WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 -- The American Action Forum issued the following commentary on Aug. 1, 2025: * * * Is the $750B U.S.-EU Energy Deal a Fantasy? By Shuting Pomerleau and Jacob Jensen Executive Summary * The United States and the European Union (EU) have reached a trade agreement in which the EU pledged to purchase $750 billion worth of energy products (natural gas, oil, and nuclear fuel and reactors) from the United States over the next three years. * Notably, the United States exported   more

AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 1 -- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued the following news release: * * * Attorney General Ken Paxton Scores Major Win to Hold BlackRock, State Street, and Vanguard Accountable for Illegally Conspiring to Manipulate Energy Markets * Attorney General Ken Paxton has secured a major victory against BlackRock, State Street, and Vanguard for conspiring to artificially manipulate the coal market through anticompetitive trade practices. A federal district court judge has d  more

BRISBANE, Australia, Aug. 1 -- The Australian Marine Conservation Society issued the following news release: * * * Australia must lead, not lag to save the Reef: Climate Change Authority calls for bolder act * Government's own climate adviser has called on Australia to step up more to tackle climate change. * Australia's credibility as COP31 co-host on the line - no new fossil fuels, strong 2035 target needed. * Summer of mass bleaching, marine heatwaves and algal bloom shows climate chang  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 2 (TNSFR) -- The Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has updated its regulations for coal royalties to comply with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBB), which was passed on July 4. The change establishes a temporary royalty rate of 7 percent for both surface and underground coal mines on federal lands. This rate is applicable to all existing and future federal coal leases and will remain in effect until September 30, 2034. Previously, royalty rates were   more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 (TNSLrpt) -- The Congressional Research Service issued the following report (No. R45997) on July 31, 2025, entitled "Federal Regional Commissions and Authorities: Structural Features and Function" by economic development policy analyst Julie M. Lawhorn. Here are excerpts: * * * SUMMARY Federal Regional Commissions and Authorities: Structural Features and Function This report describes the structure, activities, legislative history, and funding history of the 10 federal r  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 (TNSLrpt) -- A briefing note from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), titled 'UN International Legally Binding Instrument to End Plastic Pollution: Considerations for the Final Round of Negotiations,' suggests a production cap on primary plastic polymers to stabilize the market. Issued in July 2025, the report by Swathi Seshadri and Abhishek Sinha analyzes market trends and the financial struggles of the petrochemical industry in advance of the f  more

BOONE, North Carolina, Aug. 1 [Category: Sociological] -- Appalachian Voices posted the following news release: * * * Justice family coal company must explain to regulators why mountaintop removal mining permit should not be revoked * August 1, 2025 CONTACT Dan Radmacher, Media Specialist, (276) 289-1018, dan@appvoices.org CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A coal company owned and operated by the family of U.S. Sen. Jim Justice, R-W.Va., will need to explain why its permit for a large mountaintop  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 (TNSLrpt) -- A new report from the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA), titled 'Financing the MSME Transition in Jharkhand's Steel Sector,' outlines a strategy to help small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in India's steel industry transition to low-carbon technologies. Authored by Shantanu Srivastava and Labanya Prakash Jena, the report issued in July 2025 proposes a dedicated Project Preparation Facility (PPF) to address the lack of financial a  more

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 -- The U.S. Department of the Interior issued the following news release: * * * Secretary Burgum Announces Order to Rein In Environmentally Damaging Wind and Solar Projects * WASHINGTON -- Today, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum signed a Secretary's Order to more efficiently manage our nation's energy resources by permitting projects that optimize energy generation while minimizing their environmental impact. Massive, unreliable energy projects, such as wind and   more

WASHINGTON, July 31 [Category: Environment] -- The League of Conservation Voters posted the following news release: * * * This Week in Climate Action - July 31, 2025 * Your weekly resource to learn what the environmental movement is saying about the news of the day and the political fight of our generation. This week, we're covering the latest attacks on our environment and democracy from the Trump administration and Congress, including the rescission of the endangerment finding and the conf  more