• Energy

“Petrostates” Risk Collapse if they Don’t Diversify, New Report Says

• climate change
• developing countries
• just transition
• offshore drilling
• oil and gas

A new report says that economic diversification will be crucial as governments across the world set ambitious climate action goals. Forty countries have economies dominated by the oil industry, and as demand for and use of oil is phased out in importing nations, these “petrostates” risk major economic challenges. 

Why This Matters: A “just transition” away from fossil fuel-dependent economies will be needed globally. 

• Ocean

House Dems Introduce Ocean-Based Climate Solutions Act

• 30 by 30
• Congress
• fisheries
• Grijalva
• nature based solutions
• ocean conservation
• offshore drilling
• offshore wind
• seafood

Yesterday at a virtual press conference, House Natural Resources Committee Chair Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) unveiled his Ocean-Based Climate Solutions Act along with co-lead, House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis Chair Kathy Castor. In Grijalva’s own words, the bill aims to provide a roadmap for ocean and coastal climate resilience, and responsibly uses them […]

• Energy

Trump Extends Drilling Ban In Eastern Gulf Plus Atlantic Coast of Florida, Georgia and SC

• Florida
• lobbyist
• moratorium
• ocean
• offshore drilling
• oil and gas

Yesterday the President traveled to Florida and in a surprising reversal (or “ambush” if you are an oil and gas lobbyist) of a draft plan he put in place two years ago that would open virtually the entire U.S. ocean to oil and gas drilling, he signed an order banning offshore drilling in the Eastern […]

• Ocean

Offshore Oil and Gas Industry Challenged By Lawsuits and Bankruptcies

• conservation
• environment
• Florida
• leasing
• North Carolina
• offshore drilling
• oil and gas

One thing Democrats and Republicans in many southern states seem to agree on is that they don’t want oil and gas drilling off their coastlines.  The Hill reported that last week the State of North Carolina sued the federal government for its continuing to prepare for offshore leasing in the Atlantic just off their coast.  And in Florida, while President Trump has promised that he will not pursue oil and gas drilling there, even outgoing Republican Congressman Francis Rooney is worried about the President going back on his word if he is re-elected.

Why This Matters:  The President’s fossil fuel commitments are hard to deny, even as he promises Florida a reprieve.

• Ocean

Trump Administration Allows 1,700 Safety Exceptions For Offshore Drilling Operations

• Deepwater Horizon
• Oceana
• offshore drilling
• oil and gas
• oil spill
• POLITICO

The Trump Administration has allowed 1700 “exceptions” of the “Well Control Rule” that the Obama Administration put in place in 2016 to improve drilling safety as a result of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Today, in a hearing on Capitol Hill, the Interior Department defended these actions saying that the exceptions were granted only if the requester demonstrated that the exception to the rule was equally protective. 

• Politics

Former Oil Industry Lobbyist Nominated To Lead Interior

• Cheney
• Department of Interior
• ethics
• fracking
• lobbyist
• mining
• offshore drilling
• oil and gas
• Zinke

The Trump Administration did the expected and yesterday nominated Acting Secretary of Interior David Bernhardt, a former oil industry lobbyist and the top lawyer at Interior under Bush ’43 to take the top slot and officially replace Ryan Zinke.  Most industry experts expect that he will continue to push for expanding oil and gas drilling, […]