Damned if you drill, damned if you don’t

Your guide to the political forces shaping the energy transformation

Sep 07, 2023 View in browser   By Arianna Skibell Caribou graze in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. | AP Photo The Biden administration’s decision to cancel oil and gas leases in the Alaskan wilderness was just big enough to draw fire from the right — but not bold enough to win total praise from the left. On Wednesday, the White House revoked the seven remaining fossil fuel leases in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, which were originally issued by the Trump administration. President Joe Biden also announced new protections for over 10 million acres in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. Republicans have pounced on the move to accuse Biden of making the country more dependent on foreign oil. Especially irate were Alaska’s two GOP senators. Sen. Dan Sullivan said he was “livid” and called the decision “sickening,” Emma Dumain and Heather Richards write today. And Sen. Lisa Murkowski — who authored a provision in Republicans’ 2017 tax law that requires two lease auctions in the region — described the move as “illegal” and “reckless.” The reaction from Democrats and environmentalists was positive, but more muted. While some cheered, many also expressed disappointment that Biden didn’t go further by, for example, canceling the massive Willow oil project he had approved in the region earlier this year. ConocoPhillips’ $8 billion project could produce more than 600 million barrels of crude over 30 years. That would release nearly 280 million metric tons of planet-warming pollution into the atmosphere over the life span of the project — equivalent to an additional 2 million cars or two coal-burning power plants every year. Raena Garcia with the green group Friends of the Earth called the administration’s announcement a “small measure” that won’t erase Biden’s “incredibly disappointing climate record with respect to oil and gas leasing.” “If the Administration is truly committed to protecting our people and the planet, they will halt climate-destroying projects like Willow altogether,” she said in a statement.   It's Thursday — thank you for tuning in to POLITICO's Power Switch. I'm your host, Arianna Skibell. Power Switch is brought to you by the journalists behind E&E News and POLITICO Energy. Send your tips, comments, questions to askibell@eenews.net.   GROWING IN THE GOLDEN STATE: POLITICO California is growing, reinforcing our role as the indispensable insider source for reporting on politics, policy and power. From the corridors of power in Sacramento and Los Angeles to the players and innovation hubs in Silicon Valley, we're your go-to for navigating the political landscape across the state. Exclusive scoops, essential daily newsletters, unmatched policy reporting and insights — POLITICO California is your key to unlocking Golden State politics. LEARN MORE.     Listen to today’s POLITICO Energy podcast Today in POLITICO Energy’s podcast: Jordan Wolman breaks down why voters don't seem to care about GOP politicians attacking corporations for integrating climate and social goals into their business plans. Power Centers Border wall construction "caused significant damage and destruction" to Native cultural sites, damaging parts of Monument Hill in Arizona, the Government Accountability Office found. | Joe Raedle/Getty Images Trump’s border wall A federal report has found that former President Donald Trump's border wall harmed the environment and trampled on Native American cultural sites, writes Alex Guillén. The 450 miles of barrier constructed during Trump’s time in office — one of his highest-profile actions — interfered with endangered species, diverted water sources and caused other environmental damage, according to the Government Accountability Office. Carbon border tax Momentum is growing on Capitol Hill for a policy that would require the tallying of carbon emissions associated with industrial materials produced in the U.S. — the first step in building support for tariffs on carbon-intensive imports, writes Emma Dumain. A bipartisan Senate proposal is gaining traction as two lawmakers prepare to introduce companion legislation in the House. Utility group taps Trump official as CEO Dan Brouillette, the fossil fuel advocate who served as Energy secretary under Trump, is set to become the next CEO of the Edison Electric Institute, the powerful trade association representing investor-owned utilities, write Benjamin Storrow and Timothy Cama. The appointment arrives at a tense moment in the relationship between the Biden administration and the nation's utilities, many of which were caught off guard by the White House's push to regulate greenhouse gases from power plants. EEI's choice of Brouillette as its next leader could further strain relations. In Other News Festival footprint: Burning Man’s climate reckoning has begun. Impacts: Alaskan fishers fear another bleak season as crab populations dwindle in warming waters.   Enter the “room where it happens”, where global power players shape policy and politics, with Power Play. POLITICO’s brand-new podcast will host conversations with the leaders and power players shaping the biggest ideas and driving the global conversations, moderated by award-winning journalist Anne McElvoy. Sign up today to be notified of the first episodes in September – click here.     Subscriber Zone A showcase of some of our best subscriber content. Climate scientist Patrick Brown is the co-director of the climate and energy team at the Breakthrough Institute. | The Breakthrough Institute A climate scientist said he withheld key details of his research to fit “preapproved narratives” on climate risks in order to get published, an admission igniting controversy. Texas' electric grid operator issued an emergency warning Wednesday as a heat wave drove demand to record levels — the first such warning since the state's 2021 deadly winter storm. European companies that capture carbon and manufacture clean batteries are moving some operations to the U.S., lured by tax credits and other incentives enacted over the past two years. That's it for today, folks! Thanks for reading.   Follow us on Twitter Arianna Skibell @ariannaskibell   Follow us

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