WYOMING DELEGATION BUCKS BLM’S COAL AMENDMENT : Wyoming lawmakers are calling for Interior Secretary Deb Haaland to rescind a proposal that would end future coal leasing on federal lands in the Powder River Basin – the nation’s largest coal producing region.
Some background: The proposal from the Bureau of Land Management responded to a 2022 court order requiring the agency to analyze the environmental impacts of burning fossil fuels. The proposal would not affect existing leases, however; production would continue in Wyoming until 2041, and until 2060 in Montana.
In the letter, the lawmakers argue the proposals would violate the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, and put electric reliability at risk.
A key portion of the letter : “In addition, BLM’s proposed amendment would have a severe impact on Wyoming. Revenue from federal coal leases funds K-12 public education, infrastructure, and other essential services,” the lawmakers wrote. “BLM’s own analysis acknowledges that ending coal leasing jeopardizes thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars to the state. Eliminating these jobs and revenue would have a devastating effect on the people, families, and communities of Wyoming.”
Who signed the letter: Sen. John Barrasso , the ranking member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Sen. Cynthia Lummis, who also sits on ENR, and Rep. Harriet Hageman, who sits on the House Natural Resources Committee.
The significance: More than 40% of U.S. coal comes from 16 mines in the Powder River Basin, according to a 2019 report from the Energy Information Administration . However, environmentalists won big in the 2022 court order that found resource management plans failed to address the health consequences of fossil fuel production.
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.
INBOX: YELLEN & GRANHOLM MEETING WITH ENERGY CEOS: Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm hosted a dinner with clean energy CEOs on Monday, according to a statement released by the Treasury Department.
What was discussed: The two department heads touted the impacts of the Inflation Reduction Act, which they say is fueling private sector investments in clean energy and creating new jobs.
Specifically, both agency chiefs highlighted the administration’s recent work outlining guidelines for financial institutions aiming to achieve net-zero goals, along with principles for voluntary carbon markets.
The CEOs shared ideas on how both the private and public sector can work together to boost clean energy investments. Read that statement here.
BROKEN WIND TURBINE WASHES UP NEAR MARTHA’S VINEYARD: Officials are investigating what caused a broken offshore wind blade to send debris to the shores of Nantucket, Bloomberg reports.
What happened: The incident happened off the Vineyard Wind project near Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts – prompting federal officials and the project’s developers to probe into the situation and halt operations while the investigation takes place.
A local news publication posted on X a series of photos of the shores littered with green foam boards stemming from the broken turbine ( see here ).
No injuries were reported, but Vineyard Wind set up a safety perimeter around the project and worked with the Coast Guard to alert sailors. The company is also using workers to recover debris.
Why this is important: The incident could up the calls for more scrutiny on offshore wind projects – especially from Republicans such as former President Donald Trump . Read more on that here.
DOE’S BIG AI PUSH: The Department of Energy is rolling out a roadmap to boost and develop its use of artificial intelligence, in hopes of empowering scientific breakthroughs in the field.
The deets: The program, dubbed the Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence For Science, Security, and Technology (FASST) initiative, will enable the DOE and its 17 national laboratories to develop an integrated AI system for priorities in science, energy, and national security. The efforts were teased back in April.
“Artificial intelligence is an innovative technology that can help unleash breakthroughs in energy technologies and enhance our national security,” Secretary Granholm said in a written statement. “FASST builds on DOE's role as the nation's steward of advanced supercomputing and research infrastructure across our 17 national labs to provide a national capability in AI and enable technological breakthroughs for decades to come.”
The development of AI models will be used to advance national security goals, such as threat detection and strategic deterrence. The agency also hopes to attract and build a workforce to integrate into its new initiative, in hopes of competing with foreign competitors that have invested in AI at large (think China, for example). DOE also plans on using AI to unlock new clean energy technologies and improve grid resilience, while addressing energy challenges at large – all the while researching how to govern AI systems simultaneously.
The kicker: The initiative will need to be authorized and funded by Congress. A bill introduced by Sens. Joe Manchin and Lisa Murkowski would do just that. Read the bill here.
EPA GRANTS TO REDUCE GHGS IN CONSTRUCTION: The Environmental Protection Agency is granting $160 million to companies to help curb climate pollution from the manufacturing of construction materials and products, such as steel.
The gist: Ranging between $250,000 to $10 million, the grants will be given to businesses to help develop environmental product declarations – which detail the environmental performance or impact of any product or material over its lifetime. The efforts are aiming to aid in the standardization of construction products with lower greenhouse gas emissions – and make it easier for businesses to ensure construction projects are using more climate-friendly materials.
“As America continues to build more and upgrade our nation’s infrastructure under President Biden’s leadership, cleaner construction materials like concrete and steel are increasingly essential for the nation’s prosperity,” said EPA Deputy Administrator Janet McCabe. “These historic investments will expand market access for a new generation of more climate-friendly construction materials, and further grow American jobs that are paving the way to the clean energy economy.”
An example of a project that’s being funded: A company in Georgia will receive a grant to report emissions that have been saved by using recycled materials instead of carbon-packed materials in cement and concrete.
An important stat: Construction materials account for more than 15% of annual GHGs, according to EPA estimates.
38 companies and organizations were selected to receive the grants, which are funded by the Inflation Reduction Act. Funds are expected to be given out by the late summer. Read more on that here.
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