Message From the Editor

The oil industry has launched an all-out pressure campaign to kill an attempt by Congressional Democrats to tax methane – an extremely powerful greenhouse gas – for the first time. The American Petroleum Institute (API), the oil industry’s most powerful lobbying group, has enlisted over 130 state-level chambers of commerce, oil lobbying outfits, and labor groups, to try and oppose the methane fee which is being considered as part of the $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation bill. Nick Cunningham reports.

In Louisiana, the damage from Hurricane Ida continues to unfold. A set of dolphins were found dead on a road, killed during Ida’s storm surge. For many, they are a reminder of how vulnerable Louisiana’s marine life is to climate change — and locals worry a controversial river diversion project to increase the state’s marshland could make things even worse. Rocky Kistner has the story.

And nearly two weeks after Hurricane Ida hit, a historic Black Louisiana town is contending with coffins disrupted by the storm surge and scattered about town. Some residents of Ironton took it upon themselves to start cleaning up the floodwater damaged streets. Julie Dermansky takes a look.

Have a story tip or feedback? Get in touch: editor@desmogblog.com.

Thanks,
Brendan DeMelle
Executive Director

P.S. Readers like you make it possible for DeSmog to hold accountable powerful people in industry and government. Even a $10 or $20 donation helps support DeSmog’s investigative journalism.

Oil Industry Wages Major Lobbying Campaign to Kill Proposed Methane Fee

— By Nick Cunningham (10 min. read) —

The oil industry has launched an all-out pressure campaign to kill an attempt by Congressional Democrats to tax methane – an extremely powerful greenhouse gas – for the first time.

The American Petroleum Institute (API), the oil industry’s most powerful lobbying group, enlisted over 130 state-level chambers of commerce, oil lobbying outfits, and labor groups, and together they wrote a letter on September 7 to U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, which is considering the methane fee as part of the $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation bill.

In the Louisiana Bayou, Dolphin Victims of Hurricane Ida Set the Stage for a Political Fight Over Coastal Restoration

— By Rocky Kistner (5 min. read) —

Days after Hurricane Ida roared through coastal Louisiana, sending a 12-foot storm surge rushing across the marshlands south of New Orleans, Plaquemines Parish Fire Department Capt. Kevin Coleman was driving on a coastal road trying to reach his isolated fire station near Myrtle Grove, Louisiana.

As he drove toward Barataria Bay, he saw in the distance what looked like black plastic garbage bags littering the road. But as he drove closer his curiosity turned to horror. “What the hell,” he said to himself as he slammed on the brakes. Scattered along the road were the remains of four dead bottlenose dolphins, lying on the drying asphalt with mouths agape, a decaying pile of flesh that revealed their agonizing deaths.

10 Days After Hurricane Ida, Historic Black Louisiana Town Contends With Scattered Coffins As Floodwaters Drain from the Streets

— By Julie Dermansky (10 min. read) —

Ten days after Hurricane Ida hit Louisiana as a Category 4 storm, Wilkie Declouet, a former law enforcement officer, and lifelong resident of Ironton, posted photos to social media of coffins and tombs scattered around his neighborhood.

Earlier that day, local officials were telling residents that the town was still inaccessible, but Declouet knew better than to take what they said on face value and checked for himself — and found a way back in. Like the rest of the community, he evacuated before the storm hit.

Climate Science Denial Group to Give Evidence to Parliament on Net Zero Transition

— By Adam Barnett (3min. read) —

The UK’s main climate science denial group has been invited to give evidence to a parliamentary inquiry into the country’s energy transition and the cost of its net zero policies.

John Constable, energy editor at the Global Warming Policy Forum (GWPF), will speak to the House of Lords Industry and Regulators Committee on Tuesday morning as part of its inquiry, which also looks at the role of the energy regulator Ofgem in the transition to net zero.

The American Petroleum Institute (API) is the largest trade association for the oil and gas industry, representing over 600 corporate members “from the largest major oil company to the smallest of independents, come from all segments of the industry.” The API says its mission is to “influence public policy in support of a strong, viable U.S. oil and natural gas industry.” Most recently, it’s been leading an effort to oppose a methane tax.

Read the full profile and browse other individuals and organizations in our Climate Disinformation Database and Koch Network Database.

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