Carbon Offsets
BP-owned company is selling carbon credits on trees that aren’t in danger, analysis finds
Satellite analysis looked at credits sold by Finite Carbon, which runs some of North America’s largest offsetting projects
The Guardian
Gulf Coast
When a climate denier becomes Louisiana’s governor: Jeff Landry’s first month in office
Landry has surrounded himself with former fossil fuel executives — and he has targeted the state’s climate change task force.
Fueling Disinformation
‘Control the narrative’: How an Alabama utility wields influence by financing news
A Floodlight investigation found Alabama Power runs a news service and its foundation bought a Black newspaper. Neither publishes critical stories about the utility.
Polluting Democracy
‘What corruption gets you’: How utility companies bought support in the Black south
A joint investigation by Floodlight and Capital B shows millions of dollars flowed from utilities to Black leaders and their groups since at least 2009.
Gulf Coast
Plan to stash planet-heating carbon dioxide under U.S. national forests alarms critics
Around 140 groups have called for an extension of public comment period over U.S. Forest Service proposal amid questions about safety and impact.
Gulf Coast
Carbon-capture gold rush an ‘insult’ to locals in emissions-hit Louisiana
Millions of dollars of investments in new carbon capture projects in Louisiana – with more announced this week, are unwelcome developments to some environmental activists in the state.
Utilities
US utilities oppose Biden efforts to make gas power plants cleaner
Lobbying group’s pushback is out of step with voters and raises questions about industry commitment to reducing pollution
Gulf Coast
Property insurance disappears for Louisianans – but not for gas facilities
Oil and gas facilities along the Gulf coast have long been a major market for speciality insurance carriers.
Polluting Democracy
Maine power companies are spending millions to defeat a vote to dethrone them
This fall, Mainers could cut ties with their utilities. The companies are buying influence to try to stay in power.
Polluting Democracy
Power companies quietly pushed $215m into US politics via dark money groups
Donations have helped utilities increase electricity prices, hinder solar schemes and helped elect sympathetic legislators.
Gulf Coast
In ‘Cancer Alley’, US chemical giants mount campaign against grassroots organizers
Chevron and ExxonMobil are among the companies in a ‘sustainability council’ countering grassroots activists.
Gulf Coast
Global banks pledged to cut emissions – but still invest billions on US gas exports
Many banks promised to work toward net-zero emissions – but their targets explicitly exempt liquefied natural gas projects.
Gulf Coast
‘Sacrifice zone’: Gulf Coast helps meet global natural gas needs, but at what cost?
A string of new LNG plants threatens fragile coastal communities and delays a response to the worldwide climate crisis.
Utilities
US utility firms spent big preparing power grid for storms – and still failed
Electric utilities spent billions after 2014’s polar vortex to ensure power plants and the grid could handle extreme cold, but this winter it still wasn’t enough.
Gulf Coast
Major US railroad merger could bring more tar sands to southeast Texas
A major merger could create the first direct route from Canadian tar sands mines to the Gulf Coast, while another proposed route would ship more of the polluting fuel from Utah.
Carbon Capture
Carbon capture project is ‘band-aid’ to greenwash $10 billion LNG plant, locals say
Texas community fights to save its coastline as the developers of Rio Grande LNG reassure investors over climate impact.