In the news today…
FERC:
- Reuters reports that President Joe Biden selected Willie Phillips (D) to lead the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission as acting chairman, while the administration considers nominating a permanent chair. The move, which locks the commission at a 2-2 party split, comes after Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) refused to hold a re-nomination hearing for former FERC Chairman Richard Glick (D), who stepped down after Congress adjourned.
Energy:
- Politico Pro reports FERC and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation last week opened an investigation into the performance of the U.S. power grid during the winter storm that stressed power systems across the country over the holidays.
- Reuters reports Kentucky on Tuesday warned 11 major financial companies, including Citigroup Inc, JPMorgan Chase & Co and BlackRock Inc, of potential divestment over their “boycott” of energy companies.
- The Washington Times reports Kentucky warned several financial institutions that do business with the state Tuesday that they’re in jeopardy of being divested from unless they drop their support of ESG investment practices that consider climate change, a stance Republicans deem anti-fossil fuel.
WOTUS:
- Congressional Western Caucus released a series of quotes on WOTUS.
EPA:
- E&E Greenwire reports on durable protections. That’s the phrase Biden administration officials have used for the past two years to describe what they hope to achieve in rewriting the rules governing which wetlands and waterways are regulated by the Clean Water Act.
- E&E Daily reports Senate Environment and Public Works ranking member Shelley Moore Capito said she intends to introduce a Congressional Review Act resolution to overturn the administration’s Clean Water Act regulation.
Coal:
- Yahoo Finance reports despite bold climate pledges from a plethora of major world powers, it seems that many are unable to break their addiction to coal, as consumption is set to hit an all-time high (once again).
- Bloomberg reports Chinese bureaucrats are discussing plans to resume some imports of Australian coal after a more than two-year ban as relations between the nations improve.