WHAT’S HAPPENING TODAY:
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WHAT → happen → ?
The Seattle Seahawks held their annual Corgi Cup yesterday afternoon, during their game against the Los Angeles Chargers.
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Seahawks → hold → Chargers
Eight corgis raced down the field during halftime, with the fast and furriest winner Banana giving a Usain Bolt look-back mid-race.
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Banana → race → back
We’re kicking off this week with the Supreme Court starting its fall term with what could be the most consequential climate change-related case in modern history.
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what → kick → history
If you didn’t get to tune into the arguments, we have what you need to know below!
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you → get → what
If a friend sent this to you and you’d like to sign up, click here.
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you → send → you
If signing up doesn’t work, shoot us an email, and we’ll add you to our list.
SCOTUS TAKES ON CLIMATE CHANGE CASE:
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SCOTUS → sign → CASE
This morning, the Supreme Court kicked off its fall term with a banger of a case that will decide if states and localities can collect damages from oil and gas companies for their contributions to climate change.
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states → kick → change
Now, we won’t rehash every aspect of the case – last week Callie wrote up an explainer touching on the primary arguments and why we might not even get a ruling here.
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we → rehash → ruling
But here’s the gist: Boulder County, Colorado, has sued Suncor Energy and Exxon Mobil, claiming the fossil fuel companies deceived the general public about the dangers of their oil and gas operations and the associated effects on climate change through their advertising and marketing.
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companies → ’ → advertising
Last year, the Colorado Supreme Court allowed the suit to continue to state court.
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suit → allow → court
And the oil companies have asked the justices to overturn the ruling, arguing that Boulder’s claims are preempted by the Clean Air Act.
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claims → ask → Act
What you might have missed: If you weren’t able to tune into this morning’s hearing, the main thing you missed is that the justices are far from reaching a unanimous agreement.
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justices → miss → agreement
Barrett, who was appointed by President Donald Trump during his first term, questioned the oil companies over their claim that the Clean Air Act gives the Environmental Protection Agency the primary authority to regulate emissions – thereby preempting state law.
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Act → appoint → law
This argument, however, clashes with the Trump administration’s own claims that the Clean Air Act does not give the EPA the authority to regulate emissions for vehicles and power plants – a claim affirmed by the agency as recently as last month.
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Act → clash → month
Suncor’s lawyer, Kannon Shanmugam, disregarded the recent EPA rulings, saying that “any decision the EPA makes has no bearing on our argument concerning constitutional structure.
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EPA → disregard → structure
Our arguments concerning constitutional structure apply with full force, regardless of what EPA says.”
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EPA → concern → what
Barrett criticized the argument, telling Shanmugam, “Ok, well I think that’s a little slippery.”
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that → criticize → Shanmugam
Other key questions: The justices also pressed the attorneys on whether the high court actually has the authority to hear the case without a final judgment from Colorado courts, or if it is too early and needs to proceed to trial.
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it → press → trial
Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Elena Kagan both questioned whether there are situations where pollution caused in one state could be subject to a different state’s laws if it is directly harming that first state.
Additionally, several of the justices questioned why Shanmugam was not just making the argument that the Clean Air Act forecloses the lawsuit, something they said would be easier under the high court’s precedents.
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they → question → precedents
For more details on what went down during this morning’s hearing, check out this article from the Washington Examiner’s Supreme Court reporter Jack Birle here.
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what → go → Birle
TRUMP TO UNVEIL ORDER FOR GREATER ACCESS TO DYED DIESEL:
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TRUMP → unveil → DIESEL
President Trump plans to unveil an executive order today to allow for greater access to red-dyed diesel.
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Trump → plan → diesel
Red-dyed diesel is typically reserved for off-road uses, such as farming.
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diesel → reserve → farming
Reuters reported that the executive order would also direct the Transportation Department to coordinate with states to waive taxes on road diesel.
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order → report → diesel
Many states in recent weeks have already waived taxes on diesel or have allowed for more access to dyed diesel.
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states → waive → diesel
The national average price for diesel remains at a record high of $6.32 per gallon.
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price → remain → gallon
The president has also retreated from imposing an export ban on diesel after European countries agreed Friday to release emergency stock of oil and diesel.
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countries → retreat → oil
GLOBAL OIL RESERVES ‘SCARILY THIN,’ SAUDI COMPANY WARNS:
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COMPANY → reserve → THIN
The CEO of Saudi Aramco, Amin Nasser, is warning that that worldwide stockpiles of crude oil have hit “scarily thin” levels, as the war in Iran continues.
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war → warn → Iran
“The system is already straining,” Nasser said during the Energy Intelligence Forum conference in London today.
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Nasser → strain → London
“And with precious little else the world can turn to, the supply resilience cushion is scarily thin.”
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cushion → turn → little
Nasser estimated that before the war began, the world had almost 10 billion barrels of global oil reserves.
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world → estimate → reserves
And amid months-long disruptions caused by significant dips in traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, supplies have dropped by nearly 3 billion barrels.
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supplies → cause → barrels
Of what remains, however, he said the “vast majority” is not “practically available.”
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majority → remain → ?
“Until Hormuz fully re-opens and confidence returns, the crude reality is that pressure at both ends of the barrel will intensify,” Nasser said.
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Nasser → re → barrel
Even once normal flows through the strait resume, he estimated, it will take up to two years to replenish global reserves.
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it → resume → reserves
BAKER HUGHES SIGNS MAJOR VENEZUELA GAS INFRASTRUCTURE DEAL:
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HUGHES → sign → DEAL
Baker Hughes signed agreements to expand Venezuelan natural gas infrastructure, potentially paving the way for LNG exports.
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Hughes → sign → exports
Baker Hughes signed a deal with PDVSA, Lindsayca, and Fulcrum LNG, Inc. to revitalize the country’s natural gas infrastructure and supply chain.
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Hughes → sign → infrastructure
…and 31 more, not listed.
The Aporia
