Latest news with #Suess
E&E News
30-06-2025
- Business
- E&E News
Meet the interim Interior official promoting Trump's energy agenda
An interim staffer at the Interior Department has taken on a powerful energy role as the Trump administration issues a flurry of energy policy announcements. Adam Suess is acting assistant secretary for lands and minerals management, a position that links agency leaders with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. Suess oversees key land- and energy-related agencies at Interior — from onshore activities at the Bureau of Land Management to offshore leases at the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. In recent months, Suess has been quoted frequently in Interior news releases touting the administration's streamlining of oil and gas permits and its moves to expedite critical mineral mine approvals. Interior did not respond to questions about Suess or make him available for an interview. Advertisement Assistant secretary positions at Interior are appointed slots that require Senate confirmation. President Donald Trump nominated Leslie Beyer, a longtime oil and gas industry professional, to the role in February. And Beyer was approved by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on May 8. But appointments can move slowly in the Senate, which could leave Suess in his interim role for months to come. 'Of all the assistant secretary positions, this is probably one of the key ones for land use and energy dominance,' said a former Interior official granted anonymity to speak candidly about department operations. Beyer could not be reached for comment. The White House referred questions to Interior. Who is Adam Suess? Suess came to Interior in March from a post as vice president of government and external relations and counsel at REH Co., according to his LinkedIn page. He had started work at the company in 2019 when it operated under the Sinclair name. Before that, Suess spent nearly three years as head of external and government affairs at Murphy USA, an Arkansas-based gasoline station and convenience store company, the LinkedIn profile showed. 'We know him to be a very smart and capable person,' said Frank Maisano, a senior principal at the law firm Bracewell, in an email. REH was a client of Bracewell's while Suess worked there. 'He will be a great resource for this administration, Secretary Burgum and the Interior Department,' Maisano added. A major oil and gas trade group said Suess has been behind important work at Interior. 'Acting Assistant Secretary Adam Suess has taken critical steps to open access to future oil and natural gas development, and we look forward to working with the Department of Interior to continue building on this progress,' said Charlotte Law, a spokesperson for the American Petroleum Institute, in an emailed statement. It is unclear what role Suess might play at Interior if Beyer is confirmed as assistant secretary. A spokesperson for the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee did not respond to questions about the potential timing of Beyer's confirmation vote. What has Suess been saying? During his first three months at Interior, Suess' handiwork has been intertwined with Trump's 'energy dominance' push. Suess has signed directives authorizing Interior agencies to significantly expedite processing of environmental, endangered species and historical reviews — citing Trump's declaration of a national energy 'emergency.' Suess has also been quoted in at least 11 Interior news releases, such as highlighting expansions to oil and gas leasing, mine permit fast-tracking, and efforts to boost a waning coal industry. 'Under President Trump's leadership, we are ending the unnecessary delays and bureaucratic roadblocks that have held back American energy production for too long,' Suess said in one May news release. Earlier this month, he said in a statement that Interior was 'cutting red tape and restoring commonsense policies that ensure responsible development and good stewardship of our public lands.' What did he do in the private sector? Suess was the senior attorney at REH during part of a protracted legal battle with EPA over the agency's renewable fuel standard. The standard requires transportation fuel to be mixed with ethanol or other plant-derived fuels or for producers to buy credits from other companies that are blending more than required. A refinery in Wyoming owned in 2018 by REH applied for an exemption to that rule, which EPA allows for small refineries that assert disproportionate economic hardship from abiding by the requirement. EPA denied that request in 2019 and did so again three years later. The company followed up with a lawsuit against EPA, which eventually resulted in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit partly siding with a group of oil refineries while tossing out EPA's latest exemption denials but keeping in place the 2019 denial. As recently as September 2024, Suess wrote a letter to EPA asking for the agency to again reconsider its denial of the exemption. Since then, a court dispute between REH and EPA has been on hold while EPA reconsiders whether to exempt the refinery from the renewable fuel standard. REH also joined another case involving a number of refineries before the D.C. Circuit, which ruled this month that EPA must revisit aspects of its required biofuel volumes. EPA did not respond to a request for comment from POLITICO's E&E News. 'EPA's review of the petition for reconsideration is ongoing, and the agency needs additional time to determine what action, if any, is necessary,' according to a joint court document REH and EPA filed on June 4. Kate Klossner, a spokesperson for REH, confirmed Suess' previous employment at the business but declined to comment further. How does Suess' current role intersect with renewable fuels? Brett Hartl, government affairs director at the Center for Biological Diversity, said Suess' role so far at Interior appears to be in step with what Burgum and the Trump administration want to see on energy policy. 'It's not unusual in this administration for fossil fuel players to have jobs at Interior given the Trump 'energy dominance' agenda,' Hartl said. 'Obviously all of these acting [officials] are very aggressively carrying out the agenda.' The CBD is an environmental group that's part of the consolidated D.C. Circuit case over the required biofuel volumes. The center brought the case over environmental concerns about the renewable fuel program, while refiners generally raised financial objections to blending in biofuels. But Hartl said Interior's role with the renewable fuels program is limited to Endangered Species Act compliance. 'His portfolio probably doesn't intersect with the renewable fuels standard at all,' Hartl said of Suess.
Forbes
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Forbes
Trump Admin Proposes Rolling Back Coal Mining Safety Protections
Photo by Curtis Wainscott/FPG/On June 12th, the U.S. Department of the Interior's Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement announced a proposal to roll back federal guidelines to investigate reports of potential workplace dangers in mines. Mining remains a dangerous occupation for American workers. In 2023, forty people died in mining-related workplace incidents in the United States. Nine of these fatalities were connected to coal mines. Even after a miner retires, he or she may struggle with chronic health issues like black lung, COPD, and lung cancer. Last year, the Department of the Interior amended their policies to require prompt inspections of mining safety concerns are reported. In the past, many miners continued to work for weeks in dangerous conditions even after they had reported hazards or safety violations. Miners or environmentalists reported that some state officials seemed to shrug off reported workplace or pollution violations. Since mining safety investigations were largely left to the states to oversee, citizens who filed complaints were left with little recourse when reports stalled or went unaddressed. In 2024, the Ten-Day Notice rule was amended. Currently, if a state authority fails to promptly address reported safety concerns, OSMRE can initiate a federal investigation. The Ten-Day Notice Rule requires the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) to inform a state regulatory authority about violations of work permits, safety regulations, or other potentially dangerous issues in mining facilities. Then, the state regulatory authority has ten days to respond to the potential violation. The 2024 additions to the Ten-Day Notice Rule aim to hold state officials and mining companies accountable when they are expected to address potential workplace dangers. Adam G. Suess, Acting Assistant Secretary for Land and Minerals Management, argued that the 2024 amendment created unnecessary restrictions for state officials. "We're cutting red tape, restoring clarity and respecting states' right to lead. Federal oversight doesn't mean federal interference,' Suess said in the June 12th proposal to restrict the Ten-Day Notice Rule. Suess is not the only person who has critiqued the addition of federal inspections to the Ten-Day Notice Rule. In 2024, fourteen attorneys general sued the OSMRE in an attempt to reign in the new safety and reporting guidelines. However, advocates believe that the additions to the Ten-Day Notice Rule save lives and protect the environment. Bonnie Swinford is the Beyond Coal campaign strategist at the Sierra Club. 'Without the Ten Day Notice Rule, toxic spills will fester, dangerous mines will go unrepaired, and at the end of the day, the coal companies responsible will get to wipe their hands and walk away from the messes they created," Swinford said in a press release published in Appalachian Voices. Appalachian coal miners encounter some of the highest levels of injuries and fatalities. Willie Dodson, the Appalachian Voices Coal Impacts Program Manager, echoed Swinford's concerns. 'This rule, in more or less its current form, has helped residents of coal mining communities ensure that their corporate neighbors do not pollute the air and water,' said Dodson. 'The administration's rewrite of this rule will do nothing but eliminate protections for everyday people in order to benefit those who profit from destructive, polluting, reckless coal mining practices.'
Epoch Times
14-05-2025
- Business
- Epoch Times
Interior Department to Expedite Oil, Gas Leasing Process on Federal Lands
The Department of the Interior (DOI) unveiled its revised policy on May 13 aimed at accelerating the oil and gas leasing process on public lands as part of an effort to boost U.S. energy production. The revised policy will enable the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to complete a parcel review process for oil and gas lease sales within six months from the start of scoping, the department said in a Once the parcels are reviewed, state offices will organize a lease sale and invite public participation. Previously, the BLM took between 8 and 15 months to complete the parcel review process. To expedite the leasing, the DOI stated that the BLM will conduct oil and gas lease parcel reviews while the National Energy Policy Act compliance process is being held, focusing on the existing land management policy and resource management plans. Adam Suess, acting assistant secretary for Land and Minerals Management, said the DOI is working to remove 'unnecessary delays' and 'bureaucratic roadblocks' that have hindered U.S. energy production 'for too long.' 'This policy puts us on a fast track to Energy Dominance—opening up more federal land for responsible development, cutting review times nearly in half, and sending a clear message that the United States is serious about job creation, low energy costs, and putting American energy first,' Suess said in a statement. Related Stories 4/19/2024 4/12/2024 The policy change follows President Donald Trump's Jan. 20 The order states that 'burdensome and ideologically motivated regulations' imposed under the previous administration have hindered the development of the country's energy resources, limited the generation of reliable and affordable electricity, reduced job creation, and led to high energy costs. 'It is thus in the national interest to unleash America's affordable and reliable energy and natural resources,' the order reads. 'It will also rebuild our Nation's economic and military security, which will deliver peace through strength.' Trump issued another Following that order, the DOI The 11th National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program will add a new 'High Arctic' planning area off Alaska to the federal offshore leasing map for the first time. The boundaries of other coastal zones are also being revised—potentially clearing the way for oil and gas companies to tap into new reserves along the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic coasts. The DOI also Tom Ozimek contributed to this report.
USA Today
15-04-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Keystone pipeline restarted after oil spill near North Dakota community
Keystone pipeline restarted after oil spill near North Dakota community Show Caption Hide Caption Oil spills: Lasting impacts of some of the biggest in U.S. history Here are three of the most historic oil spills in U.S. history. Staff video, USA TODAY Pipeline operator South Bow restarted its Keystone oil pipeline system after a spill near a North Dakota community shut down the line for almost a week. The U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) announced on April 14 that South Bow restarted the pipeline at a reduced pressure. Earlier in the day, the company monitored inclement weather conditions before proceeding with the planned controlled restart. PHMSA approved the company's restart plan, but only under certain conditions spelled out in a corrective action order issued by the federal regulator on April 11. Several corrective actions in the order included the pressure restriction, mechanical and metallurgical testing of the failed pipe, and submission of a root cause analysis. The company, which is based in Calgary, Canada, has said it will also institute certain pressure restrictions on the Canadian section of the Keystone pipeline. The pipeline shut down on April 8 after an oil spill occurred near Fort Ransom, a community about 80 miles southwest of Fargo, North Dakota. In an update on April 14, PHMSA said the failed section of pipe was excavated and replaced. The failed pipe will be sent to a metallurgical lab in Houston for testing while the repaired line will be "tested at various pressures to confirm its integrity," according to PHMSA. "PHMSA investigators remain on site, and our investigation is ongoing," the regulator said in the update. "PHMSA will continue to monitor the operator's compliance with the (corrective action order)." 'We will not back down': Greenpeace ordered to pay more than $660M for Dakota Access Pipeline protests Keystone oil spill estimated at 3,500 barrels Bill Suess, spill investigation program manager with the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality, told The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead that an employee heard a "mechanical bang" and shut down the pipeline within two minutes. Suess said the employee noticed oil surfacing in a nearby field. Following the incident, South Bow reported that it began a shutdown and response at about 7:42 a.m. local time on April 8 after "control centre leak detection systems detected a pressure drop in the system." The system was shut down at 7:44 a.m., the company said in a statement. The company noted that the affected segment was isolated and the release had been contained. The Keystone pipeline was pumping about 17,844 barrels of oil per hour when a part of the pipeline ruptured, spilling an estimated 3,500 barrels, or 147,000 gallons, onto agricultural land, according to Reuters. More: Why a pipeline project in Houston is raising concerns over environmental racism Federal regulator details pattern of spills from Keystone pipeline The Keystone pipeline spans nearly 2,700 miles and is a major channel for crude oil supply from Alberta, Canada, to U.S. refineries in Illinois, Oklahoma, and along the Gulf Coast. In the corrective action order issued by PHMSA, the regulator detailed previous leaks and spills from the Keystone pipeline. Between 2016 and 2022, PHMSA documented at least five accidents involving the Keystone pipeline. A 2021 report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office also found 22 spills from the pipeline between 2010 and 2020, according to Reuters. "The spills of 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, and 2022, which resulted in reported releases of 400, 6,592, 4,515, 442, 12,937 barrels of crude oil, respectively, show a tendency or pattern in recent years of increasingly frequent incidents resulting in larger releases," the corrective action order states. PHMSA also noted that the April 8 rupture looked similar to another one on the same pipeline in North Dakota in 2019, in which about 4,515 barrels of crude oil were leaked. Initial findings of PHMSA's investigation showed that the failed pipe in both incidents was manufactured by the Berg Steel Pipe Corporation. Contributing: Chris Mueller, Sioux Falls Argus Leader; Reuters
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Keystone oil pipeline ruptures in North Dakota; spill under investigation
The Brief A Keystone Pipeline rupture was reported near Fort Ransom, North Dakota, around 7:44 a.m. The cause is unknown, but the pipeline shut down within two minutes. Oil was contained in a nearby field; the spill is under investigation. FORT RANSOM, N.D. - The Keystone oil pipeline ruptured Tuesday morning in North Dakota, with the spill confined to an agricultural field. What we know KVRR reported that the eruption happened near Fort Ransom, North Dakota around 7:44 a.m. local time. An employee working at the site near Fort Ransom heard a "mechanical bang" and shut down the pipeline within about two minutes, said Bill Suess, spill investigation program manager with the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality. Oil was reported surfacing 300 yards (274 meters) south of the pump station in a field, Suess said. Emergency personnel responded to the site, Suess said. No people or structures were affected by the spill, he said. A nearby stream that only flows during part of the year was not impacted but was blocked off and isolated as a precaution, he said. What we don't know The cause of the rupture and the volume of crude oil spilled were not immediately unclear. It's unclear at what rate the 30-inch (0.8-meter) pipeline was flowing, but even at two minutes "it's going to have a fairly good volume," Suess said. "But ... we've had much, much bigger spills," including one involving the same pipeline a few years ago in Walsh County, North Dakota, he said. "I don't think it's going to be that huge," Suess said. What they're saying "At 7:44 this morning an employee on a pump station heard what was described as a mechanical bang," Suess said in a statement to FOX Television Stationsz. "He immediately shut down the pipeline and notified emergency personnel. The release is currently confined to an agricultural field south of the pump station." "There is an ephemeral stream nearby that has been isolated," he continued. "The stream has not been impacted." South Bow, a liquid pipeline business that manages the pipeline, said it shut down the pipeline after control center leak detection systems detected a pressure drop in the system. The spill is confined to an agricultural field. "The affected segment has been isolated, and operations and containment resources have been mobilized to site," the company said. "Our primary focus right now is the safety of onsite personnel and mitigating risk to the environment." What's next The size and cause of the spill are under investigation, according to the outlet. The backstory The Keystone Pipeline was constructed in 2010 at a cost of $5.2 billion and carries crude oil across Saskatchewan and Manitoba through North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri to refineries in Illinois and Oklahoma. Though the pipeline was constructed by TC Energy, it is now managed by South Bow as of 2024. An extension of the pipeline, Keystone XL, was proposed in 2008. According to FOX News, the pipeline has been at the forefront of political debate since the project began construction in 2010, and was eventually halted by former President Barack Obama before it was finished. Trump revived it during his first term. However, former President Joe Biden ordered the pipeline cancelation via executive order on his first day in office in January 2021, leading to thousands of job losses. TC Energy, the operator of the Keystone XL pipeline, ultimately gave up on the project in June 2021 as a result of Biden's decision to cancel its federal permits. Then, in 2023, a federal judge tossed a legal challenge from nearly two dozen states asking the court to reinstate the pipeline's permits. The pipeline had been scheduled to be completed in early 2023 and would transport an additional 830,000 barrels of crude oil from Canada to the U.S. through an existing pipeline network, according to TC Energy. It was also projected to create thousands of jobs, many of which would have been union jobs. In January, Danielle Smith, the premier of Alberta, Canada, said that she was interested in talking to the Trump administration about potentially reopening the pipeline project. The Source FOX News and the Associated Press contributed to this report. The information in this story comes from local reports, including KVRR. This story was reported from Los Angeles.
