Make Green Groups Pay Greenbacks

March 7th, 2025

• Ex-Trump official reveals how long Keystone XL pipeline could take to finish.
• Ohio needs more energy. Lawmakers to tackle demand without raising prices.
• Poll: 8 out of 10 think extreme weather is new and all climate change’s fault.
• EPA calls for watchdog to probe $20B climate fund.
• AI fever in power stocks moves from nuclear to plain natural gas.
• Canada retaliates against Trump tariffs, targeting energy.
• Zeldin: Trump’s EPA giving us a cleaner environment, increased prosperity.
• Wright and Burgum announce LNG expansion, tour facility.

The issue: President Trump promised to ramp up fossil fuel and mineral production during his address to Congress Tuesday night. Trump again pledged that America would “drill, baby, drill” and said he would take “historic action to dramatically expand production of critical minerals and rare earths here in the USA.”

This comes just a week after lawmakers voted to end the ridiculous and punitive tax on America’s natural gas producers.

Why it matters: In a big win for the American energy industry, the House and Senate last week each passed resolutions to repeal the natural gas tax or “methane fee” that had been a cornerstone of former President Joe Biden’s environmental program.

The House Congressional Review Act, approved by 220-206-1, was written by Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas), who represents the Permian Basin. The Senate bill passed 52-47 under the sponsorship of Sen. John Hoeven (R-North Dakota).

The measure now goes to President Trump for his expected signature.

Consider: The  “methane fee”  was mandated by Biden’s signature boondoggle, his 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. It directed the EPA to set a charge on methane emissions for facilities that emit more than 25,000 tons per year of carbon dioxide equivalent.

Before this rule was enacted the American energy sector had already taken initiatives to hit record-low emissions while simultaneously hitting record-high production. Since 2005, U.S. emissions have decreased across the board even as natural gas production has increased nearly 100 percent.”

• Biden’s natural gas tax would have made energy more expensive for average Americans.
• Their approach resulted in a 30% increase in electricity costs since 2021.
• Less regulation = more production = lower prices for consumers.

Bottom line: Biden’s (now repealed) natural gas tax was more about punishing American producers than protecting the environment. The same producers who helped America lead the world in reducing emissions. It made no sense!

The issue: A trial began Monday in North Dakota for a lawsuit that could force the environmental group Greenpeace USA to shut down. At the very least, it may cause serious financial damage.

Why it matters: Groups like these should not get a pass when they trespass on private property or damage an industry’s assets. Greenpeace counters that the lawsuit is designed to silence free speech, but vows to continue in its campaign against hydrocarbons and their alleged climate-warming pollution.

Free speech and peaceful protests are expected and allowed. Disrupting legal business operations on federal land or making threats are another matter.

Energy Transfer launched a website specifically about the benefits of oil and gas and to counter Greenpeace’s claims.

Consider:

• The company filing suit, Energy Transfer, believes it has a strong case and we agree.
• In the lawsuit, the plaintiff claims Greenpeace lied about the company’s work to solicit donations, which the company says it used to organize and fund protests, including “violent attacks on Energy Transfer employees and property.”
• As a result, construction of the pipeline was delayed for months and a group of banks pulled their funding for the project, the company claims.
• Greenpeace denies the allegations, saying it played a limited role in the protests, which were led by Native American groups.

We disagree that it was a small role. Greenpeace is a far-reaching, far left environmental organization with deep pockets, boasting a budget of roughly $30 million.

Their goal is to cripple domestic energy producers at every opportunity. They need to be prosecuted for their nefarious activity.

Energy Transfer co-founder Kelcy Warren said, “Everybody is afraid of these environmental groups and the fear that it may look wrong if you fight back with these people. But what they did to us is wrong, and they’re going to pay for it.”

Energy companies are finally standing up to these far-left organizations. ExxonMobil and other companies have fought similar battles with limited success.

Bottom line: Destruction of property should not be permissible simply because it’s in the name of activism. The best way to thwart these extreme environmental groups is to hit them where it hurts the most — in their pocketbooks.

Hearing On Brownfield Redevelopment: On Tuesday, March 11, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment will have a hearing called “Maximizing Opportunities for Redeveloping Brownfields Sites: Assessing the Potential for New American Innovation.”

Hearing On Critical Minerals: On Wednesday, March 12, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee will have a hearing on a series of critical mineral bills.

“We have more liquid gold under our feet than any nation on Earth by far, and now I fully authorized the most talented team ever assembled to go and get it. It’s called: Drill, baby, drill.” 

— President Trump during his address to Congress.