Energy Update: Week of April 7th

Friends,

Okay, I can’t start today without talking about the weekend’s amazing Alex Ovechkin goal-scoring action.  On Friday at Capital One Arena, Ovi TIED the Great Wayne Gretzky with two goals, including a third period goal that was the game winner.  Then yesterday, Ovi broke the record during the 2^nd period on Long Island in a 4-1 loss to the Islanders. Incredible…That is really all that can be said.

After Ovi broke the unbreakable record, UConn’s women’s hoops team hammered defending champion South Carolina 82-59, winning its record 12^th NCAA title and first for its star Paige Bueckers.  Men’s game tonight after both Florida and Houston overcame second half deficits to make it to tonight’s Championship game. Tip at 8:50 p.m.

It is crazy times in DC with the Trump tariffs taking most of the political and policy oxygen. We provided some insights on the energy impacts last week and are happy to send that again if you need it. My colleagues Josh Zive (joshua.zive@bracewell.com) is a great resource and has been getting into the details (as much as we can). The Chamber of Commerce is also addressing tariff questions (go through Matt Letourneau: mletourneau@uschamber.com). As for the White House, the reigning World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers visit this morning and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later today.

The big-ticket item this week on Capitol Hill is USTR’s Jamison Greer discussing the President’s trade policy in Senate Finance tomorrow and House Ways & Means on Wednesday. The rest is focused on Budget. After Senate action last week, Speaker Johnson is trying to shore up support for the bill after some early opposition. The Senate Energy Committee will hold nomination hearings on Thursday on more energy-related subcabinet nominations, including Interior nominee Kathleen Sgamma (Bureau of Land Management) and Wells Griffith (DOE Infrastructure). Tomorrow, Senate Environment looks at Superfund issues. Prior to the hearing, the Committee is scheduled to vote on nominations of EPA’s Jess Kramer and Sean Donahue, as well as US Fish & Wildlife’s Brian Nesvik. 

The other big event this week is the Chamber’s critical mineral summit on Wednesday morning following last week’s SAFE Summit on the same subject. Other Wednesday events include RFF’s webinar looking at its Global Energy Outlook 2025 report and the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University SIPA holds the annual Columbia Global Energy Summit on the Columbia University campus.  Then, Thursday, ConservAmerica holds a webinar on reconciliation and America’s energy competitiveness with Niko Keddy of Rep. Andrew Garbarino’s office, Brattle’s Sam Newell and API’s Rachel Fox.

So this week, I joined my friend Lisa Camooso Miller on her podcast, The Friday Reporter.  It was a great conversation about how energy and environmental issues are communicated in today’s fast-paced media landscape; why experience, relationships and a steady hand still matter in Washington. Oh yes, we talk about sports and officiating. She has a ton of other great interviews dating back to 2021…check them out and subscribe here.

Brian Harman handled the wind and the chill Sunday with a pair of key birdies on the back nine to win the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio. Of course, that means it is MASTER’s Week in Augusta Georgia.  Practice rounds today and tomorrow, Par 3 on Wednesday, play starts on Thursday.  Also, Champions Dinner in honor of Scottie Scheffler is tomorrow night.

Don’t think I will be taking any calls on Thursday or Friday, so get me before that.

Best,

Frank Maisano

(202) 828-5864

C. (202) 997-5932                                                                                     

FRANKLY SPOKEN

“I would suggest to you that the U.S. big Arctic place — Alaska — has those resources that Greenland has, and probably a little more cooperative environment.”

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) at the SAFE Summit saying the U.S. should look first to Alaska, rather than Greenland, to boost its supply of minerals.

ON THE PODCAST

Unpacking EVs Market Issues Globally – This week on Bloomberg’s Zero podcast, Bloomberg’s global automotive editor Craig Trudell unpacks the latest twists and turns in the race for EV market dominance is constantly changing. Electric car giant BYD recently announced a battery that can be charged to go 400km in just 5 minutes, and Chinese automakers increasingly moving into emerging markets. All the while a rearrangement of global trade and tariffs is sending shockwaves through the global industry.

FUN OPINIONS

Trump Policy Disregards Climate – In an op-ed in The Hill, for DOE official and environmental author Bill Becker writes energy — where we get it, how we use it and what it costs — is fundamental to the quality and stability of modern life. It influences virtually everything we do and affects everything we hope to have in the future. Trump’s energy policy and the partisan standoff on climate policies in the United States are a profound abdication of leadership. For the sake of all Americans now and in the future, the abdication must end.

FROG BLOG

Co-Locating Data Centers, Energy Could Be Solution – In her article on C3’s blog, Lika Kobeshavidze examines the immense energy demands of artificial intelligence, particularly in training large AI models, and the pressure this places on power grids and environmental initiatives. She proposes a solution by co-locating data centers with renewable energy sources like wind, solar, and hydroelectric plants, which would cut costs, improve energy efficiency, and reduce carbon emissions. This approach also ensures more reliable energy sources, as data centers would be less dependent on unstable grids. Google, Microsoft, and Amazon are already exploring these strategies. Kobeshavidze argues that widespread adoption could enable AI to grow without overwhelming the global energy system or contributing to environmental harm.

FUN FACTS

Tariffs Hurt Clean Energy Too: BNEF experts say the world needs to speed up the energy transition, not throw up hurdles. But the tariffs are essentially throwing up entire walls that will impact all industries, particularly those that rely on supply chains going back to China and other countries. While the tariffs in theory are designed to bolster US manufacturing, “extreme volatility puts firms off putting money down for assets with a 20-year depreciation timeline, and inflating the cost of inputs makes scaling manufacturing considerably harder.

IN THE NEWS

State Says MINVEST Critical Minerals Partnership will Continue – The State Department’s initiative with SAFE launched in 2023 to drive private sector investment in mining projects abroad will continue under the Trump administration, POLITICO reported as a takeaway from the 2025 SAFE Summit last week

“MINVEST is highly aligned with the administration’s goals of leveraging international partnerships and connecting private capital to projects needed for our minerals security,” Abigail Hunter, executive director of SAFE’s Center for Critical Minerals Strategy, said in a statement.

DOE Plans to Use Federal Lands for Data Centers – The Department of Energy announced plans to utilize federal land to construct AI data centers, with 16 sites identified nationwide. This initiative aims to accelerate AI development through public-private partnerships, with centers operational by 2027. Sec. Wright called AI dominance "the next Manhattan project."  Sites include national laboratories, nuclear facilities, and former uranium enrichment plants that can fast-track permitting for power generation.

Tariffs Exempt Energy, Mostly – President Donald Trump outlined a sweeping tariff plan with 10% baseline tariffs on all imports and steep escalations for specific trading partners, including a 34% tax on imports from China and 20% on imports from the EU. The plan spares USMCA compliant energy imports, as well as already tariffed steel and aluminum imports.

"We welcome President Trump's decision to exclude oil and natural gas from new tariffs, underscoring the complexity of integrated global energy markets and the importance of America's role as a net energy exporter," American Petroleum Institute President and CEO Mike Sommers said.

DOE Reverses LNG Export Deadline Restrictions – The Energy Department has rescinded a Biden-era policy that tightened rules for liquefied natural gas developers requesting extensions beyond the standard seven-year deadline to begin exports. The agency will return to case-by-case reviews to ease regulatory burdens.  

ON THE SCHEDULE THIS WEEK

Climate Forum Launches – The Council on Foreign Relations holds a discussion this afternoon launching their Climate Realism Initiative. The Initiative will chart a new course for U.S. climate and energy policy—one that is both realistic in its assessment of the world's climate trajectory fueled by rising emissions outside U.S. borders and realist in its expectation that the United States and other countries will work to advance their own interests in the emerging energy transition. The launch event will bring together leading experts, policymakers, and industry leaders to examine how the United States can prepare for the geopolitical and security consequences of accelerating climate change, build globally competitive and innovative American clean technology industries. Former Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz delivers remarks.

House Energy Marks Up Energy Legislation – Tomorrow at 10:15 a.m., the House Energy and Commerce Committee holds a markup meeting on pending legislation.

Forum Focused on Russian Pressures – Tomorrow at 1:00 p.m., the Center for the National Interest is hosting a virtual discussion of the military and economic pressures facing Russia as the Trump administration seeks to force Kyiv and Moscow to accept a cease-fire and ultimately a peace agreement. Of course, energy will remain a part of this discussion given the impacts of Russia’s energy sector.

Rep. Stauber, Admin Officials Headline Chamber Minerals Event – The US Chamber holds a summit on critical minerals Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. at the This event will feature expert voices from government and industry to discuss the most important issues and innovations facing the critical mineral value chain. Speakers include DOE’s Lou Hrkman and Reps. Pete Stauber, Haley Stevens and Rob Wittman.

Forum Looks at Hydrogen Paper – Energy News holds a webinar on Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. on a new paper on the pathway to hydrogen achieving fossil fuel cost parity. This webinar will feature Dr. Kevin Cole, Senior Scientist at Verdagy presenting his white paper on Dynamic Alkaline Water Electrolysis.

Senate Environment Tackles Superfund, Votes on Nominees – The Senate Environment Committee holds a hearing on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. on improving future management of the Superfund program. Witnesses are attorney Robert Fox, Utah development company Steven Radel and GAO’s Alfredo Gomez. Prior to the hearing, the Committee is scheduled to vote on nominations of Jessica Kramer to serve as EPA’s Water Assistant Administrator, Sean Donahue to serve as EPA’s GC and Brian Nesvik to head US Fish & Wildlife. 

House Energy Looks at Energy, AI – The House Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a hearing on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. to discuss converting energy into intelligence including the need to produce more baseload electricity to power AI-related data centers.

ELI Forum Looks at NEPA – The Environmental Law Institute and the Tulane Center for Environmental Law are holding a webinar on Wednesday at Noon on the National Environmental Policy Act and the way forward. Panelists will hold a discussion to explore recent developments on NEPA, the White House Council on Environmental Quality’s role in those regulations, as well as what these developments mean for federal and state environmental law.

Forum Looks at RFF Global Energy Report – Resources for the Future (RFF) holds a webinar on Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. looking at the report “Global Energy Outlook 2025: Headwinds and Tailwinds in the Energy Transition,” which coincides with the release of the 2025 Global Energy Outlook—RFF’s annual report that synthesizes global energy market projections and analysis from leading energy organizations and corporations. During the webinar, RFF researchers will discuss key findings around AI-related demand growth, evolving global LNG markets, renewable energy deployment in developing countries, shifting projections for sub-Saharan Africa, and what these findings mean for global greenhouse gas emissions. The webinar will also feature an in-depth panel discussion that will dive deeper into the topics explored in the report. Panelists will discuss the future of US and global climate policy, how recent shifts in US policies will shape that future, and the interplay between energy security, economic growth, and climate change as global trade flows and alliances evolve.

Columbia Energy Summit Set – On Wednesday, the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University SIPA holds the annual Columbia Global Energy Summit on the Columbia University campus. This year’s day-long Summit will address myriad issues at the heart of today’s complex geopolitical, environmental, and economic landscape. Speakers from around the world, including current and former government officials, financial industry executives, CEOs of major companies, leaders of civil society, and experts from academia will offer valuable perspectives on critical challenges facing the global energy and climate community. Speakers include Oklo CEO Jacob DeWitte, Microsoft Chief Sustainability Officer Melanie Nakagawa, former European Commissioner for Energy, European Commission Kadri Simson and Rio Tinto head Jakob Stausholm.

EESI Looks at Surface Transportation – EESI, the American Public Health Association, and Transportation for America hold a briefing on Thursday about the public health implications of transportation policy. As Congress embarks on the surface transportation reauthorization process, policymakers have the opportunity to revisit federal policies and investments that also shape public health, prosperity, and climate outcomes. This briefing will explore the nexus of transportation, public health, and climate change. Panelists will describe potential negative health outcomes, stemming from issues like air pollution and road crashes. The briefing will also provide policy, process, and funding solutions that weave public health considerations into the surface transportation reauthorization process in a way that benefits both people and climate.

NYU Forum Looks at Admin Law – The Institute for Policy Integrity and the NYU Law Review will host a day-long symposium on Thursday examining the future of this crucial field. The event will bring together leading scholars to discuss how academics, practitioners, and the broader public should make sense of today's changing legal landscape, including the major questions doctrine, non-delegation concerns, other emerging limitations on agency authority, and more recent efforts to drastically transform the administrative state. Panels will explore what the next decade may look like for administrative law, brainstorm what the administrative law ideal would look like if written on a clean slate, draw lessons from the past, and consider how different groups may view these changes differently. The event will also feature a keynote address from Richard L. Revesz, Professor of Law and dean emeritus at the NYU School of Law and former Administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.

Senate Energy Hosts More Energy Nominees – The Senate Energy Committee will hold nomination hearings on Thursday at 10:00 a.m. on more energy-related subcabinet nominations.  The Committee will host DOE’s Darío Gil (Science/Innovation) and Interior nominee Kathleen Sgamma (Bureau of Land Management).

Academies Continue Series on Microplastics – The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) is holding the third of its series of webinars on Microplastics and Health on Thursday at Noon which will explore the harmful characteristics that researchers and stakeholders should consider in future studies regarding the harms associated with microplastics. Additionally, the session will discuss established methodologies for risk assessment while examining the complexities, uncertainties and challenges involved in evaluating risks.

ConservAmerica Looks at American Energy Competitiveness – On Thursday at 1:00 p.m., ConservAmerica holds a webinar on reconciliation and America’s energy competitiveness. Expert panelists will provide an insider view on what’s happening in Congress, describe the growth in energy demand, and provide an update on hydrogen developments. Panelists include Niko Keddy of Rep. Andrew Garbarino’s office, Brattle’s Sam Newell and API’s Rachel Fox, Director of Policy and Strategy, American Petroleum Institute

CEN Holds Grid Forum – On Thursday at 3:00 p.m. the Conservative Energy Network holds a webinar to explore grid modernization and how it efficiently improves clean energy transmission efforts. Panelists will discuss how grid modernization allows for more secure and reliable energy, the economic impact of transmission policy, and why efforts toward more modern transmission solutions benefit us. Attendees will gain insights into how grid modernization projects improve clean energy integration efforts and the economy, and how similar projects positively impact the community interests and increase the effectiveness and efficiency of transmission project deployment. CEBA’s Bryn Baker and ACP’s Carrie Zalewski are among the speakers. 

IN THE FUTURE

USEA Presser Looks at EPA Power Plant Issues – The US Energy Association will examine the precarious balance between new EPA rules and old trajectories under Trump at its next virtual press briefing on Wednesday April 16^th at 11:00 a.m.

World Bank IMF Spring Meetings Set – The 2025 Spring Meetings of the World Bank Group (WBG) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will take place from Monday April 21^st to Saturday April 26^th. Each day there will be numerous energy, environment and climate panels and forums. 

EarthX Forum Set for TX – Earthx2025 will be held on April 21^st to 25^th in Dallas.  The event is a 5-day, comprehensive environmental conference that features in-depth conversations with important business, political, and environmental leaders and presents bold solutions for the future of the planet. ERCOT CEO Pablo Vegas, Sylvia Earle, former CIA director David Petraeus , NOAA head Tim Gallaudet and Doobie Brothers/Steely Dan guitarist Jeff “Skunk” Baxter are among the speakers.

MIT CSHub Hosts Executive Roundtable on Resilience – On April 22^nd at 11:00 a.m., the MIT Concrete Sustainability Hub will convene an Executive Roundtable to address intensifying natural disasters and a crisis of insurability.  The event brings together a diverse set of stakeholders: industry leaders, policymakers, insurers, researchers, and community advocates. The roundtable will explore how stronger construction—incorporating more resilient building materials, designs, and retrofits—protects homes, lives, and communities while aiding an insurance industry in crisis.

RMI Holds Heat Pump Forum – RMI holds a forum on Tuesday April 22^nd at 2:00 p.m. on reforming energy efficiency incentive programs to increase heat pump adoption. This webinar presents findings from RMI’s report Reforming Energy Efficiency Incentive Programs to Increase Heat Pump Adoption, featuring real-world perspectives from experts in incentive programs and heat pump equipment sales and installation. A moderated panel discussion will illuminate best practices to make programs simpler, market-friendly, durable, and equitable.

RNG Summit Set for Houston – On Tuesday April 22^nd to Thursday April 24^th at The Woodlands Resort outside of Houston, TX, the RNG COALITION will hold its annual RNG SUMMIT, a series of mid-year policy forums focused on renewable gas leadership, education, advocacy, development and sustainability. Speakers from across North America - including industry stakeholders, federal, state and provincial lawmakers and regulators - will provide real-time updates on legislation and regulation impacting regulated and voluntary RNG markets in the United States, Canada and Europe.

100 CEOs Headline Semafor Economic Summit – Semafor holds its 2025 World Economy Summit, on Wednesday April 23^rd to April 25^th in Washington DC. Bringing together leaders from both the public and private sectors — including congressional leaders and global finance ministers — the three-day summit will explore the forces shaping the global economy and geopolitics. Speakers include Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, GM CEO Mary Barra, United’s Scott Kirby, White House CEA Chair Stephen Miran, KY Gov. Steve Beshear, Exelon CEO Calvin Butler, BHP CEO Mike Henry, Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT), Rep. Frank Lucas (R-OK), former Biden State Department Energy official Amos Hochstein, Chevron’s Mark Nelson,

SEJ Conference Set for Arizona – The Society of Environmental Journalists’ (SEJ) 34^th annual conference, will be held on April 23^rd to 26^th hosted at Arizona State University in Tempe.  The devastation of wildfires in Los Angeles is a stark reminder of the urgency of this moment for environmental journalism. As extreme weather and natural disasters grow in frequency and magnitude, a shift in the political climate adds another layer of complexity to covering these issues.  Of Course, Bracewell hosts its annual reception on Thursday.

Steyer Headlines Heatmap Climate Week Forum – On April 24^th in San Francisco, Heatmap holds a forum at SF Climate Week on climate tech’s next winners. Heatmap journalists Robbie Meyer and Kate Brigham will join Tom Steyer to discuss the most promising up and coming climate tech solutions.

Offshore Wind Forum Set – Oceanic hosts the International Partnering Forum for offshore wind in Virginia Beach, VA on April 28^th to May 1^st. IPF is the largest offshore renewable energy conference where industry experts from around the world come together to discuss collaboration and innovation. The event features insightful discussions and presentations that reflect the fast-changing industry and help your business succeed today and in the years ahead.

Cement Industry Hosts Global Conference – The cement industry hosts its global conference on May 4^th  through May 7^th in Birmingham, AL. The 67^th annual IEEE-IAS/PCA Cement Conference is the most prestigious gathering of cement and concrete industry professionals.  

Chamber Hosts Resilience Conference – The US Chamber holds its 2025 Building Resilience Conference on May 6^th and 7^th to see how communities can better prepare and recover from disasters and other global threats. This year’s conference will bring together leaders to shape a national approach—one that is faster, more proactive, and risk-oriented—to effectively navigate crises and overcome the urgent challenges posed by disasters.: The event will cover key elements of creating a more prepared and resilient future.

Crapo to Address Energy Infrastructure Council – The Energy Infrastructure Council will hold its 2025 Annual Meeting and Legislative Conference in Washington, DC on June 9^th and 10^th. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-ID) has confirmed that he will be our luncheon keynote at the event.