National Niche The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its 30 th annual Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks on April 13, 2023. This inventory presents a national-level overview of annual greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 to 2021. Net U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2021 increased 6% from 2020; however, emissions have declined 17% overall since 2005. Learn more about the report at https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/inventory-us- greenhouse-gas-emissions-and-sinks. Source: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ****************************************************** On May 25, 2023, the United States Supreme Court handed down a decision that changed the test for whether wetlands are “waters of the United States”. In Sackett v. EPA , the majority of the Court held that the Clean Water Act (CWA) extends only to those “wetlands with a continuous surface connection to bodies that are ‘waters of the United States’ in their own right”. The EPA had published a new rule change in January, which took effect on March 20, 203; however, this rule is inconsistent with the limitations in the Sackett decision and will need to be revised. Find the decision here: Sackett v. EPA ****************************************************** In June, the U.S. Department of the Interior issued a 20-year ban on new leasing on federal land within 10 miles of the Chaco Culture National Historic Park in New Mexico. Chaco Canyon is a World Heritage site on the list of the cultural agency of the UN, UNESCO. Private, tribal or state lands are not included in the suspension. ****************************************************** Matador Production Company agreed to pay $1,150,000 in civil penalties and ensure compliance with state and federal clean air regulations. A complaint alleging violations was jointly filed by the United States, on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED). Under the settlement, Matador will spend at least $2,500,000 to implement injunctive relief requirements and further funds on mitigation and environmental
projects. Additionally, $800,000 will go to offset the harm caused by the violations. For more information on this settlement visit: https://www. epa.gov/enforcement/united-states-and-new-mexico- environment-department-v-matador-production- company. Source: U.S. Department of Justice ****************************************************** Commercial operations of the Vogtle Unit 3 nuclear reactor began at the end of July. The Georgia based facility will provide low-emission power to the southeast U.S. for many years to come. This next gen nuclear technology features vast improvements in safety. The reactor requires a footprint of only 15 acres of land, versus the average solar farm usage of 24,000 acres and the average wind farm covering 60,000 acres. Source: Enverus Intelligence ****************************************************** In 2022, Congress passed the Federal Orphan Well Plugging Program in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The BLM awarded $1.1 million in contracts to Utah and California in August 2022 to plug orphaned wells. In October 2022, Texas was the first state in the nation to begin plugging orphaned oil and gas wells using an initial grant from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. The RRC has plugged more than 430 wells so far with that federal grant and anticipates plugging about 800 wells in this fiscal year using the initial grant. The Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC) is comprised of more than 30 oil and gas producing states. In May of this year, the IOGCC approved Resolution 23.053, urging the U.S. Department of the Interior to follow the statutory language passed by Congress with respect to the Federal Orphan Well Plugging Program in the Act. The IOGCC resolution further endorses action by Congress to ensure states are provided the necessary flexibility and deference to utilize grant funds in accordance with existing state programs for the purpose of plugging and restoring as many orphan wells and well sites as possible.
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G rowth T hrough E ducat i on - J uly / A ugus t / S ept ember 2023
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