In the news today…
Midterm Elections:
- Democrats picked up the House, winning at least 26 seats after needing a net gain of 23 for control — and Republicans expanded their grip on the Senate, flipping Democratic seats in North Dakota, Indiana and Missouri. And in the states, Democrats flipped seven governors’ seats, including key races in Wisconsin and Kansas. But Republicans managed to hold on in Florida and Ohio, prime battlegrounds for 2020. The Hill, POLITICO, NPR, among other outlets offer key takeaways on the results.
- Axios and Inside EPA report the House takeover by the Democrats will bring intense new congressional oversight of President Trump’s moves on energy and climate change.
Ballot Measures:
- E&E Daily reports a number of high-profile energy and environment ballot measures failed yesterday, including one to protect salmon in Alaska and a landmark carbon tax proposal in Washington state. Three state ballot initiatives including Montana’s I-186 were not called as of this morning.
- The Washington Post reports efforts to nudge the nation away from burning fossil fuels and toward harnessing renewable source of energy were rejected by voters Tuesday across a swath of resource-rich states in the western U.S.
Mining:
- Roll Call reports three Republican members of the Senate Armed Services Committee contend that a case now before the Supreme Court could undermine federal policy about uranium and other assets that are critical to national security and defense. The court will decide the case before the end of the term at the end of June.