Energy & Environment

The Big Story

Republicans give energy bill priority designation

House Republicans on Thursday announced that a major energy package will be named H.R. 1, signaling it's the party's top priority for the congressional session.

The bill, called the Lower Energy Costs Act, includes several energy-related measures, including proposals aimed at speeding up the country's approval process for energy and mining projects and limiting states' ability to block projects like pipelines that run through their waters.

The bill is also expected to to include measures from the House Energy and Commerce Committee. That panel on Thursday took up several pieces of legislation, including bills that aim to:

Protect fracking
Limit President Biden's authority to block cross-border project permits, such as Biden's blocking of the Keystone XL pipeline
Remove restrictions on natural gas imports and exports
Repeal portions of the Inflation Reduction Act that provided funding to address climate change and pollution

"For over two years now, President Biden and Congressional Democrats have waged a war on American energy, and families and workers across the country are paying the price. Gas and utility costs have skyrocketed to record highs, with the average American paying over 40 percent more for their gas since President Biden took office," House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) said in a statement.

Scalise said he'll formally introduce the bill next week.

Read more at TheHill.com.

Welcome to The Hill's Energy & Environment newsletter, we're Rachel Frazin and Zack Budryk — keeping you up to speed on the policies impacting everything from oil and gas to new supply chains.

Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.

Essential Reads

How policy will affect the energy and environment sectors now and in the future:

Senators express frustration with Norfolk Southern CEO's noncommittal answers during tense hearing

Senators grew visibly frustrated during a tense congressional hearing on the Feb. 3 train derailment that spilled hazardous chemicals in an Ohio town as the CEO of Norfolk Southern, the company that operated the train, met their push for concrete policy commitments with noncommittal answers.

Full Story

Biden once again targets fossil fuel benefits in budget proposal

President Biden is once again taking aim at government subsidies for the fossil fuel industry in his new budget proposal after a contentious year between the administration and the industry.

Full Story

House votes to overturn Biden administration water regulation

The House voted on Thursday to overturn the Biden administration's water regulations — a goal that's not expected to come to fruition but one that gave Republicans another chance to force some Democrats into a tough vote.

Full Story

In Other News

Branch out with a different read from The Hill:

Daylight saving time: Here's where mornings will be darkest after clock change

For much of the United States, mornings are about to get darker. Come March 12, most Americans will "spring forward" into daylight saving time. But depending on their locations within time zones, the sun will rise later for some than others.

Full Story

What We're Reading

News we've flagged from other outlets touching on energy issues, the environment and other topics:

IAEA chief furious as Russian strikes threaten Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant (Euronews)
Kansas retirement system could see billions in losses if Kansas GOP plan to combat 'woke investing' passes (Topeka Capital-Journal)
Meet Massachusetts's first-ever climate chief (The Washington Post)
The Paris Agreement Will Fail Without Slashing Methane Emissions From Dairy and Meat, Researchers Say (Inside Climate News)

What Others are Reading

Two key stories on The Hill right now:

House GOP launches probe into Jan. 6 panel

Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-Ga.), chairman of the House Administration Subcommittee on Oversight, is leading an investigation of the dissolved Jan. 6 select committee and security failures surrounding the riot. Read more