Author Archives: Terry M. Jarrett

In the news today…

Coal:

• Washington Post and Argus report the Trump administration on Monday weakened a 2015 regulation that would have forced coal plants to treat wastewater with more modern, effective methods in order to curb toxic metals such as arsenic and mercury from contaminating lakes, rivers and streams near their facilities.
• New York Times reports the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is scaling back some requirements for limiting certain toxic elements in coal-fired power plants’ wastewater.
• E&E Greenwire reports EPA is relaxing Obama-era regulations for wastewater coming from coal-fired power plants, discharges that can contain high levels of toxic chemicals like mercury, arsenic, nitrogen and selenium.
• Bloomberg Law reports that a federal judge has approved Murray Energy’s plan to emerge from bankruptcy, which will allow it to continue operating under the ownership of a new lending group.

Energy:

• Wall Street Journal carries an op-ed which argues that California illustrates all the flaws in energy policies stemming from the Democratic Party.
• Pennsylvania Business Report reports representatives from several industries gathered at a rally Wednesday at the Cheswick Power Plant in Springdale in voice opposition to Pennsylvania joining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).

Nuclear:

• Cleveland.com reports new Ohio House Speaker Bob Cupp has taken what he says is the first step toward repealing House Bill 6, the nuclear bailout law that’s at the center of an ongoing federal corruption investigation.

In the news today and from the weekend…

Coal:

• Casper Star Tribune reports NTEC laid off 80 miners in Wyoming.
• Lexington Herald Leader carries a response to a previous column in which the author advocates for respect for coal and coal miners who helped build Kentucky.
• Argus reports coal producers and US independent refiner Phillips 66 may take the city of Richmond, California, to trial over an ordinance that would effectively prohibit transloading of coal products for Asian buyers.
• Ohio Valley Resource reports stakeholders wonder what four more years of Trump would look like for coal considering the lack of positive momentum in the last four years.

Energy:

• S&P Global reports Illinois Basin second quarter deliveries to coal-fired power plants totaled 12.5 million st, down 36.2% from the year-ago quarter, US Energy Information Administration 9-23 data showed Aug. 27.
• Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports a federal appeals court in Philadelphia has ruled that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s approval of a weak Pennsylvania air pollution standard was “arbitrary and capricious” and directed the federal and state environmental agencies to come up with new tougher, enforceable, regulations.

Mining:

• Washington Examiner reports officials from the Army Corps of Engineers are privately saying a large proposed gold and copper mine in Alaska isn’t dead despite prominent Republicans, including Donald Trump Jr., urging the White House to block it.
• E&E Greenwire reports a lawsuit update filed Thursday by conservationists and an outdoor outfitter accuses two Minnesota congressmen of interfering in the lease renewals for a copper-nickel mining project near Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northern Minnesota.
• Mining.com reports OceanaGold said on Friday that the outlook at its Haile mine in South Carolina is now uncertain, after 18 staff members tested positive for covid-19 since June.

Minerals:

• Mining.com reports investment in battery manufacturing plants and electric vehicle factories continues to boom around the world, but for now the market for lithium shows no signs of emerging from its multi-year slump.

Solar:

• PV Magazine reports that Catholic churches are increasingly relying on solar power to reduce emissions as part of church leaders’ commitment to climate change.

In the news today…

Mining:

• E&E Greenwire reports Utility Minnesota Power Inc. has proposed a pilot project to state regulators in which it would help the region’s iron and taconite mines acquire heavy-duty electric vehicles to help shrink their carbon footprint.

Coal:

• E&E Energywire reports in a rare move, regulators in Wyoming are questioning a Western utility’s plan to retire a handful of coal plants early, despite evidence showing that the early retirements will reduce electricity costs.
• Christian Science Monitor reports renewable energy is beginning to overtake coal in locations like Wyoming.
• Ohio Valley Resource reports the Mine Safety and Health Administration is declining to issue an emergency temporary standard that could protect coal miners whose jobs make them vulnerable to the coronavirus.
• Indiana Public Media reports Indiana stands to lose more than a thousand jobs and at least $10 million in state and local tax revenue due to upcoming coal plant closures.
• Bloomberg Green reports coal miners need an energy revolution in order for miners to safeguard their livelihoods.

Minerals:

• Mining.com reports it will be difficult for companies like Tesla to find enough nickel in an environmentally sustainable fashion.

In the news today and from the weekend…

Energy:

• The Washington Post reports conservatives are blaming renewable energy for California’s recent rolling blackouts.
• Argus reports renewable energy production has been creeping up on coal generation in the contiguous U.S.

Minerals:

• Mining.com reports the Pebble project has identified rhenium, a critical mineral for national security, in its potential deposits along with copper, gold, molybdenum and silver.

Coal:

• Forbes reports a long legal battle is likely to occur over the legality of a joint venture between Peabody and Arch Resources.
• Argus reports steep cuts to US coal production have continued thus far in the third quarter, amid subdued demand from the electric power and steel sectors.
• E&E Energywire reports fossil fuel industries have lost more than 15% of their workforce since March, surpassing layoffs in the clean energy sector, according to an analysis published last week.

Wind:

• Bismarck Tribune reports that developers are moving forward with plans for a 500 MW wind project in central North Dakota, hoping to complete it in 2022.

Nuclear:

• Star Tribune reports that Xcel Energy looks to extend the lives of its existing nuclear plants while exploring options for smaller reactors as it transitions to entirely carbon-free power.

In the news today and from the weekend…

Coal:

• The WV Herald-Dispatch carries an op-ed in which the author argues that West Virginia coal will play a key part in America’s energy future.
• Quartz reports on the similarities between the western U.S. and Saudi Arabia’s economic reliance on fossil fuels.

Minerals:

• High Country News reports a group of conservation organizations have challenged a new copper mine’s operating permit in court in Montana.
• E&E Greenwire reports a state judge yesterday ruled in favor of a Virginia uranium mining moratorium that has already survived scrutiny by the nation’s highest bench.
• Politico Pro reports the Pentagon is funding projects at three U.S. mines that could offer a fix to America’s dependence on rare earth minerals from China.
• Mining.com reports deep sea mining could hold the key to supporting minerals supply chains, but scientists are uncertain whether that should be done.

Mining:

• E&E Greenwire and The Hill reports House Democrats today passed a $1.3 trillion spending package that puts them at odds with the Trump White House over Department of Energy funding priorities and would block permitting for the Pebble mine in Alaska.

Carbon Capture:

• E&E News PM reports bipartisan legislation introduced in the House today would allow a direct payment option for the 45Q carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) tax credit.

In the news today…

Coal:

• NM Political Report reports the utility PNM, which is slated to exit the San Juan Generating Station in 2022, will now need to rely on 100 percent renewable energy and battery storage to replace the power generated at the coal-fired plant.
• Gillette News Record reports Arch Resources’ CEO says a joint venture with Peabody Energy “is the best path forward” for the company’s Powder River Basin mines.
• Argus reports FERC regulators this week approved a Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) tariff change that would add a new affiliate sector to its advisory committee potentially giving more representation for coal industry advocates.

Mining:

• Politico Pro reports House lawmakers on Thursday adopted a host of energy amendments, including one preventing the Trump administration from moving forward on the controversial Pebble Mine project.
• E&E Daily reports the House voted to block permitting of Alaska’s Pebble mine and boost clean energy spending yesterday as it plowed through hundreds of amendments to a $1.3 trillion spending package.
• Forbes reports sustainability has become just as important as the product for mined materials like jewelry.

Renewables:

• Utility Dive reports experts are saying that recent changes federal PURPA rules will mostly benefit utilities while harming small-scale solar developers.

In the news today…

Mining:

• S&P Global reports metals and mining companies are facing rising pressure to address their greenhouse gas emissions as some align their plans with international goals to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
• E&E News PM reports the Trump administration declared mining an “essential” industry during the coronavirus pandemic, but some usual safety measures have been sidelined to accommodate social distancing.
• E&E Daily reports House Democrats are poised to vote on an amendment to block the proposed Pebble mine in Alaska but won’t consider a controversial pipeline plan when a second package of fiscal 2021 spending bills hits the floor this week.

Coal:

• Washington Post reports coal has had a bad year but is still essential in certain regions.
• MinnPost reports Minnesota’s largest utilities are planning to phase out most of their coal-fired plants by the end of the decade.
• Wyoming Public Media and E&E Greenwire report the Navajo Transitional Energy Company (NTEC) announced it will be hiring back 73 furloughed employees.
• E&E Greenwire reports top coal operators mining on public land won’t receive royalty relief to help with impacts from the coronavirus pandemic.
• Argus reports Arch Resources will likely continue to shift away from thermal coal regardless of the outcome of its proposed joint venture with Peabody Energy for western US assets.
• Argus reports US coal producer Rhino Resource Partners has warned employees that it may lay off workers as the company plans to sell its assets through Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection proceedings within 60 days.

Carbon Capture/Removal Technology:

• Washington Examiner reports the Department of Energy’s top fossil fuel official is backing calls to extend federal tax credits for carbon capture technologies amid project delays and financing challenges due to the pandemic.
• Washington Examiner reports Murkowski, along with Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, is introducing new legislation to support carbon removal technologies.

Minerals:

• Washington Examiner reports Senate Republicans’ latest pandemic relief bill, which Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and other top GOP senators unveiled Monday, includes Senate Energy Committee-led efforts to boost domestic production of critical minerals.
• Mining.com reports the U.S. is having difficulty handling its reliance on China for rare earth minerals.
• Bloomberg Green reports metals and mining are a critical part of the future of clean energy, and that’s triggering major shifts in a historically dirty industry.

In the news today…

FERC:

• Argus, E&E Energywire and Utility Dive report President Donald Trump will nominate Virginia utility regulator Mark Christie (Republican) and clean energy attorney Allison Clements (Democrat) to fill long-vacant seats at the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).

Mining:

• S&P Global reports mining companies around the world are working to slash greenhouse gas emissions, but many of the largest have yet to align their goals with international targets to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
• The Real News Network reports Joe Biden’s climate plan is not ambitious enough.
• Inside EPA reports the Army Corps of Engineers’ final environmental impact statement (EIS) finding no significant harms from the controversial proposed Pebble Mine in Alaska is prompting an outcry from former EPA officials, Democrats and environmental groups, including the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) which is vowing to sue to stop the project.

Minerals:

• Washington Examiner reports House Republicans in recent weeks have looked to highlight critical minerals, arguing the pandemic has exposed the risks from the production of essential minerals being concentrated in a few countries.
• Forbes reports industry advocates are looking for alternative uses for nuclear power beyond large-scale power plants.
• Mining.com reports Lynas Corp announced on Monday it has signed a contract with the US Department of Defense to begin initial design work for its heavy rare earth separation facility in Texas that the Pentagon is providing initial funding for.
• E&E Energywire reports the coronavirus pandemic may make it harder for companies to undertake drastic reforms of how they source the lithium and cobalt used in electric vehicle batteries.
• E&E Daily reports energy assistance for low-income Americans and legislation to streamline permitting for domestic mining are part of the roughly $1 trillion COVID-19 relief package unveiled by Senate Republicans.

Coal:

• The New Republic reports state politics show the coal industry is fighting a losing battle against its former allies.
• Argus reports US coal producer Alliance Resource Partners’ coal shipments were nearly cut in half during the second quarter as production and demand fell during the Covid-19 pandemic, but it expects demand to increase.
• Argus reports US coal-fired generation set a record low for May as mitigation efforts for the Covid-19 pandemic decreased power demand.

Energy:

• Ohio Valley Resource reports fallout from the bribery investigation in Ohio could lead to an energy transition in the state.

White House:

• Inside EPA reports the top environment official at the DOJ says the White House’s newly finalized overhaul of NEPA implementing rules could nullify multiple longstanding court precedents to the extent those cases were decided based on the prior rule issued in the 1970s, rather than the NEPA statute.

World News:

• E&E Climatewire reports Japan’s prominent environment minister says he isn’t backing down in his battle against coal, despite resistance in powerful corners of the government.

In the news today…

Nuclear:

• The Casper Star Tribune reports that the EPA has entered a new agreement that will boost uranium production in Wyoming by removing hurdles for a mining process that advocates warn increases pollution and strains scarce water resources.

EPA:

• InsideEPA reports power and coal industry groups are largely backing EPA’s proposal to craft a nationwide permit program for coal ash disposal while state and tribal governments are floating targeted revisions.
• E&E Greenwire reports EPA finalized a rule to speed up industry permit appeals, overhauling the decades-old process at the agency.

Minerals:

• MarketScreener reports U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Chairman Kristine L. Svinicki to improve coordination and cooperation in the regulation of the in-situ recovery (ISR) process of uranium extraction.
• Mining.com and Associated Press report the Trump administration on Thursday moved to streamline water rules on uranium mining, in a move environmentalists said allows the Environmental Protection Agency to give up authority on regulating water pollution.
• Mining.com reports Tesla boss Elon Musk is calling on miners to produce more nickel, a key ingredient in the batteries that power his company’s electric cars, and has offered a “giant contract for a long period of time” to any firm able to extracted it in an efficient, environmentally sustainable manner.

Mining:

• The Nevada Independent reports it is strange to see a tax on renewable energy in Nevada in connection with mining.
• Reuters reports Democratic Senator Tammy Duckworth on Thursday unveiled a plan to rehabilitate communities hurt by the decline of the U.S. coal industry.

Coal:

• WYMT and E&E Greenwire report Rhino Resource Partners, one of the companies that purchased assets from bankrupt coal operator Blackjewel last year, has filed for bankruptcy protection.
• The New Republic reports when coal companies go bankrupt, people lose their livelihoods and the taxpayers are on the line to pay for environmental clean up.
• Associated Press reports a coal-fired power plant in western New Mexico will be shutting down by the end of the year, and local officials are bracing for the economic consequences of the closure.

Energy:

• Billings Gazette reports Colstrip Power Plant co-owner PacifiCorp has agreed to remove Colstrip from customer bills in Washington state by 2023, two years ahead of the state’s 2025 coal power ban.
• Reuters reports coal should play no part in any country’s post-coronavirus stimulus plan and economic recovery should align with global climate goals, U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres said in a lecture to Chinese students.
• E&E Energywire reports the decision to close the Coal Creek Station in North Dakota prompts questions about transmission lines.
• E&E News PM reports a group of vulnerable Senate Republicans is pleading with leadership to include clean energy in the next pandemic stimulus package.

In the news today…

Mining:

• E&E Daily reports a coal mine on the Navajo Nation has sat idle, with no reclamation accomplished since it ceased operations last August, according to the House Natural Resources Committee.

Coal:

• S&P Global reports the U.S. coal sector is taking another beating as exports to two key markets, Asia and Europe, plunged in the first five months of this year.
• Politico Pro and E&E Climatewire report federal law enforcement officials charged Republican Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and five lobbyists and advisers on Tuesday in a years-long bribery scheme aimed at securing a $1.3 billion bailout for an Ohio coal and nuclear power company.
• Argus reports generators in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) footprint dispatched more coal-fired power than any other fuel last week for the first time this year.

Energy:

• E&E Daily reports an assortment of interests are stepping up pressure on Capitol Hill to include assistance for struggling clean energy sectors in the upcoming COVID-19 relief package that lawmakers are hoping to enact in the coming weeks.

EPA:

• Politico Pro reports a coalition of 21 Democratic attorneys general filed a suit on Tuesday against the Trump administration over its rule to limit states’ authority to use environmental concerns to block pipelines, coal export terminals, dams and other infrastructure projects.

World News:

• Politico Pro reports there are signs China is falling back on its old playbook of pumping cheap credit into fossil-fuel heavy energy projects like coal to help the economy recover from a historic first quarter contraction.

In the news today…

Mining:

• Mining.com reports Northern Dynasty Minerals is poised to clear the last hurdle for its proposed Pebble copper-gold mine in Alaska this week.
• E&E Daily reports the House approved dozens of amendments to its $740.5 billion fiscal 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, including an amendment on rare earth minerals.
• Forbes reports the Biden climate plan needs to do more on its ‘just transition’ stance for the fossil fuel industry and on securing critical minerals supply chains.

Coal:

• S&P Global  reports U.S. coal exports declined in the first five months of 2020, and the downturn is expected to last through the year.
• Vail Daily reports Colorado’s newest coal plant may not be operating as long as intended.
• S&P Global reports East Kentucky Power Cooperative bought 220,000 st of Northern Appalachian barge coal from Alliance Resource Partners and its subsidiaries for a six-month delivery period.
• E&E News PM, Argus and Politico Pro report a coalition of states renewed their push to stop the Trump administration from selling coal from public lands after a previous effort to halt the lease sales was dismissed by a federal judge.
• Argus reports the US Department of Energy (DOE) has selected seven advanced coal-fired generation projects to receive $37mn in government funding and has revised a call for applications to award another $81mn in research and development efforts.
• S&P Global reports US thermal coal production and demand began to increase in June, providing optimism over long-term relief for coal producers.

Energy:

• The Indianapolis Star reports coal companies received loans to combat the pandemic while clean energy companies did not.
• E&E Energywire reports coal-fired power plants in the western United States are projected to consume twice as much water through 2040 as Colorado consumes annually, threatening the generators’ ability to operate.

World News:

• Mining.com reports from Bloomberg that global coal assets are plummeting in the face of climate concerns.

In the news today and from the weekend…

Utilities:

• Utility Dive reports that Exelon subsidiary ComEd agreed to enter a three-year deferred prosecution agreement and pay a $200 million fine based on a single bribery charge related to a long-running scheme in Illinois. On Friday, the utility admitted in an agreement with federal prosecutors to arranging jobs, monetary payments and subcontracted work for “various associates of a high-level elected official in the state of Illinois” from 2011 to 2019. ComEd may not recover the fine through its rate base. The utility will have to pay through its shareholders.

Coal:

• E&E Energywire reports state bans like the Hawaii ban on coal are heavily political actions that are affecting coal use in the country.
• County 17 reports the Powder River Basin region is not giving up on coal, despite recent economic setbacks.
• S&P Global reports coal consumption will drop 30% due to weakened electricity demand.

Mining:

• E&E Greenwire reports the Interior Department is easing back on its oversight of environmental mining requirements.
• Local 8 reports mining companies are donating to those in need in Idaho.
• The Nevada Current reports of 30 operating gold mines in Nevada in 2019, 14 of them declared enough deductions to zero out their state mining tax bill.

WOTUS:

• E&E News PM reports a broad coalition of conservation groups, including Trout Unlimited, is joining the chorus of environmentalists and states opposing the Trump administration’s WOTUS rule.

In the news today…

Mining:

• Associated Press reports the state of Wyoming is siding with two major coal companies as U.S. regulators try to block their efforts to merge operations in the nation’s top coal-producing region.
• Argus reports a federal court this week is hearing arguments on whether Arch Resources and Peabody Energy should be allowed to move forward with plans to merge their western US assets.

Coal:

• Casper Star Tribune reports U.S. coal producers looking to export to Asia are having doubts after Japan’s announcement to close 100 coal plants.
• The Colorado Sun reports Xcel is the only utility in Colorado with large, coal-fired power plants set to operate past 2030.
• Energywire reports twenty-seven coal-dependent counties could lose an average of 20% of their revenue because of the fuel’s decline, according to a new report.

Water:

• Inside EPA reports the Justice Department (DOJ) is urging an appellate court to overturn a judicial stay of the Trump administration’s narrowed WOTUS definition in Colorado.
• E&E Energywire reports a Trump administration rule limiting states’ role in Clean Water Act permitting should be struck down as illegal, an environmental group told a federal court yesterday.

In the news today and from the weekend…

Coal:

• Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports new legislation is out to that could change the fees required by the Abandoned Mine Land Reclamation Trust Fund.
• E&E Greenwire reports a California city yesterday asked a federal appeals court to take a second look at a ruling that upended efforts to block coal exports from the San Francisco Bay.
• Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports Consol Energy Inc. has filed a notice with the state that it plans to lay off 233 workers at its Enlow Fork Mine at the end of August.
• Argus reports US coal production fell by an estimated 37pc last quarter from a year earlier as the Covid-19 pandemic further weakened the market by reducing power demand and sparking a global economic contraction.

Electric Grid:

• St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Missouri’s power system is expected to be stressed more than any other state’s by rising temperatures over the next few decades, according to a new report.

Clean Energy:

• Energy News Network reports the Sierra Club criticizes plans by Ohio State University to build a new natural gas-powered combined heat and power plant, saying renewable energy options should be explored further.

Mining:

• E&E Greenwire reports environmental groups have sued 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.

Minerals:

• Mining.com reports copper prices are surging, and for once it’s not because the economy is booming.
• Mining.com reports researchers at the University of Michigan have made plastic conductive while also making it more transparent by incorporating silver, copper, zinc and aluminum to sheets of the material.
• E&E Daily reports House Democrats are scolding the Department of Energy for proposing new nuclear energy policies without following through on how it plans to put those ideas into practice.