To:
Jackson, Ryan[jackson.ryan@epa.gov]
From: Morning Transportation
Sent: Wed 10/4/2017 2:08:07 PM
Subject: POLITICO'S Morning Transportation: House FAA bill amendments due Thursday -- Senate
Commerce marking up self-driving car bill today -- More infrastructure 'principles' coming soon?
By Brianna Gurciullo | 10/04/2017 10:00 AM EDT
With help from Lauren Gardner, Tanya Snyder, Stephanie Beasley and Adrienne Hurst
START YOUR PLANE ENGINES: House lawmakers have another chance to offer amendments to Rep. Bill Shuster's FAA reauthorization bill, with the Rules Committee setting a deadline of 3 p.m. Thursday for new filings. The panel "is likely to meet" next week to consider a rule to let some amendments come to the House floor for consideration, Chairman Pete Sessions said in a letter to colleagues. Shuster told reporters Tuesday that early this month is "absolutely" still the target for floor debate for his legislation ( H.R. 2997 (.115)), but it's unclear if the Transportation Committee chairman has enough votes in his comer. More for Pros here.
NOT TRUCKIN' AROUND: The self-driving car bill that the Senate Commerce Committee will mark up today (S. .1885 (.115)) doesn't address trucks - the end result of a battle between Chairman John Thune (R-S.D.) and co-author Gary Peters (D-Mich.). But Sen. Jim Inhofe (ROkla.) has filed an amendment to bring them back in. If it doesn't succeed, senators say they'll introduce a standalone bill dealing with trucks and buses instead. But lobbyists warn that could be an arduous path, as it puts employment and safety issues in the spotlight, all of which is easier to get through under the cover of a comprehensive bill. More for Pros.
Meanwhile: Sens. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) joined safety advocates Tuesday in drawing attention to provisions in the bill that they say could put the public in danger. For example, the bill seeks to exercise preemption over state and local laws without NHTSA taking regulatory action. The senators have offered an amendment to cut that language. Safety advocates also say the bill exempts too many vehicles from federal safety standards and lacks a mechanism to evaluate safety performance.
IT'S WEDNESDAY: Thanks for tuning in to POLITICO'S Morning Transportation, your daily tipsheet on all things trains, planes, automobiles and ports. Send tips, feedback and lyrics to bgurciullo@politico.com or @brigurciullo.
"There's a shadow on the moon tonight /1 swear I see your face up there with the satellites / Looking down from outer space / Me, I'm drifting home again / Headlights in my eyes / Fighting sleep with windows down / Worn out from long goodbyes."
GET LISTENING: Follow MT's playlist on Spotify. What better way to start your day than with songs (picked by us and readers) that are all about flying, driving, commuting and sailing?
ALONE IN MY PRINCIPLES: Shuster indicated Tuesday that the White House's next tranche of infrastructure principles could be coming sooner rather than later. "We've seen their outline, but that's continuing to be adjusted, and we hope they're going to make it public in the next week
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or so," the Pennsylvania Republican told reporters. "It'll be more of an outline or principles, so that we can move forward with sort of putting meat on the bone." A White House spokeswoman didn't respond to a request for comment
Principals on principles: Nick Ayers, Vice President Mike Pence's chief of staff, told GOP donors Tuesday that White House "principals" are meeting weekly on infrastructure. "Because if we pass a bill, it'll be years before states and frankly average people see the benefit, but I think it's something that could make a big difference for his reelect," Ayers said, according to an audio recording of his closed-door remarks obtained by POLITICO. "But we're hopeful that that's one of the topics, whether it's rolled into tax reform or not, that that's one topic we can keep beneath the radar, work with Democratic leadership and Republican leadership, and start passing infrastructure bills that actually fix our system." (During the same talk, Ayers urged wealthy party patrons to withhold their largesse from members who have pushed against President Donald Trump's agenda. More on that here.)
TWEET DU JOUR: FCC Chairman Ajit Pai (@AjitPaiFCC) tweeted: "Thanks for the Model X test-drive, @Tesla! Neat seeing the autonomous and connected capabilities of the car."
SENATORS GRILL MITNICK: DHS general counsel nominee John Mitnick said Tuesday that, if confirmed, he will do his best to make sure states are notified as early as possible if they don't qualify for an exemption from the impending REAL ID deadline. During a nomination hearing, Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) pressed Mitnick on the issue, saying that states should be notified well in advance of the Jan. 22, 2018, cutoff for them to switch to REAL ID-compliant driver's licenses. "The earlier those decisions can be made, the better," Lankford said. "Counsel at the last second is not as helpful as counsel a month ahead."
Other areas of interest: Lankford also told Mitnick to expect oversight inquiries regarding controversial phone inspections that U.S. Customs and Border Protection is conducting at ports of entry. CBP may be acting within its authority, but lawmakers want to ensure the agency is also abiding by U.S. citizens' privacy rights, he said. Meanwhile, Sen. Gary Peters sought assurances that the general counsel's office would respond to inquiries from members on both sides of the aisle. Mitnick said he was committed to "working cooperatively with individual members of Congress, including members in the minority," though he noted that there could be exceptions if the Trump administration exercised executive privilege.
MISSION READY: The Coast Guard's preparedness came into question Tuesday as House lawmakers focused on the under-resourced service's asset losses from three recent hurricanes. Members urged Coast Guard officials to push the Trump administration to include Coast Guard funds in its emergency supplemental request. Subcommittee Chairman Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) said if they don't ask, more money is not going to be magically granted by their "fairy god Congress."
PLAYING POLITICS WITH THE JONES ACT: At the same hearing, Hunter said he thought the administration had "political motives" for granting a brief waiver of the Jones Act for Puerto Rico. He claimed that Trump knew the waiver wouldn't help the island and that's why the administration only waived it for 10 days. Hunter said the move was "anti-American worker, anti-
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American made" and "anti-Trump." Democrats agreed that the Jones Act was important to protecting the U.S. shipbuilding industry, which is considered a national defense necessity. Brian Schoeneman, the Seafarers International Union' political and legislative director, argued that proposals for long-term waivers or the permanent exclusion of Puerto Rico from the Jones Act are "foolhardy and misguided at best; blatantly un-American opportunism at worst."
HOMEWARD BOUND: The American Kennel Club was among several groups urging members of the House Homeland Security and Oversight committees to back a proposal for a domestic breeding program for bomb-sniffing dogs during a joint hearing Tuesday. Both the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Defense are over reliant on foreign breeders for dogs, AKC argued. Scott Smith, a lieutenant with the Orlando Police Department, said it's difficult to determine the health and age of foreign-bred dogs. Some dogs have been sold to U.S. agencies after they are beyond working age, he said.
How much is that doggy in the window? Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have largely remained loyal to TSA's canine programs despite Trump's proposal to cut funding for programs that use dogs like Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response teams. Still, some committee members asked what the benefit-cost ratio would be for a domestic breeding program. After witnesses said the average cost of obtaining and training dogs could range from $9,000 to $13,000, Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) said he thought the success rate of a domestic program would need to be about 80 percent to 85 percent to make a good business case.
NOTHING'S FINE, I'M TORN: Maine Sen. Susan Collins is grappling with whether to make a bid for governor, missing her own Sept. 30 deadline to decide, POLITICO'S Burgess Everett reports . "Given the contentious environment in Washington right now, my voice and vote matter a great deal," the chairwoman of the Senate's transportation appropriations panel said. "On the other hand, if I were fortunate enough to be elected governor, I could work more directly on job creation. ... That's why it's such a difficult decision to make. And I'm trying to figure out where I matter most."
MY LIPS ARE SEALED: The U.S. Trade Representative's office won't comment on whether it's considering changes to trucking access for Mexico as a part of NAFTA talks, Doug Palmer reports - the debate has split two U.S. trucking organizations. The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association sent a letter to Robert Lighthizer last week saying that "the original NAFTA trucking provision harms American small-business truckers and jeopardizes highway safety." But the American Trucking Associations also wrote to Lighthizer last week arguing that "NAFTA's trucking provisions help reduce border congestion."
TWO LEGAL CHALLENGES MOUNTED AGAINST TRAVEL BAN 3.0: Two lawsuits are taking aim at Trump's new travel ban. "The first lawsuit, filed by the nonprofit group Iranian Alliances Across Borders, argues the new restrictions will harm U.S. citizens and permanent residents who can't bring relatives or business associates into the country," Ted Hesson reports for Pro Employment & Immigration. "The second lawsuit, brought by the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University Law School, seeks the disclosure of an administration report that explains why certain countries were selected for the ban."
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SHIFTING GEARS: Juan Reyes, a partner at Seyfarth Shaw, was named FRA chief counsel. He "concentrated his practice on land use, development, and permitting, with particular experience in zoning, planning, landmark and building code matters, and governmental approvals," and helped lead Seyfarth Shaw's public-private partnership practice, the firm said in a release Tuesday.... Meanwhile, Bret Manley returned to Rep. Jeff Denham's office last month to serve as the California Republican's chief of staff. He most recently did government affairs work at the Association of American Railroads.
NOM ALERT: Trump is nominating former Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-Ga.) to Amtrak's board. For six years, Westmoreland was on the House Transportation Railroads Subcommittee. He now holds the title of principal at Westmoreland Strategies LLC.
MAKE AMERICA MOVE AGAIN? A bipartisan group of House lawmakers on unveiled a bill this week that would let states leverage public-private support for infrastructure projects by tapping into tax-exempt "Move America" bonds and tax credits. The bill (H.R, 3912 (.1.15)) would "leverage $8 billion in federal funding into an estimated $226 billion worth of bond authority or $56 billion in tax credits over the next decade," according to a release. Sens. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) introduced the Senate version (S. 1229 (115)) in May.
MT MAILBAG - I'LL ASK AGAIN EDITION: Three House Democrats wrote to Trump this week requesting once more that he pull back Scott Garrett's nomination to be the Export-Import Bank's president. "He is controversial, unqualified, and, ultimately, un-confirmable," wrote House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland as well as Reps. Gwen Moore of Wisconsin and Denny Heck of Washington. "There is no evidence to suggest that more time will change this situation; in fact, it is our understanding that Mr. Garrett's meetings with key senators have made them less likely to support his nomination."
NEVADA SENATORS REACH OUT TO AIRLINES: Nevada Sens. Dean Heller and Catherine Cortez Masto wrote to the CEOs of 10 airlines this week saying that after the deadly mass shooting in Las Vegas, they should look at "ensuring reasonable and economically sensitive airfares, expanding customer service, waiving costly fees, and promptly issuing refunds to the victims, their family, and friends to assist delivering them safely to one another." The senators, a Republican and Democrat, respectively, added: "In no way whatsoever should individuals and families be forced to delay or cancel their efforts to reach loved ones because of expensive tickets or the accumulation of costly fees." Allegiant Air and Southwest Airlines are giving families of the victims free flights, The Associated Press reports.
ICYMI: Former FRA Administrator Sarah Feinberg's birthday was Tuesday. Now the CEO of Feinberg Strategies, she told POLITICO Playbook's Daniel Lippman that the "lack of significant and sustained infrastructure investment over the last 20 years" should be in the national spotlight. "It's become an existential threat to our economy," Feinberg said. "Cities can't grow. Suburbs are four lanes of endless congestion. Companies are seeing recruiting problems because of long commute times. Productivity is significantly impacted. We're watching our national competitiveness disappear - and it is a completely fixable problem!" More here.
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THE AUTOBAHN:
- "Report: Search for Malaysia 370 'almost certainly' flew over floating debris and missed it." USA Today. - "European airports urge U.K. to give post-Brexit clarity for aviation." POLITICO Europe. - "Buffett bets on truck stops, to buy majority of Pilot Flying J." Reuters. - "Uber and TfL plan more talks after meeting fails to resolve London row." The Guardian. - "Hedge fund billionaire flew top Mnuchin aide on private jet to Palm Beach." The Washington Post. - "Cruise says SF's gnarly traffic helps school robot cars faster." The San Francisco Chronicle. - "Alphabet successfully pushed back the trial date for its Uber lawsuit until Dec. 4." Recode. - "Iris can't hold your hand, but she may ease your mind as you step into a driverless car." The Washington Post. - "Ford to slash $14 billion in costs under new CEO." Bloomberg. - "A hyperloop route between St. Louis and Kansas City is under serious consideration." The Verge. THE COUNTDOWN: DOT appropriations run out in 66 days. The FAA reauthorization expires in 179 days. Highway and transit policy is up for renewal in 1,093 days. To view online'. http://www.politico.eom/tipsheets/morning-transportation/2017/10/04/house-faa-billamendments-due-thursday-222644 To change your alert settings, please go to https://secure.politico.com/settings
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To:
Jackson, Ryan[jackson.ryan@epa.gov]
From: Morning Energy
Sent: Tue 9/26/2017 2:04:09 PM
Subject: POLITICO'S Morning Energy, presented by the U.S. Chamber's Global Energy Institute:
Republicans eye budget process for ANWR opening -- Highlights from Zinke, Perry's joint appearance --
Democrats want faster action for Puerto Rico
By Anthony Adragna | 09/26/2017 10:00 AM EDT
With help from Esther Whieldon and Ben Lefebvre
AN OPENING FOR ANWR? Senate Republicans intend to use their fiscal 2018 budget blueprint to lay the groundwork for new energy production in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge by using special rules that would allow them to avoid a Democratic filibuster, Pro's Ben Lefebvre and Sarah Ferris report, citing sources familiar with the process. While the budget document couldn't mandate specific policies, it would enable Senate Energy Chairman Lisa Markowski to write legislation that would remove restrictions on drilling in ANWR that could be bundled into a massive tax reconciliation package that needs just 50 votes in the Senate.
Doing so would realize a long-standing goal of Republicans and oil companies, while attracting vehement opposition from environmental groups and virtually all Democrats. The U.S. Geological Survey estimates that part of ANWR, a wide swath of tundra on the northern Alaska coast, home to polar bears, porcupine caribou and a landscape that hasn't been touched in thousands of years, could hold up to 12 billion barrels of oil. But Senate Republicans have little margin for error since two members of their caucus - Sens. Susan Collins and John McCain have opposed similar bills in the past, though they'd be forced to consider that provision as part of the broader tax effort. A McCain spokeswoman says he's open to a "full debate" on the subject despite his past opposition. Collins told ME Monday night that ANWR has been far from her mind recently. "I've been focused on health care," she said, just after coming out against the latest Obamacare repeal effort.
There are a number of key questions. Some wonder if Murkowski's prior breaks with GOP leadership and the White House will hamper her pursuit of other priorities. Current low oil prices might make opening ANWR less urgent than in the past and there's some question whether oil and gas companies would flock to the area at today's crude price of $50 a barrel (though that answer would likely depend on the company). Infrastructure is not likely to be a major barrier, though, with the biggest requirement a short pipeline to connect drilling wells in ANWR to the main Trans-Alaska Pipeline System pipeline. "A pipeline is not a big lift,' said one oil and gas company representative who asked to speak on background to discuss the matter. "If the oil is there like they think it is, it's not prohibitive."
WELCOME TO TUESDAY! I'm your host Anthony Adragna, and API's Carrie Domnitch was the first (of many) to identify Sen. John McCain's cameo in "Wedding Crashers." For today: Way back on Season 2 of "Saturday Night Live," this future presidential candidate hosted an episode. Who was it? Send your tips, energy gossip and comments to aadragna@politico.com, or follow us on Twitter @AnthonyAdragna, @Morning Energy and @POLITICOPro.
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Pro Policy Summit Highlights: Don't miss the highlights from the 2017 Pro Policy Summit. The Pro newsroom has assembled must-read stories, scoops and video content from a day packed with breaking news and insightful policy discussion. Summit Highlights.
LOTSA GROUND COVERED: Energy Secretary Rick Perry and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke covered a wide array of topics during a Monday appearance at the National Petroleum Council. Highlights from that event via Pro's Ben Lefebvre:
-New infrastructure study coming: DOE Deputy Secretary Dan Brouillette, in coordination with the National Petroleum Council, will lead a study on how to improve the permitting process for pipelines and other energy infrastructure, Perry announced. The former Texas governor also called on the group to study how to make carbon capture, utilization and storage infrastructure economically viable. More here.
-Interior reorganization still under consideration: Zinke expects to complete an evaluation of whether to combine the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management within the next couple months. He's also mulling the possibility of establishing Interior offices according to 13 watershed areas and moving BLM and Bureau of Land Reclamation headquarters out West. More here.
-Zinke's report on national monuments remains under review by the White House. "We're working on it. Most people will find it to be a very reasoned approach," he said.
-Perry touts benefits of energy industry: After being interrupted several times by protesters, Perry launched an extended diatribe against environmentalists criticizing the industry's record on climate change. "If you want to talk to something that saves lives, it's energy across the globe. You're involved in an industry that saves lives, lots of them, every year, around the globe," he said.
-On loyalty to the administration: Zinke said about a third of his workforce remained loyal to the previous administration. "I know that when I assumed Interior that I have 30 percent of the crew that's not loyal to the flag," he said. "I had a Fish & Wildlife Service that hated people to a degree."
** A message from the U.S. Chamber's Global Energy Institute: Insightful analysis is an important part of our mission. From economic modeling of proposed policies to our groundbreaking energy security index, the Global Energy Institute's reports and analysis are helping to shape the discussion on energy policy. Click here to learn more: http://bit.ly/2huaJ4F **
DEMOCRATS CALL FOR FOCUS ON PUERTO RICO: FEMA Director Brock Long and Homeland Security adviser Tom Bossert arrived Monday on the devastated island, but congressional Democrats expressed concern the administration wasn't doing enough. "Puerto Rico has taken a serious punch to the gut and they need our help. They need it now," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said. "The administration must quickly prepare an appropriate aid package for Florida, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Western States for
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Congress to act on in the near future," he added. Speaker Paul Ryan said: "Our fellow citizens in Puerto Rico remain in our prayers as we make sure they have what they need."
Jones Act waiver sought: Seven House Democrats requested a one-year waiver from the Jones Act to expedite hurricane relief aid to Puerto Rico, Pro Transportation's Tanya Snyder reports. An Energy Department status report Monday found nearly all of the island remained without power.
POLITICO'S Jacqueline Klimas reports from San Juan that political leaders on the island are once again afraid their needs are an afterthought in Washington. "The important part is to make sure it's not forgotten," Sen. Marco Rubio said. "We have a fundamental obligation to a U.S. territory and American citizens to respond to a hurricane there the way we would anywhere in the country."
Governor assumes dam will collapse: Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello said he's operating under the assumption the Guajataca Dam will collapse, a fear that led to the evacuation of tens of thousands of area residents. "Some of the dam has fallen apart," he told CNN Monday. "I'd rather be wrong on that front than do nothing and having it fail and costing people their lives."
The president tweets: "Texas & Florida are doing great but Puerto Rico, which was already suffering from broken infrastructure & massive debt, is in deep trouble," President Donald Trump said in a statement released via his Twitter account Monday night. "It's (sic) old electrical grid, which was in terrible shape, was devastated. Much of the Island was destroyed, with billions of dollars...owed to Wall Street and the banks which, sadly, must be dealt with. Food, water and medical are top priorities - and doing well." he added in a pair of follow-up tweets.
Trump's first words on Puerto Rico since Sept. 20 came after the White House forcefully defended his fixation with NFL players' protests, which generated more than a dozen tweets since Friday.
U-TURN ON CLIMATE RULE: Reversing course, DOT told a federal judge in New York in a. letter it will publish a regulation requiring states to track emissions from highways and craft reduction goals, Pro's Alex Guillen reports . Once published, the regulation takes effect immediately. Environmental groups and Democratic attorneys general had sued Federal Highway Administration for placing the rule on hold indefinitely. "Our lawsuit held the Trump administration accountable for illegally halting a common-sense tool to curb carbon pollution from transportation," said the NRDC's Amanda Eaken in a statement. The regulation is expected to run in the Federal Register Sept. 28.
ZINKE, PERRY SPEAK AT NATIONAL CLEAN ENERGY WEEK: It's a day of events as National Clean Energy Week kicks off in earnest today with a breakfast discussion at 8 a.m. featuring Perry and Zinke (hosted by former GOP Sen. Kelly Ayotte). Also expected to speak throughout the day are Sen. Lindsey Graham, House Republican Conference Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Reps. Derek Kilmer and Ryan Costello. Full details here.
But greens cry foul: Twelve environmental organizations sent a letter to Congress arguing that
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technologies like biomass, carbon capture or nuclear energy should not be considered clean. "The sponsors of'National Clean Energy Week' include some of the dirtiest actors in the energy industry," the groups, which include 350.org, Food & Water Watch and Oil Change International, wrote.
HEARING ROUNDUP - TWO DOE NOMINEES IN SPOTLIGHT: Murkowski's push to quickly advance agency nominees continues today as her committee examines Steven Winberg's nomination to be assistant Energy secretary for fossil energy and Bruce Walker's selection to be assistant Energy secretary for electricity, delivery and energy reliability. Winberg previously headed up research and development for CONSOL Energy and also was a member of DOE's National Coal Council, while Walker's resume includes stints at National Grid and Consolidated Edison. Things get going at 10 a.m. in Dirksen 366.
E&C LOOKS AT ADVANCED ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES: The House Energy and Commerce Energy Subcommittee holds the latest in its "Powering America" series of hearings today with an examination of "the role advanced energy technologies play in empowering the nation's electricity consumers." Witnesses include representatives from Advanced Energy Economy, Holy Cross Energy, ComEd and LO3 Energy, among others. The hearing is set for 10 a.m. in Raybum 2123.
GATHERING INPUT ON WATER INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS: The House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment hosts a hearing at 10 a.m. today with a panel of public and private sector witnesses on what they'd like to see for water infrastructure in a forthcoming legislative package. The full list of witnesses for the hearing in Raybum 2167 is available here.
MAIL CALL! CEQ VETERANS CALL OUT NEPA SHORTCUTS: Trump's efforts to streamline environmental reviews leave his administration's decisions more vulnerable to being overturned in court because they don't allow for enough input from the public, four veterans of the Council on Environmental Quality warned in a letter to the White House Monday. "Emphasizing speed over quality sends the wrong message to agencies and creates significant legal risk that future environmental reviews of federal actions will be rejected by the courts and need to be redone," wrote Katie McGinty, Nancy Sutley, Christy Goldfuss and Brenda Mallory, all of whom served in Democratic administrations.
STATE AGs DISCUSS TRUMP-ERA ENVIRONMENTAL LITIGATION: A session at 2:45 p.m. with three attorneys general - Maryland's Brian Frosh, Illinois' Lisa Madigan and New York's Eric Schneiderman - discussing ongoing environmental litigation fighting White House efforts to weaken environmental protections is among the highlights of the Institute for Policy Integrity's state climate action conference today. Follow along here.
DEMOCRATS SEEK INFORMATION ON MINE SAFETY PICK: Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse and Bob Casey released a letter Monday seeking information on Mine Safety and Health Administration's investigations into Rhino Resource Partners, which mine safety nominee David Zatezalo worked at in a variety of senior roles between 2007 and 2014. They asked for the records no later than Sept. 29.
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FAA, FLOOD INSURANCE FLOPS: Democrats blocked a Republican push to fast-track an FAA extension that also included additional provisions on flood insurance and tax credits for victims of recent hurricanes, POLITICO'S Heather Caygle and Lauren Gardner report. The chamber is expected to consider the measure again later this week under a rule, which requires a simple majority, unlike Monday's fast-track procedure that required a two-thirds vote.
STUDY: RAIL DAMPENING PIPELINE INVESTMENTS: New research out from the National Bureau of Economic Research finds the flexibility associated with crude-by-rail shipping has led to decreased investments in long-term pipeline projects given the high upfront costs of such infrastructure. "The ability to ramp rail shipments up and down is valuable to crude oil shippers, and it reduces incentives to make long-run investments in pipeline capacity," Ryan Kellogg, a professor at the Harris School of Public Policy who co-authored the study, said in a statement.
CHAMBER URGES REJECTION OF GARRETT: Count the U S Chamber of Commerce as the latest group urging senators to reject former Rep. Scott Garrett's nomination to head the Export-Import Bank, Pro Financial Services' Zachary Warmbrodt reports. In a Monday letter, senior executive vice president Suzanne Clark expressed concern Garrett could use his position to prevent the agency from properly functioning while voicing strong support for four other nominees: Kimberly Reed, Claudia Slacik, Judith Pryor and Spencer Bachus.
ZINKE SPENT S2.5K ON TRAVEL IN MARCH: Zinke spent $2,508 in flights, lodging and meals meet with members of the Blackfeet Nation, agency staff and toured national parks in Wyoming and his home state of Montana in his first month in office in March, according to public records the agency released Monday. Zinke stayed at his home in Whitefish for most of his first trip, according to the secretary's trip itinerary for March through July the agency released earlier this month. Unlike Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price who POLITICO earlier reported took private jets, Zinke's flights were commercial.
GRID-CONNECTED BATTERIES TAKING OVER RESIDENTIAL STORAGE
MARKET: Homeowners are increasingly installing electricity batteries that connect to the grid instead of closed systems that feed power only to the residence, GTM Research says in a report out today. The report does not cite a specific reason for the change but notes customers are looking for back-up power in case of electric outages and to save money, while utilities are encouraging adoption to mitigate the impacts of growing solar power. Grid-connected projects will make up 57 percent of annual deployments by the end of this year, the report says.
DOESN'T LOOK STRESSED: Murkowski doesn't look like the heated health care debate is getting to her in this picture with a pink polar bear she tweeted out Monday from her visit over the weekend to the Anchorage Museum.
ALL-TIME HIGH: Bolstered by more than 500,000 people who've joined since last November, the Natural Resources Defense Council tells ME it now has three million-plus members and online activists.
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MOVER, SHAKER: Ann Bartuska has joined Resources for the Future as vice president in its newly formed land, water, and nature program. She comes after serving as deputy undersecretary for research, education and economics as well as chief scientist at USDA.
QUICK HITS
- In World's Hottest Oil Patch, Jitters Mount That a Bust Is Near. Bloomberg.
- After Hurricane Maria, what will it take to turn Puerto Rico's power back on? The Verge.
- OPEC's Efforts Pay Off: Oil is Back in Bull Market. Wall Street Journal.
- Companies building failed nuclear project 'were looking to cut comers' as state's top cop asked to investigate. The Post and Courier.
- FPL, JEA to shut down Jacksonville coal electric plant. Palm Beach Post.
THAT'S ALL FOR ME!
**A message from the U.S. Chamber's Global Energy Institute: Today, America's diverse energy resources are providing abundant, reliable and affordable electricity that is critical to our economy. Unfortunately, that mix is at risk. A new report by IHS Markit cosponsored by the Global Energy Institute explains just how important a diverse set of resources really is. Our current energy mix, including nuclear and coal, is saving us $114 billion per year in electricity costs-lowering the average price by 27%. Without all of our resources, America could lose 1 million jobs within 3 years and $158 billion in GDP, and each American household could see a loss of up to $845 in income each year. To read the report and learn more about how a balanced set of electricity resources is key to our economy and security, click here: http://bit.ly/2huaJ4F **
To view online'. http://www.politico.eom/tipsheets/morning-energy/2017/09/26/republicans-eye-budget-processfor-amvr-opening-222479
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