OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Oil sands pipeline bill poised to advance

Thursday’s Big Story: The House Energy and Commerce Committee is slated to vote on a bill aimed at accelerating federal approval of a controversial pipeline that would expand U.S. imports from Canada’s oil sands projects.

The oil industry-backed bill – which House GOP leadership hopes to bring before the full chamber this summer – would require an Obama administration decision on the proposed Keystone XL pipeline by Nov. 1.

Republicans and some Democrats call the pipeline a major step toward creating jobs and boosting supplies from a friendly neighbor.

But opponents say the pipeline carries major environmental risks, citing potential leaks and the ecological impact of greenhouse gases emitted form Alberta’s oil sands project.

Check out our posts here, here, here and here for more on the battle over the Keystone XL project.

The committee will also mark up a bill Thursday that would block EPA from regulating a byproduct of coal-burning power plants as hazardous waste under the Resources Conservation and Recovery Act.

NEWS BITES:

NRC ‘closely following’ flooding near Nebraska nuclear plants

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is “closely following” flooding along the Missouri River near two Nebraska nuclear power plants.

“We are closely following events at both plants,” NRC Region IV Administrator Elmo Collins said in a statement Wednesday. “Both plants have activated their flood response plans and taken appropriate steps to protect vital structures, systems and components from rising floodwaters and maintain their plants in a safe condition.”

Both plants, the Cooper Nuclear Station and the Fort Calhoun nuclear power plant, have declared the flooding an “unusual event,” which NRC says is the lowest emergency declaration.

The NRC says the plants have “made extensive preparations to protect the sites against rising floodwaters.”

The New York Times has more on the flooding around the plants.

Iowa man gets jail time for conspiring to violate Clean Air Act

An Iowa man was sentenced to more than three years in prison Wednesday by a U.S. district court judge on charges of conspiracy to violate the Clean Air Act.

Bobby Joe Knapp, of West Des Moines, Iowa, was convicted of not following Clean Air Act rules on removing asbestos during a three-year renovation project.

“Ignoring the safeguards put into place to protect workers and the public from the risk of exposure to asbestos is inexcusable,” said Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance, in a statement. “Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of the crime and sends a strong warning to anyone thinking of cutting corners to save money at the expense of people's health.”

Sullivan touts business support for embattled gas bill

Rep. John Sullivan (R-Okla.) is seeking to build momentum for his bipartisan bill that provides billions of dollars in tax credits to spur conversion to natural gas in the heavy trucking industry.

The bill is under attack from an array of conservative groups, and a number of Republicans have pulled their sponsorship in recent weeks.

But Sullivan’s office on Wednesday circulated a list of 220 businesses and trade groups – including big companies and many small ones – that support the legislation.

They include Chrysler, UPS, Apache Corp., the National Beer Wholesalers Association, Sempra Energy, the American Gas Association and others.

“American businesses, large and small, recognize that our $1 billion per day reliance on foreign oil is both an economic and national security risk we simply can’t afford to continue taking,” Sullivan said in a statement.

Sullivan took on the bill’s critics in a recent interview with The Hill.

Greens blast approval of bill to restrict EPA water permitting

Environmental groups blasted a bill approved by the House Transportation Committee Wednesday that would give the states increased authority to impose water quality standards.

The bill would restrict the Environmental Protection Agency's ability to issue Clean Water Act permits.

Here’s Ed Hopkins, director of Sierra Club's Environmental Quality Program, on the bill:

“Their attempt to hijack the Clean Water Act, roll back many of its provisions and undo 40 years of progress in cleaning up the nation's waters opens up new avenues for polluters to make Americans sick, dirty our waterways and further line their pockets at the expense of the taxpayer.

“The passage of this bill kicks the legs out from under the Environmental Protection Agency and would force Americans to rely on an uncertain and unfair patchwork of protections to ensure clean drinking water and a healthy environment.”

Business group cheers bill to delay boiler rule

The Business Roundtable is pleased with a new House plan to delay and alter EPA’s rules to curb air toxics from commercial boilers.

“Without congressional action, businesses could be forced to spend billions of dollars that could be better used to invest in new jobs and products. U.S. competitiveness would suffer a serious blow,” said John Engler, the group’s president who is also a former GOP governor of Michigan.

“The House bill will allow the EPA to move forward while striking the right balance to sustain the environment, public health and the economy,” he said.

ON TAP THURSDAY:

House panel to vet renewable energy bills

A House Natural Resources Committee panel will hold a hearing on a cluster of bills aimed at boosting renewable energy development on federal lands and offshore. More here.

Power system cybersecurity in focus

The firm ICF International will host a breakfast with Mark Weatherford, a top official with the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, to discuss cybersecurity issues related to the U.S. power system.

Ted Turner to promote climate action

The United Nations Foundation will hold a briefing on climate change with its chairman, Ted Turner, and others.

Two-day climate summit gets rolling

George Washington University's 2011 Climate Leadership Summit begins Thursday. More info here.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...

Here's a quick roundup of Wednesday's E2 stories:

- House lawmakers float bill to delay, alter EPA boiler rule
- Al Gore: Obama hasn’t made case for ‘bold action’ on climate
- Rep. Castor gets Weiner's Energy and Commerce seat
- Conservative group sues NASA for climate scientist’s records
- Senate could vote on amendment to defund policy 'czars'
- Democrats may push clean energy in deficit talks
- Dems say GOP drilling permit bill has impacts beyond Alaska
- Jon Huntsman on past support for cap-and-trade: Everyone was doing it

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