Welcome to Wednesdays Overnight Energy & EnvironmentThis is your source of the latest news about energy, the environment, or anything else. Subscribe here:thehill.com/newsletter-signup.
Today’s focus was on a Senate panel that supports increased oil-and-gas drilling fees. This could be a break in talks between key Senate Democrats as well as environmental groups seeking to increase EPA action on misconduct reports.
Rachel Frazin and Zack Budryk were the Hill’s editors. Send us tips to [email protected] or [email protected] Follow us on Twitter@RachelFrazinAnd@BudrykZack.
Lets jump in.
Manchin-led panel backs increased drilling fees
The Senate Energy and Natural ResourcesCommittee, which is headed by Sen. Joe Manchin
Joe ManchinSinema backs the drilling fee hike Manchin-led panel proposes a hike in federal drilling fees(D-W.Va.) proposes an increase in fees for oil and gas drilling on federally-owned lands and waters.
House Democrats have passed the fee increase as one of many environmental provisions in the massive climate and social spending legislation currently being considered by Senate.
Manchin and the upper chamber’s Energy and Natural Resources committee are likely to retain the drilling fee hike.
There are differences between the House’s proposal and the Senate’s.
The Senate panel proposes an increase in royalties for offshore oil and gas production to over 16.5 percent, from the current rate (12.5%). This rate is lower than the House version of 18.75 percent.
What made it possible?The Senate proposal retains a House proposal to end drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. This refuge is home to animals such as grizzly bears, polar bears, and land that is sacred for the Gwichin.
The 2017 Republican reconciliation bill approved drilling in this area. Democrats have reacted with anger.
NEGOTIATIONS CAN BE IN TROUBLE
Democratic negotiations with centrist Sen. Joe Manchin(D-W.Va. President Biden
Joe BidenSinema backs the drilling fee hike in Overnight Energy & Environment Senate panel MOREThe sweeping social spending bill and the sweeping climate are in danger of melting down. Manchin appears to be pulling out of an earlier agreement with the White House to extend for one year the child tax credit.
Manchin is currently promoting the idea of extending child tax credit for multiple year so that the cost to Congress of a proposal that is likely be extended in the future is fully reflected by the Build Back Better bill. Officially, it is expected to cost approximately $2 trillion over the next 10 years.
What’s the problem? One Democratic source said that Manchin is trying back out of a deal made with the White House. Manchin previously agreed to a one year extension of the child credit. They just shook their heads.
According to the Tax Foundation, the cost of extending the expanded child credit for a full 10 years would be $1.6 trillion over a 10-year budget window. This would almost equal the cost of Build Back better as it was drafted by Congress.
This would force Democrats to either increase taxes to offset the cost, or eliminate popular proposals like long-term home healthcare or expanded child care subsidies to keep the total cost close to $1.5 trillion.
Learn more about the negotiations atHere is The Hill’s Alexander Bolton More information about the text of the committee is available here.
Groups support EPA over chemical reviews
On Tuesday, six environmental groups called on the Environmental Protection Agency for more aggressive action in response a report that an agency office manipulated chemical safety assessments.
The allegations were firstreportedThe Intercept published a July story about four whistleblowers from the EPA’s Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics. Scientists claimed managers rubber-stamped industry’s submissions to new chemicals, called “pre-manufacture notices” (PMNs), despite warnings from OPPT about the high toxicity of many of these submissions.
Since then, the EPAAnnouncementThe office established two internal advisory boards and a new senior-level advisory role, but the organizations warned that this would not address the issue properly.
The letter signed by the signers urged EPA to take further steps, including public condemnation and the release of scientific disputes to the public without fear.
What are they looking for?The letter signed by the signers urged EPA to take further steps, including public condemnation and the release of scientific disputes to the public without reprisals.
We ask that EPA staff be made aware that these alleged actions will not be tolerated and that scientific misconduct in PMN programs will not be rewarded. They also wrote that the primary goal of PMN reviews would be public health and environment protection and not quick approval of chemicals to please industry submitters.
The Environmental Defense Fund, Center for Environmental Health, and the Natural Resources Defense Council are the signator of the letter.
Learn more about the letter.
SCHUMER, LATINO LEADERS OUT GREEN PROVISIONS
Senate Majority Leader CharlesSchumer(D-N.Y.), teamed up Wednesday with a wide array of Hispanic leaders to promote the Democratic spending bill’s environmental credentials.
The “Climate Day of Action” initiative was part of an effort that capitalized on the popularity of environmental actions among many Hispanic community members in support of Build Back Better (BBB), Act.
On Wednesday, Schumer will be joined by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, (CHC), as well as the top Hispanic advocacy groups, including GreenLatinos and the Hispanic Federation as well as UnidosUS, Mi Familia Vota and Corazon Latino as PoderLatinx, Farmworker Justice, and Mi Familia Vota.
Schumer stated in a statement that protecting the health of the planet also means investing in the wellbeing and well-being of the Latino community.”
He said, “Senate Democrats work hard to deliver legislation which will safeguard our environment while offering jobs and economic opportunities to Latinos in this country and communities of color in the country, including our fellow Americans from Puerto Rico.”
The goal is to increase pressure for BBB Schumer to pass his top task as the year winds up by energizing a Hispanic population that is motivated by environmental issues.
Learn more about the strategy.
WHAT WE ARE READING
ICYMI
Finally, here’s something completely off-beat. Crab doesn’t pay
This is it for today. Thanks for reading. Check out The HillsEnergy & Environment pageFor the most recent news and coverage. We hope to see you again tomorrow.