• In a 225-204 vote, the House passed the GOP’s energy package largely on party lines, with four Democrats joining Republicans to vote for the bill and one Republican lawmaker voting against it. While the bill does not have a chance of passage in the Democratic-controlled Senate – and President Joe Biden has guaranteed a veto – the Lower Energy Costs Act could be the starting point for negotiations on streamlining permitting rules for energy projects. (Politico)
• The Interior Department proposed a program to lease public land for conservation purposes similar to the way the agency leases acreage for drilling, mining and grazing, in an effort to respond to requests by states and companies looking to lessen the environmental impact of development projects on public lands. The conservation leases could be used to restore habitats and wildlife migration routes or generate tradable carbon market offsets through the preservation of forests, among other uses. (Reuters) 
• After three years of work, the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market released highly anticipated guidelines for carbon offset markets, although some experts said the guidelines lack important safeguards that would help guarantee that the funding is going to environmental projects and the people doing the work. (Bloomberg)
• Biden will travel to Rolling Rock, Miss., to announce that the federal government will cover the full cost of the state’s emergency measures for 30 days, after a storm last week killed 26 people and destroyed homes and other infrastructure. The funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will cover debris removal, shelter operations and first responder overtime pay. (Reuters)

Happening today

• The United States Energy Association will hold a discussion titled “Challenges for Distributed Energy Resources and Virtual Power Plants” featuring former Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Jon Wellinghoff. 

Which countries added the most new wind power in 2022?

Canary Media

EU Seeks EV Rules Clarity Before Signing Key US Mineral Deal

Alberto Nardelli, Bloomberg

The European Union is seeking to clarify several issues with the US before signing an agreement on critical minerals designed to give EU companies access to some of the massive green subsidies offered in President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act.

At a climate conference for conservatives, urgency for action meets caution on messaging

Nidhi Sharma, NBC News

“At the time, it was both safe and popular for Republicans to deny climate change,” one speaker said of previous generations of politicians. “But times are changing.”

North Carolina House panel votes to block new energy-efficient building code

Elizabeth Ouzts, Energy News Network

A member of the state’s code council says the bill, sponsored by a GOP lawmaker who is also a builder, comes as a “surprise” amid efforts to compromise with the building industry.

Fetterman introduces rail safety proposal as first bill

Karl Evers-Hillstrom, The Hill

Sens. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) introduced a bill Thursday to further expand rail safety requirements in the wake of the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment. 

How Biden’s environmental justice plan is changing DOE

Brian Dabbs, E&E News

More than two years after calling for a huge infusion of federal cash for environmental justice, President Joe Biden’s pledge is facing a critical test at the Department of Energy.

Regional State Climate Agreement Wrestles With Equity Demands

Dean Scott, Bloomberg Law

Nearly a dozen northeastern states are ramping up efforts to squeeze more carbon emissions from the nation’s first cap-and-trade program amid increasing pressures to steer more of its revenues and focus to long-neglected and disadvantaged communities.

A blaze still burns after a train carrying highly flammable ethanol derailed in Minnesota. Crews are assessing 3 more cars carrying ethanol

Holly Yan et al., CNN

A train hauling ethanol derailed Thursday morning in Raymond, Minnesota, igniting several rail cars and forcing a mandatory evacuation of the city of about 800, officials said.

‘Loss and damage’ climate fund should be in place this year -Egyptian negotiator

Aidan Lewis, Reuters

A fund to deliver financing to places affected by climate-fuelled disasters should be created by the annual U.N. climate summit that opens at the end of November, the lead host negotiator at last year’s summit said on Thursday.

Why Republicans suddenly hate offshore wind

Kelsey Brugger and Nico Portuondo, E&E News

In the weeks before their massive energy package reached the House floor, some Republicans were aghast about marine mammal deaths — and blamed the burgeoning offshore wind industry.

Shell Splits Up Global Renewable Power Unit in New CEO’s Shakeup

Will Mathis, Bloomberg

Shell Plc is splitting up its global renewable power business as new Chief Executive Officer Wael Sawan puts his imprint on the energy giant. 

Green Energy Is Stuck at a Financial Red Light

Jinjoo Lee, The Wall Street Journal

Rising interest rates are just one of many factors that could throw a wrench in wind and solar developers’ plans.

‘One bad incident could really set us back’ — DOI official advises proactive transparency on offshore wind

Diana DiGangi, Utility Dive

The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement’s deputy director, Paul Huang, said the agency does not “rubber stamp” projects and that new technology will be evaluated thoroughly.

A green state tosses a lifeline to a major coal plant

Benjamin Storrow, E&E News

One of America’s largest carbon polluters has received a stay of termination.

Yara and Enbridge plan $2.9 bln ammonia plant in Texas

Victoria Klesty, Reuters

Norway’s Yara and Canada’s Enbridge plan to invest up to $2.9 billion to build a low-carbon blue ammonia production plant in Texas, they said on Friday.

These House members get the most money from the oil and gas industry

Karl Evers-Hillstrom, The Hill

Just 10 House members received a combined $13 million in campaign donations from the oil and gas industry over the course of their careers, according to a Thursday report from left-leaning advocacy group Public Citizen. 

Michigan utilities want to spend taxpayers’ ‘low carbon’ money on natural gas

Brian Allnutt, Energy News Network

Utilities hope to expand Michigan’s markets for fossil and ‘renewable’ natural gas as state and advocates call for decarbonization to fight climate change.

OPEC+ unlikely to tweak oil policy in Monday talks – delegates

Alex Lawler et al., Reuters

OPEC+ is likely to stick to its existing deal to cut oil output at a meeting on Monday, five delegates from the producer group told Reuters, after oil prices recovered following a drop to 15-month lows.

Ford gambles on $4.5bn Indonesia nickel plant with Chinese partner

Harry Dempsey et al., Financial Times

US carmaker’s teaming up with a Chinese miner comes as the Biden administration tries to build domestic battery industry.

Tesla Pursues Building a New US Plant With China’s Dominant Battery Maker

Gabrielle Coppola et al., Bloomberg

Tesla Inc. is looking to build a battery plant in the US, according to people familiar with the matter, in what would likely be a controversial arrangement with China’s dominant electric-vehicle battery manufacturer.

Ford hikes prices on its F-150 Lightning as production resumes after EV battery fire

John Rosevear, CNBC

Ford Motor said that it has resumed full production of its electric F-150 Lightning pickup following a February battery fire — and that it’s once again raising prices on the popular truck.

It’s about to become harder to get a tax break for an electric car

Tanya Snyder and Hannah Northey, Politico

The Biden administration is expected to announce rules tightening the eligibility requirements for tax incentives for battery-powered vehicles — in hopes of creating clean energy jobs in the U.S.

BP to Give Uber Drivers VIP Treatment at EV Charging Stations

Craig Trudell, Bloomberg

The oil major’s BP Pulse business is taking its partnership with the ride-hailing service global.

Nikola announces a $100 million stock offering

John Rosevear, CNBC

Electric heavy-truck maker Nikola said on Thursday that it plans to raise $100 million via a secondary stock offering to the public and — possibly — a private sale of stock to an unnamed investor, if needed.

BMW bets on design and recycling, not mining, to lower battery costs

Victoria Waldersee and Christina Amann, Reuters

BMW is betting on efficient design and recycling to bring down battery costs and is steering clear of investing in mines, its finance chief said on Friday, setting it apart from some competitors digging deep into the supply chain.

Transit Is Great — But It’s Not a Public Good

David Zipper, Bloomberg CityLab

When boosters of mass transportation invoke this economic term, they risk muddling the argument for why transit is worth subsidizing. 

Carbon capture will probably make electricity more expensive

Justine Calma, The Verge

Fossil fuel companies think they can clean up coal and gas power plants with carbon capture technologies. Their ‘optimism bias’ could cost consumers.

As California grid interconnection requests triple, analysts assess CAISO’s moves to handle the influx

Kavya Balaraman, Utility Dive

As California works to bring large amounts of clean energy to the grid over the next decade and beyond — resources that are critical to the state’s climate as well as power reliability goals — experts are increasingly pointing to the need to revamp its interconnection processes.

California snowpack reaches all-time high after 17 atmospheric rivers

Rebecca Falconer, Axios

California’s snowpack is at record-high levels following a relentless series of atmospheric rivers — and forecasters warn another winter storm is due to hit the Golden State this weekend.

Fiona, Ian retired from list of tropical cyclone names

The Associated Press

Weather officials announced Wednesday that they’re retiring the names Fiona and Ian from the rotating list of Atlantic tropical cyclone names because of the death and destruction caused by the most recent storms with those names.