2016 CO 2 Emissions on Track to be the Lowest Since 1992. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration ("EIA"), energy-related CO2 emissions for the first six months of 2016 were the lowest since 1991. The EIA attributes the reduction in emissions to mild weather, reductions in coal and natural gas consumption, and increasing renewable energy consumption.
EPA v. FERC —Climate Change and Pipelines. On October 11, 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") accused the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission ("FERC") of failing to undertake a proper analysis of climate change in its final environmental impact statement for the 160-mile TransCanada Corp. Leach Xpress pipeline. EPA's filing exposes friction between the two federal agencies over the degree to which climate change impacts must be considered in the approval process for pipelines. EPA's filing follows the Obama administration's call for federal agencies to include global warming impacts in their review of projects. The rift also comes at a time when the U.S. gas transmission network is undergoing significant expansion.
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