advisory committee, composed of members of a disbanded EPA panel, will review a draft EPA policy assessment in favor of tightening the fine particulate matter NAAQS.

In the news today…

Coal:

• Energy News Network reports the agreement to close the E.D. Edwards coal plant by 2022 includes $8.6 million for local clean energy projects.
• The Wheeling Intelligencer reports West Virginia Department of Revenue officials are preparing lawmakers for a decrease in coal severance tax revenue this year.
• E&E Greenwire reports coal-fired power plants are emitting increased pollutants, according to EPA data.
• E&E News PM reports Navajo Transitional Energy Co. released a study on its purchase of three large coal mines in Wyoming and Montana.
• E&E Energywire reports one of three generating units at the Navajo Generating Station has closed.
• Mining.com and the Louisville Courier Journal report former Blackjewel employees are ending their close to two month protest for unpaid wages.
• Argus reports coal-fired power generation in the U.S. fell by 12.5 percent in July as it lost out to natural gas and renewable power.

Mining:

• WCHS reports legislative auditors found that the West Virginia Division of Environmental Protection has skirted the law and allowed coal miners to secure bonds that are not adequately guaranteed.
• E&E Daily reports the Senate Appropriations Committee is giving EPA permission to veto a permit for the Pebble mine in Alaska if it is not satisfied with the Army Corps of Engineers’ environmental review.

ESA:

• The Los Angeles Times reports 17 states are suing against the Trump administration’s rollback of the Endangered Species Act.

World News:

• Mining.com reports nine countries have joined the U.S. initiative to help discover and develop reserves of minerals used to make electric vehicles.

In the news today…

Minerals:

• The The Southern Illinoisan (IL) carries an op-ed by Michael Stumo, CEO of the Coalition for a Prosperous America, in which he argues that China is currently dominating the market for advanced energy technologies due to its prioritization of mining and the U.S. must enact reform of mining regulations in order to compete.

Coal:

• The Associated Press reports U.S. Department of Labor funding for Wyoming coal industry workers transitioning careers has been extended through June 2021.
• The Casper Star Tribune reports Wyoming will receive $5 million from the U.S. Department of Energy to fund research on alternative uses for coal.
• Argus reports Wolverine Fuels plans to begin production on its Fossil Rock reserves in Utah as early as next year.
• Argus reports coal-fired generation in the PJM Interconnection is falling again this month due to cooler weather exacerbating the effect of cheap natural gas.
• Casper Star Tribune reports Blackjewel facilities are still mining some coal, according to inspections.

In the news today…

CWA:

• KPVI reports Wyoming farmers and ranchers celebrated the repeal of the WOTUS rule.
• Inside EPA reports the patchwork of CWA standards could return if the repeal of 2015 rule is blocked through litigation in some states and not others.

Climate:

• Desmog carries a blog post identifying U.S. lobbying groups stalling action on climate change.

Coal:

• Fast Company reports former coal miners are getting left behind as coal companies declare bankruptcy.
• WYMT reports the Department of Labor has awarded more than $3.5 million to support laid-off coal miners in Eastern Kentucky.
• The Herald-Dispatch carries an editorial in which the author argues that West Virginia must prepare the budget for a post-coal economy.
• Massive Science reports an interview with Mary Anne Hitt of the Beyond Coal campaign, who advocates for an end to coal in the U.S.
• Argus reports the Department of Energy has awarded $56.5 million to 32 projects aimed at research and development of advanced coal technologies.
• E&E Daily reports an Arizona Democrat is introducing legislation to create a program to retrain displaced workers from the Navajo Generating Station and Kayenta mine.
• S&P Global reports the UN climate summit would promote global cuts to coal-fired generation.

Legislation:

• E&E Daily reports Republicans will today unveil legislation to overhaul the Endangered Species Act.
• E&E Daily reports the USE IT Act is being held up from inclusion in the NDAA by House Democrats.
• The Wayne Independent reports Representatives Matt Cartwright and Debbie Dingell introduced the Coal Cleanup Taxpayer Protection Act to change how coal companies financially handle reclamation of their mines.

In the news today and from the weekend…

Mining:

• The Sun carries an op-ed by Stephen Moore in which he argues that the anti-mining stance of green groups does not match up with the need for minerals in green technology and that the U.S. will only become more dependent on China and Russia if domestic mining decreases.
• The Salt Lake Tribune carries a letter to the editor in which the author decries a proposed frac sand mine and states no philanthropists should contribute to mining.
• The Washington Times carries an op-ed in which the author argues that U.S. dependence on foreign minerals is dangerous and domestic uranium mining should be encouraged, not discouraged.

Coal:

• Bloomberg and E&E Energywire report wind power in Texas will exceed coal power for the first time in 2020, according to a new report.
• The Hill reports Sen. Bernie Sanders said that if elected president he would use DOJ to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for damaging the environment.
• The Billings Gazette reports the closure of a coal mine will negatively impact a nearby sugar refinery in Montana.
• The Sheridan Press carries an op-ed which declares that Wyoming coal will not regain its former glory and it’s time for the state to act accordingly.
• Argus reports Tri-State Generation and Transmission has retired its Nucla coal-fired power plant in Colorado at least four months ahead of schedule.
• The New York Times reports a number of countries speaking at the U.N. summit will be pro-coal, such as India and China.
• S&P Global reports Cloud Peak Energy posted a net loss of $609.68 million in its second quarter of 2019 after taking a $620.9 million impairment charge.

Renewable Energy:

• Argus reports FERC is seeking to overhaul a 1978 law, PURPA, meant to encourage renewable energy.

Carbon Capture:

• E&E Energywire reports a coalition of some of the world’s largest oil companies is announcing a new effort to jump-start the commercialization of carbon capture, usage and storage technologies.

EPA:

• Politico Pro and E&E News PM report environmental groups asked that their legal challenges to EPA’s ACE rule be held until rulemaking is complete for NSR revisions.

ESA:

• E&E Daily reports Tuesday there will be a hearing to debate legislation to repeal the Trump administration changes to the Endangered Species Act.

World News:

• The Economist reports Germany’s exit from coal is expensive and messy, with all sides of the coal debate dissatisfied in some way.

In the news today…

WOTUS:

• E&E Daily reports EPA water chief David Ross and Democrats argued over existing data related to the repeal of WOTUS at a meeting of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment.

Mining:

• E&E Greenwire reports the Army Corps of Engineers won’t require additional environmental analysis for a series of changes to plans for the proposed Pebble mine.

Minerals:

• Mining.com reports Apple Inc will use 100 percent recycled rare earth elements in a key component included in its new iPhones.

Coal:

• The Knoxville News Sentinel reports unidentified particulate matter has been falling from the skies around the TVA’s coal power plant for nearly a week, which is being investigated.
• Utility Dive reports Arizona residents could save $3.5 billion by transitioning from coal to solar, according to a Sierra Club report.
• Argus reports coal-fired generation in ERCOT fell last month despite record heat which tested the grid’s capacity.
• The Billings Gazette reports Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon contacted the Mexican government about the possibility of using the country’s ports to export Wyoming’s coal to markets overseas.

Carbon Capture:

• The Bismarck Tribune reports the Department of Energy has awarded $10 million to carbon capture research at a coal power plant in North Dakota.

Climate:

• E&E Energywire reports activist investors published a letter to governments around the globe, urging them to select a deadline to end coal power generation.
• E&E Energywire reports Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam signed an executive order to establish a goal for the state to produce 100 percent of its electricity from carbon-free sources by 2050.

Safety:

• The Associated Press reports a coal mine electrician has died in an accident in West Virginia.
• E&E Greenwire reports a new spending bill would provide funds for MSHA to reorganize, consolidating divisions that regulate coal and hardrock mining.

World News:

• Mining.com reports Chinese mining is weathering the U.S.-China trade war according to a new report.

In the news today…

Minerals:

• Reuters reports a bipartisan group of senators is arguing that more needs to be done to support domestic production of minerals used to make electric vehicles.

Mining:

• Mining.com reports Newmont Goldcorp Corp. is ready to sit tight on asset sales, even if that means not reaching a previously announced goal of as much as $1.5 billion in divestments.
• Mining.com reports Barrick Gold reported a new discovery hole about 2 kilometers from the best drilling intercept at its Fourmile project in Nevada.

Coal:

• The Casper Star-Tribune reports production of coal is dropping off faster than previously expected due to low demand and market uncertainties, according to a new report.
• Argus reports DOE is planning on co-funding basic engineering studies for retrofitting five coal with CCUS technology.
• Argus and E&E Energywire report Duke Energy is joining the transition away from fossil fuels, saying it will be carbon neutral by the midcentury mark.
• Argus reports TransAlta plans to have no more coal-fired power plants by the end of 2025, including its Centralia plant in Washington state.
• S&P Global reports MISO said Tuesday it is aiming to cut coal-fired generation to 29% by 2030 and anticipates a rise in solar and wind power generation.

EPA:

• Inside EPA reports a federal appeals court has issued a mandate enforcing its July ruling rejecting environmentalists’ attempt to force EPA to set first-time Superfund financial assurance rules for the hard rock mining industry.
• Inside EPA and The Progress-Index report a coalition of 20 states led by West Virginia is asking to intervene in support of EPA in litigation over the agency’s ACE rule.
• Politico Pro reports EPA is trying to speed up the litigation of the ACE rule, which according to critics could secure a judicial ruling before the end of Trump’s first term.
• Argus and E&E Climatewire report Tuesday a US federal appeals court dismissed litigation against the Clean Power Plan, a case which had been rendered moot by the CPP’s repeal and replacement.
• Inside EPA reports several Western states are questioning whether EPA has legal authority to propose changes to the Clean Water Act section 401 water quality certification process.

Congress:

• E&E Daily reports Democrats led by Rep. Raul Grijalva and Sen. Tom Udall introduced legislation that would repeal Trump administration changes to the Endangered Species Act.
• E&E Daily reports the legislation introduced last week by Democrat Rep. Matt Cartwright and Republican Rep. Glenn Thompson to push back the expiration date for the Abandoned Mine Land fee has found some bipartisan support.
• E&E Daily reports Senate Energy and Natural Resources Chairwoman Lisa Murkowski is using oil as an example for why the American Mineral Security Act is crucial.