• The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency must reconsider three 2016 biofuel waivers given to HollyFrontier Corp.’s Woods Cross and Cheyenne refineries and CVR Energy Inc.’s Wynewood refinery on the grounds that the EPA overstepped its authority in granting the exemptions. The court ruled that the agency’s justification for the waivers was flawed because the refineries did not get the exemption the previous year, and the Renewable Fuel Standard states that any waiver approved for a small refinery after 2010 must be considered an “extension.” (Reuters)

• Jeff and Paulette Carpoff, the owners of California-based DC Solar Solutions Inc., pleaded guilty to running a nearly $1 billion Ponzi scheme that included a $340 million investment from Berkshire Hathaway Inc. DC Solar specialized in mobile solar units for sporting and music events, but authorities said the Carpoffs only built and leased a fraction of the 17,000 units they claimed were in use and then used new investment money to pay off old investors. (Bloomberg)

• A new agreement struck between PG&E Corp. and bondholders would convert $21.5 billion in unsecured debt into secured debt in case the utility faces financial trouble after it exits Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The deal would include replacing $12 billion in unsecured debt with new secured bonds and reinstating other bonds with secured debt status, while giving investors collateral rights over the utility’s operations. (The Wall Street Journal)

E.P.A. Is Letting Cities Dump More Raw Sewage Into Rivers for Years to Come
Christopher Flavelle, The New York Times

The Environmental Protection Agency has made it easier for cities to keep dumping raw sewage into rivers by letting them delay or otherwise change federally imposed fixes to their sewer systems, according to interviews with local officials, water utilities and their lobbyists.

US threatens retaliation against EU over carbon tax
Gillian Tett et al., Financial Times

Wilbur Ross warns environmental plan could be new irritant in trade relations with Europe.

Warren Buffett Is One of the World’s Richest Fossil-Fuel Billionaires
Tom Metcalf, Bloomberg

The face of the genial Buffett is not the one normally conjured by the image of petroleum plutocrats, and the two entries above his in Bloomberg’s ranking of the 10 largest fortunes connected to emissions are less surprising: the Koch family, followed by the House of Saud. What does it mean to reconsider Buffett’s fortune as more alike than different from these empires of fossil fuel?

Oil Falls to Three-Month Low as Virus Spread Raises Demand Fear
Rakteem Katakey and Aaron Clark, Bloomberg

Oil tumbled to the lowest in more than three months on fears China’s deadly coronavirus will hit demand in a market that already has plentiful supply.

‘Rule of capture’ applies to fracked wells: Pennsylvania Supreme Court
Bill Holland, S&P Global Platts

The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania said oil and natural gas coming from shale wells drilled and hydraulically fractured are protected by the common “rule of capture,” but left open the possibility that neighbors to a fracked well could claim trespassing if fissures opened by fracking extended onto their land.

In Crucial Pennsylvania, Democrats Worry a Fracking Ban Could Sink Them
Lisa Friedman and Shane Goldmacher, The New York Times

Though they are both Democrats, John Fetterman, Pennsylvania’s lieutenant governor, and Bill Peduto, this city’s mayor, have their differences on the environment.

Opponents inch closer to filing lawsuit over Port of Brownsville LNG terminals
Sergio Chapa, Houston Chronicle

Environmentalists and other opponents of three proposed liquefied natural gas export terminals at the Port of Brownsville are one step closer to filing a federal lawsuit to halt the projects after losing requests to have permit decisions reconsidered.

EU antitrust regulators to rule on $69 billion Aramco-SABIC deal by February 27
Foo Yun Chee, Reuters

EU antitrust regulators will decide by Feb. 27 whether to clear state energy firm Saudi Aramco’s $69.1 billion acquisition of world number four petrochemicals group Saudi Basic Industries Corp (SABIC), a European Commission filing showed.

Energy firm withdraws permit application for Oregon pipeline
Andrew Selsky, The Associated Press

A Canadian energy company has withdrawn its application for a state permit for a controversial natural gas pipeline and export terminal in Oregon, and a project spokesman said Friday it is instead awaiting possible federal approval.

MISO, PJM Weighing New Interregional Study
Amanda Durish Cook, RTO Insider

Fresh off the approval of their first interregional transmission project, MISO and PJM are now contemplating a new study this year.

Delaware solar farm expands, will power nearly 1,000 homes
The Associated Press

The expansion of a solar farm in Delaware will allow an electric cooperative to power 400 more homes, bringing the total to nearly 1,000 homes.

US coal sector struggling to find a place in an ESG world
Taylor Kuykendall, S&P Global Platts

In a finance world increasingly committing to investing with environmental, social and governance factors as a priority, the coal sector is finding it difficult to find its place.

Wyoming governor: Carbon capture technology can help coal
The Associated Press

Climate change is a man-made problem, but the solution doesn’t have to come at the expense of fossil fuels, said Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon.

Nuclear reactors prove tough tech, despite bipartisan push
James Osborne, Houston Chronicle

If there’s any clear area of agreement between Republicans and Democrats on climate change, it’s on the need to develop a new generation of nuclear power plants as quickly as possible.

House Republicans caught between Trump and young voters on climate change
Zack Colman et al., Politico

House Republicans know they face a growing vulnerability with young voters on climate change — but their attempts to craft a greener message are running headlong into their allegiance to President Donald Trump.

Northeast Governors Slow to Embrace Regional Climate Pact
The Associated Press

Supporters of a regional pact that would tackle transportation emissions are struggling to win over several New England governors concerned that the climate change initiative will increase gas prices.

Virginia State Senate Advances Clean-Energy Goals
Andrew M. Ballard, Bloomberg Environment

Virginia would aim to have net-zero carbon emissions by 2045 under legislation advancing in the General Assembly.

Climate change’s surprise twist
Amy Harder, Axios

The economics, politics and science of climate change are converging and catapulting this problem from a joke among critics to a prominent concern.

Peak Permian Is Approaching Faster Than You Think
Julian Lee, Bloomberg

The heart of America’s oil renaissance is found in the Permian basin, which is showing signs of maturing fast. And for shale basins, that’s not a good thing.

The Agency That Brought Appalachia Electricity Must Focus on the Climate
Justin Gillis and Jameson McBride, The New York Times

We’ll let readers judge how likely the Congress might be to approve such a sweeping federal seizure of the power markets. But we do want to point out that as a model for environmental cleanups, the modern T.V.A., which sells power across parts of seven states stretching from Virginia to Mississippi, leaves a great deal to be desired.

U.S. crude oil production efficiency continues year-over-year improvements
U.S. Energy Information Administration

U.S. oil production from tight formations increased in 2019, accounting for 64% of total U.S. crude oil production. This share grew because of the increasing productivity of new wells that were brought online during 2019.