OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Court lets EPA ozone rule stand

by Laura Barron-Lopez and Timothy Cama - 10/06/14 6:18 PM ET

INACTION MEANS VICTORY: The Supreme Court on Monday denied an industry group’s appeal of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 2008 ground-level ozone standard.

As usual, the justices did not give a justification for the decision.

{mosads}The refusal means that a lower court’s ruling will stand, keeping in place the Bush administration’s 75-parts-per-billion ozone standard, which was reduced from 80 parts per billion.

The Environmental Defense Fund cheered the decision as a victory for clean air.

But the goalposts might be moving soon. The EPA’s staff and science advisers want the agency to lower the standard to 60 to 70 parts per billion, which could force some areas to reduce ozone, a byproduct of gases from burning fossil fuels.

Read more here.

TOO SOON FOR OIL EXPORTS? Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz seems to think so.

Moniz not once, but twice, in the last two days has pushed back hard against the notion that the administration will move in the near future to lift a decades-old ban on crude oil exports.

In an interview with Platts Energy Week on Sunday, Moniz stressed that the U.S. remains a large importer of crude oil, making exports appear less likely.

During a discussion hosted by the Center on Foreign Relations on Monday, Moniz said there is “a little bit of unreality about some of the discussions around oil exports” that are circulating.

While the administration has said it is reviewing the policy, Moniz said it’s too early to say whether a change will be made during President Obama’s time in office.

MINE WORKERS TO MARCH: Current and retired members of the United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) plan to rally at Freedom Plaza in Washington, D.C. to protest the administration’s carbon pollution rules for coal-fired power plants. The UMWA expects hundreds to show up for the rally and march to the Environmental Protection Agency headquarters.

JEWELL TALKS WIND ENERGY: Interior Secretary Sally Jewell will deliver the keynote at the American Wind Energy Association’s conference on offshore wind power. Collin O’Mara, president of the National Wildlife Federation, and acting director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Walter Cruickshank will participate.

Rest of Tuesday’s agenda…

Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) and former Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-Mich.) will discuss energy and the midterm elections in Detroit during a conversation hosted by The Atlantic.

The Wilson Center’s Canada Institute will host a Tuesday event on “The Politics and Process of Keystone XL.” Guests will speak about what Keystone means for the midterm elections, how it became such a political issue and where the process is going, among other topics. The event will feature congressional staff, experts and journalists.

The National Association of State Energy Officials will host their annual winter energy conference. The conference will look at global oil supplies and how winter weather will impact the demand and prices for various fuels. It will include federal officials from energy and weather agencies, state representatives, analysts and industry advocates.

AROUND THE WEB:

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s (D) administration edited and delayed a federal study on water effects of hydraulic fracturing before it was released, Capital New York reports.

A natural gas industry group is out with a new campaign to take away the negative connotations it said come with the word “fracking,” the Wall Street Journal reports.

A Louisiana historian is trying to sue oil and gas companies to hold them responsible for the state’s disappearing land along the coast, the New York Times magazine reports.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

– Fed proposal to protect weasel species from pot farms
– Sherwood-Randall sworn in as deputy Energy secretary
– Report: Methane emissions on federal lands rising significantly
– California drought prompts increase in natural gas generation
– EPA welcomes more comments on water regs
– EPA names new No. 2
– Miners to march on EPA against climate rule
– Supreme Court won’t hear challenge to EPA ozone standard
– Sen. Manchin touts W.Va. Dem as ‘straight shooter‘
– Energy secretary skeptical US will export oil anytime soon
– Feds seek details on oil export requests
– BP looks to reignite payment fight over Gulf spill