FOSSIL FUELS
Earlier this month, California Air Resources Board (CARB) released a draft Update to the Assembly Bill 32 (AB 32) Scoping Plan, describing the progress made towards objectives and defining priorities and activities to reduce emissions. Overview AB 32, the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, signed into law by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, created a…...
On October 15, the U.S. Supreme Court decided to review whether the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s greenhouse gas regulations for motor vehicles should also result in regulations for stationary sources. The Court’s decision could have direct implications for the EPA’s rulemaking on future power plants and would affect President Obama’s timetable for existing plants and…...
The U.S. ranks 5th out of 13 heavily oil-dependent countries that are highly vulnerable to global oil price fluctuations. On October 14, 2013, Securing America’s Future Energy and Roubini Global Economics released the Oil Security Index, which assesses the relative oil security of 13 countries including the U.S. The report emphasizes the need for active…...
The Senate has unanimously approved a bill to implement the U.S.-Mexico Transboundary Hydrocarbons Agreement aimed to facilitate offshore drilling cooperation in the Gulf of Mexico. On October 12, 2013, the Senate unanimously approved S. 812 to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to implement the 2012 U.S.-Mexico Transboundary Hydrocarbons Agreement. The agreement establishes a legal…...
A new study reveals that the U.S. tops the world in Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) development and calls for a sharp increase in global CCS projects to achieve climate mitigation goals. On October 10, 2013, Australian research group Global CCS Institute released its annual report on the global status of CCS development. The report…...
The API has challenged EPA’s 2013 RFS mandate, claiming that the volumetric targets are unrealistic. On October 8, 2013, the American Petroleum Institute (API) filed a lawsuit in the District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 2013 Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) volumetric requirements, claiming the 6 million gallon (MG)…...
The Alaska LNG project team has selected Nikiski as the lead site for the proposed liquefaction plant and terminal. On October 7, 2013, ExxonMobil, BP, ConocoPhillips, and TransCanada, announced the selection of Nikiski on the Kenai Peninsula as a lead liquefaction plant and terminal site for the Alaska liquefied natural gas (LNG) export project. Prior…...
EIA estimates show the U.S. is poised to become the world’s largest petroleum and natural gas producer in 2013, overtaking Russia and Saudi Arabia. On October 4, 2013, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) released a comparative estimate of petroleum and natural gas production in the U.S., Russia, and Saudi Arabia, showing that the U.S. is…...
Near-term oil futures reflect uncertainty caused by the government shutdown that began on October 1 and the upcoming debt ceiling deadline on October 17. Overview The long-term oil futures market has remained flat, demonstrating expectations of longer-term supply increases as forecast by the Energy Information Administration. A United States default in October would weaken the…...
EPA will solicit public input for its proposed carbon dioxide emissions standards for existing power plants through a series of scheduled listening sessions. On September 30, 2013, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a schedule of 11 public listening sessions across the U.S. to solicit input for its proposed carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions standards for…...
On September 30, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its Fifth Assessment Report on climate change, the latest installment in a series of reports examining global warming. The report for Policymakers was released September 27. Overview The IPCC report concluded with 95 percent confidence that human activity is contributing to climate…...
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has proposed regulations that would authorize new LNG facilities in the state for the first time since a 1973 explosion. On September 26, 2013, the New York State DEC proposed regulations that would permit siting, construction, and operation of liquefied natural gas (LNG) truck fueling stations…...