When the U.S. Supreme Court recently announced its decision overturning the so-called Chevron decision and took away some regulatory powers from federal agencies and put it in the hands of courts for decision-making purposes—it was sort of a “STOP THE PRESSES!” moment for some news agencies. The way the headlines blared, it was the …
Category: EPA
Oklahoma and 15 other states win stay in Biden’s freeze of LNG export approvals
In a lawsuit joined by Oklahoma several months ago against the Biden administration’s freeze on new liquefied natural gas export approvals, a federal judge this week reversed the Energy Department’s freeze. U.S. District Judge James Cain in the Western District of Louisiana issued an order late Monday that DOE’s export pause would be “stayed in …
Energy briefs
** North Dakota officials are investigating a pipeline break that caused an oil and produced water spill. ** A rail operator will burn off liquefied petroleum from train cars that derailed in a Chicago suburb late last week. ** Texarkana Regional Airport’s new $49 million terminal has officially opened, with local leaders hoping it will foster new development in the …
Energy briefs
** The Supreme Court opened the door Monday to new, broad challenges to regulations long after they take effect, the third blow in a week to federal agencies,reported the Associated Press. The justices ruled 6-3 in favor of a truck stop in North Dakota that wants to sue over a regulation on debit card swipe fees that …
EPA finally settles lawsuit over 2015 Gold King mine blowout
It was nine years ago when an EPA project in southern Colorado led to the disastrous event that became known as the Gold King Mine blowout, where millions of gallons of acid mine waste were released in to the Animas River. It not only caused an environmental disaster in Southern Colorado but in New …
Energy briefs
** A union that represents Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) employees issued its first political endorsement Tuesday: Supporting President Biden’s reelection. The union, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Council 238, represents 8,000 EPA employees, including engineers, lawyers and inspectors. ** Leaders of five national environmental organizations criticized New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s (D) controversial decision to …
Corn growers, oil producers and truckers file suit against EPA’s tailpipe rule
One of the latest lawsuits against the Biden administration over its controversial tailpipe emissions rule comes from an unlikely alliance of oil, corn industry lobby groups and truckers. They’ve filed suit against the Environmental Protection Agency’s rule to dramatically cut planet-warming tailpipe emissions from cars and trucks. The top lobby groups for oil and …
Biofuels refineries rank close to oil refineries for polluting the air
The biofuels plants we heard and read so much about in Iowa, Illinois and other corn-producing states might not be as helpful for the environment as supporters contend—at least based on a study by one environmental group. They might be emitting as many harmful polllutants as oil refineries. A new report by the Environmental Integrity …
Energy briefs
** The U.S. is as many as 15 years behind China on developing high-tech nuclear power as Beijing’s state-backed technology approach and extensive financing give it the edge, a report said on Monday. China has 27 nuclear reactors under construction with average construction timelines of about seven years, far faster than other countries, said the study by …
Energy briefs
** Oil lobbyist groups American Petroleum Institute, American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers and the Texas Oil & Gas Association have filed suit over the Biden administration’s efforts to move the country to electric vehicles. They’re challenging the EPA rule to shift new car sales to EVs. ** More than 1,000 diesel-powered cargo trucks — which …