Biden’s offshore drilling ban won’t stop surging production

FOSSIL FUELS: President Biden bans the sale of new federal drilling leases off much of the Pacific and Atlantic coasts and the eastern Gulf of Mexico, but experts say the order is unlikely to slow production as it leaves out the western Gulf, where production is at an all-time high. (E&E News)

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ALSO:

• An investigation reveals oil and gas companies’ “playbook” for shirking liability for environmental damage, avoiding cleaning up of their wells and offloading reclamation costs to taxpayers. (ProPublica)  
• Analysts say booming energy demand could fuel President-elect Trump’s plans to expand fossil fuel production. (E&E News)

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HYDROGEN:

• Environmental groups praise new federal rules governing clean hydrogen incentives but fear the regulations could also support hydrogen produced with natural gas. (Associated Press)
• Hydrogen industry analysts expect Trump to revise but not repeal the clean hydrogen rules to make it easier for fossil fuel-produced hydrogen to secure federal incentives. (Washington Post)
• The U.S. Energy Department begins accepting public comment on a proposed Appalachian hydrogen hub in West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania that’s faced criticism for its lack of transparency. (Mountain State Spotlight)

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POLITICS:

• House Speaker Mike Johnson highlights boosting fossil fuel drilling and liquefied natural gas exports as legislative priorities over the next two years. (New York Times)
• A House Republican leader says energy permitting reform is unlikely to be part of the party’s flagship spending bill currently in development. (E&E News)

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ELECTRIC VEHICLES:

• The inclusion of heat pumps in newer electric vehicle models is among the improvements helping to boost battery performance during cold weather, as experts say winter charging concerns have been overblown. (Inside Climate News)
• Major proposed battery plants across Michigan have been scaled back or face local opposition as automakers scale back production targets. (Crain’s Detroit, subscription)

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TRANSPORTATION: The first congestion pricing plan in the United States goes into effect in Manhattan after a judge declines New Jersey’s request to halt the program at the last minute. (New York Times)

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EFFICIENCY: Republican-led states challenge new federal energy efficiency standards for residential construction, saying they would increase homebuilder costs and exceed Congress’ authority. (Iowa Capital Dispatch)

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BIOFUELS: Advocates urge Massachusetts policymakers not to lean too heavily on biofuels in their plans to decarbonize the state’s heating systems, saying there are too many questions about the possible impacts. (Energy News Network)

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