** A California city will make an exception to its natural gas ban for world-famous chef José Andrés, after the landlords for the chef’s planned restaurant warned Andrés may pull out over the regulation. After the owners of the mall where Andrés is set to open the restaurant threatened to sue the city, Palo Alto …
Category: EPA
Energy briefs
** Exxon Mobil Corp. said the prospect of the world reaching net zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050 is “highly unlikely” due to the drop in living standards that would come with such a scenario. The Texas oil giant made the comments in a regulatory filing that argued against proxy adviser Glass Lewis’ view that …
Brief energy news
** President Biden vetoed a bipartisan resolution Tuesday that would have reversed his executive action last year ordering the Department of Commerce not to enforce tariffs on Chinese solar panel manufacturers for two years. Biden explained that the legislation — which recently passed the House and Senate with Democratic support — “bets against American innovation.” …
Energy briefs from the US and the world
** At least three Democratic lawmakers are criticizing the Biden administration’s tax credit guidance for domestic manufacturing incentives, with some saying it could give leeway for Chinese solar parts. Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) released statements in recent days criticizing the guidance that was released on Friday. ** The U.S. …
Attorney General pledges to fight EPA over proposed power plant rules
If the Biden administration’s Environmental Protection Agency moves ahead with its already controversial power plant rules that would create severe restrictions on carbon pollution, it can expect a fight from Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond. It is what he pledged in a statement offered to OK Energy Today. “We will vigorously oppose this federal …
Fast energy reads
** Politico will host its first-ever Energy Summit on Thursday. The event features conversations with Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, White House National Climate Adviser Ali Zaidi and Jigar Shah, director of the DOE’s Loan Programs Office. ** The nation’s coal-fired power plant fleet is projected to decline by more than half by 2050, according to the U.S. Energy …
GOP states plan to challenge Biden’s latest power plant rules
The Biden administration’s latest EPA proposal to target coal-and natural gas-fired power plants is under fire from Republican-led states who indicate they will challenge the plan. “Congress never authorized the president to wage war against the American people with these relentless administrative assaults on consumers and industries that supply reliable and sustainable access to …
Other energy notes
** The Biden administration’s new greenhouse gas rule is designed to drive drastic changes in how U.S. power companies produce electricity — but utilities say it could escalate the risk of outages as it squeezes fossil fuel plants into retirement. ** Shell Chemicals is facing its second lawsuit brought by three contractors who say they were injured …
Congressman worried about Energy Department’s funding of Communist China energy firms
Oklahoma Congressman Frank Lucas and others on a House Committee he chairs, are growing more concerned that the Biden administration’s Energy Department is funding Communist China-backed firms in the U.S. A hearing was held by the House Science, Space and Technology Committee’s joint subcommittee. Entitled Return on Unprecedented Investment: An Analysis of the Department …
Other energy updates
** Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb signs a bill exempting certain solar and wind components from state sales taxes. ** Washington Gov. Jay Inslee signs a bill barring blinking red wind turbine lights from operating when no low-flying aircraft are nearby. ** The U.S. Department of Homeland Security this week raided a factory and sales office operated by one of the …