Overnight Energy: Clinton avoids Keystone

by Timothy Cama and Devin Henry - 07/27/15 6:09 PM ET

NO COMMENT: Presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton refused to state a position on Keystone XL Monday, saying the Obama administration’s review process should be allowed to play itself out.

The comment after a speech on her climate change platform in Iowa is just the latest instance of Clinton dodging the question.

{mosads}She has consistently said that since she led the Keystone review process as secretary of State until 2013, it would not be appropriate for her to weigh in.

“No other presidential candidate was secretary of State when this process started, and I put together a very thorough, deliberative, evidence-based process to evaluate the environmental impact and other considerations of Keystone,” Clinton said.

“So I will refrain from commenting, because I had a leading role in getting that process started, and I think that we have to let it run its course,” she continued.

The refusal did not surprise environmentalists, who have for years complained that Clinton needs to reject Keystone to show that she really cares about climate change.

It also gave opponent Martin O’Malley an opportunity to highlight his opposition to Keystone, along with his pledge to restrict oil drilling and move toward a completely renewable electricity sector.

Read more here.

ON TAP TUESDAY I: The Senate Energy Committee will begin marking up its energy reform bill. The committee’s consideration of the bill could bleed into hearings later this week as well.

ON TAP TUESDAY II: Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) will testify on lifting the ban on crude oil exports before the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee.

Rest of Tuesday’s agenda …

A House Transportation Committee panel will hold a hearing on three bills, including one to determine who pays for cleaning up oil spills on U.S. territory. Coast Guard and Department of Transportation officials are scheduled to testify.

The Transportation Committee’s railroads, pipelines, and hazardous Materials subcommittee will hold a roundtable discussion on pipeline technology.

The House Natural Resources Committee’s energy and mineral resources committee will hold a hearing on the implementation of the Coastal Zone Management Act

The Natural Resources Committee’s oversight and investigations panel will hear testimony on law enforcement practices on federal land.

The Energy and Commerce Committee’s energy and power subpanel will hold a roundtable discussion on the Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed ozone rule’s impact on manufacturing and jobs.

AROUND THE WEB:

Former coal executive Don Blankenship wants the jury in his upcoming criminal trial not to hear about the Upper Big Branch disaster that killed 29 at a mine owned by his company, the Charleston Gazette-Mail reports.

Oilfield services companies Halliburton Co. and Baker Hughes Inc. have now laid off 27,000 workers amid the recent plunge in oil prices, the Houston Chronicle reports.

Yale finds that up to 40 percent of the world population has not heard of climate change, the Washington Post reports.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

Check out Monday’s stories …

-Green groups come out against Senate energy reform bill
-O’Malley highlights contrast with Clinton on Keystone
-Clinton spoofs GOP’s ‘mad scientists’
-Oil exports would raise gas prices, study says
-Coal group slams Clinton energy plan as a ‘dog and pony climate show’
-Clinton dodges Keystone question
-WH: Business buy-in a boost for Paris climate talks
-Rhode Island offshore wind farm starts construction
-Businesses join White House climate push
-Week ahead: Senate kicks off energy bill review
-Clinton sets climate, renewable power goals
-Obama proposes crackdown on elephant ivory sales