** Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) announced on Wednesday that he has struck a deal with Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) on legislation aimed at advancing key pieces of President Biden’s agenda, including measures that target taxes, lowering drug prices and combating climate change.
** Exxon Mobil Corp on Tuesday said it has made two new oil discoveries offshore Guyana and that it has already exceeded, in July, its 2022 production target for the South American country.
** Volkswagen has begun producing its all-electric ID.4 crossover SUV in the United States. The automaker announced on Tuesday that it plans to scale production of the ID.4 at its Chattanooga, Tennessee factory to 7,000 vehicles per month by the end of 2022 before further increasing output throughout 2023.
** The rate of development of U.S. clean energy projects including wind and solar power fell in the second quarter as inaction by Congress, trade issues and delays related to COVID-19 stifled activity, an industry group report said on Tuesday.
** South Korea’s SK Group on Tuesday announced plans to invest $22 billion in the United States on industries including semiconductors, green energy and bioscience, which the White House said will create tens of thousands of domestic jobs while helping ease global supply chain snarls that have persisted during the coronavirus pandemic.
** NextDecade Corp said on Wednesday it will supply 1 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to a unit of Exxon Mobil Corp for 20 years from its proposed Rio Grande LNG export project in Brownsville, Texas.
** More than 175 environmental organizations sent a letter Tuesday to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg urging him to adopt a federal rule that requires state and city transportation departments to measure and set standards for their greenhouse gas emissions.
** Railroads will be required to maintain two-person crews under a new rule announced Wednesday that will thwart industry efforts to cut crews down to one person.
World
** With a dozen EU countries already facing reduced Russian supplies, Brussels is urging member states to save gas and store it for winter for fear Russia will completely cut off flows in retaliation for Western sanctions over its war with Ukraine.
** The German government plans to reduce incentive payments for buyers of electric cars and end subsidies for buying plug-in hybrids at the end of this year.
** Germany’s BASF, the world’s largest chemical company, is cutting ammonia production further due to soaring natural gas prices, it said on Wednesday, with potential ramifications from farming to fizzy drinks.
** Iran’s revenues from exports of oil and condensate surged by 580% during the first four months of the current Iranian year that begins on March 21, Iranian Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance, Seyyed Ehsan Khandouzi, said on Tuesday.
