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FERC COMMISSIONERS CHEER REJECTION OF PERRY’S COAL PROPOSAL: Members of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, in their first meeting since rejecting Energy Secretary Rick Perry’s proposal to subsidize coal and nuclear plants, on Thursday commended each other for their unanimous decision.
“As someone who served as a former [state utility] chairman, I was proud to associate myself with the final outcome on the DOE [proposal],” added Rob Powelson, a Republican commissioner.
What FERC did: FERC, in rejecting Perry’s plan, directed regional transmission operators to provide more information about resilience to help the commission examine the matter “holistically.”
The commission wants the grid operators, such as PJM Interconnection and the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, to submit information on resilience challenges in their markets.
Ready to move on: Rich Glick, a Democrat, said FERC should transition to other issues if regional grid operators don’t find a problem.
“If comments suggest there isn’t a resiliency problem we need to move on to other very important issues,” Glick said, adding the Perry proposal had “sucked the air out of the room.”
‘Historic tax reform’: In other action, Powelson lauded efforts by state regulators to push utilities to return tax cuts to customers as a result of the recent Republican tax reform package.
“The historic tax reform measure could provide utility users sizeable rate reductions, between $80 to 90 per year,” Powelson said. “I hope we do our part to make sure these tax benefits are accrued to energy users here in America.”
Pipeline protests: Before the meeting, environmental activists posted lists of demands outside the commission’s building related to FERC’s review of pipeline approvals.
FERC announced last month it would take a “fresh look” at the way it approves natural gas pipelines amid growing clashes between environmental groups and the agency over climate change.
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TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WEIGHS KEEPING PARKS OPEN IF GOVERNMENT SHUTS DOWN: The Trump administration is considering keeping national parks and monuments open if the government shuts down this weekend, a move that would help curb public anger over a lack of government services.
Government funding expires at midnight Friday if Congress cannot agree to a new funding bill.
White House budget director Mick Mulvaney reportedly has proposed keeping the parks and monuments open in the event of a budget impasse.
“We fully expect the government to continue operations however in the event of a shutdown #publiclands will be as accessible as safely possible under the law,” Zinke said in a tweet.
National parks were closed during previous shutdowns in 1995 and 2013, prompting a huge public outcry.
MURKOWSKI: NONCONTROVERSIAL ENERGY NOMINEES BEING OPPOSED: Sen. Lisa Murkowski, chairwoman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, said all of Trump’s Energy Department nominees are being opposed just because they are a Trump nominee and for no other reason.
She noted at a confirmation hearing Thursday morning that Melissa Burnison, Trump’s nominee to be assistant secretary of energy for congressional affairs, is not a post that her committee normally needs a hearing to consider.
New normal: “Ordinarily we wouldn’t even be conducting a hearing for your nomination,” Murkowski said. “It is a privilege nomination that absent objection goes straight to the executive calendar for floor consideration after a 10-day waiting and review period.”
But things are more difficult in the Senate these days, Murkowski noted. The objection had nothing to do with Burnison’s abilities or experience. She didn’t say which senator or party filed the objection.
“And while we did receive an objection for your nomination, I would note here that it was unrelated to you or your qualifications for this role,” she said.
Other nominees: The committee also took up Anne Marie White to be an assistant secretary of energy for environmental management. Her nomination will have to be voted out of committee before it goes to the full Senate.
Concern over nuclear waste: The main concern over White’s nomination is her commitment to cleaning up the nation’s legacy nuclear waste sites such as the Hanford site in Washington state, where the top Democrat on the committee, Sen. Maria Cantwell, is from.
TWO LARGE NUCLEAR FIRMS LEAVE LOBBYING GROUP: NextEra and Entergy are leaving the Nuclear Energy Institute. The companies operate more than 10 percent of the nation’s 99 power reactors.
Entergy will go it alone: “While we will no longer be a member of NEI, we will continue to engage actively and cooperatively with the industry in both the operations and public policy arenas,” Entergy said in a statement to the Washington Examiner.
“We strongly believe that nuclear power remains an important part of our company’s and country’s diverse resource mix, and we will continue to work to deliver power to our customers in a safe, reliable, and affordable manner.”
NEI could not say why the companies are leaving, but confirmed their departure. NextEra did not respond for comment.
Pressure mounts on industry: The companies are leaving amid significant pressure on nuclear plants to close as a result of low natural gas prices. A recent Trump proposal to provide subsidies to coal and nuclear plants failed to pass muster before FERC last week.
From nuclear to renewables?: Meanwhile, other large nuclear utilities announced major investments in energy storage technology that is meant to boost renewable energy from wind and solar.
Exelon, one of the largest U.S. utility companies with the largest fleet of reactors, said last month it is investing in energy storage company Volta Energy. This follows a trend of other large utilities investing significantly in major energy storage projects.
VETERANS PRESS TRUMP TO KEEP MONUMENTS OFF ZINKE’S LIST: More than 1,000 veterans sent a letter to President Trump on Thursday expressing concern that Zinke’s proposed monument plan could harm a number of sites across the country.
“These protected monuments are a natural legacy that belongs to all Americans,” said retired Adm. Michael Mathis. “I served to protect core American values, and conservation is undoubtedly one of them.”
BILL NELSON TO BLOCK INTERIOR NOMINEES: Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., on Wednesday night said he is blocking the confirmation of three Interior Department nominees until Zinke formally removes Florida from the Trump administration’s massive offshore oil and natural gas drilling plan.
Seeking full protection: Nelson, his office said in a press release, will maintain a “hold” on the three Interior Department nominees until Zinke updates the five-year drilling plan and replaces it with a new draft proposal that preserves the current moratorium on drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico beyond 2022 and “fully protects all of Florida’s coasts from the threat of both offshore drilling and seismic testing.”
Politics at play: Scott, a Republican, is expected to run against Nelson this year for a Senate seat.
Hold up: The three Interior nominees Nelson placed a hold on are: Susan Combs, assistant secretary for policy, management, and budget; Ryan Nelson for solicitor; and Steven Gardner, director of the office of surface mining, reclamation, and enforcement.
GOOD RIDDANCE, INTERIOR TELLS NATIONAL PARK ADVISERS WHO RESIGNED: The Interior Department said Wednesday it welcomes the mass resignation of nearly all members of a key National Park Service advisory panel, saying it soon will appoint new members and hold a meeting with Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke.
Interior spokeswoman Heather Swift accused some of the panel members of choosing to ignore sexual harassment while praising a repeat offender of ethics violations in expressing the agency’s praise for the departures.
“We welcome their resignations and would expect nothing less than quitting from members who found it convenient to turn a blind eye to women being sexually harassed at National Parks and praise a man as ‘inspiring’ who had been blasted by the inspector general for ethics and management failures, all while taking credit for the extensive work of private companies during the NPS centennial celebration,” Swift said in a statement to the Washington Examiner.
DEMOCRATS STEP UP CAMPAIGN AGAINST TRUMP’S EPA IN LATEST LAWSUIT: Democratic attorneys general sued President Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday, building on their crusade against the agency for not keeping smog-forming ozone out of their states.
Multi-headed, legal hydra: The states’ top lawyers described the suit as the latest action in a “multi-pronged initiative” led by Schneiderman to force the EPA to fulfill its obligations under the “Good Neighbor” clause of the federal Clean Air Act, requiring the agency to adopt plans to reduce interstate smog pollution when actions by upwind states are not sufficient.
PRUITT TO VISIT JAPAN: EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt will visit Japan next week, according to a report Wednesday.
Politico said Pruitt plans to go to Japan to discuss “general environmental cooperation.”
An EPA representative would not confirm the reported trip, directing reporters to the agency’s website, where it generally posts details of Pruitt’s meetings after they happen.
Cloud Peak Energy, one of the largest American coal companies, recently signed a deal to send a quarter of its exports to Japan, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.
BARRASSO ENCOURAGES FEDS TO INVESTIGATE URANIUM IMPORTS: Sen. John Barrasso, chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, on Wednesday encouraged the Commerce Department to open an investigation into the national security impact of importing uranium from foreign countries.
American uranium producers Energy Fuels and Ur-Energy on Tuesday submitted a petition to the Commerce Department to investigate the national security effects of uranium imports from state-owned firms in Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
Take me home: Imports of uranium, the fuel for nuclear power, from state-subsidized companies in Russia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan provide nearly 40 percent of U.S. uranium, the Environment and Public Works Committee said.
The U.S. produces less than 5 percent of its uranium. More than half of that occurs in Wyoming, Barrasso’s home state.
TRUMP SAYS SOLAR TARIFF DECISION COMING ‘PRETTY SOON’: Trump on Wednesday said he would decide soon on whether to impose tariffs on imported solar panels.
Trump, in an interview with Reuters, suggested he’s sympathetic to the complaints of two domestic solar panel makers who claim they are being harmed by cheap imports from China and Southeast Asian countries.
Time ticking: The president must decide by Jan. 26 whether to impose tariffs on solar panel imports, which was recommended by the International Trade Commission. The trade commission voted in favor of the protectionist action in response to petitions by two bankrupt companies, Suniva and SolarWorld, that make solar panels in the U.S. but are owned primarily by foreign investors.
SOLAR CEO MAKES LAST-MINUTE PLEA AGAINST TARIFFS: The solar energy industry made an eleventh-hour plea to Trump on Wednesday not to impose restrictive new tariffs on solar panel imports, warning of a massive round of layoffs.
Are layoff risks enough to sway Trump?: “A decision to impose high tariffs in line with the International Trade Commission’s recommendation will lead to the layoff of tens of thousands of workers, cause companies to stop investing in the United States and bring an American economic engine screeching to a halt,” Hopper said.
No ‘hype’ here: “This is not hype, this is what will happen,” she said.
RUNDOWN
NBC News EPA eases path for new chemicals, raising fears of health hazards
New York Times He leaked a photo of Rick Perry hugging a coal executive. Then he lost his job
Wall Street Journal Venezuela’s oil production is collapsing
Bloomberg OPEC-Russia oil deal faces a new danger: too much winning
Houston Chronicle In bid to speed up EPA, Pruitt takes on entrenched air pollution system
Washington Post Scientists say global warming won’t reach the worst-case scenario
Los Angeles Times Companies could charge taxpayers for lead paint cleanup under proposed California ballot measure
Reuters Shady triangle: Southeast Asia’s illegal fuel market
Calendar
THURSDAY, JAN. 18
9 a.m., 11555 Rockville Pike, Commissioners’ Conference Room, Rockville, Md. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission will hold a meeting to discuss the strategic programmatic overview of the decommissioning and low-level waste and spent fuel storage and transportation business lines.
All day, starts at 9 a.m., National Press Club, 529 14th St. NW, 13th Floor, Ballroom. The U.S. Energy Association holds its 14th annual State of the Energy Industry Forum.
10 a.m., 366 Dirksen. The Seante Energy and Natural Resources Committee holds a hearing to consider the following nominations: Melissa F. Burnison to be an assistant secretary of energy for congressional and intergovernmental affairs; and Anne Marie White to be an assistant secretary of energy for environmental management.
2 p.m., 1324 Longworth. House Natural Resources Committee Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee holds oversight hearing called, “Examining the Department of the Interior’s Actions to Eliminate Onshore Energy Burdens.”
naturalresources.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=403752
5:30 p.m., 1616 P St. NW. Resources for the Future holds a book discussion on “The Fracking Debate: The Risks, Benefits and Uncertainties of the Shale Revolution.”
6 p.m., WeWork Wonder Bread Factory, 641 S St. NW. Leaders in Energy and Potential Energy holds a discussion on “Clean Energy Project Financing: Where the Rubber Meets the Road.”
FRIDAY, JAN. 19
Deadline for government spending bill.
MONDAY, JAN. 22
10 a.m., 1225 I St. St. NW. Bipartisan Policy Center holds the first conference in the Infrastructure Lab and “3I” Series — Infrastructure Ideas and Innovations. The effort is aimed at providing policymakers with fact-based evidence that can shape strategies for restoring America’s infrastructure. The first lab will focus on sustainability efforts in Detroit, which includes taking into account energy and environmental concerns.
TUESDAY, JAN. 23
9 a.m., 11555 Rockville Pike. Nuclear Regulatory Commission holds a hearing on a construction permit for a northwest medical isotopes production facility.
10 a.m., 366 Dirksen. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee holds a hearing to examine the performance of the electric power system in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic during recent winter weather events.
1 p.m., EPA holds a meeting by teleconference of the Human Studies Review Board to advise the agency on the ethical and scientific review of research involving human subjects, Jan. 23-24.
epa.gov/osa/human-studies-review-board
1 p.m., 11545 Rockville Pike. Nuclear Regulatory Commission holds a meeting of the NuScale Subcommittee of the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards to review draft proposed acceptance criteria for reviewing an exemption request from GDC 27 as part of the NuScale design certification application, Jan. 23-24.
1 p.m., EPA holds a meeting by teleconference of the Human Studies Review Board to advise the agency on the ethical and scientific review of research involving human subjects, Jan. 23-24.
epa.gov/osa/human-studies-review-board
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 24
8 a.m., 2121 P St. NW. Energy Department holds the Wind Industry Partnership Summit to share innovative technologies that may be beneficial to your firm and engage industry leaders in a dialogue about the future of public research and development laboratory R&D investments, Jan. 24-25.
THURSDAY, JAN. 25
10 a.m., 801 Mt. Vernon Place NW. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee holds a field hearing, called “The Road to Tomorrow: Energy Innovation in Automotive Technologies,” to examine the opportunities and challenges facing vehicle technologies, especially energy-relevant technologies.
TUESDAY, JAN. 30
All day, Altoona, Iowa. Iowa Renewable Fuels Summit kicks off at the Meadows Conference Center.
2 p.m., 1324 Longworth. House Natural Resources Committee’s Subcommittee on Federal Lands holds a legislative hearing on a bill to create the first tribally managed national monument — the Shash Jáa National Monument and Indian Creek National Monument, formerly part of Bears Ears National Monument.
