Energy Update: Week of September 9

Friends,

Football is here…I know many of you enjoyed games yesterday, especially if you were an Eagles, Cowboys or Ravens fan.  Wow, Lamar Jackson was good.  I was actually at James Madison for a field hockey game with Georgetown and by time I got home, I was watching the US open Men’s final.  After Nadal’s first two sets and going up a break in the third, I turned to other things. Almost three hours later, I noticed Stacey was still watching the match.  The 4:49 marathon (just short of 2019 Wimbledon’s epic 4:57 Federer-Djokovic final) was also a classic, giving tennis fans two special Major finals this year.  In the end, Nadal fought off 22-year Russian Daniil Medvedev (playing in his first Major final) for his 19^th Major title, but not before Medvedev won over the tough NY crowd.  And on the Women’s side, unknown Major first timer, Canadian Bianca Andreescu dominated Serena Williams in straight sets to deny her a record 24^th Major title.

Well back to the action this week as Congress returns, but before we get there, how about that ethanol Friday…  Man, there was a lot going on in the political battle over the RFS.  Rumors of the details of policy payoff for “angry” farmers emerged on late Thursday, but the Ag/Ethanol advocates continued their belly-aching.  Meanwhile, unions, which that are a priority for the President in PA, OH, MI and other Midwest states – as well as across the country – continue to be annoyed by the farm giveaways at their union jobs’ expense.  The United Steelworkers are the latest to jump in today.  And finally, America’s most read newspaper – The Wall Street Journal – weighed in again against the giveaway saying “a good political lobby is supposed to stay bought.”

It will be busy this week but most action looks to Thursday’s Democratic Debates in Houston.  One wonders if a broader discussion of energy and less progressive policies will emerge given the state.  Secondly, on the Hill this week, look for Democrats to move political policy legislation on offshore/onshore drilling issues before they move a number of budget bills in earnest.

On the hearing front, there are several climate hearings, headlined by ClearPath’s Rich Powell who testifies at the House Financial Services’ first foray into climate on Wednesday at 2:00 p.m.  The House Climate Committee jumps into it tomorrow with a discussion of jobs and climate featuring union officials tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. while the House Small Business Committee also talks up the green economy tomorrow morning.  Also Wednesday, House Science looks at ARPA-E and while Senate Energy marks up a bunch of bills including latest iteration of the bipartisan Portman-Shaheen efficiency package.  Tomorrow afternoon House Oversight looks again at PFAS and Thursday House Approps will mark up the Energy spending bill. 

In other events, the American Gas Association will holds a media availability Wednesday morning to release the major findings of a report is expected to reveal that domestic estimates of undiscovered natural gas resources continue to grow.  Growth Energy’s Biofuels Summit is already underway in DC and POLITICO hosts a clean energy forum tomorrow morning, while at Noon ClearPath, Battelle and the House National Laboratory Caucus hold a lunch briefing on Energy Storage technologies.  On Wednesday, the National Coal Council hosts its 2019 Fall Annual Meeting with FERC Chair Chatterjee speaking, while in Boston, MIT’s Energy Initiative looks at whether electricity markets can survive deep decarbonization.  USEA and WCEE host BP’s Mary Street on Thursday and finally Friday, our friend Christi Tezak speaks to energy economists.

Finally, in case you haven’t heard the new Tool album, it is quite a treat.  It is their first since 2006 and are also starting a fall tour which I fully expect will be most excellent.  Here is the full line up but final show is here in DC at Capital One Arena.

Call with questions,

Best,

Frank Maisano

(202) 828-5845

C. (202) 997-5932

 

FRANKLY SPOKEN

“I don't think a good starting point for Democrats is eliminating union jobs.”

Cecil Roberts, president of the United Mine Workers of America, in a speech to the National Press Club that said the Green New Deal and other climate plans threaten union members' jobs and their families' standard of living.

ON THE PODCAST

Climate Voters Discussed in Podcast – In this recent episode of Political Climate our friends Julia Pyper Shane Skelton and Brandon Hurlbut take a hard look at how many Americans care about climate issues, and how many of those people actually vote — or don’t.  To figure this out the podcast team sat down with Nathaniel Stinnett, founder of the Environmental Voter Project, a non-partisan non-profit that identifies environmentalists across the United States and makes sure that they vote in every election.  They also discussed a new Democratic proposal to achieve 100 percent carbon neutrality by 2050. The idea was recently put forward by a group of more moderate, established Democrats rather than progressives. Is this a sign of policy alignment on the left? Or will this so-called Green New Deal alternative be a source of conflict within the party?

FUN OPINIONS

WSJ Editorial: A Good Political Lobby Is supposed to Stay Bought – A new editorial in the Wall Street Journal has weighed in again on the ethanol issue saying “the President is pondering more sops to the ethanol lobby to placate farmers who are angry about his tariffs. Better to fix trade mistakes than to double the harm by genuflecting to Lord Corn.  Yet the politics aren’t as straightforward as the President might think. Ethanol mandates increase the price of feed, so his overtures won’t be welcome news for hog or poultry farmers. As a political reality he needs the refinery workers in Ohio and Pennsylvania at least as much as he needs the high opinion of Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley.  At minimum he shouldn’t be fooled by another round of rent-seeking from one of the country’s most shameless farm interests.”

FROG BLOG

Axios Harder Exclusive: Fundraising by Environmental Groups Up Under Trump – Nearly all major environmental groups saw their donations increase, some significantly so, with President Trump in the White House, according to an Axios blog/column analysis of tax filings.  While this is classic Washington, it is interesting.  Environmental groups are on the rise because this Administration has been clear about right-sizing what they say was the previous Administration’s over regulation.  Harder reports between 2015 and 2017, donations to 10 of America’s most influential environmental groups increased between 20% and 149%.

• That’s the last full year before Trump’s election and the first full year since his victory. (2017 is the most recent year with widely available forms.)
• This chart, adjusted for inflation, shows 10 of the total 18 they analyzed. All but two saw growth.

Amy writes it is hard to confirm a direct line of causation between the increased donations and Trump’s election. Several factors could be going into this, including an improving economy.   I can confirm the link though because EVERYTIME there is a policy announcement, I get three or four solicitations from enviro groups asking for money.  The data shows a notable increase after Trump’s election when comparing it to earlier years going back to 2013, but I suspect if you took the data out to 2001 to 2006 you might find similar levels.

IN THE NEWS

News Report: Ethanol Deal is Close to Set – So, late Thursday, Bloomberg and others reported that the Trump administration officials have developed plans to give a 5% boost to U.S. renewable fuel-blending quotas in 2020, according to document obtained by Bloomberg and people familiar with the deliberations who asked not to be named before an announcement.

Reported Details:

Administration seeking to boost 2020 renewable fuel quotas by 1B gallons over proposed 20.04b gallon target outlined earlier this year

• Conventional renewable fuel target for 2020 would see 500M gallon increase under plan
• Advanced biofuel requirement would get 500M gallon boost
• Agriculture Department also is advocating EPA increase 2021 biomass-based diesel requirement by 250M gallons.

There are many arguments why this is bad policy, but it is not going to go over well with the unions and refiners who will be furious with the President’s backtrack. Perhaps you might ask Roy Houseman at USW:

Here are what the Unions think:

• United Steelworkers
• North American Building Trades
• Boilermakers

AFPM statement:

Pursuing this plan jeopardizes the refining industry’s support of the president and would undoubtedly raise fuel prices for consumers, neither of which would be good for the president going into next year’s election. Ironically, this deal won’t actually help farmers, but instead incentivizes foreign biofuels producers whose imports will be necessary to meet these unrealistic mandates. This flies in the face of the president’s America First Energy Plan.

Group Files Complaint Against USDA Official on Ethanol Lobbying – The A public interest group (the GAO group) filed a letter to the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) urging an investigation regarding USDA Deputy Secretary Stephen Censky.  The letter calls for OGE to open a review of Censky’s alleged failure to comply with government ethics requirements in his role as USDA Deputy Secretary.  Essentially, the letter alleges and cites some emails accordingly that Censky was a lobbyist for agribusiness interests that supported an expanded renewable fuel standard (RFS) for almost two decades.  The GAO group says that constitutes a conflict of interest and that he should have been recused from any RFS activities.  The letter also shows that Censky has been an essential component of USDA’s lobbying campaign to expand the RFS and to undermine any protection for small refineries. The letter also reveals that the GAO group has sued USDA over its failure to come clean with documents on Cenksy’s role citing FOIA’d emails. 

Penn State Study Undercuts Anti-Fracking Claims – A new study from Penn State University says the overwhelming majority of methane found in groundwater samples near natural gas and oil drilling sites in Pennsylvania is naturally occurring, and not related to fracking, according to a . The research, which was funded by the National Science Foundation and U.S. Geological Survey, found 99.92 percent of the 20,751 water samples collected near well sites across Pennsylvania showed no signs of methane contamination in groundwater from oil or natural gas wells. The scale of Penn State’s new study, with more than 20,000 water samples collected across the country’s No. 2 natural gas producer, demonstrates the safety of hydraulic fracturing and other completion techniques used to develop oil and natural gas wells, unconventional or otherwise. Science and sound research yet again disarm activists’ scare tactics, and eliminate common myths and misconceptions used to confuse the public.

Scale of Research Shows Findings Applicable to Other Shale Plays – The research team, led by hydrogeologist and geochemist Tao Wen, took samples from the southwest, northeast, and northwest regions of the state – areas with extensive drilling history, as well as current oil and natural gas development in the Marcellus and Utica shales. The fact that water samples taken from areas near 12 different drilling sites demonstrated such a rarity of possible human-induced methane migration was unsurprising to the researchers, as Wen notes: “We expected to see few sites, less than 1%, showing evidence of new (anomalous) methane. We found 17 out of 20,751 samples, or about 0.08 %, that showed possible signs of methane contamination when those samples were collected.”

Research Dispels Common Anti-Fracking Activist Talking Point – As Wen’s research (and a number of other studies) shows, naturally occurring methane migration in groundwater wells in shale plays across the country is not a new phenomenon as activists argue. Anecdotes and demonstrations of methane in groundwater wells have been used as one of the most prevalent, deceptive talking points by anti-fossil fuel groups for years. This deception was most prominently featured in the long-ago debunked film Gasland, in a scene in which a man appears to be setting his water aflame as it pours from his faucet. As research showed, this was possible because the man had his water well set through a well-known carbon-bearing formation, allowing naturally occurring biogenic methane to pass through his water supply. In the years since Gasland, others have attempted to take advantage of these visually powerful occurrences and scare the public into believing wild claims about the dangers of fracking. Yet once the facts are in – as in the case of a similar incident in Portage County, Oh – the truth lifts the curtain to find naturally occurring methane to be the culprit.

Cleaning Group Releases Sustainability Report – The American Cleaning Institute (ACI) launched its 2019 Sustainability Report, which details its new strategy calling on the cleaning products industry to take bolder, collective action to achieve a cleaner world. ACI’s sustainability strategy aims to unite industry efforts for greater impact across four critical goals:

• Increase Transparency
• Reduce Emissions 
• Value Nature  
• Contribute Positively

 ACI’s 2019 Sustainability Report details these new goals and how its more than 140 member companies have already started taking action.

Reducing Emissions to Confront Climate Change – ACI also says effective climate action is needed on many fronts, including supporting customers to be environmentally conscious, creating innovative, low-impact products and driving down manufacturing greenhouse gas emissions.  Across cleaning product formulators, operational emissions have fallen 37% in the last decade, while renewable energy use has risen 19%, according to data collected by ACI. In 2018, 54% of ACI members published their previous year’s GHG emissions through some form of public report or reporting system. Forty-four percent have set targets to reduce GHG emissions, improve energy efficiency or increase the use of renewable energy, while 18 companies have taken further steps to align commitments within science-based limits or are seeking to power their operations from 100% renewable sources. 

House Climate Committee Looking for Policy Recommendations – The House Climate Committee has formally requested parties submit information regarding ways to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.  The request asks for ways to decarbonize transportation, electric power, industry and buildings by mid-century. Public comment is welcome from everyone.  It also asks for recommendations on carbon pricing, an "innovation agenda for climate solutions," curbing agricultural emissions, updating laws covering public lands and oceans, carbon removal and adaptation. The panel also wants input on additional policies to curb other greenhouse gases beyond carbon dioxide and ways of promoting international action. The climate panel will issue legislative recommendations in March 2020 and plans to issue a final report by the end of that year.

 

ON THE SCHEDULE THIS WEEK

Growth Energy Biofuels Summit Set for DC – Growth Energy hosts its 2019 Biofuels Summit today through Thursday at the Washington Court Hotel.  Can’t wait to hear what they say here…

Methanol Forum Set in Houston – The Argus Methanol Forum is underway in Houston today through Wednesday.  Industry leaders will provide a global perspective of the methanol market, as well as discuss the impact of crude oil on the economy and the seasonality of feedstock supply and dive into China and greater Asia’s role as a driving force in global methanol demand.

POLITICO Forum Looks at Clean Energy Priorities – POLITICO hosts a deep-dive conversation tomorrow at 8:00 a.m. at the Marriott Courtyard on what’s ahead for clean energy in Congress and the shifting priorities that are changing how Democrats and Republicans work on this issue. Speakers include former Senate Energy and NEI official Alex Flint and Rep. Tom Reed (R-NY) and several others.

House Small Biz Looks at Green Economy – The House Small Business Committee’s Rural Development/Ag panel will hold a hearing tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. on small business' role in the clean energy and green economy. This hearing will bring together some small business innovators in the clean energy and green economy to discuss the importance of their businesses, the challenges they face, and what Congress can do to support small business innovation. Witnesses include Clean Energy Business Network President Dr. Lynn Abramson, Thomas R. Brooks of Western Dubuque Biodiesel and Michael Williams of the BlueGreen Alliance.

DOE Official Headlines Innovation Briefing – The Congressional Labs Caucus holds a briefing tomorrow at noon to discuss the current state of play at our national labs, exciting grid-scale technologies that are being developed, and the energy storage needs of the utility sector.  DOE’s Bruce Walker is the keynote while our friend ClearPath’s Jeremy Harrell moderate a panel of experts to discuss exciting new technologies and the role of DOE and National Labs in making the U.S. a world leader in energy storage.

House Climate Hearing Set to Look at Jobs – The House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis will hold a hearing tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. on manufacturing jobs for America's workers.  There will be testimony from officials from the BlueGreen Alliance’s Zoe Lipman, UAW’s Josh Nassar, Dow’s Ed Stones and former DOE Science chief of staff Tarak Shah.

House Oversight Looking at PFAS – The House Oversight Committee holds a hearing tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. on PFAS issues. 

EnviroRun Hosts Can’s Breen – The EnviroRun hosts Scott Breen tomorrow at 6:00 p.m.  Breen is the Vice President of Sustainability at the Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI), which represents U.S. can manufacturers and suppliers. His responsibilities include promoting the can as a sustainable/circular package, leading the industry’s efforts to increase the recycling rate of the beverage can, and making sure waste management policies do not disadvantage the can.

FERC to Discuss Alaska LNG Project – FERC will be holding two public meetings on soliciting comments on Draft Environmental Impact Statements for Alaska LNG Project tomorrow and Wednesday at 5:00 p.m.  Locations include Nuiqsut Kisik Community Center and Houston Fire Station 9-1, both In Alaska. 

AGA: New Report on Growing Supply of US NatGas Resources – The American Gas Association (AGA) and the Potential Gas Committee (PGC) will hold a media availability on Wednesday at 9:00 a.m.AM EDT, to release the major findings of the PGC’s year-end 2018 biennial report: Potential Supply of Natural Gas in the United States. The report is expected to reveal that domestic estimates of undiscovered natural gas resources continue to grow, due largely to the existence of technologies that continue to unlock energy resources from shale and other producing formations.  Speakers include AGA’s Karen Harbert, Potential Gas Committee Executive Director Dr. Alexei V. Milkov and AGA Energy Analysis expert Richard Meyer.

Senate EPW Hosts Nominees – The Senate Environment Committee holds a hearing Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. on the nominations of Aurelia Skipwith to be Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Katherine Lemos to be Member and Chairperson of the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board.

Senate Energy Panel Marks up Legislation – The Senate Energy Committee Subcommittee on Energy will hold a legislative hearing on Wednesday. Headlining the Energy Subcommittee gathering will be the latest iteration of the bipartisan Portman-Shaheen efficiency package, as well as Sen. Heinrich’s Clean Energy Jobs Act and Sen. Coon’s Nuclear Energy Renewal Act.

House Energy Looks at Chem Facilities – The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change holds a hearing on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. looking at protecting and securing chemical facilities from terrorist attacks. 

House Science to Look at ARPA-E Legislation – House Committee on Science Subcommittee on Energy will hold a hearing on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. on ARPA-E reauthorization, as well as H.R. 4230 – the Clean Industrial Technology Act

House Banking Looks at Climate Impacts on Economy – The House Financial Services' national security subcommittee will hold a hearing Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. on the macroeconomic impacts of a changing climate. 

Forum to Look at Nuclear Innovation Opportunities – The Nuclear Innovation Alliance holds a briefing on Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. on the opportunities to look for innovation in nuclear development.  The panel for this briefing includes experts from NASA, Clean Air Task Force, and Kairos Power. Remarks will include findings from the Nuclear Innovation Alliance report “In Search of a SpaceX for Nuclear Energy,” which suggests strategies for efficiently supporting demonstration projects.

Coal Council to Hold Fall Meeting in DC – The National Coal Council will host its 2019 Fall Annual Meeting at the Marriott Wardman Park Washington, D.C. on Wednesday afternoon and Thursday.  FERC Chair Neil Chatterjee and NETL’s Bryan Anderson is a keynoter. 

Forum to Look at CCS Liability – On Thursday at noon, the Global CCS Institute holds a webinar on a commercial approach to CCS Liability.  Liability has long been raised as a significant barrier to the wide scale deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS). This Webinar will draw on the key analysis and findings of our latest Thought Leadership Report that seeks to challenge these views and make the case for a more commercially-minded view of liability.

MIT Hosts Discussion of Deep Decarbonization – The MIT Energy Initiative will host a discussion with James Bushnell, Professor at UC-Davis and Research Associate with the National Bureau of Economic Research at 5:15 p.m. Wednesday in Cambridge.  Bushnell’s discussion will draw upon research at the wholesale and retail level to contrast differing regional approaches to the economic challenges to integrating renewable electricity into electric systems.

Forum to Look at Carbon Renewal Discussions – Northeastern University professor Matthew Nisbet and the Institute for Carbon Removal Law & Policy hold a discussion Thursday at 9:00 a.m. focused on a new report The Carbon Removal Debate: Asking Critical Questions about Climate Change Futures. The report works towards a common climate justice framework that can inform how various stakeholders think about, talk about, and act on this potentially transformative—but as yet still unproven—technology.

CSIS Conference to Look at Permian Basin – CSIS’s Energy & National Security Program’s Energy in America project will hold a conference on Thursday to explore the evolution and impact of oil and gas development in the Permian Basin, and the opportunities and challenges – both economic and environmental – that lie ahead.

Senate Energy Budget Markup Set – The Senate Committee on Appropriations will convene a business meeting on Thursday at 10:30 a.m. to markup an original bill making appropriations for Energy and Water Development for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2020.

Senate Dems Climate to Hear from Pro Athletes – Senate Democrats' Special Committee on the Climate Crisis hold a meeting on Thursday at 11:30 a.m. in SVC-202 on climate change and saving winter.  The event will hear from Pro Athletes promoting climate action.  Witnesses include former NY Ranger goalie Mike Richter, professional snowboarder Jeremy Jones, Professional ski mountaineer and adventurer Caroline Gleich and climber Tommy Caldwell.

Forum, Report to Look at R&D Policy – The Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF)  is hosting an event in 2167 Rayburn on Thursday at Noon focusing on prioritizing productivity in Federal R&D Policy to drive growth. ITIF will release a new report that lays out a productivity-focused agenda for federal science and engineering research and analyzes the effect it will have on GDP growth and the federal budget. This paper was prepared as part of a Concord Coalition project on fiscal responsibility and economic growth.

Conference to Look at Climate/Enviro Justice – The 49^th annual No Planet B Legislative Conference will be held on Thursday at 4:00 p.m. at the Washington Convention Center.  This panel will discuss the environmental and climate justice movement—what advocates are fighting for, why those objectives matter to everyone, and how all of us can come together to achieve comprehensive climate action.

WCEE to Host BP Comms Exec – The Women's Council on Energy and the Environment will host BP’s Mary Streett, Senior Vice President of U.S. Communications and External Affairs on Thursday at 6:00 p.m. at USEA.  Streett is a trailblazer for women within the energy and government sectors. USEA Chairman and Duane Morris LLP Of Counsel Sheila Slocum Hollis will offer introductory remarks.

Webinar to Look at CCS Liability – The Global CCS Institute holds a webinar at 7:00 p.m. Thursday to look at commercial approaches to CCS liability.  Liability has long been raised as a significant barrier to the wide scale deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS). This Webinar will draw on the key analysis and findings of our latest Thought Leadership Report that seeks to challenge these views and make the case for a more commercially-minded view of liability.

Tezak Headline Energy Economists Sept Lunch – On Friday, the National Capital Area US Energy Economists will host our friend Christine Tezak of ClearView Energy for its September lunch at Carmines.  Tezak, managing director, ClearView Energy Partners, will address the capacity market issue.  Christine’s leadership of ClearView’s electricity markets, interstate pipelines, energy infrastructure and U.S. environmental policy coverage relies on more than two decades of experience in the electric utility and natural gas pipeline sectors.

National Drive Electric Week – Washington – Starts Saturday, September 14^th at 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. on the National Mall.

IN THE FUTURE

Forum to Look at Effectiveness of Energy Programs – The Energy Efficiency for All (EEFA) coalition and the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invite you to a briefing with EEFA partners in Ohio, Virginia, New York and California. These state leaders will discuss how they are building successful campaigns to deliver energy/cost savings and healthy home environments for low-and-moderate-income (LMI) households. Speakers will discuss how their state coalitions are using and leveraging federal energy services, such as the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Low-Income Housing Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), to ensure that all LMI residents have access to housing that is healthy, safe, energy efficient and affordable.

OAS Holds Forum on EVs – The General Secretariat of the Organization of American States will hold a Ministerial dialogue on Tuesday September 17^th to provide a space to discuss experiences, policy options, financing, and technologies to ignite smart transportation in the Americas.

Forum to Look at RFS Solutions – Advanced Resources International holds forum on Tuesday September 17^th at Noon in Arlington looking at whether the Renewable Fuel Standard can be fixed. The existing Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) has been law since 2007 while its implementation has been subject to an annual rulemaking. Michael Schaal directs Energy Ventures Analysis’s petroleum practice. He has 30 years of experience in modeling, analysis of energy markets, and the development of energy projects. Prior to rejoining EVA, Michael was the Director of the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Office of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels Analysis.  EVA has recently employed its EVA-NEMS capability to assess the impacts of the existing RFS and developed some recommendations as to what might be done to alleviate some of the worst impacts of the RFS on consumers.

Forum to Look at Middle East, Gulf – The Johns Hopkins University SAIS Middle East Studies hosts a forum on Tuesday, September 17^th at 12:30 p.m. focused on the market outlook for the Gulf and Middle East.  Dr. Adel Zaid Altoraifi was the Minister of Culture for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 2015 to 2017 and member of the Council for Economic and Development Affairs. He participated in the development of Saudi Arabia’s 2030 Vision and the 2020 National Transformation Plan and chaired the media campaign to promote these programs. Dr Adel also chaired the media committee for the 2016 and 2017 government budget announcements and served as a member of the Security and Political Affairs Council. Emily Stromquist is Director of Energy at Castlereagh. She has extensive experience advising clients on key energy themes and market developments across Europe, Russia and Eurasia, Africa and the Middle East. Her interests range from upstream investment risks in oil and gas to downstream strategy and product markets, including the evolution of liquefied natural gas versus pipeline gas competition, and clean energy transitions.

CSIS to Look at Low-Carbon Pathways – On Wednesday, September 18^th at 4:00 p.m., the Center for Strategic & International Studies holds a forum on energy transitions focused on low-carbon pathways for growth and sustainability. This conference will assess where the world stands relative to the dual challenge and discuss areas where real, near-term progress can be made.  It will also serve as the launch of a new, year-long project in which the CSIS Energy & National Security Program will explore strategies to address the dual challenge in several important countries and how public and private sector resources can help achieve these goals.

Forum to Look at Israel, NatGas – The Institute of World Politics holds a forum on Wednesday, September 18^th at 4:00 p.m. looking into Israel’s energy security.  National plans to integrate renewable energy and alternative sources of energy, such as methanol, into the consumption mix, as well as energy efficiency programs launched by the government are also integral to Israel’s energy security strategy.  These include, broadening of import; pursuit of proximate supply sources; constant search for indigenous energy; development of renewables and alternatives; ensuring physical security of energy installations; and promotion of energy efficiency. This lecture will talk about each of these components and assess the on-going transformation of Israel’s energy status from import-dependency to energy self-sufficiency that is underpinned by the gas discoveries.

ASE to Launch Group – On Thursday September 19^th at 8:30 a.m., the Alliance to Save Energy will launch the Active Efficiency Collaborative, a new initiative that challenges leaders in the energy community to re-imagine the dialogue around energy efficiency. The Alliance will propose a new concept - Active Efficiency - that promotes a more comprehensive vision of energy efficiency and allows us to rethink how we use energy well in a digitized and systems-oriented world. Leaders from the public and private sector will discuss the role that innovative energy management will play in addressing the climate crisis and policies that will allow us to unleash the myriad benefits of Active Efficiency.

Aspen to Look at Energy Stakeholders – The Aspen Institute Energy & Environment Program, in partnership with the Cynthia & George Mitchell Foundation and Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, holds a breakfast and a Washington, DC Regional Roundtable event on Thursday September 19^th at 9:00 a.m. where they will formally launch the final report of the Dialogue Series on Energy Governance: Principled Governance of Shale Resources. The Report seeks to improve shale oil and gas development through emphasizing social equity considerations, improving stakeholder engagement processes at all levels, and cultivating early and transparent communication between regulators, industry leaders, and communities impacted by shale resource development.  Download the Report and review additional Dialogue resources here.

Rooney, Tonko Headline WRI Forum – The World Resources Institute holds a discussion Thursday September 19^th at 11:30 a.m. looking at how to advance policies in the United States that respond to the scale of the climate challenge. New York Times reporter and friend Lisa Friedman will moderate a conversation with Rep. Francis Rooney (R-FL), sponsor of the Stemming Warming and Augmenting Pay Act, and Rep. Paul Tonko (D-NY), Chair of the House Energy and Commerce  Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change. The conversation will be followed by a panel of energy and climate experts that will examine the best opportunities to drive innovation and make the necessary investments to achieve a net-zero future. Distinguished panelists will explore the potential and limits of carbon pricing to rapidly curb emissions, tax incentives to spur funding for climate-smart infrastructure and transportation and much more.

GU, MSNBC Climate Forum Set – The Georgetown's Institute of Politics and Public Service at the McCourt School of Public Policy (GU Politics), MSNBC, Our Daily Planet, and New York Magazine are hosting several 2020 Presidential candidates for the Climate Forum 2020 on September 19^th and 20^th. The two-day forum features 2020 Presidential candidates in conversation with young voters on the issue of climate change. After 7 hours of climate on CNN this week, we’ll see if this holds water as well. 

RFF Forum to Exam Carbon Pricing – Resources for the Future (RFF) will hold a discussion on Friday September 20^th at 9:30 to examining the future of carbon pricing.  A flurry of new federal carbon pricing proposals have been released this summer, adding to the chorus of climate plans being proposed in advance of the 2020 elections. Resources for the Future (RFF) has been at the forefront of analyzing many of these proposals, and has captured that information in a greatly expanded version of our popular Carbon Pricing Calculator. Marc Hafstead, Director of RFF’s Carbon Pricing Initiative, showcases the new calculator and hosts a discussion with Susanne Brooks (Environmental Defense Fund), Joseph Majkut (Niskanen Center), and Adele Morris (Brookings Institution) about the various policy proposals what they aim to achieve, why they are structured as they are, and how they differ.

Youth Climate Strike Plans to Block DC Traffic –Youth leaders from around the world have called for a climate strike and global week of action from September 20th-27^th. In Washington, DC the Action Network will be answering the call and building on the momentum of the youth climate strikes in a major way: On Monday September 23^rd, they are going to shut down DC by blocking key infrastructure to stop business-as-usual, bringing the whole city to a gridlocked standstill. Good luck with that…probably not a great strategy.

UN Climate Summit Set for NYC – UN Secretary-General António Guterres will host the 2019 Climate Action Summit on September 23 in New York City. The Summit will showcase a leap in collective national political ambition and it will demonstrate massive movements in the real economy in support of the agenda.

RFG, Biodiesel Conference Set – The OPIS RFS2, RINs & Biodiesel Forum kicks off on September 23-25^th in Chicago. The conference will examine the legal landscape for the RFS with a panel of attorneys providing a rundown on how Washington policy may change in the upcoming election year, as well as current cases before the courts, including the oil refining industry challenge to the E15 rule.

National Clean Energy Week (NCEW) set for September – The National Clean Energy Week (NCEW) described by POLITICO as “a veritable who’s who of the Clean Energy World” will be September 23-27 and sent out speaker information ahead of its third annual celebration. ClearPath will be involved, celebrating and raising awareness for reducing emissions through clean energy technologies.

CSIS Expert to Speak at Forum at Bracewell – On Monday September 23^rd at our BRACEWELL offices, the Washington, DC chapter of the Women's Energy Network and Clean Energy Week hold a dialogue on clean energy policy, celebrating and encouraging successful women in the field. Center for Strategic Studies (CSIS) Senior VP and Director and Senior Fellow of the Energy and National Security Program, Sarah Ladislaw will join leaders from the DC chapter of the Women’s Energy Network for a candid discussion about clean energy. Sarah and the moderators will discuss transitions across US clean energy technology and policy and the resulting opportunities to strengthen national security and preserve the environment.  The panel of speakers will also discuss and answer questions on challenges and opportunities for women working in energy in Washington, DC. This event is jointly organized with Clean Energy Week, which highlights US capacity for secure and reliable energy generation and promotes dialogue between industry and government in pursuit of a cleaner and more reliable future.

CSIS to Host EIA International Energy Outlook – The Center for Strategic & International Studies hosts EIA's International Energy Outlook 2019 on Tuesday, September 24^th starting at 9:00 a.m. EIA Administrator Linda Capuano will present the IEO 2019.  The IEO2019 presents long-term projections of world energy supply and demand by region and primary energy source; electricity generation by energy source; and energy-related carbon dioxide emissions.  Panel discussions will examine uncertainties related to the future of global energy consumption and trade, with ClearView’s Kevin Book and Rapidan’s Leslie Palti-Guzman, among others.

Forum to look at Climate Security – The Center for Climate and Security, in partnership with the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, holds the 2019 Climate and National Security Forum: A Climate Security Plan for America on Tuesday September 24^th. This year’s forum will focus on the risks that climate change presents to U.S. military bases and operations, and on the launch of the Climate and Security Advisory Group’s 2020 Climate Security Plan for America, which outlines steps that would help U.S. leadership manage the impacts of climate change on national security.  The Keynote Address will be from retired U.S. Air Force General Ron Keys, who also serves as the board chair for Center for Climate and Security. 

Carbontech Event Set for CapHill – Third Way, Carbon180, and XPRIZE will host the second annual “Carbontech on the Hill” event, on Thursday September 26^th at 4:30 p.m. which brings together carbontech innovators from across the country to share their work and progress toward building a new carbon economy. The briefing will explore the tremendous opportunity for carbontech in the United States, and what it could mean for American businesses, workers, and climate efforts.

BPC to Look at Natural Disaster Impacts, Costs – The Bipartisan Policy Center holds a forum on Thursday September 26^th on reducing natural disaster costs through building better and stronger.  The costs and devastation associated with natural disasters will continue to increase as storms increase in intensity and the federal government's share of recovery funding has grown from just 26% of costs in 2004 to 70% today. Given the magnitude of recent natural disasters and their recurrent nature, controlling the costs of future disasters is a necessary policy objective.  Because communities impacted by one national disaster are often located in areas vulnerable in the future, to bring down long-term costs, speed up the recovery from future disasters, and ultimately improve the lives of those impacted after storms, we must be smarter about how these areas are rebuilt.  This event will feature a discussion of how the federal government can promote safer and more sustainable communities, while also more responsibly investing limited fiscal resources.

Thorium Conference Set for Oak Ridge – The Thorium Energy Alliance will hold its 10^th annual conference at the Pollard Technology Conference Center in Oak Ridge, TN on October 1^st.  Speakers, representing academia, private sector manufacturing and federal agencies, will present brief overviews of past achievements, current projects and future paths forward within the Thorium Energy landscape. The TEAC 10 Conference will take place the day prior to the Molten Salt Reactor Workshop occurring at Oak Ridge National Labs (ORNL).

Conference to Look at Tech Change, Innovation – Greentech holds its inaugural transformative technological change conference on October 2-3 in downtown Seattle at the Bell Harbor Conference Center at Pier 66. Leaders from some of the world’s most innovative companies will engage with policymakers, lawmakers, technologists and NGO’s to explore environmental protection in an era of innovation and technological change. Our friends Lisa Jacobson of the Business Council for Sustainable Energy and C2ES head Bob Perciasepe will join former EPA head Bill Reilly and others as speakers. 

USEA to Host DOE Geothermal Official – The US Energy Assn hosts a forum on Wednesday October 2^nd at 11:30 a.m. featuring DOE’s Dr. Susan Hamm, Director of the Geothermal Technologies Office.  Hamm will discuss the findings of the Department of Energy’s report: GeoVision: Harnessing the Heat Beneath Our Feet. In addition to addressing the state of geothermal energy in the U.S., the report highlights the opportunities for geothermal to have a sizable role in meeting the nation’s 21st-century energy demands. The report provides a pathway forward for the future of geothermal and what needs to be done to increase the presence of geothermal in the energy sector.

Chamber Hosts Digital Conference – The U.S. Chamber Foundation and Tata Consultancy Services will be hosting its third Digital Empowers regional forum in Chicago, IL on October 3, in partnership with the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. This event will convene business leaders, technical experts, and on-the-ground partners that are shaping the future of innovation and social impact in Chicago. The event will also feature emerging issues like artificial intelligence and ethics, civic technology, data and blockchain, and financial literacy. 

SEJ Set for Colorado – The Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ) holds its annual meeting in Ft. Collins, CO at Colorado State University on Wednesday October 8^th through Sunday the 13^th.   Colorado simultaneously boasts and suffers from a population explosion in Denver and other cities. It is also fertile ground for both clashes and collaborations among parties vying for rights to land, water and air, whether to preserve it for wildlife and human recreation or to use it for energy.   Of course, Bracewell Hosts its Thursday reception for the 19^th straight year

Chatterjee to Keynote AWEA Finance Conference – The AWEA Wind Energy Finance & Investment Conference is set for New York on October 10 and 11^th at the TimesCenter.  This year, the agenda includes sessions led by experts from across the sector who will be sharing their experiences, perspectives and outlook for the future of wind energy finance & investment.  FERC Chair Neil Chatterjee will keynote.

AEE Holds Western States Energy Conference – The Advance Energy Economy (AEE) holds its first annual Western Regional energy policy conference in Scottsdale, Arizona on October 16^th and 17^th.  The event brings together business leaders and policymakers from across the region to identify ways to achieve this goal, state by state and through a regional grid, powered by advanced energy growth from New Mexico to Washington state. Topics will include regionalizing electricity markets in the West, utility action for an advanced energy future, Electric Vehicles (EVs) as assets for cleaning the grid, challenges and opportunities for siting renewable energy projects and grid modernization. 

ACORE Forum Set for SF – ACORE’s 2019 Renewable Energy Grid Forum will take place on October 17^th in San Francisco at the Hilton Financial District.   The event will feature a discussion on the reliability and resilience of 100% clean energy.  Event co-chair and Edison International’s Senior Vice President of Strategy & Corporate Development Drew Murphy will hold a fireside chat on the role of utilities in America's transition to renewable energy moderated by ACORE’s President and CEO Greg Wetstone.  Our friend Rob Gramlich also speaks.

Offshore Wind Conference Moves to Boston – The American Wind Energy Assn holds its annual Offshore WINDPOWER Conference & Exhibition on Tuesday October 22^nd and Wednesday the 23^rd in Boston at the Park Plaza.  The event has cultivated a dedicated and thriving global community of top developers and experts, making it the largest and most successful gathering of offshore wind energy professionals in the United States.  The decision to grant small refinery hardship is a legal decision, not a political one, and we’re pleased that USDA’s influence didn’t cause EPA to depart from the rule of law. Small Refiners hurt by broken #RFS #ethanol.

ELI Annual Dinner to Honor Patagonia Leaders – The 2019 Environmental Law Institute Awards Dinner will take place on Tuesday, October 22^nd at the Omni Shoreham Hotel.  ELI will honor 2019 award winners, Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia, and Rose Marcario, Patagonia's president and CEO.  Bracewell is a major sponsor of the event.