Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Reposted by Julia Kane

David Pomerantz @davidpomerantz.bsky.social · 13h

If you live in California and you want lower utility bills, and not to be forced to pay every month for those ubiquitous PG&E ads, and all the other insidious things your utility does to lobby our leaders, now’s the time to call Gov. Newsom at (916) 445-2841. Ask him to sign #AB1167.

David Pomerantz @davidpomerantz.bsky.social · 1d

It's not the only or even the main reason @governor.ca.gov
should sign it, but this bill is tailor-made for him to say "I will stand up to powerful interests to lower your monthly bills."

Seems like the kinda thing he wants to communicate!

energyandpolicy.org/california-l...

California passes bill curbing utilities use of ratepayer money for political spending

State lawmakers last week made California the seventh state to pass a bill limiting investor-owned utilities from using customer money to pay for political and lobbying costs.

energyandpolicy.org

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Reposted by Julia Kane

Peter Brannen @peterbrannen.bsky.social · 1d

Just remembered this jaw-dropping graph by @oceansclimatecu.bsky.social showing the rate of change in CO2 during the previous two deglaciations of the Pleistocene (which, as a fun aside, featured ~400 feet of sea level rise) as compared with today

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Reposted by Julia Kane

Jesse Coleman @jessebcoleman.bsky.social · 1d

The Trump Regime's National Energy Dominance Council provides "concierge, white glove service" for the oil industry, while wind sand solar projects are blocked. And even with the hand holding, the oil ind is hemorrhaging jobs www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...

White House offers ‘concierge’ service to fossil fuel firms, official says

Brittany Kelm, a senior policy adviser for the National Energy Dominance Council, detailed in a podcast how the council works to advance fossil fuel projects.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Reposted by Julia Kane

Thomas Zimmer @thomaszimmer.bsky.social · 3d

ICYMI yesterday:

I wrote about Ezra Klein, Ta-Nehisi Coates, the struggle to define the boundaries of what is acceptable in America – and why democratic citizens have an obligation to hold the line on what we consider beyond the pale.

Some thoughts from my new piece:

🧵

Where Is the Line?

On Ezra Klein, Ta-Nehisi Coates, and the struggle to define the boundaries of what is acceptable in America

steady.page

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Reposted by Julia Kane

Oil Change International @oilchange.bsky.social · 7d

Excellent new piece from @emdashsanders.bsky.social on why the Trump admin is so keen to deny the existence of fossil fuel subsidies, featuring @whitehouse.senate.gov, @doctorvive.bsky.social, and @collinrees.bsky.social.

www.exxonknews.org/p/the-fossil...

The fossil fuel subsidy denier-in-chief

Fossil fuel companies are getting propped up with billions in tax dollars, but the U.S. energy secretary claims otherwise.

www.exxonknews.org

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Reposted by Julia Kane

Emily Sanders @emdashsanders.bsky.social · 6d

The top energy official for the U.S. government — which will now provide more than $34 billion a year to the fossil fuel industry — is claiming there are no oil and gas subsidies.

DOE officials are banned from using the words "Tax breaks/tax credits/subsidies”.

www.exxonknews.org/p/the-fossil...

The fossil fuel subsidy denier-in-chief

Fossil fuel companies are getting propped up with billions in tax dollars, but the U.S. energy secretary claims otherwise.

www.exxonknews.org

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Julia Kane @juliakane.bsky.social · 24d

Check out this awesome panel happening at NYC Climate Week, featuring @fieldnotes.co's own @kellyemitchell.bsky.social!

Title: From Denial to Dominance: Big Oil's Capture of U.S. Energy Policy
Description: For more than half a century, the oil and gas industry has spread misleading information about climate change. In the Trump era, executives have unprecedented access to a U.S. Administration. Join expert researchers and advocates to unpack these patterns of obstruction and discuss the litigation and investigations shedding light on them.
Date/Time: 12-1pm EST, Weds, Sept. 24, 2025
Location: Columbia University, International Affairs Building, 420 W 118th St.
Speakers: Ben Franta (Associate Professor, Oxford Sustainability Law Programme Founder, Climate Litigation Lab); Kelly Mitchell (Executive Director, Fieldnotes); Aria Kovalovich (Former Senior Investigator, Senate Environmental and Public Works Committee); Iyla Shornstein (Political Director, Center for Climate Integrity)

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Julia Kane @juliakane.bsky.social · 28d

The Trump admin is trying to undermine the EU's methane rules—as well as the U.S. EPA's methane rules.

"Mr. Wright said he would be in Brussels on Thursday to discuss the European Union’s requirements that oil and gas companies limit leaks of methane, one of the most potent greenhouse gases."

Climate ‘Ideology’ Hurts Prosperity, Top U.S. Officials Tell Europeans

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by Julia Kane

Kevin J. CREATURE @kevinjkircher.com · Sep 4

"Over 40 months — from May 2021 to September 2024 — oil companies applied for more than 12,000 flaring and venting permits, while the Railroad Commission rejected just 53 of them, a 99.6% approval rate, according to the data."

www.propublica.org/article/texa...

Trump Says America’s Oil Industry Is Cleaner Than Other Countries’. New Data Shows Massive Emissions From Texas Wells.

The oil industry touts Texas as a success story in controlling climate-warming methane emissions. The state’s regulator, however, grants nearly every request to burn or vent gas into the atmosphere.

www.propublica.org

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Julia Kane @juliakane.bsky.social · Sep 4

ICYMI yesterday, incredible reporting by @insideclimatenews.org and @propublica.org (with data from @oilfieldwitness.bsky.social) on the Texas oil & gas industry’s *massive* emissions from flaring and venting 👇

Inside Climate News @insideclimatenews.org · Sep 3

The oil industry touts Texas as a success story in controlling climate-warming methane emissions. The state’s regulator, however, grants nearly every request to burn or vent gas into the atmosphere.

Texas Says It’s Strict on Oil Field Emissions. New Data Shows It’s Not.

The oil industry touts Texas as a success story in controlling climate-warming methane emissions. The state’s regulator, however, grants nearly every request to burn or vent gas into the atmosphere.

insideclimatenews.org

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Reposted by Julia Kane

Fieldnotes @fieldnotes.co · Sep 3

Bombshell reporting by @propublica.org & @insideclimatenews.org describes massive flaring and venting from Texas oil wells, discrediting the oil & gas industry’s claim that natural gas and LNG are “clean” energy. www.propublica.org/article/texa...

Trump Says America’s Oil Industry Is Cleaner Than Other Countries’. New Data Shows Massive Emissions From Texas Wells.

The oil industry touts Texas as a success story in controlling climate-warming methane emissions. The state’s regulator, however, grants nearly every request to burn or vent gas into the atmosphere.

www.propublica.org

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Reposted by Julia Kane

Nick Cunningham @nickcunningham.bsky.social · Sep 3

This is why claims of gas being clean are bs. Drillers get permits to pollute nearly every time they ask. Huge amount of methane and other pollutants.

And this is just at upstream drill sites (other pollution comes from many other stages of the supply chain

www.propublica.org/article/texa...

Yet a first-of-its-kind analysis of permit applications to the Railroad Commission of Texas, the state’s main oil and gas regulator, reveals a rubber-stamp system that allows drillers to emit vast amounts of natural gas into the atmosphere. Over 40 months — from May 2021 to September 2024 — oil companies applied for more than 12,000 flaring and venting permits, while the Railroad Commission rejected just 53 of them, a 99.6% approval rate, according to the data.

The permit applications showed oil companies requested to flare or vent more than 195 billion cubic feet of natural gas per year, enough to power more than 3 million homes and generate millions of dollars of tax revenue had the gas been captured. Those emissions would have a climate-warming impact roughly equivalent to 27 gas-fired power plants operating year-round, even if the flares burned every molecule of methane released from the wells.

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Reposted by Julia Kane

ProPublica @propublica.org · Sep 3

NEW: The oil industry touts Texas as a success story in controlling climate-warming methane emissions.

The state’s regulator, however, grants nearly every request to burn or vent gas into the atmosphere.

Trump Says America’s Oil Industry Is Cleaner Than Other Countries’. New Data Shows Massive Emissions From Texas Wells.

The oil industry touts Texas as a success story in controlling climate-warming methane emissions. The state’s regulator, however, grants nearly every request to burn or vent gas into the atmosphere.

www.propublica.org

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Julia Kane @juliakane.bsky.social · Sep 3

Here's a link to the hearing recording:

Emissions Guidelines Existing Sources: Oil and Natural Gas Sector Climate Review Interim Final Rule

YouTube video by Virtual Events Archive

www.youtube.com

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Julia Kane @juliakane.bsky.social · Sep 2

Today, EPA held a hearing on delaying key deadlines for its methane rule.

These orgs testified in favor of the delay:

American Petroleum Institute
American Exploration & Production Council
Chamber of Commerce
GPA Midstream
Interstate Natural Gas Association of America
Western Energy Alliance

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Reposted by Julia Kane

Fieldnotes @fieldnotes.co · Aug 29

🚨 from Argus Media: @exxonmobiloil.bsky.social ends its membership with AXPC b/c of the group's "aggressive" opposition to environmental regs.

This comes after @washingtonpost.com reported on internal docs obtained by @fieldnotes.co exposing AXPC 's efforts.

www.argusmedia.com/en/news-and-...

Exxon blames oil group exit on climate principles | Latest Market News

ExxonMobil says it has ended its membership with the US oil lobbying group American Exploration and Production Council (AXPC) because of the group's "aggressive" opposition to environmental regulations, though oil industry leaders with knowledge of AXPC's advocacy question that justification.

www.argusmedia.com

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Reposted by Julia Kane

Fieldnotes @fieldnotes.co · Aug 29

But it's also worth noting that @exxonmobiloil.bsky.social *knew* AXPC was fighting methane regulations long before the Washington Post story came out. The oil giant chose not to leave the lobbying group until after that knowledge became public and a risk to its reputation.

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Reposted by Julia Kane

Fieldnotes @fieldnotes.co · Aug 29

Back in Oct. 2024, @evanhalper.bsky.social and Josh Dawsey reported on the docs, which detailed the AXPC's strategy for a Trump presidency and how the group planned to dismantle the Biden administration's climate rules—particularly on methane. www.washingtonpost.com/business/202...

Trump has vowed to gut climate rules. Oil lobbyists have a plan ready.

As companies fall short on methane emission reductions, a top trade group has crafted a road map for dismantling key rules.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Reposted by Julia Kane

Ben Winkley @benwinkley.bsky.social · Aug 29

ExxonMobil quits US oil lobbying group AXPC, citing the latter's "aggressive" opposition to environmental regulations. But observers are unconvinced

www.argusmedia.com/en/news-and-...

www.argusmedia.com

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Reposted by Julia Kane

Julia Kane @juliakane.bsky.social · Aug 27

The oil & gas industry has a methane problem. The Trump administration is doing everything it can to help hide it.

Great piece by @hannahstoryb.bsky.social for @prospect.org:

Trump Is Blinding the Government to Methane Pollution. But Others Are Still Watching.

‘If people could see this with their bare eyes, none of this would be happening.’

prospect.org

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Julia Kane @juliakane.bsky.social · Aug 27

The oil & gas industry has a methane problem. The Trump administration is doing everything it can to help hide it.

Great piece by @hannahstoryb.bsky.social for @prospect.org:

Trump Is Blinding the Government to Methane Pollution. But Others Are Still Watching.

‘If people could see this with their bare eyes, none of this would be happening.’

prospect.org

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Reposted by Julia Kane

Hannah Story Brown @hannahstoryb.bsky.social · Aug 27

From me in @prospect.org this morning: a look at the ongoing efforts to keep methane pollution visible, as the Trump administration tries to help the industry go dark. The tools to observe methane from space, the sky, and the ground keep improving—as the gap between policy and reality widens.

Trump Is Blinding the Government to Methane Pollution. But Others Are Still Watching.

‘If people could see this with their bare eyes, none of this would be happening.’

prospect.org

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Reposted by Julia Kane

San Francisco Chronicle @sfchronicle.com · Aug 22

A fast-moving wildfire broke out Thursday on the northern edge of Calistoga, prompting emergency evacuation orders for parts of rural Napa County as crews race to contain the flames. The Pickett Fire has burned more than 1,000 acres.

Read more → www.sfchronicle.com/california-w...

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Julia Kane @juliakane.bsky.social · Aug 19

@vivekzparekh.bsky.social at @influencemap.bsky.social gets it exactly right.

Text reading: "'When it comes to actual policies where oil companies can be held accountable for their methane emissions, we see positions that differ from what they say in their topline statements,' said Vivek Parekh, a program manager tracking corporate engagement on methane policies at nonprofit thinktank InfluenceMap. 'They’ve actually been engaging and advocating quite intensively to weaken the U.S. methane regulations.'"

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Julia Kane @juliakane.bsky.social · Aug 19

Big oil corporations want the Trump EPA to keep the veneer of methane regulation while gutting provisions that require real transparency and accountability (like third party reporting on super emitter events and the methane fee).

Great reporting by @emdashsanders.bsky.social:

With methane rules on the chopping block, where does Big Oil stand?

The Trump EPA could do away with methane regulations that major oil companies and their trade associations have strategically claimed to support.

www.exxonknews.org

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