The Natural Resources Morning News Round-up: Associated Press: “Wind farms get pass on eagle deaths” Associated Press – Ben Neary: “Western lawmakers push to restore mineral funds” Reuters – Alex Lawler: “IEA urges swift U.S. decision on allowing crude oil exports” Associated Press: “Ark. mountain snail dropped from endangered list” Associated Press: “US Indian affairs official to attend SD summit on tribal children placed in foster care” Los Angeles Times – Julie Cart: “Federal omission in closing oyster farm broke law, court told” Read More »

The Natural Resources Morning News Round-up: Politico – Darren Goode: “Key natural gas rules may be in the pipeline” Associated Press – Dina Capiello: “Wind farms get pass on eagle deaths” Bloomberg: “Gasoline rises most in three months at U.S. pumps” Wall Street Journal – Ben Kesling: “The Few, the Proud, the Tortoises: Marines Protect Endangered Species” Associated Press: “Health reforms penalize some Indians, Native Alaskans” The Hill – Zack Colman: “Feds warn sequester cuts weakened readiness for wildfire season” Read More »

Today during a visit to the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, Interior Secretary Jewell and Agriculture Secretary Vilsack highlighted steps the federal government is taking to prepare for the wildfire season. Both Secretary Jewell and Secretary Vilsack highlighted the ongoing effort for collaboration between federal, state, local governments and private citizens. But there is more that the federal government can be doing. This year, the fire potential is predicted to be above normal in much of the West. Active forest management is a key to fire prevention. According to DOI’s ow... Read More »

The Natural Resources Morning News Round-up: Press Democrat – Guy Kovner: “Federal appeals court takes up Marin oyster farm case Tuesday” E&E – Manuel Quinones: “Panel to vote on drilling agreement, mining bills” Capital Press: “Congressional working group to examine Endangered Species Act” Wall Street Journal Editorial: “Bureau of Land Politics” The Hill – Zack Colman: “White House outlines framework for managing Arctic” Columbus Dispatch – Rex Santus: “Bat fungus ravages hibernation site in Ohio” CQ – Carolyn Phenicie: “Hydropower, Building-Code Bills Get Panel’s Go-Ahead” Read More »

The Natural Resources Morning News Round-up: Associated Press: “Oil industry: BLM is preventing job creation in Calif. by postponing oil, gas lease auctions” Elko Daily News editorial: “Amodei, GOP to tackle Endangered Species Act” Greenwire – Phil Taylor: “House GOP forms working group to overhaul ESA” Fuel Fix – Jennifer A. Dlouhy: "U.S.-Mexico collaboration seen necessary on Eagle Ford drilling" Washington Post blog – Emily Heil: “DOI official overspent on Washington detail, IG says” Char-Koosta News – Lailani Upham: “Sequester threatens tribal programs” Times-Independent – Steve Kadel: “U... Read More »

The Natural Resources Morning News Round-up: The Hill – Julian Hattem: “Interior’s fracking rules in cross hairs ahead of upcoming release” Bloomberg – Mark Drajem: “Fracking Rule Draws Republican Critics as U.S. Readies Changes” Platts: “Federal fracking rule will slow US oil, gas production: officials” CNN – Steve Hargreaves: “Oil companies target America for investment” Associated Press – Becky Bohrer: “BLM releases plan to address abandoned wells” Energy Guardian – Edward Felker: “Efficiency, hydropower bills advance to Senate floor” Read More »

Interior’s fracking rules in crosshairs ahead of upcoming release By Julian Hattem Lawmakers from both parties are pouncing on the federal government's attempt to regulate hydraulic fracturing, the natural gas extraction method also known as fracking, even before the draft rules have been released. At a hearing before the House Natural Resources Committee on Wednesday, Republicans accused the Interior Department of executive overreach and heard from a number of state officials and gas industry executives who asked for relief from federal rules. Democrats countered by warning of industry press... Read More »

The Natural Resources Morning News Round-up: Energy Guardian – Edward Felker: “Jewell vows to resist lobbying on fracking regs” The Hill – Ben Geman: “Senior Republican presses Interior for ‘certainty’ on Arctic drilling” Associated Press: “A look at US government's cuts in mineral payments” Associated Press: “Wildlife officials say they've found a new bass” Havre Daily News – Tim Leeds: “Tribe denounces ‘false’ reporting on water project” Washington Times – Stephen Dinan: “Border Patrol: Rules hinder effort to oust drug spotters” WJLA: “Park Service hopes for early spring re-opening of Washi... Read More »

The Natural Resources Morning News Round-up: Wall Street Journal – Alison Sider: “Coastal Governors Want More Offshore Drilling” Fuel Fix OpEd – Jeff Miller: “Guest Commentary: Deep-water oil and gas essential to global energy future” Associated Press: “Steam proposed to extract central Wyoming oil” The Atlantic – Stephanie Buckley: “Blood and Spore: How a Bat-Killing Fungus Is Threatening U.S. Agriculture” Energy Guardian – Seth Borenstein: “East about to be overrun by billions of cicadas” Cherokee Phoenix – Tesina Jackson: “Cherokees may wait 10 years for Cobell land buys” Star-Tribune – Ad... Read More »

Remember this? “We can’t afford a situation where speculators artificially manipulate markets by buying up oil, creating the perception of a shortage, and driving prices higher.” — President Obama, April 17, 2012 According to a recent research study by professors at MIT’s Sloan School of Management, oil speculation has little effect on oil price volatility. This study said that oil price volatility over the past 10 years has been “largely due to long-term shifts in fundamentals, namely the rise of China and India whose growing thirst for petroleum drives up the price.” To view the whole study,... Read More »