FOSSIL FUELS
FERC has authorized Freeport LNG to liquefy and export liquefied natural gas from its Quintana Island Terminal in Texas. On July 30, 2014, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) authorized Freeport LNG Development LP to construct and operate facilities for natural gas liquefaction and export from its liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal near Freeport,…...
DOE has announced natural gas infrastructure modernization initiatives to reduce methane emissions. On July 29, 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced measures to modernize the natural gas transmission and distribution systems as part of the Administration’s “Strategy to Reduce Methane Emissions.” The announcements came after the fifth and final Capstone Roundtable on reducing methane…...
A Colorado District Court has struck down a hydraulic fracturing ban in the City of Longmont citing preemption by state law. On July 24, 2014, a Colorado District Court ruled that Article XVI of the Longmont Municipal Charter, which bans hydraulic fracturing in the city of Longmont, is invalid as preempted by the Colorado Oil…...
DOT has released a rulemaking proposal for safe rail transportation of flammable material based on new Bakken crude oil data. On July 23, 2014, the Department of Transportation (DOT) released a rulemaking proposal to improve rail transportation safety for crude oil, ethanol, and other flammable materials. The proposal includes a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM)…...
Thirty-five members from California’s congressional delegation have urged DOI to prohibit new offshore oil and gas lease sales on California OCS Planning Areas. On July 22, 2014, 35 members of California’s congressional delegation, led by Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA), wrote a letter urging the Department of Interior (DOI) to exclude the Northern California, Central California,…...
Alaska LNG Project partners have applied for DOE authorization to export LNG to FTA and non-FTA countries. On July 21, 2014, the Alaska Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Project participants – ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips, BP, TransCanada, and Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC) – announced the submission of an LNG export application to the Department of Energy (DOE)…....
BOEM has issued a Record of Decision facilitating geological and geophysical survey activities to explore energy resources off the Atlantic Coast. On July 18, 2014, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) issued a Record of Decision (ROD) to advance appropriate geological and geophysical survey activities (G&G) in the Mid- and South-Atlantic Planning Areas to…...
Construction has begun on the first U.S. commercial-scale post-combustion CCS project aimed to annually capture 1.4 million metric tons of CO2. On July 15, 2014, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced that construction has begun on the Petra Nova Project, the first U.S. commercial-scale post-combustion carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) retrofit and the largest in…...
A federal appeals court has ruled that the EPA and Army Corps of Engineers acted within their statutory authority in adopting coal mining permitting policies to address water contamination. On July 11, 2014, the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) policies aimed to address water contamination…...
The “Stop the EPA Act” calls for a retroactive review of all EPA regulations and Congressional approval for major EPA actions. On July 9, 2014, Rep. Sam Graves (R-MO) introduced the Stop the EPA Act of 2014 (H.R. 5034) that would stop the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed regulations until EPA completes a review of…...
Industry groups have written the State Department urging approval of the final cross-border permit for the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline. On July 8, 2014, a coalition of 44 industry groups wrote a letter requesting the State Department to complete the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline’s National Interest Determination without delay and grant final presidential permit approval…....
NYSERDA has launched two major Fuel NY programs aimed to address challenges to gasoline access in the aftermath of major weather events. On July 14, 2014, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) launched the Portable Emergency Generator Program and State Strategic Gasoline Reserve to ensure gasoline access to motorists, first responders, and…...
