ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT RIDERS IN THE FUNDING BILLS: The House is currently considering a slate of amendments to its bill funding the Department of Energy and water development – setting up the inclusion of a number of “poison pills” that will prevent the bill from becoming law.
The deets: A number of amendments, offered by Republican lawmakers, would roll back a number of executive efforts and make further cuts to the agencies.
Some of them are recognizable from previous fights: A recurring amendment that was suggested in the last round of funding fights is one that prohibits funding for the American Climate Corps. Another would eliminate funding for the DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
Here are some more notable ones, that we spotted:
An amendment proposed by Rep.
Chip Roy that would prohibit funds to fulfill the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s rule requiring regions to undergo long-term transmission planning. The rule eases the transition to renewable technologies, with the aim of updating an aged grid. A provision from Rep.
Scott Perry that bans the use of funds for the Delaware River Basin Commission to implement its ban on hydraulic fracturing. A provision proposed by Rep.
Jeff Van Drew prohibiting funds from being used for the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations under DOE. Another amendment proposed by Van Drew that would reduce the salary of
Jigar Shah , director of the DOE’s Loans Program Office and a target of Republican ire, to $1. Another provision from Van Drew that moves $10 million from renewable energy programs to enhance the security of existing electrical transformers from cyber threats and from physical attacks from individuals.
The thing to keep in mind: While the measures may find their way into the appropriations bill, the funding bill itself will be stalled in the Democratic-controlled Senate for its policy riders. The White House has already issued a veto threat on the bill.
Welcome to Daily on Energy, written by Washington Examiner Energy and Environment writer Nancy Vu ( @NancyVu99 ), with help from policy editor Joseph Lawler . Email nancy.vu@washingtonexaminer dot com for tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. If a friend sent this to you and you’d like to sign up, click here . If signing up doesn’t work, shoot us an email, and we’ll add you to our list.
AN EMERGENCY STAY REQUEST ON POWER PLANT REGS: West Virginia and Indiana are leading a multi-state effort in asking the Supreme Court to issue an emergency stay on the EPA’s power plant rule, following a lower-court ruling refusing to block the regulation.
The details: The Indiana and West Virginia attorney generals, Todd Rokita and Patrick Morrisey , are leading 25 states in the filing. The pair led an effort in May asking the D.C. Circuit Court to declare the rule unlawful, arguing it would force plants to rely on “unworkable technologies” to capture emissions or shut down.
Regarding the new filing: “ Our position remains the same: this rule strips the states of important discretion while using technologies that don’t work in the real world,” Morrisey said in a written statement. “Adding injury to unlawfulness, the Biden administration packaged this rule with several other rules aimed at destroying traditional energy providers.”
Who’s on the filing: Along with the two states leading the effort, Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Wyoming were on the filing.
Why this is important: The stay request comes after SCOTUS has ruled to rein in the executive branch’s powers, notably in decisions in West Virginia v. EPA and Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo. Morrisey cites the ruling in the first lawsuit explicitly, stating the landmark case makes “clear that Congress placed real limits on what the EPA can do, and we will ensure those limits are upheld.” If SCOTUS decides to grant the stay, they’ll have precedent to draw from.
KIGGINS WITHDRAWS EARMARKS FOR GAS PIPELINE : Virginia GOP Rep. Jen Kiggans is withdrawing an earmark request for a natural gas pipeline in her district after questions arose regarding who the funds were allocated to, E&E News scoops.
The deets: The funds would’ve been allocated to a for-profit company to carry out some of the preliminary work and build the pipeline. However, the House Appropriations Committee bars money from going to for-profit companies. Following questioning from E&E News about the recipient of the funds, Kiggans changed the funding recipient to the Accomack County government, which would’ve handled giving out the money.
The part that matters: Kiggins had received thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from corporate PACs Rocket Lab and Tyson Foods – two companies that stand to benefit from the pipeline.
Craig Holman , a government affairs lobbyist at Public Citizen, summed up the controversy to E&E in an email: “Earmarks today are not to be awarded to for-profit entities, which is why Rep. Kiggans had to change the recipient from Chesapeake Utilities to the county government. Nonetheless, Kiggans’ proposed earmark was clearly intended for the for-profit utility.”
“What makes this request even more questionable is that the for-profit entity and no doubt some of its members are campaign contributors to Kiggans,” he continued. “This has the old appearance of an earmark as a mutually beneficial exchange.” Read more on that here.
CALIFORNIA GREEN GROUP GOES ALL IN FOR HARRIS: The first California green group has formally endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris ’s presidential run, as she looks to cement support from environmental groups and beyond.
California Environmental Voters, or EnviroVoters, which had also endorsed President Joe Biden , issued a letter Monday touting Harris' environmental work in California.
“Her track record in California proves exactly what kind of leader she will be, and, building on her unprecedented progress with President Biden nationally, it’s clear she is the right leader for our nation in the climate fight for our future,” Mary Creasman , the chief executive officer of the group, said in a statement.
The group highlighted Harris’ work going back as far as 2005, where she created the San Francisco District Attorney Office’s first environmental justice unit and sued the Southern California Gas Company over a large gas leak. The group also touted her work in opposing Chevron’s refinery expansion in Richmond and introducing the Climate Equity Act, which was meant to boost environmental justice efforts.
Who else is supporting her? The League of Conservation Voters Action Fund – EnviroVoters’ national organization – along with the National Resources Defense Council Action Fund, the Sierra Club, and the Clean Energy for America Action endorsed Harris on Monday.
Why this is important: Harris being able to secure support from climate groups – especially younger climate voters – will be crucial leading up to November. Biden received a lot of flak from younger climate groups for not bowing out of the race sooner, his support for Israel’s war on Gaza, and for boosting fossil fuels after promising to divest from the industry. But, Harris does stand to the left of Biden on fossil fuels – which could mean shoring up support in ways that Biden could not. Be on the lookout if Harris is able to secure support from groups like Climate Defiance and the Sunrise movement.
But: Keep in mind how her stances play with moderates. Republicans have already started circulating her previous stances on fracking during a 2019 town hall.
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