OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Manchin-led committee puts forth sprawling energy infrastructure proposal | House to take big step on eliminating Trump-era rules | Controversial St. Croix oil refinery to shutter ‘indefinitely’

MONDAY AGAIN! Welcome to Overnight Energy, your source for the day’s energy and environment news.Please send tips and comments to Rachel Frazin at rfrazin@digital-staging.thehill.com. Follow her on Twitter: @RachelFrazin. Reach Zack Budryk at zbudryk@digital-staging.thehill.com or follow him at @BudrykZack. 

Today we’re looking at a draft energy infrastructure proposal from the Senate Energy Committee, Congress’s use of the Congressional Review Act to undo Trump-era regulations and the next stage in the Limetree Bay Refinery saga

CENTER FIELD: Manchin-led committee puts forth sprawling energy infrastructure proposal

A Senate committee that’s led by key swing vote Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) has released a 400-page energy infrastructure proposal that it will weigh later this week. 

The proposal, which is labeled a discussion draft, did not receive much fanfare on Friday as it was quietly included as part of an advisory announcing a hearing on infrastructure needs by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

Manchin, who chairs the panel, is a centrist whose support is considered crucial for the passage of an infrastructure package, and the new proposal could be an indication as to where his priorities lie.

What’s in the package? The package aims to boost nuclear energy, hydrogen energy and carbon capture, which uses still-developing technology to capture emissions from activities such as burning fossil fuels. 

It also aims to increase the resilience of the electric grid from threats related to both natural disasters and cybersecurity.

And it seeks to up energy efficiency in both residential and commercial buildings, as well as industry, manufacturing and schools. 

The committee will consider the draft in a hearing on Thursday. 

The draft proposal comes as senators work to move forward on infrastructure. The White House is proposing a nearly $2.3 trillion plan that invests in electric vehicles and building upgrades and seeks to establish a clean electricity standard.

Read more about the proposal here.

RELEASE THE CRA-CKEN: House to take big step on eliminating Trump-era rules

The House is gearing up for votes this week to undo three Trump-era rules, using a special legislative tool to repeal some of the previous administration’s agency actions.

Democrats will draw on the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to take aim at rules governing methane regulations, lending practices and employment discrimination cases.

The three resolutions, which made it through the Senate on simple majority votes that included Republicans crossing the aisle on two of the measures, all have a good chance of clearing the House.

What this means: Sending the measures to President Biden’s desk would deal a blow to former President Trump’s legacy and mark the first time Congress has repealed his administration’s policies through the CRA, which allows lawmakers and a new president to get rid of rules established under a previous president if they were completed shortly before the change in administration.

“You have lots of different tools that you can use to shift regulatory policy. This tool comes with some interesting sort of expedited procedures,” said Daniel Pérez, a senior policy analyst at George Washington University’s Regulatory Studies Center.

The CRA is an all-or-nothing tool, he said, that lets you get rid of existing rules but not revise them.

“It’s a sledgehammer, not a scalpel,” Pérez said.

Read more about the plans here.

END OF THE LIME: Controversial St. Croix oil refinery to shutter ‘indefinitely’

A U.S.-owned oil refinery on the island of St. Croix announced Monday that it will shut down “indefinitely” after the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ordered it to halt operations in May.

In a statement, Limetree Bay Energy said it has failed to find the necessary capital to restart the Limetree Bay Refinery since May 12, when the EPA ordered the initial 60-day shutdown.

“This was an extremely difficult decision for us, and we are truly saddened to announce suspension of our restart plans for the refinery,” said Jeff Rinker, Limetree Bay’s CEO. “Our personnel have demonstrated tremendous commitment and dedication in restarting the refinery, and we continue to be proud of their hard work. Unfortunately, this is our only option, given the extreme financial constraints facing the Company.”

The story so far: The refinery had been inactive for years but resumed operations in February. Months later, the EPA ordered it to close its doors after residents of the island reported it had sprayed oil vapor into residential areas. Before its first shutdown in 2012, it was frequently the subject of EPA fines and reports of spills.

“This already overburdened community has suffered through at least four recent incidents that have occurred at the facility, and each had an immediate and significant health impact on people and their property,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in May. “EPA will not hesitate to use its authority to enforce the law and protect people from dangerous pollution where they work, live, and play.”

Read more about the closure here.

ON TAP TOMORROW:

• The Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee’s Subcommittee on Rural Development and Energy will hold a hearing on renewable energy opportunities
• The House Natural Resources Committee will hold a legislative hearing

WHAT WE’RE READING:

BP is planning to drill for fossil gas on edge of world’s largest cold-water coral reef, The Independent reports

A US oil company cut nearly 2,000 jobs – and reaped $2.1bn in pandemic benefits, The Guardian reports

Biden weighs ban on China’s solar material over forced labor, Politico reports

Bird law complicates Biden’s offshore wind push, E&E News reports

Moody’s estimates Gulf states will take at least 10 years to end oil dependence, Reuters reports

ICYMI: Stories from Monday (and the weekend)…

Obama land management chief says Biden nominee should withdraw over tree-spiking incident

Controversial St. Croix oil refinery to shutter ‘indefinitely’

House to take big step on eliminating Trump-era rules

UN: Sunken Sri Lanka ship caused ‘significant damage to the planet’

Tropical Storm Claudette batters Gulf Coast

OFF BEAT AND OFF-BEAT: Making the trains run on swine