In the news today…
Mining:
- E&E Greenwire reports the Abandoned Mine Land fund is running out of money before old mines can be cleaned up.
- The Arizona Daily Star reports a former Coronado National Forest chief says her boss forced her a decade ago to stop questioning the legality of the proposed Rosemont Mine.
- E&E Greenwire reports Twin Pines Minerals’ president has said he is confident his firm can mine land just east of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge without polluting the water or soil, despite concerns from a federal agency.
- The Associated Press reports county officials in Georgia are supporting a mining proposal near the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.
- E&E News PM reports Elizabeth Warren has pledged to stop all mining on federal lands, including the proposal from Twin Metals near the Minnesota Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
- E&E Greenwire reports federal officials have approved two open-pit phosphate mines in eastern Idaho with increased environmental protections.
Coal:
- The Associated Press reports Sen. Mitt Romney recognizes climate change and proposes that portions of climate tax revenue could go to coal workers in rural communities that would suffer from a transition to clean energy.
- Inside EPA reports a new analysis shows that while the capacity of coal-fired power plants slated for closure is falling, the resulting greenhouse gas and other emissions cuts are expected to grow, underscoring Trump administration assessments that most GHG reductions will come from market-driven, business-as-usual scenarios.
- WRAL reports North Carolina would cap carbon dioxide emissions from power plants and accelerate the closure of coal-fired power plants under a draft plan released Friday by Gov. Roy Cooper.
- The Mining Journal reports the last coal combustion residual landfill at the Presque Isle Power Plant is being covered and shut down.
- Politico Pro reports EPA has sent a new proposal potentially weakening portions of a water pollution rule for coal-fired power plants to OMB.
- Argus reports BLM will auction a federal coal lease for land adjacent to CCU Coal and Construction’s Buckingham No. 6 mine in Ohio next month.
- E&E Energywire reports, by looking at utilities’ IRPs, estimates for future coal use and the speed of coal plant retirements can be made.
- The Houston Chronicle reports coal production in Texas fell sharply last year as coal plants were replaced with natural gas.
Direct CO2 Removal:
- Axios reports the payment tech company Stripe plans to fund direct removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and its long-term storage.
World News:
- E&E Climatewire reports Australia’s booming coal industry has made it the third-largest export of potential carbon dioxide emissions locked in fossil fuels.