POLITICO Energy

The Biden administration approved the long-debated Willow oil project in Alaska on Monday -- the latest concession by President Joe Biden to the oil and gas industry and Republican critics, and which came over the pleas to quash it from environmental groups and some nearby tribal communities. POLITICO’s Ben Lefebvre breaks down the project’s details, how the administration is defending itself and the reaction from environmentalists. Plus, Volkswagen picks Ontario for the site of its first battery plant outside Europe as countries rush to build an electric vehicle supply chain. Josh Siegel is an energy reporter for POLITICO. Ben Lefebvre is an energy reporter for POLITICO. Nirmal Mulaikal is a POLITICO audio host-producer.Raghu Manavalan is a senior editor for POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the executive producer of POLITICO’s audio department. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's still no conclusive answer to the six-month-old question of who blew up the Nord Stream pipelines, which sent geopolitical shockwaves around the world. POLITICO’s Charlie Cooper breaks down the prevailing theories and the global energy implications of each culprit. Plus, Senator Joe Manchin said he would not support President Joe Biden’s nominee to a top Interior Department position. Josh Siegel is an energy reporter for POLITICO. Charlie Cooper is the Chief UK correspondent at POLITICO Europe.Nirmal Mulaikal is a POLITICO audio host-producer.Raghu Manavalan is a senior editor for POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the executive producer of POLITICO’s audio department. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Joe Biden unveiled his $1.7 trillion budget and likely campaign blueprint on Thursday. While the government funding proposal likely has no chance of passing Congress as is, it marks both a campaign pitch and an opening shot at House Republicans who have demanded significant spending cuts. POLITICO’s Josh Siegel and Kelsey Tamborrino discuss Biden’s energy funding proposals and how it impacts his green goals. Plus, the Biden administration met with natural gas industry representatives and foreign government officials on Thursday in Houston to discuss 'clean gas' standards. Josh Siegel is an energy reporter for POLITICO. Kelsey Tamborrino is a reporter covering clean energy.Nirmal Mulaikal is a POLITICO audio host-producer.Raghu Manavalan is a senior editor for POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the executive producer of POLITICO’s audio department. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The nation’s premier energy event, CERAWeek, is underway in Houston, and observers to this year’s conference are noting a tone shift from previous years. While demand for oil and gas remains robust, there are signs all around the conference that the traditional oil industry is changing, and it’s all about investing in new climate technologies. POLITICO’s Matt Daily breaks down the vibe shift within the oil industry on climate tech. Plus, the Interior Department expects its final five-year offshore leasing plan in December.  Josh Siegel is an energy reporter for POLITICO. Matt Daily is the energy editor for POLITICO.Nirmal Mulaikal is a POLITICO audio host-producer.Raghu Manavalan is a senior editor for POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the executive producer of POLITICO’s audio department. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plagued by delays and cost issues, the only nuclear power plant under construction in the U.S. is moving closer to startup. The two reactors being built by Southern Co’s Georgia Power are projected to produce emission-free electricity for half a million homes and businesses once complete. POLITICO’s Catherine Morehouse breaks down the major development. Plus, the Biden administration’s EPA is at odds with the agency’s Inspector General over Trump-era changes to an assessment of PFAS. Josh Siegel is an energy reporter for POLITICO. Catherine Morehouse is an energy reporter for POLITICO. Nirmal Mulaikal is a POLITICO audio host-producer.Raghu Manavalan is a senior editor for POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the executive producer of POLITICO’s audio department. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The House GOP is preparing a massive new energy bill. Speaker Kevin McCarthy is hopeful the bill will unite his sometimes fractured party, whose members touted many of the energy-related proposals on the campaign trail. But, passage of the bill will not be easy.The package includes both long-time ideological priorities, such as boosting drilling on federal lands, as well as an opening bid to ease permitting of energy projects, a policy area of bipartisan interest. But since the Republicans hold such a slim majority, moving the bill to the finish could prove tricky. Politico’s Josh Siegel breaks down the key points in the bill, and the challenges McCarthy could face ahead of the legislation hitting the floor at the end of March.Josh Siegel is an energy reporter for POLITICO.Kara Tabor is a producer for POLITICO audio.Afra Abdullah is an associate producer for POLITICO audio.Raghu Manavalan is a senior editor for POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the executive producer of POLITICO’s audio department. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Joe Biden’s agenda to green the nation’s economy relies on a simple pitch: creating good-paying jobs for Americans. However, there is one big issue: there might not be enough American workers to fill them. The labor reality puts pressure on the Biden administration to tackle the nation’s immigration system, which has long been a target of GOP demands.POLITICO’s Zack Colman breaks down what immigration policy challenges the Biden administration could face, the high stakes for his green jobs agenda, and what this means for his re-election. Plus, Sen. Joe Manchin signaled he will not back Biden's nominee for an Interior Department assistant secretary, in yet another clash with the White House over the future of energy policy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Republican-led states are embracing chemical recycling, a high-temperature plastic melting process that’s criticized by environmentalists. The GOP approach is allowing them to financially benefit off Democrat-led states that recycle more plastic waste. POLITICO’s Jordan Wolman breaks down the red-blue divide over recycling. Plus, Holtec International is pursuing a separate DOE lifeline to restart its Michigan nuclear facility. Josh Siegel is an energy reporter for POLITICO. Jordan Wolman is a sustainability reporter for POLITICO. Nirmal Mulaikal is a POLITICO audio host-producer.Raghu Manavalan is a senior editor for POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the executive producer of POLITICO’s audio department. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rep. Garret Graves proposed legislation on Tuesday to overhaul the rules for environment reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act for energy infrastructure. The pitch would form the backbone of a larger legislative energy package that House Republicans are planning to introduce in March. POLITICO’s Josh Siegel breaks down the GOP permitting reform efforts, and why they will (once again) face an uphill legislative battle. Plus, EPA says it will propose allowing year-round sales of gasoline blends containing 15 percent ethanol in several Midwestern states. Josh Siegel is an energy reporter for POLITICO. Kelsey Tamborrino is a reporter covering clean energy.Nirmal Mulaikal is a POLITICO audio host-producer.Raghu Manavalan is a senior editor for POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the executive producer of POLITICO’s audio department. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Community groups in North Carolina are suing EPA Administrator Michael Regan for failing to require sufficient testing of PFAS chemicals contaminating water, air, and blood. The lawsuit poses a significant test for Regan, who grew up in North Carolina and has promised to hold polluters accountable in marginalized communities. Annie Snider breaks down the lawsuit, EPA's response, and what this means for Regan's environmental justice promises. Plus, an EPA watchdog slammed the agency’s wood heater program in a new report. Josh Siegel is an energy reporter for POLITICO. Annie Snider covers water issues for POLITICO Pro. Nirmal Mulaikal is a POLITICO audio host-producer.Raghu Manavalan is a senior editor for POLITICO audio.Jenny Ament is the executive producer of POLITICO’s audio department. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices