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Politico
2 days ago
- Climate
- Politico
Trump kills key hurricane forecasting tool
Meteorologists are about to lose one of their best forecasting tools — in the middle of hurricane season. The Trump administration is terminating a military satellite program that has been one of the world's only sources of high-quality data that helps forecasters predict when hurricanes will make sudden, extreme gains in wind speed, writes Chelsea Harvey. The satellites are still fully functional, but the data will go dark by Monday. Such rapid intensification is notoriously dangerous and difficult to predict. It can transform tropical storms into a major hurricane in mere hours, leaving emergency managers little time to evacuate people and fortify infrastructure. The administration offered no explanation for — and did not respond to Chelsea's requests for comment about — why it was ending the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, alarming meteorologists. 'There is no sugar-coating it: Hurricane forecasts will undoubtedly be worse after this loss,' Brian McNoldy, a hurricane expert at the University of Miami, told Chelsea. 'For anyone near a hurricane-prone area, this is alarmingly bad news.' 'This decision will kill people' The military satellite program, which has operated since the 1960s, is made up of a constellation of weather satellites that collect measurements used to track everything from thunderstorms and fog to snow and ice cover. Its defining feature is its microwave sensor, which provides detailed scans key for accurate hurricane models. The program accounts for as much as half of the microwave scans that help forecasters build their predictions. 'Microwave data are already relatively sparse, so any loss — even gradual as satellites or instruments fail — is a big deal; but to abruptly end three active functioning satellites is insanity,' McNoldy said. The military program is one of the largest single sources of high-quality microwave data in the world. NASA operates a similar satellite, as does Japan. The program's cancellation is the latest in a string of Trump administration cuts that experts say are blinding the country to the impacts of climate change. Thousands of federal workers have been fired or accepted buy-outs at agencies that monitor climate change, including NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency. The White House's budget request for fiscal 2026 has proposed severe cuts to climate and weather research programs, including the elimination of NOAA's entire research arm. 'This decision will kill people,' hurricane researcher Jimmy Yunge wrote in a message to NOAA's Office of Satellite and Product Operations. Thank goodness it's Friday — thank you for tuning in to POLITICO's Power Switch. I'm your host, Arianna Skibell. Power Switch is brought to you by the journalists behind E&E News and POLITICO Energy. Send your tips, comments, questions to askibell@ Today in POLITICO Energy's podcast: Brian Dabbs breaks down the Trump administration's plan to downsize the Energy Department's network of national research laboratories, which have powered U.S. scientific and technological breakthroughs for decades. Power Centers SCOTUS takes aim at nationwide injunctionsThe Supreme Court's decision today to restrict the power of federal judges to issue nationwide orders could lead to a patchwork of lower court fights over federal agency decisions, including the Trump administration's plans to roll back environmental and energy rules, write Niina H. Farah and Lesley Clark. The 6-3 decision in Trump v. CASA marks a major win for the Trump administration, which has found its efforts to remake government repeatedly blocked by the courts. Spain's big blackout: A cautionary taleThe nation's top energy regulators are trying to understand what led to the temporary collapse of Spain's and Portugal's electricity system in April as a brutal heat wave across the eastern U.S. pushes power providers to the limit, writes Peter Behr. 'I want to be clear that this is not simply a resource's fault,' a U.S. grid security executive told members of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission at a recent briefing. 'It's an engineering and operational challenge.' France tries to kick the climate can French President Emmanuel Macron said he wants to delay agreement on the European Union's next climate target, write Zia Weise, Louise Guillot and Clea Caulcutt. The move risks weakening the bloc's international green ambitions. In Other News Looking at you, Taylor: Private jet carbon emissions are soaring. Here's who pollutes the most. Fuel saving, start-stop function: Should the government stop subsidizing a car feature that 'everyone hates'? Subscriber Zone A showcase of some of our best subscriber content. Trump said he has signed a deal with China to unblock the flow of rare earth elements to U.S. companies, after a trade spat riled U.S. automakers reliant on the materials. Ireland has become the latest in a growing number of countries to entirely phase out coal-fired power plants, even as Trump has grand plans to revive what he calls 'beautiful clean coal.' California air regulators have repealed a state rule that would have mandated rail operators phase out the diesel locomotives that traverse the state. That's it for today, folks. Thanks for reading, and have a great weekend!
Politico
3 days ago
- Business
- Politico
Energy secretary's dreams collide with Trump's cuts
Energy Secretary Chris Wright has big plans for technologies like advanced nuclear reactors and geothermal energy — but they could be hobbled by the Trump administration's proposed budget cuts to national labs. As Brian Dabbs and I write today, Wright has vowed to 'make it vastly easier to build power plants in the United States.' The secretary is pushing for the Department of Energy's 17 labs, which have been central to energy research since the Manhattan Project during World War II, to help jumpstart the administration's 'energy dominance' agenda. The Idaho National Laboratory, for example, announced results this week of a first-of-its-kind test to lower the amount of waste produced by reactors. Wright has also publicly supported lab research on nuclear fusion, a potential zero-carbon form of electricity that involves the same reaction powering the sun. Here comes the White HouseBut President Donald Trump's proposed budget for fiscal year 2026 would slash the budget of the National Energy Technology Laboratory — which supports fossil fuel research — by 32 percent and cut fusion programs at multiple labs, including Argonne, Brookhaven and Idaho. 'As much as the secretary is talking about how excited he is about fusion, the budget they proposed cut it,' said Andrew Holland, CEO of the Fusion Industry Association. Wind, solar, electric vehicles and building efficiency research would also be cut sharply under Trump's plan, a shift that analysts say could slow development of those technologies. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado would see some of the sharpest cuts overall, with funding declining by more than 56 percent from current levels under Trump's plan. DOE says many programs are being reorganized. The budget plan would shuffle funding for administration priorities such as geothermal, increasing it at NREL while reducing it at Lawrence Berkeley and Sandia labs. Wright pushes onWright is backing higher levels of funding than Trump proposed for artificial intelligence and fusion. Speaking at the National Energy Technology Laboratory on Wednesday, he also signaled that his plan to build data centers on federal land — including multiple national labs — could include installing new nuclear power. 'You will see data centers built on national lab property,' he said. 'You also will see next-generation nuclear reactors tested' on federal lands sometime next year, he added. The data center plan could become Wright's biggest footprint on the labs. The department told POLITICO's E&E News this week it is weighing next steps after receiving hundreds of comments on the proposal in May. Industry insiders say the department appears to be looking for 'combined packages' that involve building data centers with co-located power plants or other sources of electricity. It's Thursday — thank you for tuning in to POLITICO's Power Switch. I'm your host, Christa Marshall. Arianna will be back soon! Power Switch is brought to you by the journalists behind E&E News and POLITICO Energy. Send your tips, comments, questions to cmarshall@ Today in POLITICO Energy's podcast: Zack Colman breaks down Trump's wildfire prevention strategy. Power Centers Get used to the heatThe heat dome that shattered record high temperatures in the eastern U.S. is part of weather patterns that are becoming more common because of climate change, Chelsea Harvey writes. Scientists raised the issue in a recent study, saying that such long-lasting weather patterns will bring both heatwaves and heavy rainfall. The study says rapid warming in the Arctic could be the cause. Oil's water problemTo help oil and gas companies dispose of polluted water, the Environmental Protection Agency is promoting reuse of that wastewater — a concern for environmentalists, but an EPA program that could garner support in oil-producing states, Miranda Willson writes. The goal is to allow the chemical-laden, super-salty brine to be substantially cleaned and reused for power generation, water-guzzling data centers and irrigating range land. Reusing the water could address a major industry challenge and help ease crippling drought in parts of Texas and New Mexico, two of the nation's most prolific oil-producing states. Western water plan on the tableState negotiators in Western states struggling with how to share the drought-ravaged Colorado River say they could be close to breaking free from gridlock. The Interior Department has warned that missing a November deadline could force the federal government to impose its own solutions, Jennifer Yachnin writes. Members of the Upper Colorado River Commission — which represents Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming — are weighing a new method of sharing the waterway. The Lower Basin states of Arizona, California and Nevada proposed a new formula based on actual flows from the prior three years. In Other News Phone a friend: Trump officials have pushed European Union leaders to scale back major climate laws at the behest of the oil industry. A new hope: The Trump administration's support for oil and gas has renewed hope in Nikiski, a southern Alaska town that is the epicenter of the long-planned Alaska LNG project. Hot source for coolness: A neighborhood outside of Austin, Texas, is using geothermal energy to heat and cool its houses and buildings, which the developer says saves residents up to $2,000 a year on their utility bills. Subscriber Zone A showcase of some of our best subscriber content. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz accused environmental groups of working with China on climate lawsuits targeting fossil fuels. Tariffs and tax credit uncertainty could send grid storage installations plunging by 29 percent next year, according to a new report. The Center for Biological Diversity sued the Trump administration to find out which power plants have asked for exemptions to the Clean Air Act. The first-ever global climate conference missing officials from the U.S. wrapped up on Thursday with no clear signs that any nation was ready to fill the vacuum left by Washington. That's it for today, folks! Thanks for reading.
Politico
4 days ago
- Health
- Politico
Too hot for the electric grid to handle?
The heat wave scorching large swaths of the country is stressing out the aging electric grid, threatening rolling blackouts when people need air conditioning most. To help keep ACs humming, the Trump administration is allowing some fossil fuel power plants in the Southeast to exceed pollution limits. While not an unprecedented move during emergencies, it marks a big contrast with other solutions that have emerged in recent years — such as Texas' reliance on solar power to get through heat waves. President Donald Trump's strategy to lean on fossil fuels creates a feedback loop: The more natural gas and coal are burned for energy, the more carbon pollution enters the atmosphere. This pollution helps warm the planet — requiring more electricity to cool people off. And without long-term planning for clean, reliable backup power, the short-term need to beat the heat dominates. That's why Energy Secretary Chris Wright authorized Duke Energy to run some power plants in the Carolinas at maximum output as temperatures approach 100 degrees, writes Jeffrey Tomich. 'Americans should not be forced to wonder if their power grid can support their homes and businesses,' Wright said in a statement. The heat dome is bearing down on much of the eastern U.S., from northeast Texas to New England, driving triple-digit heat and humidity in some areas. Scores of cities are under heat advisories, and more than 40,000 customers in several New York City boroughs lost power earlier this week as the temperatures stressed the local electric grid. Extreme heat is the leading weather-related cause of death in the country, killing more U.S. residents each year than hurricanes, floods and tornadoes combined, federal data shows. And it's not an equal-opportunity killer. In addition to directly causing dehydration or heat stroke, extreme heat can also worsen underlying health conditions. Research shows that already vulnerable populations, such as those without permanent housing, are more likely to have chronic conditions such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease. Lack of access to AC, medical care or nutrition only worsens the problem. Hotter days also mean higher utility bills. The summer heat is expected to drive up residential electricity bills by about 3 percent to an average of $178 per month, according to an analysis by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That number could be even higher if temperatures continue to soar, EIA noted. It's Wednesday — thank you for tuning in to POLITICO's Power Switch. I'm your host, Arianna Skibell. Power Switch is brought to you by the journalists behind E&E News and POLITICO Energy. Send your tips, comments, questions to askibell@ Today in POLITICO Energy's podcast: James Bikales breaks down why the Senate parliamentarian rejected certain provisions of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee's portion of Trump's megabill and what that means for its prospects. Power Centers Science agency booted from HQThe National Science Foundation has been kicked out of its headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia, to make space for the Department of Housing and Urban Development, write Robin Bravender and Ellie Borst. Where NSF employees will go next, they don't know. HUD Secretary Scott Turner announced the takeover today at a new conference, but offered no insights about where NSF employees would be relocated. He said his agency was moving in to start a new 'golden age.' Trump's newest plan to kill EPA grantsThe Trump administration is taking the unusual step of trying to cut funding and eliminate programs it dislikes by using routine administrative actions, write Jean Chemnick and Miranda Willson. The goal is to block billions in Environmental Protection Agency grants that the Biden administration had signed binding contracts to pay. But some scholars say Trump's mechanism is legally dubious at best. 'Their bureaucratic jujitsu is impressive, but it's also illegal,' said Jillian Blanchard with Lawyers for Good Government. How a little green law set off a political explosionThe European Commission set off a political cluster bomb last week when it suddenly declared it was killing a relatively minor rule on corporate greenwashing, writes James Fernyhough. The announcement came two days after the center-right European People's Party, the largest force in the European Parliament, sent a letter to the commission saying it wanted the law dead. That has fueled a growing sense among the center-left bloc that the right wing is controlling not just Parliament, but also the commission. In Other News June is the new July: Why intense summer heat is arriving earlier. $80 million, few rules: Louisiana's energy efficiency 'slush fund.' Subscriber Zone A showcase of some of our best subscriber content. The Trump administration plans to fast-track permits for deep-sea mining, despite warnings from conservation groups that too little is known about delicate ecosystems deep underwater. A federal judge blocked the Trump administration from freezing funds for electric vehicle charging stations in 14 states, a suspension that has become a flashpoint in Trump's bid to choke off congressionally approved spending. The White House and automakers are scrambling to adjust to China's tightening of restrictions on rare earth elements — a growing choke point in Trump's trade war. That's it for today, folks! Thanks for reading.
Politico
6 days ago
- Climate
- Politico
Hot and unprepared
The 'rare' and 'extremely dangerous' heat wave gripping large swaths of the country offers a reminder of the dangers of climate change as the world fails to curb atmospheric pollution. Tens of millions of people across the Midwest and East Coast are experiencing scorching heat today — reaching triple digits in some cities — that could continue through Wednesday. Public health experts are warning people to stay cool and hydrated as temperatures are expected to remain high overnight, offering the body little respite. The heat dome, caused by high pressure in the upper atmosphere that traps heat and humidity, arrives as the Trump administration escalates its assault on regulations designed to combat climate change and protect people from high temperatures. The administration has proposed axing a popular program that helps low-income families heat and cool their homes. The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which provides support to some 6 million Americans and has bipartisan support in Congress, has increasingly become a source of money to subsidize air conditioning costs as summer heat becomes more dangerous. (The White House has called the program 'unnecessary.') The administration is also weighing the elimination of a proposed rule that would require companies to provide rest and water to outdoor workers in extreme heat. The rule's opponents include the oil and gas industry, among the nation's leading workplaces for heat-related deaths and injuries. Meanwhile, the U.S. and other countries are failing to cut their climate pollution sharply enough to meet the Paris Agreement's goal of keeping global warming 'well below' 2 degrees Celsius. A new analysis from the independent science project Climate Action Tracker found that none of the 40 countries tracked has strengthened its 2030 targets enough to comply with the 2015 climate deal. In Europe, scientists are warning that the continent is wholly unprepared to handle the rapid increase in illnesses and deaths driven by extreme heat, floods and wildfires. Hotter temperatures are also driving the alarming spread of mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue and chikungunya that were once confined to tropical regions. And in the U.S., Trump's efforts to eradicate federal climate initiatives include gutting research programs and firing experts — potentially impairing people's ability to understand how such warming affects the planet. It's Monday — thank you for tuning in to POLITICO's Power Switch. I'm your host, Arianna Skibell. Power Switch is brought to you by the journalists behind E&E News and POLITICO Energy. Send your tips, comments, questions to askibell@ Today in POLITICO Energy's podcast: Dasha Burns speaks with one of Trump's top energy advisers, Jarrod Agen, about the administration's rejection of the GOP's long-held 'all of the above' energy mantra and exclusive embrace of fossil fuels and nuclear power. Power Centers Oil prices yo-yo amid U.S.-Iran tête-à-têteOil prices fell sharply Monday afternoon following an Iranian counterattack against U.S. military bases in Qatar and Iraq, an apparently symbolic move that spared shipments of Middle Eastern crude, writes Ben Lefebvre. Prices tumbled below $70 a barrel, down more than $5 from the day before when the U.S. military action against Iran's nuclear facilities drove prices higher. As prices ping-pong, Trump — who campaigned on driving down energy costs — has tried to stave off panic by publicly urging his administration to increase domestic oil production, writes Robin Bravender. The president took to Truth Social to demand that the Energy Department 'DRILL, BABY, DRILL!!!' despite oil extraction falling outside that agency's jurisdiction. In a separate post, he directed 'EVERYONE' to 'KEEP OIL PRICES DOWN. I'M WATCHING!' Trump's public pronouncements mark attempts to calm consumers and influence prices, but the reality is presidents are limited in their ability to sway global oil markets. GOP moves could undercut the fossil fuel industryRepublican lawmakers are cracking down on federal aid that the fossil fuel industry lobbied hard for in an effort to stay globally competitive, writes Brian Dabbs. On the chopping block are funds to cut methane emissions and a clean hydrogen tax break, the loss of which some energy experts say could jeopardize the future for U.S. oil and gas and give an edge to China and Europe. In Other News Fusion race: No one has made fusion power viable yet. Why are major tech companies investing billions? Side effects may include: Climate change is boosting the risk of sleep apnea. Subscriber Zone A showcase of some of our best subscriber content. EPA's proposed repeal of Biden-era power plant rules solidifies the Trump administration's plan to discard the social cost of carbon. Trump is slashing and burning the bulk of the Biden administration's energy and climate legacy, but there's one policy he appears to be embracing: an African cross-continental rail project that would access mineral-rich countries and counter China. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) plans to question a senior Justice Department official at his Wednesday hearing for an appointment to the federal bench about his involvement in the freeze and termination of $20 billion of EPA climate grants. That's it for today, folks! Thanks for reading.
Politico
18-06-2025
- Business
- Politico
The GOP fight for clean energy credits
Presented by A new Republican-led lobbying group is trying to override its party's disdain for former President Joe Biden's clean energy tax credits in an effort to save trillions of dollars' worth of financial benefits headed to largely red districts. Built for America — led by former West Virginia Lt. Gov. Mitch Carmichael (R) and former Trump campaign adviser Bryan Lanza — launched this month with a $2 million campaign, placing advertisements in conservative platforms like Fox News and Truth Social, writes Timothy Cama. 'Trump country is booming. We're building, hiring and winning in America, because energy tax credits put America first,' one of the ads says. The effort comes as advocates run out of time, and avenues, to defend the clean power provisions before Republicans unravel them in President Donald Trump's megabill. The Senate Finance Committee released new text this week that would do little to save the solar tax credits, disappointing groups that had hoped senators would take a more tolerant stance than their House counterparts. Some GOP senators say there's still time to salvage the credits they favor. But for House Freedom Caucus members, the Senate version doesn't go far enough to kill the tax breaks. They have vowed to vote against the bill unless it more closely mirrors the House-approved deep cuts. Lobbying blitz: The new Senate text reinvigorated the clean energy lobbying effort, which included a rally Tuesday at the Capitol hosted by the Solar Energy Industries Association, the solar industry's biggest trade group. 'Time to storm the Hill!' said Abigail Ross Hopper, the group's CEO. Companies and trade associations have beefed up their lobbying capacity in recent months to fight for the credits they support. They include battery-maker Energizer Holdings, chemical manufacturer Johnson Matthey, the Hydrogen Jobs Now Coalition, battery recycler Ecobat and the Clean Energy Buyers Association. Advanced Energy United, which is backed by major technology firms such as Microsoft and automakers like Ford, launched a six-figure campaign targeting a handful of Senate Republicans with digital ads. 'Repealing these tax credits would devastate local economies, raise energy costs, and hand the keys of energy leadership to China — and the Senate now has a choice to make,' Harry Godfrey, the group's managing director for federal priorities, said in a statement. The anti-tax-credit faction has its advocates, too. GOP lawmakers have publicly thanked fossil fuel activist Alex Epstein for his help in rolling back the credits in the House bill. Epstein, the founder of a for-profit think tank that promotes fossil fuels, wrote on X that the Senate version is a 'sad update.' It's Wednesday — thank you for tuning in to POLITICO's Power Switch. I'm your host, Arianna Skibell. Power Switch is brought to you by the journalists behind E&E News and POLITICO Energy. Send your tips, comments, questions to askibell@ Programming note: We'll be off this Thursday but will be back in your inboxes on Friday. Today in POLITICO Energy's podcast: Josh Siegel and Kelsey Tamborrino break down what the Senate proposed in its version of the megabill, how it compares with the House's version and what comes next in the tax credit battle. Power Centers EPA acted illegally in axing grants, court rulesA federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration's termination of $600 million in environmental justice grants issued by the Biden administration for low-income areas and communities of color was unlawful, writes Alex Guillén. The ruling comes as the Environmental Protection Agency is separately appealing a ruling that its termination of $20 billion in Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund grants was also unlawful. Congressional Republicans have proposed rescinding funding for both grant programs as part of their reconciliation bills. Offshore wind's political tightrope walkIn an unusual move, Vineyard Wind declined to comment when the Supreme Court ended a yearslong battle in favor of the Massachusetts offshore wind developer, writes Benjamin Storrow. The lack of comment illustrates how offshore wind companies are trying to navigate a politically tumultuous period under Trump, who has repeatedly voiced his disdain for 'windmills.' As executive orders and regulatory actions designed to halt offshore wind projects have piled up, many developers are advancing projects in relative silence. They are staying quiet even as opponents ratchet up criticism. Death knell for carbon capture?In proposing to repeal Biden's climate rule for power plants, the Trump administration lampooned the measure's reliance on burgeoning technology that captures and stores pollution before it enters the atmosphere, writes Carlos Anchondo. EPA said carbon capture and storage has not been 'adequately demonstrated' and that the cost of deployment is 'not reasonable,' delivering a major setback to a technology that's struggling to find a foothold. In Other News More megabill bites: Senate Republicans are seeking to reward oil drillers amid deep cuts to wind and solar. Is fake grass safe? A manufacturer sues to stop a discussion. Subscriber Zone A showcase of some of our best subscriber content. The Trump administration is shuttering which has for 15 years been a go-to source for information about climate change and the growing threats driven by atmospheric warming. The Supreme Court overturned a lower court ruling Wednesday that had threatened to stymie nuclear power plants' ability to store spent nuclear fuel away from their sites as they await a permanent solution for the waste. The Brazilian government is taking bids from companies to explore for oil near the Amazon River as the country also prepares to host this year's international climate talks aimed at shoring up countries' climate commitments. That's it for today, folks! Thanks for reading.
