Thursdays Overnight Energy & Environment – Welcoming You,The latest news and information on energy, environment, and everything in between. Subscribe here thehill.com/newsletter-signup.
Today we are focusing on the climate pushin’ a closely monitored Democratic primary, new climate considerations to natural gas pipeline reviews, and “forever chemical” lawsuits from firefighters.
Rachel Frazin was the editor of The Hill. Zack Budryk was the vice-president. Send us tips: [email protected]And [email protected]. Follow us on Twitter: @RachelFrazinAnd @BudrykZack.
Lets jump in.
Progressives target Cuellar over fossil fuel ties
Progressives and environmental organizations hope to make Jessica Cisneross’ primary rematch with Rep. Henry Cuellar(Texas) a referendum about the nine-term House Democrats fossil fuel industry ties and their lackluster support for the party’s broader Climate Agenda.
Cisneros is an immigration lawyer and a former intern at Cuellar’s office. He lost to her by less than 3,000 votes in 2020. However, green groups are optimistic about her chances in the March 1 contest for Texas’s 28th District. They cite dynamics that weren’t present in the previous race.
Progressives have always been critical about Cuellar’s ties with the oil industry. They call him Big Oils favorite Democrat. But they are also focusing on last year’s winter storms that hit Texas. President Biden
Joe BidenTrump-nominated FAA administrator to step down at March’s end Senate slips within 48 Hours of government shutdown deadline Trump endorses Texas congressional racesDemocrat House to be pursued over stalled climate agenda
We are one year into a Democratic trifecta. One of the greatest threats to the success and longevity of the Biden presidency is people with a D next their names who are not actually ready to advance the Democratic agenda. Rep. Cuellar is one such person, stated Leah Greenberg (executive director of Indivisible).
What are they really saying? Opponents are quick and proud to highlight Cuellar’s energy ties. According to OpenSecrets data, Cuellar has received $151,500 in contributions from oil and gas companies during this election cycle. Cisneros supports a Green New Deal and believes that the way we address climate change must be as aggressive as possible.
Ellen Sciales, spokesperson for Sunrise Movement, stated that environmentalists are also unhappy with Cuellars record regarding the Biden administration’s climate agenda.
Cuellar was one nine centrist House Democrats that pushed Speaker Nancy Pelosi
Nancy PelosiTrump offers endorsements in Texas congressional elections On The Money Retail sales rose in the face of omicron Hezbollah leader’s boasts of drones and precision guided missile technology(D.Calif.) to present the bipartisan, previously passed infrastructure bill before the larger reconciliation act. The Senate has stopped considering the ambitious Build Back better package. Some progressives blamed the decision not to separate the bills for this impasse.
But…Cisneros is a progressive different from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Alexandria Ocasio CortezThe Hill’s Morning Report Russia-Ukraine Waiting Game Ocasio Cortezlaments the’sh-show’ of Congress Sanders endorses Jessica Cisneros instead of a sitting Democratic lawmaker MORE(D.N.Y.) who were able to challenge moderate incumbents in a single respect: They were elected to a solidly Democratic District, while Texass 28ThPurple is more.
So, what’s Cuellars do? Cuellar has rebuked many policies associated to the Squad of progressive representative even before Cisneross challenge. In 2019, Cuellar claimed that the Green New Deal would result in thousands of job losses in Texass Webb County.
A Cuellar staffer pointed out the 40,000 jobs in the 28th district that are oil-and-gas-related, as well the billions of income taxes that the industry contributes towards the district’s infrastructure and economy.
Staffer called the notion that the congressman is dependent on the oil lobby absurd and pointed out his 97 percent voting record, which was in line with the Biden administration.
He said that he doesn’t know anyone who’s in Big Oil’s pockets who would have such a voting record.
What about Cisneros? Cisneros, on the other hand, believes that progressive environmental policies can be a starting point even in moderate districts.
I cannot go to someone’s house and ask them what their thoughts are about the Green New Deal. Because they don’t have any idea of what it means, she said in 2020. We are trying to understand what it means. It is more about infrastructure and investment in solar and wind. And what kind of jobs this could create. People are motivated by jobs.
Learn more about the contest.
Feds To weigh pipelines climate contribution
A federal agency will now weigh the project’s contribution to climate change in making a decision on whether to approve or deny natural gas pipelines.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), which voted on Thursday to determine whether a project was in the public interest, examined greenhouse gas (GHG), emissions from construction and operations of the project as well as emissions from when the gas is eventually burned to make electricity.
Environmental advocates have long condemned the agency’s failure to consider these impacts when reviewing pipelines.
According to a 2020 investigationBy House Democrats: The agency has approved more than 99 per cent of the pipeline projects it has reviewed over the past two decades.
The proposal was supported by three Democratic commissioners at FERC, but it was opposed by two Republican members.
Chairman Richard Glick (D), said that even if a project has significant climate change impacts it could still be deemed beneficial by the commission.
He also argued that this decision will increase legal certainty as courts can block FERC approved projects based upon environmental concerns.
Glick stated that if we continued to allow commissions to turn a blind eye on climate change and greenhouse gas emission, we would only be adding to the legal uncertainty of each order by commission approving a project.
James Danly, Republican Commissioner of the Union, disagreed.
He stated that the contents are very amorphous. It is very difficult to achieve the objectives set forth in the Natural Gas Act, which are to encourage the development of natural gas infrastructure.
Although the guidance was issued temporarily, it will be effective immediately. The agency is currently accepting public comments and may make further changes based on those feedback.
The agency also announced that it would update its guidelines for reviewing environmental issues in general. This includes taking into account the impacts on communities that are most disproportionately affected by pollution.
Learn more about the agency’s moves here.
FIREFIGHTERS ARE FIXING PFAS (IN COURT).
Many firefighters are suing to protect their health from the harmful effects of long-term exposure to chemicals in equipment and materials used on the job.
Recent research has shown that more than a dozen firefighters in Massachusetts have attributed their cancer development to chemicals.
In December, 15 former and current firefighters from the state claimed that they had elevated levels of the chemicals per- and polyfluoroalkyl compounds, or PFAS in their blood. The plaintiffs claim that they were exposed through their use of turnout and firefighting foam. All 15 plaintiffs are currently suffering from some form of cancer.
The lawsuit names 25 defendants. They claim they manufactured, distributed, or sold the products while being aware of the health risks. Major firms like Carrier, DuPont, and 3M are among the plaintiffs.
The Firefighter Plaintiffs wore turnouts, were exposed to Class A foam in the normal and usual course of firefighting duties, and were frequently exposed to PFAS at work. They did not know, and could not have known with reasonable diligence that these products contained PFAS. The filing states that they did not know that PFAS was in the blood and bodies of their children. Defendants maintained that their turnouts, and Class B foams, were safe at all times.
Elizabeth Pritzker of Pritzker Levine, the law firm handling the case, told The Hill that they are in touch with lawyers in multidistrict litigationSimilar allegations were made in South Carolina and the suit will likely be combined into that suit. She added that the ultimate goal was to clean up the industry.
Find out more about this suit here.
COMING SOON FROM HILL
Register now NotedDC: The HillsInsider TakePolicy and politics at the heartbeat
WHAT WERE YOU READING?
- The union president tells the US Senate that Warrior Met Coal strikers keep the company profitable.AL.com)
- Study concludes that oil companies’ climate claims are greenwashingThe Guardian)
- Is EPA going to be appointed an environmental justice boss? (E&E News)
- The world spends 6,000 more on environmentally harmful subsidies than it does on carbon offsets (Quartz)
Finally, here’s something completely offbeat and unorthodox:Who let the dog outside?
This is it for today. Thanks for reading. Check out The HillsEnergy & Environment pageStay up-to-date with the latest news and coverage We’ll see you Friday.