Around the world, a mix of like-minded governments, diplomats and organizations are quietly preparing a global climate strategy in case Donald Trump wins the 2024 presidential election. POLITICO’s Zack Colman breaks down this global effort and the Biden administration’s role in it. Plus, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is delaying the implementation of tariff increases on Chinese electric vehicles and other goods that were due to take effect tomorrow. For more news on energy and the ...
Jul 31, 2024•9 min•Ep. 1192
If Donald Trump wins the 2024 presidential election, he’s promised to dismantle President Joe Biden’s ambitious climate and clean energy agenda. But how much of that legacy could Trump actually roll back? POLITICO’s Kelsey Tamborrino breaks down the issue. Plus, Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign pledged the likely Democratic presidential nominee would not ban fracking. For more news on energy and the environment, subscribe to Power Switch, our free evening newsletter: https://www.politico.c...
Jul 30, 2024•10 min•Ep. 1191
Today, POLITICO Energy host Catherine Morehouse sits down with former FERC Commissioner Allison Clements, who left the agency in June. They discuss the highlights of her term, how politics can hinder ambitious FERC efforts, what she thinks is ahead for the agency, and more. For more news on energy and the environment, subscribe to Power Switch, our free evening newsletter: https://www.politico.com/power-switch And for even deeper coverage and analysis, read our Morning Energy newsletter by subsc...
Jul 29, 2024•18 min•Ep. 1190
Vice President Kamala Harris, Democrats’ likely presidential nominee, has an important political and climate choice as her campaign kicks into gear: how hard she should attack the oil industry. POLITICO’s Zack Colman breaks down Harris’ antagonistic history with fossil fuel companies and what sort of factors her campaign must weigh. Plus, FERC Chair Willie Phillips expressed cautious optimism about the permitting legislation released by Sens. Joe Manchin (I-W. Va.) and John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) ear...
Jul 26, 2024•8 min•Ep. 1189
Vice President Kamala Harris, who is poised to become the Democratic nominee for president, is hoping her long environmental justice record will help her defeat Donald Trump in November. POLITICO’s Alex Guillén breaks down Harris' environmental justice resume and why she thinks it will be a winning strategy. Plus, House Republicans sparred with FERC's Democratic chair Wednesday over its sweeping transmission rule. For more news on energy and the environment, subscribe to Power Switch, our free e...
Jul 25, 2024•8 min•Ep. 1188
Americans are leasing electric vehicles at record levels because of a federal tax credit in the Inflation Reduction Act. But that growth has been driven by what GOP critics call a “loophole” in the law, and they’ve vowed to repeal the incentive if they regain control of both houses of Congress. POLITICO’s James Bikales breaks down the consumer interest in EV leasing, and why the GOP may put a stop to it. Plus, the Energy Department's Loan Programs Office announced an initial commitment to provid...
Jul 24, 2024•6 min•Ep. 1187
If Vice President Kamala Harris succeeds in taking President Joe Biden’s place as the Democrats’ 2024 presidential nominee, she may seek to craft a more assertive environmental agenda than her current boss has. POLITICO’s Kelsey Tamborrino breaks down how Kamala Harris’ climate ambitions could exceed Biden’s. Plus, Senate Energy Chair Joe Manchin and ranking member Sen. John Barrasso struck a deal on a bill to update permitting rules to speed the development of energy infrastructure. For more ne...
Jul 23, 2024•8 min•Ep. 1186
America is the leading exporter of liquified natural gas in the world, but its main customer, Europe, may not be interested in U.S. gas for that much longer. POLITICO’s Ben Lefebvre breaks down the EU’s plans to wean itself off LNG and how that impacts American companies and politics. Plus, Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race and quickly endorsed his Vice President Kamala Harris, potentially setting up the Democratic Party to get behind an even more assertive environmental agenda. For...
Jul 22, 2024•8 min•Ep. 1185
A new $5 billion deal could give the Navajo Nation, one of the country’s largest Native American reservations, better access to safe drinking water. But the agreement needs Congress’ approval, and there are significant obstacles ahead. POLITICO’s Annie Snider breaks down why the deal is so important to the Navajo Nation and how Congress could upend it. Plus, the Energy Department is preparing to provide a $861.3 million loan guarantee to support the construction of solar farms and battery storag...
Jul 19, 2024•8 min•Ep. 1184
Today is the last day of the Republican National Convention, and POLITICO’s Zack Colman discusses his on-the-ground reporting at the RNC and takeaways about how the GOP is approaching energy and climate change. Plus, a U.S. district court in Alaska suspended an oil lease sale awarded in the state’s Cook Inlet back in 2022. For more news on energy and the environment, subscribe to Power Switch, our free evening newsletter: https://www.politico.com/power-switch And for even deeper coverage and ana...
Jul 18, 2024•10 min•Ep. 1183
GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump has picked Sen. J.D. Vance to be his vice presidential candidate. POLITICO’s Kelsey Tamborrino breaks down the Ohio Republican’s stances on energy and climate and what he would bring to a second Trump administration. Plus, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit on Tuesday upheld the Energy Department's decision to allow more LNG exports to non-free trade countries. For more news on energy and the environment, subscribe to Power Switch, our free eveni...
Jul 17, 2024•8 min•Ep. 1182
Environmental leaders have been strategizing for months about how to defend climate and clean energy during a second Trump administration. POLITICO’s Zack Colman breaks down those extensive efforts while in Milwaukee covering the Republican National Convention. Plus, Sen. J.D. Vance, Donald Trump’s newly-anointed running mate, has been a strong backer of oil and natural gas drilling in the Midwest and a sharp critic of the Biden administration’s clean energy agenda. For more news on energy and t...
Jul 16, 2024•8 min•Ep. 1181
Republicans will gather in Milwaukee starting today for the Republican National Convention. The convention will go on as planned following the attempt on former President Donald Trump’s life. POLITICO’s Zack Colman previews the RNC messaging and how it will seek to tie energy to inflation — but likely won’t include talk about climate change. Plus, Sunrise Movement, an influential youth green group, is calling on President Joe Biden to drop his re-election bid to “protect” his climate legacy. For...
Jul 15, 2024•7 min•Ep. 1180
There’s a legal fight brewing in Puerto Rico that could threaten the future of rooftop solar incentives in the territory. That dispute comes as Puerto Rico has some of the most ambitious renewable energy goals in the United States, and as the territory’s grid remains unreliable. POLITICO’s Gloria Gonzalez breaks down the fight and the potential consequences for the territory and the solar industry. Plus, the Biden administration is facing its first legal challenge to its implementation of the EV...
Jul 12, 2024•9 min•Ep. 1179
A new bipartisan bill out this week has sparked GOP infighting about carbon adjustment fees, with each side using Donald Trump as part of their argument. POLITICO’s Josh Siegel breaks down what the bill does and doesn’t do, how Trump is influencing this fight, and why the issue could gain traction in Congress next year. Plus, the Biden administration has finalized a rule that would require projects receiving FEMA assistance after disasters to meet stricter standards when they are being construct...
Jul 11, 2024•9 min•Ep. 1178
Former Sen. Jim Inhofe, the longest-serving U.S. senator in Oklahoma history, died at the age of 89 on Tuesday. POLITICO’s Josh Siegel and Annie Snider discuss Inhofe's influential energy and climate record and how his legacy lives on in the Republican party. Plus, the House appropriations committee advanced funding packages Tuesday for EPA, the Interior Department, the Energy Department and federal water agencies. For more news on energy and the environment, subscribe to Power Switch, our free ...
Jul 10, 2024•7 min•Ep. 1177
California’s oil and gas regulator issued permits for new oil wells just before and right after a controversial state law took effect in late June – igniting a dispute between the agency and environmentalists. POLITICO’s Wes Venteicher breaks down the political and legal fallout over the regulator’s last-minute permitting. Plus, President Joe Biden isn’t planning to release many major energy and environmental regulations before the November election. For more news on energy and the environment, ...
Jul 09, 2024•7 min•Ep. 1176
The Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the Chevron doctrine will make it more difficult for future administrations from both parties to implement new regulations. POLITICO’s Alex Guillén breaks down why overturning Chevron has big implications for Democrats, Republicans and Congress. For more news on energy and the environment, subscribe to Power Switch, our free evening newsletter: https://www.politico.com/power-switch And for even deeper coverage and analysis, read our Morning Energy news...
Jul 08, 2024•9 min•Ep. 1175
The Supreme Court on Thursday delivered another blow to the Biden administration’s efforts to protect the environment and public health, blocking EPA's “good neighbor’” rule that aimed to curb air pollution drifting across state lines. POLITICO’s Alex Guillén breaks down the high court’s ruling and how it limits EPA’s regulatory authority. Plus, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved Venture Global's mammoth CP2 liquefied natural gas facility. For more news on energy and the environme...
Jun 28, 2024•9 min•Ep. 1174
President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are squaring off tonight in their first debate of the 2024 election cycle, and we expect some sparring over energy policy. POLITICO’s Ben Lefebvre and Josh Siegel discuss what Trump might say and fact-check some of his most common energy claims. Plus, the Energy Department’s deputy secretary is defending the pace at which the agency is getting federal funding out the door under the bipartisan infrastructure law and Inflation Reduction Act. Fo...
Jun 27, 2024•9 min•Ep. 1173
The nation’s power system navigated the first major heatwave of the year relatively smoothly, but experts warn that there are still outage risks this summer. POLITICO’s Catherine Morehouse breaks down how the grid held up recently and if it can repeat that success as summer rolls on. Plus, the Chemical Safety Board released new recommendations in response to an incident at an Ohio refinery in 2022 that killed two people. For more news on energy and the environment, subscribe to Power Switch, our...
Jun 26, 2024•8 min•Ep. 1172
On Monday, the Supreme Court agreed to hear a case that could limit how much federal agencies can regulate the upstream and downstream environmental impacts of new energy infrastructure projects. POLITICO’s Alex Guillén breaks down the stakes of this new case and how the high court has scrutinized the federal government’s environmental authority in recent years. Plus, the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee released its bipartisan 2024 Water Resources Development Act on Monday. For...
Jun 25, 2024•8 min•Ep. 1171
Two separate recent reports on methane emissions show the U.S.’s current record is mixed. POLITICO’s James Bikales explains what these divergent sets of flaring data say about domestic energy production and what they mean for the Biden Administration’s climate goals. Plus, the Supreme Court strikes down a water-sharing deal among the states that share the Rio Grande River. For more news on energy and the environment, subscribe to Power Switch, our free evening newsletter: https://www.politico.co...
Jun 24, 2024•7 min•Ep. 1170
Artificial intelligence consumes a lot of energy. Exactly how much is hard to say, because AI companies keep much of that information hidden – a practice that some policymakers and activists are trying to change. On today's episode of Politico Energy, guest host Steven Overly called up Jesse Dodge to better understand the energy and climate cost behind generative AI. Dodge is a senior research scientist at the Allen Institute for AI in Seattle, who not only develops large language models, he als...
Jun 21, 2024•19 min•Ep. 1169
President Joe Biden released new rules this week that aim to create attractive jobs that leverage the lucrative clean energy tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act. POLITICO’s Nick Niedzwiadek breaks down the details of rules, how they fit into Biden’s reelection campaign, and if they are vulnerable to Republican repeal in the future. Plus, Congress has approved sweeping bipartisan legislation to ease the production of new nuclear power reactors. For more news on energy and the environmen...
Jun 20, 2024•7 min•Ep. 1168
Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah), one of the party’s most outspoken climate change skeptics, is likely to lead the GOP in the powerful Energy and Natural Resources Committee next year. POLITICO’s Anthony Adragna and Josh Siegel discuss Lee’s policy positions and what he would mean for a second Biden or Trump presidency. Plus, a federal appeals court ruled that the state of Michigan may pursue its legal challenge to Enbridge’s controversial Line 5 pipeline in state court. For more news on energy and the...
Jun 18, 2024•10 min•Ep. 1167
POLITICO Energy host Alex Guillén sits down for an extended conversation with David Doniger, a prominent environmental lawyer with the Natural Resources Defense Council who argued a fateful case before the Supreme Court that established the Chevron deference doctrine. They discuss how a Supreme Court ruling expected in the coming weeks about that legal precedent could make it much more difficult for the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal agencies to defend their regulations — part...
Jun 17, 2024•19 min•Ep. 1166
This week, the Senate confirmed Judy Chang, David Rosner and Lindsay See to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, bringing the agency to a full complement of five for the first time in a couple years. POLITICO’s Catherine Morehouse breaks down the confirmation process for the new commissioners and how they join FERC at a pivotal moment. Plus, POLITICO got an inside look at presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump’s campaign-style energy address during a day of meetings with congress...
Jun 14, 2024•9 min•Ep. 1165
California is expanding its legal assault against five major oil companies by not only seeking climate change damages, but also targeting company profits related to false advertising and unfair competition laws. POLITICO’s Wes Venteicher breaks down the amended legal effort and why it has massive implications for the accused oil companies. Plus, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer says he expects Republicans would try and repeal the Inflation Reduction Act if the GOP wins control of the White H...
Jun 13, 2024•8 min•Ep. 1164
President Joe Biden has made clean energy and infrastructure programs a major focus of his reelection campaign, but those ambitions are hitting a major headwind: his Buy America agenda. POLITICO’s James Bikales breaks down how these priorities are clashing and the potential consequences for the president’s reelection bid. Plus, EPA's Inspector General has found that the agency still isn't ready to swiftly alert the public about surges in lead contamination in drinking water. For more news on ene...
Jun 12, 2024•8 min•Ep. 1163
