🚨New from the @nytimes.com, with research from @fieldnotes.co: Energy Transfer is using an astroturf group run by a powerful DC shadow lobbying firm to block a first-of-its-kind countersuit in the Netherlands. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/17/c...

Harold Hamm—the billionaire behind Continental Resources and one of Trump’s biggest supporters—has gotten major favors from the Trump administration. Here’s our analysis of this great story by @ericlipton.nytimes.com and @nytimes.com. nyti.ms/4pApnYY

Oil billionaire Harold Hamm, one of Trump's earliest backers, spent $2M getting him elected. Many of Hamm's wishes have come true since — drilling boosted, car efficiency rules cut, air pollution regs slashed, tax breaks. Great piece from @ericlipton.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com/2025/12/12/b...

🚨New from me & @fieldnotes.co in @theguardian.com → Revealed: The network of GOP hired guns behind Big Soda’s bid to turn MAGA against MAHA www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

The Trump Regime's National Energy Dominance Council provides "concierge, white glove service" for the oil industry, while wind sand solar projects are blocked. And even with the hand holding, the oil ind is hemorrhaging jobs www.washingtonpost.com/climate-envi...

ICYMI yesterday, incredible reporting by @insideclimatenews.org and @propublica.org (with data from @oilfieldwitness.bsky.social) on the Texas oil & gas industry’s *massive* emissions from flaring and venting 👇

🚨 from Argus Media: @exxonmobiloil.bsky.social ends its membership with AXPC b/c of the group's "aggressive" opposition to environmental regs. This comes after @washingtonpost.com reported on internal docs obtained by @fieldnotes.co exposing AXPC 's efforts. www.argusmedia.com/en/news-and-...

Bombshell reporting by @propublica.org & @insideclimatenews.org describes massive flaring and venting from Texas oil wells, discrediting the oil & gas industry’s claim that natural gas and LNG are “clean” energy. www.propublica.org/article/texa...

Great piece on the current state of play on methane regulations in US by @emdashsanders.bsky.social. After years of foot dragging and obfuscation, oil corps admitted that regulation is necessary to reduce methane pollution. But with Trump in power, hypocrisy ensues www.exxonknews.org/p/with-metha...

We have now reached the moment of American history where our president is talking about how California has had "so much water for millions of years" and the state doesn't even need reservoirs because it has a long-unused "half pipe"

Talked to esteemed delta smelt politics expert @calebscoville.bsky.social about why Trump remains fixated on this tiny fish when the facts don't add up www.sacbee.com/news/politic...

An extremely warm summer and fall. An unusually dry winter. Hillsides covered with dry vegetation. And strong Santa Ana winds. In the mix of conditions that have contributed to the L.A. fires, scientists say one significant ingredient is climate change. www.latimes.com/environment/... @latimes.com

Some homes in Los Angeles survived the firestorms using defensive strategies that are already required by California law. Will more people start to follow them? www.sacbee.com/news/califor...

California backs away from key climate rules ahead of Trump 2.0. calmatters.org/environment/...

Southern California Edison's decision to keep some power lines operating during the start of the LA windstorm is drawing scrutiny. Story from me and @naurtorious.bsky.social. #EatonFire #EnergySky #GreenSky 🎁 Link www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

The L.A. City Council is taking up a bunch of brand new measures today in response to the wildfires. The first thing that happens is the paper copies are pinned to this bulletin board

In 2024, Southern California experienced an exceptional episode of wet-to-dry hydroclimate whiplash. Very wet conditions in winters of 2023 and 2024 gave way to a record-dry start to 2025 wet season (with periods of record warmth and evaporative demand in between). #CAwx #CAfire

Pretty amazing that nonprofit Watch Duty -- which says it has 150 volunteers working around the clock to track wildfires -- has become the most trusted source of information on LA fires. Operated by retired/volunteer firefighters, dispatchers, and reporters. Real people. www.watchduty.org

Many great resources for SoCal #CAFires. I recommend: 1. WatchDuty app for evacs, shelter, etc 2. @weatherwest.bsky.social does regular zoom "office hours" and explainers 3. Ben @ai6yr.m.ai6yr.org.ap.brid.gy 4. TheLookout runs a fab explainer on his YT channel:

A huge insurance crisis is brewing, if it's not here already.

Trump blames the LA fires on Gov. Newsom for protecting Delta Smelt in Northern CA... which mostly makes no sense

Wow www.latimes.com/california/s...

Inbox: Gov. Newsom appoints Berkeley rep Nancy Skinner to the CA Energy Commission

PFAS chemicals are reaching tap water via treated wastewater, study finds www.nytimes.com/2025/01/06/c...

Pretty striking… southern CA is dangerously on fire today and northern CA is covered with prescribed burns

I wrote about Gannett’s plan to kill off one of the last pieces of American legacy media to resist financialization: The Associated Press. mattdpearce.substack.com/p/wall-stree...

one of my favorite stories I did at Vox was about Jimmy Carter and his role in energy efficiency standards at the DOE. Truly underappreciated legacy that tangibly improved everyday life www.vox.com/climate/2023...

A $450-million Northern California solar project is supposed to help the Sacramento area achieve 100% clean power by 2030. Some conservationists say it would destroy sensitive habitat: www.sacbee.com/news/califor... via @ariplachta.bsky.social

What was “pro-democracy” journalism? mattdpearce.substack.com/p/what-comes...

“This loan is less a solution for California’s energy future and more a bailout for #PG&E,” said EWG Prez Ken Cook. Reporting by the SacBee's @ariplachta.bsky.social

SoCalGas President Maryam Brown elected board chair of the CA Chamber of Commerce. Means the fossil fuel industry will have an even stronger voice in one of the state's most powerful business lobby groups, which has already fought hard against climate rules. advocacy.calchamber.com/2024/12/16/s...

The Biden administration said it will provide a record $15 billion loan to PG&E for grid improvements as California electricity demand grows. Critics are calling it a "bailout." www.sacbee.com/news/califor...

Interesting -- next year's mandate is now an "ideal." www.latimes.com/environment/...

Breaking: The board of California’s largest urban water supplier has voted to spend $141.6 million for a large share of preliminary planning work on the state's proposed water tunnel in the Delta. www.latimes.com/environment/...

The Metropolitan Water District of So Cal just approved $141M for the controversial Delta Conveyance Project, Newsom's priority water tunnel. Wade Crowfoot, CA's Natural Resources Secretary said the vote was about Met keeping its options open. Info on the project: www.sacbee.com/news/politic...

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed listing the monarch butterfly as threatened under the Endangered Species Act today. Western monarch populations have plummeted by 95% since the 1980s. www.sacbee.com/news/califor...

Interesting to see the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency urge California officials to keep more water in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, to protect fish populations central to tribal cultural practices: www.sacbee.com/news/politic... via @ariplachta.bsky.social

And 2.2 million Californians are behind on their bills

Inbox: Quarterly reminder from the public advocacy arm of CA's investor-owned utilities that energy bills are upppp

Not a "hop-skip-and-jump," instead just a "hop" from potential human-to-human transmission of #H5N1. New research out of #Scripps shows we're just one mutation away... www.latimes.com/environment/...

The EPA’s message to the CA Water Board yesterday: Put tribal water uses on equal footing with cities and agriculture in the Delta, and don’t stop regulating users (a dig on Newsom’s voluntary agreements proposal) www.sacbee.com/news/politic...

New: California is ready to go to battle with Trump on most environmental issues. But the state has unexpected common ground with him on forestry — it all began when Trump told CA to "rake" the forest floors in 2018 after the Camp Fire www.sacbee.com/news/politic...

California is finally digitizing its 100-year-old paper water rights. Why that’s a big deal www.sacbee.com/news/politic...

California says gas prices could spike 50 cents a gallon next year thanks to this climate program www.sacbee.com/news/politic...

"Icarus is always falling. It is our nature to look away and live" buttondown.email/theswordandt...

California’s national reputation as a place of dreams and prosperity is in jeopardy, battered by Republicans who dislike almost all aspects of the state and many Democrats who see it too costly and a poor place to raise a family. Noah Bierman with new LA Times poll www.latimes.com/california/s...

Years after a Newsom order, California is finally set to ban oil and gas fracking www.sacbee.com/news/califor...