Texas sues Biden Administration over lizards' endangered status, citing oil industry threat
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration Monday, claiming that the decision to declare the dunes sagebrush Lizard as an endangered species could harm property owners or energy production. Paxton, who is a Republican, claimed that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service based its final rule, adopted on May 20…
U.S. Climate Bill Exempts most of Oil Industry from Methane Fees
The U.S. Senate climate bill’s fee on oil and gas industry methane emissions will cover less than half the sector’s releases of the powerful greenhouse gas, thanks to concessions made to win over party holdout Joe Manchin, according to a review of the legislation and interviews with lawmakers that negotiated it.The reduced scope of…
US Axes Environmental Reviews of LNG Marine Transport
The U.S. Department of Energy on Thursday issued a rule to exclude environmental reviews for marine transport of liquefied natural gas (LNG), as the Trump administration unleashes last minute rules supporting the fossil fuel industry.The rule, which the Energy Department issued in a pre-publication notice in the Federal Register, frees…
Atlantic Offshore Wind: Favorable Winds for Maritime
Now that the United States finally can envision steady winds blowing from the Atlantic Seaboard due to a pipeline of offshore wind farms on the horizon, the maritime industry can finally step up and earn some of the benefits. This includes shipbuilding, port construction, and worker training. This article reviews the key developments…
After Florida, more States Press US for Offshore Drilling Exemptions
Governors and other officials from several U.S. coastal states ramped up pressure on the Trump administration on Wednesday to exempt their waters from an offshore drilling plan, hours after the Interior Department granted Florida's request to opt out. The backlash could complicate President Donald Trump's efforts to expand oil and gas production offshore.
Fight over Alaska Arctic Drilling has Just Begun
Senator Lisa Murkowski, an Alaska Republican, won a decades-long battle on Wednesday to open part of an Arctic wildlife reserve in her state to oil and gas drilling, but Democratic senators and conservationists vow the war has only begun. The tax bill passed by Congress contains language pushed by Murkowski and supported by President Donald Trump to hold two lease sales in the 1.5 million-acre (600…
Arctic Drilling Hits Speed Bumps in U.S. Tax Bill
A quest by Republicans to open Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Reserve was slowed after a nonpartisan Senate official ruled late on Wednesday that the exploration was subject to environmental assessments by the Interior Department. Senator Lisa Murkowski, a Republican from Alaska and the head of the Senate energy panel, has been pushing a measure in the U.S.
Xodus Wins Two ESIA Contracts in Senegal
Xodus Group sai dit has been awarded two Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) contracts for projects in the Rufisque Offshore, Sangomar Offshore and Sangomar Deep Offshore (RSSD) blocks in Senegal, West Africa. Xodus’ environmental team undertake the study for drilling activities in the Sangomar and Rufisque blocks for Capricorn Senegal Limited…
Dakota Pipeline Gets Regulatory Approvals
Army cancels environmental study on pipeline impact and will grant permit to complete $3.8 bln line. The U.S. Army will grant the final permit for the controversial Dakota Access oil pipeline after an order from President Donald Trump to expedite the project despite opposition from Native American tribes and climate activists. In a court filing on Tuesday…
Trump Signs Orders Advancing Keystone, Dakota Pipelines
U.S. President Donald Trump signed orders on Tuesday smoothing the path for the controversial Keystone XL and Dakota Access oil pipelines, rolling back key Obama administration environmental actions in favor of expanding energy infrastructure. While oil producers in Canada and North Dakota are expected to benefit from a quicker route for crude oil to U.S.
Brazilian Lawsuit Over Samarco Dam Will Struggle to Match U.S. BP Claim
Any relief felt by the mining firms BHP Billiton and Vale over what looked like a final $5.7 billion settlement for the cost of last year's dam burst at their Brazilian iron ore mine must have evaporated when state prosecutors scoffed at the deal and last Tuesday filed a $44 billion claim of their own. What is far from clear, however…
TransCanada: Quebec Halting Pipeline Injunction Request
TransCanada Corp said on Friday the Quebec government is suspending its request for an injunction against the Energy East crude oil pipeline after the company agreed to submit to a provincial environmental assessment. Quebec sought an injunction to ensure the Energy East project complied with the province's environmental law in early March, throwing up another potential hurdle to the project.
Poland's Anti-climate Rhetoric Seen as Hot Air
Poland's bid to block global efforts to slow climate change is likely to struggle to gain traction as it risks alienating European partners and as top emitters China and the United States dominate the international debate. Ahead of U.N. talks in Paris on a new climate pact, Poland's president vetoed an amendment to the Kyoto protocol on greenhouse gas emissions…
EU: UK Air Quality Plan Due by Year's End
The British government must submit new plans to the European Commission by Dec. 31 to tackle the harmful air pollutant nitrogen dioxide, the UK Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday. Environmental law firm ClientEarth brought the case against the government after Britain breached the EU's Air Quality Directive, which puts limits on harmful air pollutants.
Groups Seek US SEC Probe of Shell Arctic Drilling Risk Disclosures
An environmental group and a law clinic petitioned the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to investigate whether Royal Dutch Shell has adequately disclosed to investors the risks of oil exploration in the harsh Arctic waters, the groups said on Tuesday. The U.S. Interior Department is mulling whether Shell can drill test wells for crude and gas off Alaska this summer.
U.S. EPA to Finally Issue Coal Ash Rules
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is due to issue long-anticipated regulations on Friday for the disposal of coal ash, a byproduct of coal-based power production that contains toxic materials such as arsenic and lead. The agency, which agreed to the Friday deadline to settle a lawsuit filed by environmental groups, first proposed rules governing coal ash storage in 2010.
Italy Opposes EU Environmental Law Scrapping
Eleven member states signed letter opposing withdrawal; European Commission has said will listen. Plans by European policymakers to scrap a draft EU law on air quality and waste send a "negative signal" about Europe's ambition to curb climate change and governments will challenge them, the Italian environment minister said on Wednesday.
Stirling Group Altor Open Doors for O&G Skills Week
An Aberdeen HSE and risk management firm opened its doors to give people a glimpse of how varied a career in oil and gas can be. Stirling Group Altor took part in the first ever National Oil and Gas Skills Week which welcomed 4,000 people to more than 50 events at venues across the UK. Organizers OPITO, the industry skills organization…
EU: UK Courts Should Enforce UK NO2 Limits
Many areas of Britain breached NO2 limits since 2010; case to return to Britain's Supreme Court next year. The European Union's highest court ruled on Wednesday that Britain's courts have the authority to order the British government to comply with EU nitrogen dioxide limits as soon as possible, speeding up action to tackle the air pollutant.
RWE to Close Oil-fired Power Plant
Utility RWE said it would close a 1,140 megawatt oil-fired power station in Kent, southern England at the end of March 2015, among a number of older British plants to close because of EU environmental law. Britain is at risk of a power capacity crunch in the 2020s as nuclear stations come to the end of their life and coal and gas plants…
