EPA has issued final Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regulations to conditionally exclude carbon dioxide (CO2) streams in geologic sequestration activities from the definition of hazardous waste. On January 3, 2014, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued final revisions for hazardous waste management under RCRA to conditionally exclude CO2 streams from the definition of…...
On December 10, 2013, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray (D-WA) and House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) proposed the 2013 Bipartisan Budget Act, a two-year budget agreement that would provide $63B in sequester relief and reduce the fiscal deficit by $20B to $23B. Overview Lawmakers now have several weeks to appropriate the budget…...
An EIA report shows that Pennsylvania is the fastest growing natural gas producing state, advancing from seventh to third rank between 2011 and 2012. On December 17, 2013, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) released a report highlighting significant progress in Pennsylvania’s marketed natural gas production, which increased by 72 percent from 2011-2012. The report draws…...
EIA’s latest Annual Energy Outlook (AEO) projects a 56 percent increase in natural gas production by 2040, overtaking coal as the largest share of U.S. electric power generation. On December 16, 2013, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) released the AEO 2014 Early Release Overview presenting updated projections for U.S. energy markets through 2040. The AEO…...
In November, three Colorado cities approved hydraulic fracturing bans, and the state is now proposing new regulations governing methane emissions from oil and gas development. Overview In November 2013, the cities of Boulder, Broomfield, and Fort Collins each approved a five-year moratorium on the natural gas extraction method of hydraulic fracturing. At the same time,…...
Oil and gas industry groups have expressed disapproval of a Senate tax-reform draft citing proposals that would deter domestic investment and job creation. On December 13, 2013, a group of 14 oil and gas trade groups led by the American Petroleum Institute (API) sent a letter to Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT), stating that…...
DOE has released an $8B loan guarantee solicitation to finance innovative and advanced fossil energy projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. On December 12, 2013, the Department of Energy (DOE) launched its $8B loan guarantee program, soliciting applications to finance projects that employ innovative or significantly improved fossil energy technologies, such as advanced resource development,…...
EPA’s annual report on average fuel economy shows that MY 2012 vehicles achieved record-high fuel economy and record-low carbon emissions. On December 12, 2013, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued its annual report on average fuel economy, emissions, and powertrain technology of new U.S. personal vehicles, including passenger cars, sport utility vehicles, minivans, pickup…...
A new study finds that U.S. methane emissions are highly underestimated by current studies. A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on November 25, 2013 found that U.S. methane emissions could be 50 percent higher than current estimates. Specifically, nationwide anthropogenic methane emissions are likely to be 1.5 times…...
The House has passed a bill aimed to expedite federal review of natural gas pipeline permit applications. On November 21, 2013, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Reform Act (H.R. 1900), a bipartisan legislation aimed to expedite review of licenses, permits, and approvals pertinent to siting, construction, expansion, and operation…...
A new House Bill would repeal fossil fuel tax breaks and expand fossil fuel companies’ liability for spills and cleanup tasks. On November 21, 2013, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) introduced the 2013 End Polluter Welfare Act (H.R. 3574) aimed to end fossil fuel subsidies. The bill would close tax loopholes…...
A new methanol production facility proposed for Texas will be the largest of its kind in the U.S., spurred by cheap and abundant natural gas availability. On November 21, 2013, OCI N.V., a Dutch fertilizer company, announced plans to build a methanol production facility in Beaumont, Texas. The facility, with an estimated annual capacity of…...
