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What an oil industry wants - Politico

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With help from Eric Wolff, Ben Lefebvre, Alex Guillén, Gavin Bade, Anthony Adragna and Daniel Lippman

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Quick Fix

— The oil industry has a list of potential ideas the White House could put forward following Monday's market crash.

— It's déjà vu for a bipartisan Senate energy package as committee lawmakers remain at odds over hydrofluorocarbons.

— The Senate could confirm the president's nominee for FERC this week.


GOOD MORNING, IT'S WEDNESDAY! I'm your host, Kelsey Tamborrino. Check out the POLITICO Energy podcast — all the energy and environmental politics and policy news you need to start your day, in just five minutes. Listen and subscribe for free at politico.com/energy-podcast.

Sergio Espinosa of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers gets the trivia win. Sergio correctly named Joseph Hernández, a delegate from the then-Florida territory, who in 1822 became the first Hispanic American to serve in Congress. For today: How many current female House lawmakers have served more than 25 years in the House? Send your tips, energy gossip and comments to ktamborrino@politico.com.

Driving the Day

THE ASKS: The oil industry is offering up a list of ideas to President Donald Trump it says will help them weather the current market onslaught, sources said. This includes buying crude oil off the market to put into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, offering low-interest loans, speeding up drilling permits on federal land and lowering the royalty rate on oil and gas produced on public lands.

The asks are coming from smaller, independent companies who make up the bulk of industry and went into the market crisis already heavy with debt and shaky finances. They've made their case to Trump with a warning that layoffs could start soon, said Dan Eberhart, president of Canary Energy. "The number of Covid-19 cases rising and the stock market dropping are what's keeping Trump up at night," Eberhart told ME. "What should be keeping him up is the avalanche of bad economic data that will begin showing up in about a month."

The companies, many of which were facing economic trouble before Monday's market crash, are presenting the situation as the U.S. oil sector being bullied by Russia and Saudi Arabia, who have said they will greatly increase the amount of oil they produce. The White House through its assistance would "Punch Russia and Saudi in the genitals and tell them to stop bullying," is how one lobbyist described the pitch. Major oil and gas companies scoffed at the idea that their smaller competitors should get any help, however, especially given that the market needs less oil, not more. "What happens when they get help?" a source at one major oil company told ME. "They'll just pump more oil."

On the Hill

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST: The Senate's failure to move ahead with a standalone energy bill this week marks at least the third time this decade that a policy fight has torpedoed a popular, consensus-driven energy bill pushed by Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Pro's Anthony Adragna reports. Former Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) sank energy efficiency legislation in 2013 over his insistence on an amendment that would have required congressional staffers enroll in Obamacare. Three years later, a push for aid to address the Flint, Mich., drinking water crisis hurt prospects for an energy package.

This time the fight is over HFCs, a potent greenhouse gas, and as Anthony also reports, the Environment and Public Works Committee cannot agree on legislative language governing HFCs — leaving little hope for the energy package, S. 2657 (116). Murkowski told reporters Majority Leader Mitch McConnell can move back to the energy bill at any time, procedurally, "if there’s a miracle deal on HFCs and no one else tries to screw with it." But, as Anthony reports this morning, the HFC snag is emblematic of how exasperated lawmakers are by infrequent opportunities in the chamber to consider legislation and the rare up-or-down roll call votes. "When you don't have many opportunities, people get frustrated and they take their frustration out," said Energy ranking member Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.). "People are thirsty and truly want a process" to consider amendments.

WHAT ONE COMMITTEE CLOSES, ANOTHER OPENS: The House Energy and Commerce Committee appears to be picking up the HFC mantle. The panel has scheduled an Environment and Climate Change Subcommittee markup for Thursday on legislation related to HFCs and the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards program. The subcommittee will mark up a bill, H.R. 5544 (116), to phase down HFCs over 15 years, as well as H.R. 6160 (116), a bill to extend the CFATS program, which aims to protect large industrial facilities from terrorist attacks, for 18 months.

By the way: The Senate Homeland Security Committee is marking up several bills this afternoon, including S. 3416 (116), to reauthorize the CFATS program that expires on April 18.

DANLY GETS HIS DAY: FERC pick James Danly is moving along. McConnell filed cloture on Tuesday on Danly's nomination, setting up a likely final vote for Danly by week's end, Anthony reports. Murkowski's committee advanced Danly's nomination earlier this month by a 12-8 vote.

BRAUN TO OFFER SENATE TRILLION TREES BILL: Indiana Sen. Mike Braun (R) said Tuesday that he will introduce the Senate version of the GOP's Trillion Trees Act in the coming weeks and is looking for co-sponsors. Braun gave no timing on the introduction other than "soon" but said he is optimistic he can garner bipartisan support for the bill.

Back in the House, Natural Resources Chairman Raúl Grijalva has said he won't bring up the Trillion Trees Act, H.R. 5859 (116), for a vote. Many Democrats say they are supportive of planting trees but are concerned the GOP is trying to divert attention from addressing carbon emissions from industry. But Braun said the trees bill is just a first step for GOP climate policy. "I think that anybody who would say we shouldn't start here does not have a good reason," Braun said at a press conference Tuesday. "This just gets the ball rolling."

Just where that ball will roll remains unclear. After the press conference, ME heard one GOP member express concern that the media will think the Trees Act is "all we want to do." But none of the lawmakers assembled would commit to any other climate actions during the press conference. "I've heard the argument that trees aren't enough but … tell me something that's more pragmatic, proactive, large-scale to take carbon out of the atmosphere but trees," said Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), the lead sponsor of the House bill. "There's not anything. So trees are not the answer to the problem but they are a big part of the equation."

TRUMP NOMINEES TO TESTIFY: Three of the president's nominees will testify before the Senate EPW Committee this morning: Douglas Benevento to be deputy administrator at EPA and David Wright and Christopher Hanson for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Benevento is EPA's associate deputy administrator, and before that served as the regional administrator in Region 8. Wright is currently serving out the remainder of a five-year term at NRC that ends on June 30, and Hanson, a long-time government official, currently works as a Democratic staffer for the Senate Appropriations Energy-Water Subcommittee.

BERNHARDT'S BACK: It's another day, another budget hearing for Interior Secretary David Bernhardt. After appearing Tuesday before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Bernhardt is slated to testify this morning before the House Appropriations Interior-Environment Subcommittee.

NEXT UP FOR LWCF: The Senate will vote on legislation, S. 3422 (116), providing permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund and addressing the nation's public lands maintenance backlog when it returns from recess next week, according to multiple senators. "It'll be coming up when we come back on Monday [March 23]," Sen. Cory Gardner told reporters. Even though more than half the chamber backs the bill, proponents expect efforts to block it. They're vowing to stick together to allow its speedy consideration and passage. "There will be a large coalition of senators that I hope will pass the bill as it's now written," Sen. Lamar Alexander said.

HOUSE DEMS TO WATER UTILITIES: KEEP IT FLOWING: E&C Chairman Frank Pallone and Transportation Chairman Peter DeFazio called on the country's water utilities to stop shutting off water service during the coronavirus outbreak. "Now is no time to compromise Americans' access to safe, clean water — particularly when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is advising Americans to be diligent about washing their hands," they said in a joint statement.

MAIL CALL: CCS COULD USE A BIT MORE FEDERAL HELP: The Carbon Capture Coalition, an umbrella organization for companies seeking to advance and spread carbon capture technology, is asking Congress to appropriate additional funds to promote the technology. In letters sent to Senate and House appropriators for the Interior and Environment and Energy and Water funding bills, the group called on Congress to pass 8 bills that would support carbon capture and asked the committees to add $14 million above last year's appropriation to improve staff's ability to permit projects.

Around the Agencies

CLOCK TICKING FOR EPA ON PEBBLE MINE: EPA has until May 28 to decide whether the proposed Pebble Mine in Alaska poses significant risks to water quality. It's the third extension the Army Corps of Engineers, which is studying the mine's environmental impacts, has granted to EPA, which said in initial comments last year that Pebble could pose "substantial and unacceptable" risks to waterways and fisheries.

EPA must decide whether to force the Army Corps to elevate the permitting decision up to Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works R.D. James, a move seen as opening the door to a potential 404(c) veto from EPA should James issue a permit. However, EPA retains its veto authority down the line even if it does not formally elevate the issue at this stage. The two agencies are holding further technical meetings this week, but David Hobbie, regulatory division chief for the Army Corps' Alaska district, told reporters on Tuesday that no one from EPA has said what it will do.

NRC OPENS UP COMMENT ON NUKE STORAGE FACILITY: The NRC is seeking public comment on a draft environmental impact statement for a Holtec application to construct and operate a spent nuclear waste storage facility in New Mexico. The draft report finds that the project's environmental impacts would not prevent granting the 40-year license. Holtec hopes to initially store 500 canisters with about 8,680 metric tons of spent nuclear fuel — which would be transported by rail — at the facility, and as much as 10,000 canisters down the line.

Beyond the Beltway

REPUBLICANS WALK OUT, SO GOVERNOR SIGNS EO: Oregon Gov. Kate Brown signed an executive order Tuesday setting greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets in line with targets the state Legislature failed to pass after Republican lawmakers walked out and denied Democrats a quorum. The EO updates existing state goals and sets a 45 percent reduction goal from 1990 levels by 2035 and an 80 percent cut from those levels by 2050. In order to reach those goals, the order directs the state's Environmental Quality Commission to develop and enforce sector-specific caps on pollution for transportation fuels, natural gas and large industrial polluters.

WIND INDUSTRY EXPECTS GALE FORCE TAILWINDS: The wind industry expects to scale up from a single, 30 megawatt offshore wind project today to as much 30,000 MW of offshore capacity by 2030. An assessment of offshore wind released today by the American Wind Energy Association, a wind energy trade group, predicted up to $57 billion in investment from the industry and the creation of 83,000 jobs by 2030.

Movers and Shakers

— Dirk Vande Beek is now acting assistant secretary of public affairs at the Department of Homeland Security. He most recently was director of public affairs at DOE and is a Halliburton, Coca-Cola and Dick Cheney alum. (H/t POLITICO Playbook)

— Jim Mazzarella is joining the Global Innovation Fund, a nonprofit impact investment fund, as senior vice president for public policy and communications. He previously was SVP for public policy and U.S. government affairs at the World Wildlife Fund and is also an NSC alum.

The Grid

— "PG&E settles with FEMA, first responders over $4 billion in bankruptcy claims," via The Wall Street Journal.

— "Democrat presses top Trump official on rollback of safety regulations despite alleged staff objections," via The Hill.

— "How coronavirus could set back the fight against climate change," via TIME.

— "Hawaii bill could become nation’s first carbon emissions tax," via Associated Press.

— Flint community leaders were livid with Joe Biden after he barely mentioned the water crisis, via BuzzFeed News.

— "Climate science skeptics grasp for power in changing GOP," via E&E News.

THAT'S ALL FOR ME!

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