OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Coal backers seek political momentum

Coal strikes back, Episode I: Thousands of miners and other workers, industry officials and their allies will storm Capitol Hill Tuesday to criticize Obama administration regulations that they call an assault on coal.

Roughly 30 members of Congress will join the industry-sponsored rally, including Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), several other high-ranking lawmakers and some coal-country Democrats.

{mosads}One major target: Environmental Protection Agency carbon pollution rules that coal industry officials call a de facto ban on building new coal-fired power plants.

“The EPA is basing new facilities on technology that isn’t available today,” Hal Quinn, CEO of the National Mining Association (NMA), told reporters on a conference call Monday.

A pair of coal-state lawmakers, on the eve of the rally, floated a plan to pare back the EPA’s standards for new plants, and block separate standards for existing plants unless Congress votes to let them proceed.

Coal strikes back, Episode II: GOP-led House committees are holding hearings on the proposed EPA power plant standards on Tuesday.

A pair of House Science Committee panels will hold a hearing that echoes the NMA’s sentiments in asking whether the technology is ready for power plants to keep up with the agency’s mandates Tuesday morning. 

Separately, a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee will hear from members of America’s “coal communities” on EPA’s regulations. 

So far, from the looks of the testimonies, the EPA won’t be very popular among the witnesses.

Kerry to talk climate: Secretary of State John Kerry will discuss the White House energy and climate agenda Tuesday as part of the “D.C. Greening Embassies Forum.”

“Secretary Kerry’s remarks will focus on U.S. Government and U.S. Department of State efforts to promote a cleaner, more efficient energy future, and to support U.S. diplomatic missions using more sustainable energy practices. The Secretary will also highlight the President’s Climate Action Plan and the relationship between clean energy, energy efficiency, and addressing climate change at home and abroad,” states an advisory for Kerry’s late afternoon comments at the State Department.

Hurricane Sandy, a year later: Environmental activists are planning an array of events Tuesday to mark the anniversary of the storm that they warn is a taste of the violent weather to come in a warming world.

Organizing for Action — the advocacy group born from President Obama’s campaign — and green groups are planning a nationwide “day of action” to push for tougher measures to confront global warming.

“More than 100 local events have been planned in communities across the country to remember the Sandy anniversary and the impacts of extreme weather locally,” an advisory states.

Border battle: A House Energy and Commerce Committee panel will gather Tuesday to review legislation that would speed up permitting and pare back environmental review for cross-border energy projects in North America.

A Federal Energy Regulatory Commission official isn’t a fan of the bill.

Bully for you: A House Natural Resources Committee panel will hold a hearing on “Threats, Intimidation and Bullying by Federal Land Managing Agencies.”

National parks can’t get a break: Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) tweeted plans to release a new oversight report Tuesday on the National Park Service and how Congress’s “misplaced priorities” are wrecking the national treasures. 

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 

Check out the stories that ran on E2-Wire on Monday and over the weekend …

— Bipartisan duo launch attack on EPA coal rule
— Voters in 2014 swing states favor EPA carbon rules
— AAA: New fuel regulations could increase gas prices at pump
— Energy regulator gives thumbs-down to House permitting bill
— Upton vows to move efficiency bill if Senate acts

AROUND THE WEB: 

The Houston Chronicle unwraps a new set of expert recommendations for the Interior Department’s offshore drilling safety branch.

Reuters reports on a sign of the times: Consol Energy is selling five coal mines to focus on natural-gas production “amid regulatory uncertainty for the coal industry.”

NPR explores the growing use of rail to transport crude oil.

Please send tips and comments to Ben Geman, ben.geman@digital-staging.thehill.com, or Laura Barron-Lopez, laurab@digital-staging.thehill.com.