After two years of continuous behind-the-scenes work, Sen. Joe Manchin (I-W.Va), who chairs the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, joined by Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), released S. 4753, the Energy...more
The Virginia Clean Energy Act, the Botetourt County Battery Power Facility and the Impact on the Commonwealth - The Virginia Clean Energy Act (“VCEA”) mandates that Dominion Energy Virginia and Appalachian Power, the two...more
Blocking funding for gas energy projects in Africa may seem like sensible climate policy. But is it? Although the generally accepted ultimate goal is to replace fossil fuels entirely, there is a strong case for starting by...more
On the same day that Maine's highest court was pondering whether 25 percent of Maine's registered voters will successfully prevent hydropower from Canada from reaching New England, E&E published this prediction of...more
Decarbonising Natural Gas and LNG - Natural gas and liquefied natural gas (“LNG”) have long been hailed as one of the winners of the current energy transition when compared to other fossil fuels. Carbon dioxide (“CO2”)...more
If 2020 was the year of the great energy disconnect, 2021 was the year the people carrying out the energy debate appeared to be living on different planets, floating aimlessly through time and space and never intersecting...more
Welcome to our first issue of 2021! We have been publishing a weekly edition of Currents since 2017 and hope that you find it informative and helpful. Our goal for 2021 is the same -- provide access to interesting and...more
More Federal Permits Handed Down as MVP Presses FERC for Construction Restart - "The Mountain Valley Pipeline LLC told FERC that it has received a series of key federal waterbody crossing permits, bolstering its case to...more
Trump Administration Approves Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for Land Leasing, Oil Drilling - "The Trump administration continues to roll back environmental protections and opening doors for the fossil fuel industry in...more
China's New Coal Projects Make Up 90% of Global Total for First Half of 2020: Study - "Global coal-fired generation capacity saw a net decline of 2.9 gigawatts from January to June, the first drop on record for a six-month...more
Chevron’s Patience Pays Off with Bargain Deal for Noble Energy - "Like Anadarko, Noble is also a major player in the oil-rich DJ Basin of Colorado, as well as the oil-rich southwestern piece of the Eagle Ford Shale region." ...more
Two United States Senators, Republican Ted Cruz of Texas and Democrat Jean Shaheen of New Hampshire, introduced legislation last week that would place sanctions on any company attempting to finish laying the pipe needed to...more
On 12/5/19 the California Environmental Justice Alliance, Sierra Club, Defenders of Wildlife and the Public Advocates Office submitted an application for rehearing and clarification of D.19-02-007. The parties allege that the...more
On March 13, 2020, Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon signed House Bill 74 (HB 74) into law. After the Governor signed HB 74, it became House Enrolled Act 60....more
The UAE Gets Green Light to Operate the Arab World’s First Nuclear Power Plant - "The project, which national officials describe as a strategic and economic imperative for the UAE, is more than a decade in the making and...more
In a move that will have a significant impact on Pennsylvania's power producers, Governor Tom Wolf signed an executive order on October 3rd directing the state's Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) to create...more
Analysts Say U.S. Coal Merger Not Anti-Competitive- "The proposed 'extraordinary' joint venture between U.S. coal majors Peabody Energy and Arch Coal will be structurally beneficial, rather than anti-competitive for U.S....more
Supreme Court Sides with Property Owners; Companies have No Right to Get Natural Gas Without Permission - "The Supreme Court said, 'A mineral owner or lessee has an implicit right to use the overlying surface to access...more
West Virginia Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments in EQT Doddridge County Trespassing Case - "The state Supreme Court will decide if a lower court judge got it right when he ruled natural gas production company EQT trespassed...more
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Green New Deal Would Reshape the Economy in 10 Years. That Could Shock the Energy Sector. "The concern is that Ocasio-Cortez's plan to achieve climate goals in just 10 years will not only tee up...more
WV Supreme Court Mulls Marcellus Shale Mass Litigation Case from Harrison, WV - "While the case centers on Harrison County, where the surface owners live and the Marcellus Shale operations are underway, the case could have...more
U.S. to Give Eight Nations Oil Waivers Under Iran Sanctions, Official Says - "The U.S. has agreed to let eight countries - including Japan, India and South Korea - keep buying Iranian oil after it reimposes sanctions on the...more
How DC Unleashed Fossil-Fuel Exports Despite Climate Worries - "Since Donald Trump took office in 2017, exports of LNG and crude oil have surged, rivaling the likes of Saudi Arabia and Russia." Why this is important: The...more
Trump Official Tells Coal Group He's 'an Advocate for the Coal Industry' "'The good news is I'm with the federal government and I'm here to help,' Doug Matheney, a special adviser in the Energy Department's Office of...more
West Virginia Surface, Mineral Rights Owners Say Details Will be Key to Getting Co-Tenancy Bill Passed - "Surface and mineral rights owners most affected by co-tenancy legislation say they're wary of jumping on the...more