• The Environmental Protection Agency inspector general sent Administrator Andrew Wheeler a letter on Oct. 29 claiming that Chief of Staff Ryan Jackson has met requests to be interviewed over two matters with “repeated delays and refusals,” calling the situation “ruinous.” On Tuesday, Jackson told Wheeler by letter that he met with the watchdog office at least 27 times and alleged that acting Inspector General Charles J. Sheehan’s staff at one point were “purposefully trying to intimidate” Jackson’s assistant. (Bloomberg Environment)

• The Georgia offices of the U.S. Senate said they were contacted by solar companies, including Hanwha Q CELLS, seeking support for the end of the bifacial solar panel tariff exclusion, which the U.S. Trade Representative said last month it would withdraw. The tariff exemption, approved in June, could end as soon as tomorrow if the U.S. Court of International Trade does not grant a temporary reprieve, potentially threatening solar contracts made on the basis of the exclusion. (Morning Consult)

• Pipeline operator Energy Transfer LP said it made $832 million in profit on revenues of $13.5 billion in the third quarter, representing a higher profit on lower revenues than in the previous year. Dallas-based ET, which employs almost 11,800 people in the United States and Canada, agreed in September to buy Tulsa, Okla.-based pipeline operator SemGroup Corp. for $5 billion pending a Dec. 4 shareholder vote. (Houston Chronicle)

American energy exec tried to reveal plot to oust U.S. envoy
Scott Waldman, E&E News

When Dale Perry met up with his former business partner earlier this year, he heard a troubling tale about allies of President Trump’s lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, and their efforts to manipulate Ukraine’s reforming energy market.

U.S. Supreme Court justices seek compromise in Hawaii water pollution case
Lawrence Hurley, Reuters

The case focuses on whether a wastewater treatment plant in Maui County should be subject to anti-pollution provisions in the 1972 Clean Water Act. The nine justices engaged in a lively, sometimes combative, hourlong argument in an appeal the county of a lower court ruling siding with the Hawaii Wildlife Fund and other environmental groups that accused local officials of violating that law.

Democratic sweep thrusts Va. into ambitious role on climate
Benjamin Storrow, E&E News

Democrats wrested control of Virginia’s General Assembly away from Republicans yesterday, paving the way for the Old Dominion to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and pursue legislation to boost renewable energy.

How the FDA and EPA’s failure to communicate could put patients in danger
Sarah Karlin-Smith et al., Politico

The situation raises questions about whether federal health authorities were too slow to connect the dots between the environmental concerns around the cancer-causing gas — which EPA first disclosed five years ago — and the potential consequences to the medical device industry, which uses the gas to clean roughly half of all sterile devices, or more than 20 billion products a year.

Oil Resumes Gains as Trade Tariff Rollback Counters OPEC Curbs
Ann Koh and Grant Smith, Bloomberg

Oil jumped as China and the U.S. made progress in resolving the trade dispute that has weighed on global markets this year, offsetting signs that OPEC and its partners won’t make deeper cuts to supply.

Brazil’s blockbuster oil auction falls flat
Bryan Harris and Andres Schipani, Financial Times

Steep prices, complex rules and concern about country’s future see some major bidders back off.

Valero Shuts Two Ethanol Plants a Year After Green Plains Deal
Michael Hirtzer and Isis Almeida, Bloomberg

Valero Energy Corp. has temporarily shut two of the three ethanol plants it bought from Green Plains Inc. just a year after the purchase, according to people familiar with the matter and the U.S. fuel refiner’s website.

FuelCell shares rocket 108% on news of expanded carbon capture deal with Exxon
Ciara Linnane, MarketWatch

The two partners began to work together on carbon capture in 2016 with an initial project at an Alabama power plant that aimed to make “clean” coal and gas affordable

Tellurian grows revenue from Haynesville Shale wells
Sergio Chapa, Houston Chronicle

Houston liquefied natural gas company Tellurian is still waiting to build its proposed export terminal in Louisiana but is already growing revenue from its natural gas wells in the Haynesville Shale.

‘Responsible’ gas offers end-users a choice to buy environmentally friendly product
Jim Magill, S&P Global Platts

A number of buyers and sellers of natural gas have initiated programs recently to market gas tailored to meet consumers’ demand for a more environmentally friendly product.

U.S. sets sights on shipping companies for sanctions evasions
Jonathan Saul, Reuters

In one of the biggest sanctions actions taken by the U.S. government since its crackdown on Iranian oil exports, Washington imposed sanctions on Chinese companies in late September for alleged involvement in moving crude oil from Iran.

NASA Flew Gas Detectors Above California, Found ‘Super Emitters’
Lynn Doan, Bloomberg

Over the course of three years, NASA flew a plane carrying gas-imaging equipment above California and made a discovery that surprised even the state’s own environmental agencies: A handful of operations are responsible for the vast majority of methane emissions.

Saudi Aramco joins initiative to reduce flaring to zero by 2030
Rania El Gamal, Reuters

Saudi Aramco said on Wednesday it was joining the World Bank’s initiative to reduce gas flaring to zero by 2030 and said its flaring was already less than 1% of its total raw gas production in the first half of 2019.

AES and Google in 10-year tie up to push expansion of clean energy
Anmar Frangoul, CNBC

In an announcement Wednesday, the Arlington, Virginia headquartered power firm said it would leverage “Google Cloud technology to pioneer innovation in the sector.”

Volvo partners with EV battery cell makers to enhance traceability
Ben Kilbey, S&P Global Platts

Volvo Cars said Wednesday it has partnered with two battery cell makers — China’s CATL and South Korea’s LG Chem — to develop blockchain technology to bring transparency to the electric vehicle battery supply chain. Volvo said it will be the first automaker to use blockchain to track raw material flows.

Tesla to unveil electric pickup ‘cybertruck’ on November 21: Musk
Akanksha Rana, Reuters

Carmakers including Ford Motor Co (F.N) and General Motors Co (GM.N) are racing to design radical new takes on their most profitable pickup truck models, replacing petroleum-fueled engines with batteries in a bid to outflank Tesla’s plan to eclipse their brands.

Senators Push Bipartisan Fix to Coal Miners’ Pensions
Andrew Scurria, The Wall Street Journal

A dozen U.S. Senators, including Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, are backing legislation to shore up a pension plan covering 92,000 retired coal miners that has been depleted during a brutal downturn in the coal industry.

Wyoming lawmakers decide not to pursue nuke waste proposal
The Associated Press

The proposal offered by Republican Sen. Jim Anderson, of Casper, was intended to authorize Gov. Mark Gordon’s office to study whether the storage of spent nuclear fuel rods in Wyoming would be economically, logistically and environmentally viable.

Senate weighs overhaul of air pollution law
James Osborne, Houston Chronicle

The bill, which has a hearing in the Senate Wednesday, follows on from efforts by the Trump administration to limit when polluting facilities come under what the EPA terms the New Source Review Program, requiring often costly upgrades for refineries, power plants and petrochemical facilities.

In boost to climate policy, EU makes first move to end fossil fuel funding
Francesco Guarascio, Reuters

A preliminary text agreed by EU member states calls on the European Investment Bank to stop funding fossil fuel projects, in what would be a breakthrough in the bloc’s climate policy and a blow to the coal, gas and oil industries.

Americans Start Adapting to Climate Change. They’re Doing It Wrong
Eric Roston, Bloomberg

Decisions on projects and infrastructure are being made not on the basis of what’s effective or sensible in the long-run. And as is often the case, the poorest citizens are bearing the brunt of bungled policies.

Amazon’s rising air shipments fly in the face of climate plan
Lisa Baertlein, Reuters

In July, Amazon Air flew 136 million lbs of goods in the United States, according to the data. That was up 29% from the year earlier and just 9 million lbs short of December 2018, when the peak holiday shipping season was in full swing.

Exxon’s Expert Witness Knocks N.Y.’s ‘Circular’ Trial Claims
Erik Larson, Bloomberg

Exxon Mobil Corp.’s expert witness — a Harvard Law School professor — challenged New York’s claim in a securities-fraud trial that investors lost as much as $1.6 billion after authorities accused the company of hiding the financial risks of climate change, calling the argument “a tad circular.”

Exxon’s climate change fraud trial to wrap up in New York
Brendan Pierson, Reuters

Lawyers for New York state and Exxon Mobil Corp will make closing arguments on Friday in the closely watched trial in the state’s lawsuit charging that the oil major hid from its investors the true costs of regulations aimed at curbing climate change.

Paris withdrawal: Trump officially turns his back on climate crisis and our own children
Mitch Bernard, USA Today

This is a grave and reckless mistake. We’ll all pay the price — no one more than our children.

An Assessment of the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act
Columbia University

Growing public concern about the social, economic, and environmental impacts of climate change, along with pressure for lawmakers to introduce policy proposals that reduce emissions, have brought carbon taxes to the center of policy discussions on Capitol Hill.