BLM has released a draft environmental analysis of the first proposed commercial oil production project in the Alaska National Petroleum Reserve. On February 21, 2014, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) published a notice seeking public input on the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the proposed Greater Mooses Tooth Unit 1 (GMT1),…
On January 28, the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources held a hearing to receive testimony on S. 1600, the Critical Minerals Policy Act of 2013. This Act that would enable domestic production of critical minerals necessary in the manufacturing of many clean energy technologies. Overview Critical minerals play and important role in…
A Nebraska District Court declared that a 2012 law which authorized Nebraska Governor Heineman to approve the proposed Keystone XL route is unconstitutional. On February 19, 2014, the Lancaster County District Court struck down Legislative Bill (LB) 1161, the 2012 legislation which authorized Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman to approve the proposed Keystone XL pipeline route…
President Obama has directed EPA and DOT to develop fuel efficiency and emissions standards for medium- and heavy duty vehicles beyond model year 2018. On February 18, 2014, President Barack Obama directed the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to develop the next phase of…
President Obama’s 2015 Budget proposal will include a $1B Climate Resilience Fund to enhance climate change preparedness and infrastructure resilience. During a meeting with farmers and ranchers in drought-affected California on February 14, 2014, President Barack Obama announced a $1B Climate Resilience Fund to support climate impact actions. The Fund will be included in the…
EIA’s Annual Energy Outlook 2014 projects that 90 percent of coal-fired power plant retirements will occur by 2016, the first year of MATS enforcement. On February 14, 2014, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) released a report showing that more coal-fired power plants are projected to retire by 2016 than previously predicted. The report draws on…
The EPA has released revised underground injection control guidelines for diesel fuel use in oil and gas hydraulic fracturing activities. On February 11, 2014, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released revised guidelines to implement the Safe Drinking Water Act’s Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program Class II requirements, as amended by the 2005 Energy Policy Act,…
The U.S. Department of Energy continues LNG export terminal approvals with the sixth going to Sempra Energy. On February 11, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) conditionally granted the sixth conditional licence to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) to non-free-trade agreement (non-FTA) countries. The license was granted to Sempra Energy, who looks to export LNG from its…
EPA’s 2013 enforcement results show violators paid more than $5.6B in fines, civil penalties, restitution, and environmental projects. On February 7, 2014, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its FY 2013 enforcement and compliance report detailing results of EPA civil and criminal enforcement programs and estimated environmental benefits. The results highlight that violators paid more…
Drilling operations in Shell’s second Mars field platform are expected to push the Shell’s Mars field oil production levels to 100,000 barrels per day in 2016. On February 4, 2014, Royal Dutch Shell Plc announced it started oil production from the Mars B field through Olympus, the largest deep-water floating platform in the Gulf of…
The State Department’s final Keystone XL assessment report indicates the pipeline is unlikely to have significant environmental impact. On January 31, 2014, the U.S. State Department released the Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) for the proposed Keystone XL pipeline, finding that the pipeline is unlikely to have significant effect on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions….
The recent domestic oil and gas production boom and industry pressure has re-started U.S. crude oil export ban debate under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975. Overview In 1973, the United States experienced a historic oil crisis in response to the Arab oil embargo and the subsequent 70 percent OPEC oil price increase…
