Meanwhile, we got the latest news on permitting reform and agency funding bills. Keep reading to learn more. ⬇️

Welcome to Daily on Energy, written by Washington Examiner energy and environment writers Callie Patteson (@CalliePatteson) and Maydeen Merino (@MaydeenMerino). Email cpatteson@washingtonexaminer dot com or mmerino@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.

SITTING DOWN WITH TRUMP’S PIPELINE CHIEF: Earlier this morning, Callie sat down with Paul Roberti, the head of the Trump administration’s top pipeline agency, to talk about what his team has done so far to address energy affordability and safety for those transporting fuels and hazardous materials across the country. 

A California pipeline: Roberti pointed to the recent restart of the Santa Ynez Pipeline System in California as an example of a project backed by the agency that the administration believes  will put downward pressure on energy prices. 

Operations in the pipeline system had been paused since 2015, by order of a federal consent decree requiring operator Sable Offshore Corporation to obtain waivers from the state before restarting. Energy Secretary Chris Wright ordered the operator to restart operations in March to reduce the state’s reliance on foreign oil and address supply disruption risks caused by state policies phasing out fossil fuels. The Department of Justice has since moved to terminate the consent decree allowing the restart. 

The Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration traveled on-site to the pipeline system last month to oversee safety operations before it could restart. 

“We were there to evaluate the condition of that pipeline,” Roberti said. “We sent inspectors, we were there to help ensure that the system was safe, so that they could activate that platform, which is now going to produce 60,000 barrels of oil a day – much needed in a place like California, where there’s a greater affordability crisis. There was before the current geopolitical events.”

Roberti said that additional supply will add downward pressure on prices, but did not speculate by how much. 

“At the end of the day, more supply to the refineries is going to translate to lower prices,” he said. “Exactly how much lower? I don’t know. But…our role should be just to not obstruct and to not stand in the way of capital markets.” 

Need for permitting: PHMSA is not an agency that issues federal permits for new projects, however, there is no denying that meaningful changes to the current permitting process would accelerate pipeline construction and safety upgrades across the country. 

Roberti told Callie that even before he joined the agency, he was aware of how laws like the National Environmental Policy Act and the Clean Water Act can be used in “obstructionist manners” and is “abused by states to just plain block pipelines and undermine energy security in the nation.” 

“We’re not a permitting agency, but…we can delay and obstruct, or we can be good government and make sure that we are there to assist and make sure that the pipelines are operated safely, and that in and of itself breeds general confidence, both in the investment community and the public that our nation’s pipeline systems are safe,” he said. 

SPEAKING OF PERMITTING…SENATE LEADERS DISCUSS OVER DINNER: New reporting from Daily on Energy alum Josh Siegel reveals that on Monday night the top negotiators in the Senate for permitting reform met over dinner to discuss how to reach an agreement on the issue. 

The dinner was reportedly organized by Colorado Democratic Sen. John Hickenlooper, who sits on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Those in attendance included Energy and Natural Resources chairman Mike Lee of Utah, committee ranking member Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, as well as West Virginia Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito and Rhode Island Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse who serves as the chair and ranking member of the Environment and Public Works Committee respectively. 

Lee told Siegel that it was a “good bipartisan meeting,” and said the group was making “good progress” on legislative text. 

Though don’t expect a bill to be released just yet. Captio cautioned that the “rough edges” weren’t smoothed out in the dinner discussions, but they are all aware of what is on the table. 

HOUSE REPUBLICANS RELEASE FUNDING BILL FOR INTERIOR AND EPA: The House Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee released its proposed funding for the Interior Department and Environmental Protection Agency earlier today. Here are just a few of the highlights: 

• The draft bill would appropriate around $38.9 billion for Interior, EPA, and other related agencies. This results in a roughly 2% increase in funding for Interior.
• The bill would impose new fees for offshore wind turbine inspections for projects on the outer continental shelf, including a $72,800 fee for a wind turbine generator.
• The bill would strip endangered species protections for a number of animals including the gray wolf, wolvernine, grizzly bear, and northern long-eared bat.
• The bill would provide roughly $7.04 billion to the EPA. While this is roughly a 20% decrease, it is far greater than the $4.2 billion requested by the White House. 
• The bill would match the White House’s request for $290.04 million for the Hazardous Substance Superfund. 
• The bill would block restrictions related to hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting on federal lands.

The entire bill text can be found here. 

LATEST U.S. EFFORTS IN CUBA: Former Cuban President Raul Castro was indicted today by the Justice Department amid the Trump administration’s unyielding effort to isolate the island and force a regime change. 

The DOJ is reportedly expected to accuse Castro over his alleged role in the 1996 shootdown of two civilian aircraft operated by the Miami-based Cuban exile group Brothers to the Rescue. Castro, the brother of Fidel Castro, was serving as Cuba’s defense minister at the time of the incident. 

The indictment comes as Cubans are celebrating their independence day, but at a time when the island is experiencing an energy crisis due to the U.S. blockade.  

In a statement for Cuba’s independence day, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, “The real reason you don’t have electricity, fuel, or food is because those who control your country have plundered billions of dollars, but nothing has been used to help the people.” 

The Trump administration has blocked fuel from entering Cuba since January as part of its effort to push for a regime change. The blockade has caused an energy crisis on the island with rolling blackouts as well as high prices for food and other essentials. 

To learn more about Castro’s indictment read more by the Washington Examiner’s Kaelan Deese here. 

OIL MARKETS HOPE FOR AN IRAN DEAL: International and domestic oil prices fell by around 6% today, as President Donald Trump said Iran was in the “final stages” as the administration works to negotiate a deal to end the war. 

“We’ll see what happens. Either [we] have a deal or we’re going to do some things that are a little bit nasty, but hopefully that won’t happen,” Trump told reporters. 

While this is similar to past optimistic statements the president has made regarding a potential deal, traders seem to have taken it as a sign that a ceasefire is on the horizon. Around 3:15 p.m. EDT, Brent Crude had fallen by 6.02% and was trading at $104.58 per barrel. West Texas Intermediate was also down 6.06% and priced at $97.84 a barrel. 

The dip could provide some relief for drivers at the pump, however, analysts are warning that price volatility for oil is nowhere near on site. Yesterday, Citibank said it believed the market was underestimating the effects of long-term disruption of flows through the Strait of Hormuz and is expecting Brent to hit up to $120 a barrel in the coming weeks. 

GLOBAL EV SALES TO MAKE UP 30% OF THE MARKET: About 30% of the vehicles sold globally this year will be electric, according to a report released by the International Energy Agency. 

The IEA’s report found that last year EV sales rose by 20% and accounted for nearly a quarter of all new cars sold worldwide. EV sales are expected to exceed last year’s growth and reach 23 million, representing 28% of total cars sold. 

IEA said that high oil prices caused by the war in Iran is drawing consumers’ attention towards electric vehicles. It added that the rise in oil prices have increased the cost savings associated with driving an EV. 

For example, the report said, “based on average oil prices in April, the annual fuel cost savings associated with driving an EV in the European Union grew 35% compared to 2025 savings.” 

The report also noted that global sales in the first quarter in 2026 dropped by 8% due to policy changes in the U.S. and China. But despite the overall decline Europe sales increased by 30% year-over-year, while Asia Pacific (excluding China) grew by 80% and Latin America by 75%. In March 2026, nearly 30 countries reported record breaking monthly sales in EVs. 

“Electric car sales set new records in close to 100 countries last year. The growing popularity of EVs has marked a major shift for car markets and the energy system as a whole — and it is providing some relief now amid the largest oil supply shock in history,” IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol said in a statement.

Read more by Maydeen here. 

CARBON FEE GENERATES $107BN GLOBALLY: Fees on carbon emitters generated about $107 billion dollars last year, according to the World Bank. 

The World Bank said carbon pricing covers about 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Carbon pricing is when a fee is placed on a polluter, which is aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Countries like Canada, China, South Korea, New Zealand, and the European Union have implemented carbon pricing. 

It noted that if policies under development are fully implemented by 2030 about one third of global greenhouse gas emissions would be covered by an emission trading system, often known as a cap-and-trade or carbon tax. 

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES: Three wildfires have sparked in Southern California this week, which has burned at least 3,500 acres, triggered evacuation orders, and led to air quality alerts. 

Where are the fires? The wildfires are in Ventura and Riverside counties. The Sandy Fire started Monday in Ventura County in the community of Simi Valley northwest of Los Angeles. As of early today it was at nearly 1,700 acres with 15% containment. The wildfire has encroached on the nearby neighborhood, forcing nearly 43,000 residents under evacuation orders. 

In Riverside County, the Bain Fire sparked yesterday just north of Jurapa Valley. As of early today, the fire was at 1,400 acres with 25% containment. There are also evacuation warnings and orders for nearby communities. 

The Verona Fire also started yesterday in Riverside County near the community of Homeland. As of this morning, the fire has burned 500 acres with only 5% containment. Air quality alerts were issued until later this evening for parts of Ventura, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties.

The largest fire in California is currently the Santa Rose Island Fire in Santa Barbara County. It has burned nearly 17,000 acres with only 25% containment. 

RUNDOWN 

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