General
Battle over science roils EPA Rebecca Beitsch, The Hill
Environmental Protection Agency is battling its own board of science advisers over its controversial plan to dismiss certain types of scientific research from consideration when issuing rules.
Pompeo: ‘We will do the things necessary as the climate changes’ Guy Taylor, The Washington Times
“We will do the things necessary as the climate changes,” Mr. Pompeo said in an interview with The Washington Times this week, during which he staunchly defended President Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris climate accord reached in 2015 and chastised Democrats for making exaggerated declarations about the climate.
Nature Conservancy CEO Tercek exits as shake-up widens Zack Colman, Politico
Nature Conservancy CEO Mark Tercek announced Friday he would step down, the latest departure from the powerful environmental group in the wake of a sexual harassment and workplace misconduct investigation.
US-China trade war sparks worries about rare minerals Anita Snow, The Associated Press
Rising trade tensions between the U.S. and China have sparked worries about the 17 exotic-sounding rare earth minerals needed for high-tech products like robotics, drones and electric cars.
Inslee hits back at DNC decision not to hold climate debate Tal Axelrod, The Hill
Inslee campaign manager Aisling Kerins responded in a statement Saturday, saying, “The climate debate isn’t about any one campaign, it’s about our one blue planet.”
Toxic PFAS Chemicals Found in Maine Farms Fertilized With Sewage Sludge Sharon Lerner, The Intercept
All sewage sludge recently tested by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection was contaminated with PFAS chemicals, according to documents obtained by The Intercept.
Under pressure, Biden drifts leftward on abortion, climate change James Oliphant, Reuters
In both cases, Biden was not necessarily speaking to his loyal base of supporters, the largely middle-aged and middle-of-the-road voters – many of them union members – who came out to see him in New Hampshire this week.
Oil steady with supply tight, but U.S.-China trade war threatens demand Noah Browning, Reuters
Oil prices were steady on Monday as U.S.-China trade tensions continued to threaten demand for oil, but tight crude supply and the swift end to a trade dispute between Mexico and the United States offered support.
Oil and Natural Gas
New U.S. sanctions show offer of talks with Iran not genuine: Foreign Ministry Babak Dehghanpisheh, Reuters
The United States placed sanctions on Iran’s largest petrochemical holding group on Friday for indirectly supporting the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a step it said aimed to dry up revenues to the elite Iranian military force but that analysts called largely symbolic.
Trump’s Plan for Finding Oil in Alaska May Put Polar Bears at Risk Jennifer A. Dlouhy, Bloomberg
Despite the risks, the Trump administration has no plans to vet the environmental impacts of the planned aerial survey, designed to arm oil companies with geophysical data to help them figure out the most promising locations to drill, and how much they should bid.
Frackers Scrounge for Cash as Wall Street Closes Doors Christopher M. Matthews and Rebecca Elliott, The Wall Street Journal
The companies behind the U.S. fracking boom are turning to asset sales, drilling partnerships and other alternative financing to supplement their cash flow. These forms of funding often come with higher interest rates or carry other downsides, such as giving outside investors a hefty share of future oil and gas production, but are gaining traction as drillers face dwindling access to traditional sources of capital.
Utilities and Infrastructure
Michigan utility OK’d to close coal plants, boost renewables David Eggert, The Associated Press
Jackson-based Consumers Energy, which supplies power to much of the Lower Peninsula, won the OK after modifying a proposal it initially submitted a year ago.
Renewables
Could solar’s outlook in Pennsylvania be sunny, even if the skies are not? Anya Litvak, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Since the beginning of the year, solar developers have tied up hundreds of acres — some signing long-term leases but more often securing the option to lease the land in the future.
Tesla, Facing Setbacks and Skeptics, Tries to Get Back on Course Neal E. Boudette, The New York Times
Tesla’s Model 3 electric sedan was heralded this year by Consumer Reports as the most satisfying car on the market. Then owners started to complain that cars had arrived with cracked windows, leaks or unreliable video screens.
Coal
Tennessee regulators raise red flags over TVA plans for coal ash pit in Anderson County Jamie Satterfield, Knoxville News Sentinel
Regulators with the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation are also raising concerns about TVA’s plan to build a heavy-duty water basin on top of a portion of that coal ash pit at the utility’s Bull Run coal-fired power plant, newly obtained records show.
Nuclear
House panel highlights risks over nuclear-storage stalemate Michael R. Blood, The Associated Press
Southern California’s San Onofre nuclear power plant was permanently closed in 2013, but the site remains home to 3.5 million pounds (1.59 million kilograms) of nuclear waste that has nowhere else to go. Members of a House subcommittee held a hearing Friday not far from the defunct plant to highlight the urgency behind efforts to build a long-term national repository for used radioactive fuel, a proposal that has languished for decades in Washington.
New Mexico governor says no to high-level nuclear waste Susan Montoya Bryan, The Associated Press
New Mexico’s governor said Friday she’s opposed to plans by a New Jersey-based company to build a multibillion-dollar facility in her state to temporarily store spent nuclear fuel from commercial reactors around the U.S.
Michael Bloomberg open to backing nuclear plants in climate push Amy Harder, Axios
An aide to Bloomberg told Axios the former New York mayor and climate advocate isn’t taking a “hard stance” on nuclear. “We’ll pursue all of the options available, including nuclear,” the aide said.
Climate
Even as Floods Worsen With Climate Change, Fewer People Insure Against Disaster Christopher Flavelle, The New York Times
Despite years of devastating flooding and hurricanes, the number of Americans with flood insurance remains well below its level a decade ago, undermining the nation’s ability to cope with disasters just as climate change makes them more frequent and severe.
EPA curbs state power to deny permits for climate concerns Ariel Wittenberg, E&E News reporter
EPA says it can issue federal permits for projects, including pipelines, regardless of whether states raise questions about impacts to climate change or air pollution.
As Students Clamor for More on Climate Change, Portland Heeds the Call Mike Seely, The New York Times
Given the city’s hyper-progressive image, the fact that officials had until recently dragged their feet on an issue like climate change might come as a surprise. This is a city that is trying to map every one of its trees, and one where a district court is hearing a lawsuit on whether young people have a constitutional right to be protected from global warming.
The Climate Rebellion Inside Amazon Molly Taft, HuffPost
In April, Gizmodo reported that Amazon had begun marketing its cloud computing services to oil and gas giants like ExxonMobil and Chevron. Amazon touted its products at an oil and gas industry conference this year, and it posted ads targeting oil firms at the Houston airport.
Britain must end financial help for fossil fuel projects abroad: lawmakers Susanna Twidale, Reuters
Britain must stop financing fossil fuel projects abroad by 2021 as it undermines the nation’s efforts to combat climate change, a report by lawmakers said on Monday.
Opinions, Editorials and Perspectives
In the climate crisis, power of our ocean is too great to ignore U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.) and Jane Lubchenco, The Hill
The ocean produces the air we breathe, is linked to much of the water we drink, and is home to more than half of all life on the planet. The ocean drives our economy, feeds, employs and transports us.
Our Next Moonshot: Saving Earth’s Climate Michael R. Bloomberg, Bloomberg
The fact is: We’ve already pioneered the technology to tackle climate change. We know how to power buildings using the sun and wind; how to power vehicles using batteries charged with renewable energy; how to power factories and industry using hydrogen and fuel cells.
Natural gas is helping combat climate change — but not enough Amy Harder, Axios
Natural gas, which is becoming the world’s dominant energy, emits half as much carbon dioxide as coal. That’s why it’s emerging as a good-enough-for-now solution to climate change.
Research Reports
Evaluation of Utility Ownership and Regulatory Models for Hawaii London Economics International LLC et al.
The goal of the Study was to review and perform a thorough assessment of alternative models, laying out the pros and cons of each with respect to State policy objectives so that it could be used as a guide.
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