POLITICO Energy

Almost 50 years ago, President Richard Nixon founded the EPA to address environmental crises plaguing the country. Now, as the world faces a climate crisis, and with the federal government slow to address the issue, 6 former EPA chiefs from both parties want the agency to reset and make addressing climate change a central mission. POLITICO’s Alex Guillen explains what these chiefs want. Anthony Ad...

Yesterday, Joe Biden announced Sen. Kamala Harris to be his pick for Vice President. Today, POLITICO’s Alex Guillen walks through the senator’s record on climate and the environment in Washington and from her time as California’s attorney general. Anthony Adragna is an energy reporter for POLITICO.Carlos Prieto is a Politico podcast producer. Jenny Ament is the senior producer of POLITICO audio. I...

In his last year in office, President Obama signed regulations on the amount of methane that new oil and gas wells release into the atmosphere. But this week, the Trump administration is set to axe this regulation, a move that could especially help small producers. Today, POLITICO’s Zack Colman and Alex Guillen, on the significance of this rule’s rollback. Anthony Adragna is an energy reporter for...

Since the late ‘60s, low demand and government oversight have kept the uranium at and near the Grand Canyon untouched. But a recent announcement from the White House put the spotlight on how the presidential election could reshape the future of the national park’s land. Anthony Adragna is an energy reporter for POLITICO.Carlos Prieto is a Politico podcast producer. Jenny Ament is the senior produc...

Seven women have made it to Joe Biden’s Veep shortlist. And while all agree that climate change is serious, their proposals vary in strategy and depth. POLITICO’s Anthony Adragna, Annie Snider, and Alex Guillen analyze the options. Anthony Adragna is an energy reporter for POLITICO.Carlos Prieto is a Politico podcast producer. Jenny Ament is the senior producer of POLITICO audio. Irene Noguchi is...

Back in March, Russia and Saudi Arabia raced for dominance in the oil market, plunging oil prices to unprecedented lows. Now, both countries are again ramping up oil production again, which could hurt  American producers. POLITICO’s Ben Lefebvre explains why the two largest producers are pumping in more crude even as the pandemic continues to slash demand. Anthony Adragna is an energy reporter for...

Last year, President Trump stunned the world when he announced U.S. troops would leave northern Syria, effectively abandoning key regional allies like the Kurds. But Trump quickly backpedaled, and admitted “some” troops would stay to protect the oil fields. Now, a little known Delaware oil company has received the green light to the region. POLITICO’s Ben Lefebvre and Lara Seligman, on how the Ame...

The president’s annual salary is $400,000. The Tennessee Valley’s Authority’s CEO’s? About 20 times that. But, what even is the TVA, and why does the person at the top of this government-owned company make so much money? And why does the President care? POLITICO’s Annie Snider and Anthony Adragna explain. Anthony Adragna is an energy reporter for POLITICO.Carlos Prieto is a Politico podcast produc...

In the years following the Great Recession, the US government created measures to ensure the big banks know just how exposed they are to financial threats. Now, as global temperatures rise and natural disasters wreak havoc around the country every year, lawmakers want to ensure the financial sector also knows how exposed it is to climate threats. Anthony Adragna is an energy reporter for POLITICO....

In the investment world, sustainable investments are measured through their environmental, social and governance impacts, known as ESG factors. But the Labor Department wants to restrict these factors, which are commonly used to prevent funding polluting companies, or labor exploitation, from retirement programs. POLITICO’s Zack Colman explains this proposal, and the blowback it is already facing....

Texas has historically been an easy way for Republicans to pick up lots of Electoral College delegates. But in 2020, it seems like the Lone Star state isn’t such a safe bet, and on Wednesday, the president visited an oil rig to tout his administration’s energy policies. POLITICO’s Ben Lefebvre, on what oil companies want Trump to do to better the industry, the state, and Trump’s own chances to win...

Earlier this year, the White House inexplicably broke the tradition of pairing bipartisan nominees to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. And on Monday, the administration announced the paired nominations of Democrat Allison Clements and Republican Mark Christie to fill the commission’s vacancies. POLITICO’s Gavin Bade, on how the move could keep the commission in Republican control until th...

Earlier this summer, protests against police brutality took over the country after the killing of George Floyd. And on June 1, federal forces cleared the park in front of the White House to allow the president to visit the historic St. John Episcopal Church, in a show of force that shook the world. Now, House Democrats want to know if Park Police, which is run by the National Park Service, used te...

Trump officials have concluded that a proposed gold and copper mine in Alaska, known as Pebble Mine, would not pose serious environmental risks. That’s a sharp reversal from the Obama administration saying that it would permanently harm salmon harvests in the area. So what’s the future for this controversial mining project? POLITICO’S Alex Guillén explains.   Anthony Adragna is a POLITICO energy r...

On Thursday, House Democrats took up votes for amendments to a package that would fund the Interior Department and the EPA through next year. But don’t expect the final package for quite some time. POLITICO’s Anthony Adragna and Annie Snider report the final bill could come during the lame duck session, and that the November elections will shape how it ultimately looks. Learn more about your ad ch...

It's one of Washington's worst kept secrets: Public lands have needed money for years. But politics and other priorities have kept Congress from taking real action – until yesterday. Host Anthony Adragna has a meta-conversation with himself to explain how the Great American Outdoors Act finally passed. Anthony Adragna is an energy reporter for POLITICO.Carlos Prieto is a Politico podcast producer....

On Tuesday, Apple announced in a bizarre video that it will become carbon neutral by 2030. Shortly after the announcement, Microsoft reminded the world of its promise to become carbon negative by the same year. Are these goals reachable, or are tech giants overreaching? POLITICO’s Zack Colman gets real. Anthony Adragna is an energy reporter for POLITICO.Carlos Prieto is a Politico podcast producer...

All throughout his campaign, Joe Biden’s message on fracking has been clear: nothing new on federal land, but no federal ban. Now, as the race for the White House heats up, this middling position could help him win a key swing state. POLITICO’s Zack Colman explains. Anthony Adragna is an energy reporter for POLITICO.Carlos Prieto is a Politico podcast producer. Jenny Ament is the senior producer o...

Natural disasters ravage inland American towns every year, and these towns often don’t get the federal recovery money they need. Now they’ve resorted to the private market for this money, with massive insurance policies to protect against droughts or floods. POLITICO’s Zack Colman on the risks of relying on insurance policies to deal with climate change. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit meg...

For years, William Perry Pendley has not been one to hide his views on privatizing federal lands and cutting environmental regulations. Yet, he’s been the acting director of the Bureau of Land Management, and is now the president’s pick to lead the agency. But the nomination of such a divisive candidate puts some Republican senators in a tough spot: should they side against Trump, or drop the envi...

Since the ‘70s, federal agencies have conducted separate environmental reviews before allowing big infrastructure projects to move forward, a step that usually delays these projects for years. But yesterday, the president announced a fundamental reform to the way these reviews happen. POLITICO’s Zack Colman explains. Kelsey Tamborrino is an energy reporter for POLITICO.Carlos Prieto is a Politico...

During the Democratic primary, former vice president Joe Biden’s climate plan was widely criticized as “middling.” But on Tuesday, Biden unveiled a new climate plan that is anything but. POLITICO’s Zack Colman details the trillion-dollar plan and Biden's new political strategy. Kelsey Tamborrino is an energy reporter for POLITICO.Carlos Prieto is a Politico podcast producer. Jenny Ament is the sen...

As Trump’s EPA wraps up its scientific review of smog pollution, administrator Andrew Wheeler says the agency will keep the Obama-era rule. POLITICO’s Alex Guillen, on what’s motivating the agency to not lower ozone standards. Kelsey Tamborrino is an energy reporter for POLITICO.Carlos Prieto is a Politico podcast producer. Jenny Ament is the senior producer of POLITICO audio. Irene Noguchi is the...

Last week, two big rulings got in the way of Keystone XL and the Dakota Access pipelines, while two large energy companies pulled the plug on the Atlantic Coast pipeline. But despite this, pipeline construction in the country has actually kept running strong over the last few years. POLITICO’s Ben Lefebvre and Eric Wolff explain what’s happening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.f...

Long gone are the days where we dreamed of flying cars and teleporting for the future. Now, European leaders’ vision include no cars and what they call smaller, happier living. POLITICO Europe’s Aitor Hernandez-Morales reports. Kelsey Tamborrino is an energy reporter for POLITICO.Carlos Prieto is a Politico podcast producer. Jenny Ament is the senior producer of POLITICO audio. Irene Noguchi is th...