** The Iowa Supreme Court temporarily blocks a state law that had given incumbent utilities first rights to build new transmission projects, a case that could have high stakes amid plans for a major transmission buildout. ** A federal judge rules BNSF Railway violated terms of an easement agreement by running 100-car oil trains across the Swinomish Indian Tribal …
Category: EPA
US and world quick reads
** U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday rejected a Republican proposal to prevent pension fund managers from basing investment decisions on factors like climate change, in the first veto of his presidency. “I just signed this veto because the legislation passed by the Congress would put at risk the retirement savings of individuals across the country,” Biden …
Short energy stories from the US and the world
**The Biden-Harris administration is continuing its push to make electric vehicle ownership a reality across the country, particularly in Black and brown communities that have been most affected by climate and environmental issues and high gas prices. his week, the administration opened up applications for a $2.5 billion grant program allowing states and municipalities to begin …
EPA contends Oklahoma cannot block waste shipments from Ohio
Another fight with the EPA is in the making for Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt and other governors who have blocked shipments of waste from the fiery train derailment in Ohio. After Stitt blocked rail shipments of contaminated soil to a waste site in northwestern Oklahoma, EPA Administrator Michael Regan responded by stating there was …
Senators file bill to allow year-round sale of E15 ethanol fuel
A bill to require year-round production and availability of higher-ethanol fuel blends, a move seen as benefitting corn-producing states, was introduced by U.S. Sens. Deb Fischer of Nebraska and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota. Under their bill, the sale of so-called E15, which is 15% rather than 10% ethanol would no longer be restricted during …
Oklahoma AG takes on EPA over ozone emissions rule
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond filed a federal lawsuit against the Biden administration’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over its rejection of Oklahoma’s plan regarding ozone emissions. The petition to review the disapproval was filed March 2 with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. In addition to disapproving Oklahoma’s state implementation plan (SIP) …
Oklahoma hit by EPA’s “Good Neighbor” rule
Oklahoma and 22 other states fell under a final new EPA rule requiring industrial facilities and power plants to cut their smog-forming nitrogen oxide emissions. The “Good Neighbor” plan issued by the Environmental Protection Agency is expected to ensure Oklahoma and the other states curb NOx emissions that pollute across state lines and …
Energy briefs
** Ohio has filed a lawsuit against railroad Norfolk Southern to make sure it pays for the cleanup and environmental damage caused by a fiery train derailment on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border last month. ** The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday finalized a rule to require industrial facilities and power plants in 23 states to …
Environmentalists sue to stop ConocoPhillips drilling in northern Alaska
Environmentalists went to court to stop the ConocoPhillips Willow drilling project in far north Alaska approved this week by the Biden administration. They filed a lawsuit after the Interior Department gave permission to the oil giant to drill for oil at three sites in the federally owned National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska’s western Arctic …
Rep. Lucas tells Biden administration “not so fast” about your ESG moves
ESG and how the Biden administration is attempting to apply it to government actions are grabbing more attention from Oklahoma Congressman Frank Lucas. This time, in his capacity as chairman of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, Rep. Lucas fired off letters to express his concerns over a recently proposed rule by NASA, …