** Big oil says it will keep funding climate denial
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Friday, October 29, 2021
ExxonMobil CEO Darren Woods testifies before the House Oversight Committee

In a first-of-its-kind hearing, top oil executives testified under oath ([link removed]) about their industry's role in spreading climate disinformation and funding efforts to stop clean energy.

By the end of the hearing, members of Congress had accused the CEOs of lying, and the CEOs made it clear they would continue to fund lobbying efforts ([link removed]) against greenhouse gas emission reductions.

Taking on the powerful American Petroleum Institute, Rep. Ro Khanna called on oil companies to quit API because of its opposition to climate-friendly policies like electric vehicle subsidies and methane regulations.

“Would any of you take the opportunity and look at API and say, ‘stop it’?” Khanna asked ([link removed]) . None of the executives responded, and none would commit to leaving API.

Representative Katie Porter also took on API for its opposition to a pause on oil and gas leasing on national public lands. Porter noted that the oil industry is sitting on 7,700 unused drilling permits across 13.9 million acres of leased but unused public land. Pointing to bags full of rice in the back of her car ([link removed]) , Porter illustrated that if each of those unused acres was a grain of rice, it would weigh 479 pounds.

The hearing concluded with committee chairwoman Carolyn Maloney announcing she would issue subpoenas to API ([link removed]) and the oil companies for internal documents about their role creating the climate crisis.



** Climate emerges as biggest part of Build Back Better
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As prescription drugs, paid family leave, and free community college have fallen out of President Biden's Build Back Better plan, $555 billion in climate spending has emerged as the largest remaining piece ([link removed]) of the spending bill. The framework President Biden announced includes $300 billion in tax incentives for producers and buyers of solar, wind, and nuclear power, while electric vehicles would come with up to $12,500 in tax credits.

But without new penalties ([link removed]) for power companies that continue to pollute, the plan would not reach Biden's campaign pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half from their 2005 levels by the end of this decade—a move that scientists say is necessary to avoid the most disastrous effects of climate change.
Quick hits


** Why reducing methane emissions matters
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High Country News ([link removed])


** Oil CEOs face subpoenas after refusing to denounce climate-denial trade group
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Washington Post ([link removed]) | New York Times ([link removed]) | The Guardian ([link removed]) | Heated ([link removed])


** Climate incentives remain largest part of Build Back Better framework
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New York Times ([link removed]) | Bloomberg ([link removed]) | Washington Post ([link removed]) | E&E News ([link removed])


** Senators urge emergency protection for wolves in the West
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Associated Press ([link removed])


** Moab grapples with rising housing costs, off-highway vehicle use in crowded mayoral race
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Salt Lake Tribune ([link removed])


** Spending plan includes $15 billion to reduce wildfire risk
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Sacramento Bee ([link removed])


** Opinion: Planet earth or 14,000 coal jobs. Guess which Joe Manchin picked?
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USA Today ([link removed])


** Study confirms Indigenous tribes lost 99% of land to colonization of North America
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Grist ([link removed])
Quote of the day

They said they did not believe that nicotine was addictive. Well, it came out that they lied. Tobacco nicotine was very addictive. And now I’m hearing from you that the science that was reported publicly, where your executives were denying climate change, we know that your scientists internally were saying that it’s a reality. So I was hoping that you would not be like the tobacco industry was and lie about this.”
—House Oversight Committee Chairwoman Carolyn Maloney
The Guardian ([link removed])
Picture this


** @Interior ([link removed])
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The deep canyon of Snake River is home to the highest amount of nesting birds of prey in North America, making this an immensely important National Conservation Area. During the day, hawks and eagles fly overhead, while at night the stars light flight paths for swooping owls.

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