FIRST LOOK(S):

The First 100 Days: People's Town Hall — Join a candid conversation between frontline leaders and the Biden Administration. TODAY (which is Wednesday, April 14) at 11:00 a.m. EDT. Reporters can register here. All others please register here.

Justin Worland (TIME) will moderate a conversation with Richard Newell (RFF) and Rachel Cleetus (UCS) about the social cost of carbon, its importance for addressing the climate change challenge, and considerations for how it can advance just and economically sound policies. TOMORROW at 3pm ET.

NFIP, Still Underwater, Paid Out $1.2 Billion In 2020: The National Flood Insurance Program paid out more than $1 Billion in claims in 2020 for the record sixth year in a row, continuing trends for higher average claims and increased flooding in "low risk" areas, an E&E analysis of NFIP data found. Just eight counties (and parishes) in Alabama, Florida, and Louisiana, accounted for more than half of the $1.2 billion in total claims — arising from the record-breaking 2020 hurricane season. More than one-third of the claims were caused by Hurricane Sally, which "sucker-punched" Southern Alabama and the Florida Panhandle last September. The 2020 claims continue a trend of increased flooding in areas supposedly unlikely to flood, with over one-third of 2020 claims occurring outside the so-called 100-year flood zone, which reflects the failure of the NFIP to account for climate change in its flood modeling. The NFIP, which is administered by FEMA, is supposed to be self-sustaining, but payouts have so far outstripped premiums that it owes taxpayers by $20.5 billion. (E&E $; Climate Signals background: Flooding, Hurricanes, 2020 Atlantic hurricane season)

Nepalese Wildfires Burn Out Of Control As Pollution Hinders Learning: Air quality across Nepal has plummeted as more than 2,700 wildfires have raged across the country in the last six months, its worst fire season in a decade, Thomson Reuters reports. The fires have had disastrous effects, especially in regions where residents rely on firewood for cooking fuel and grasses for hay to feed livestock. The fires are fueled by an exceptionally dry winter that saw 75% less rainfall than average, and experts warn increasingly frequent droughts could become more common due to climate change, fueling more wildfires. The air pollution caused by the fires is extreme — schools across Nepal closed for nearly a week at the end of March because the smoke was so irritating to students' eyes and throats. At this point, however, schools are open, even with low attendance and even though "those who are attending are not concentrating much," Bhakta Bahadur Marsangi Magar, vice principal of Saraswati Higher Secondary School in Pyuthan said. They are not closing schools again, he said, not because the situation has improved but because "we are not sure when the pollution level will come down." (Thomson Reuters Foundation)

Dam(s), Climate Change Threatens American Rivers: Climate change, activities that contribute to it, and dams pose grave threats to America's rivers, according to American Rivers. The annual report ranks the county's 10 rivers most endangered by human activity that also have a critical decision point coming in the next year that could change the river’s fate. Four dams are choking the Snake River — earning it the top spot in the report — obstructing salmon and posing an existential threat to Native American tribes in the region who depend on the fish for food, culture and their identities. Advocates are calling on President Biden to remove the federal dams and revitalize the river and its ecosystem. Toxic coal ash pollutes the Lower Missouri, which also is experiencing an increase in climate-driven flooding, putting it second on the list, while Iowa's Raccoon River, at number nine, faces threats from industrial agriculture. Between them are rivers befouled by sewage, polluted or threatened by mining, and otherwise dammed or mismanaged. “Rivers are among the most degraded ecosystems on the planet, and threats to rivers are threats to human health, safety and survival,” American Rivers head Tom Kiernan said. “If we want a future of clean water and healthy rivers everywhere, for everyone, we must prioritize environmental justice.” (The Guardian, USA Today, Mother Jones, Reuters, E&E $)

(ENVIRONMENTAL) RACISM: How computer mapping could help Biden find and fix polluted neighborhoods (Reuters), killing of Daunte Wright draws comparison to 2009 shooting of Oscar Grant (Blavity), Daunte Wright's mom recalls last conversation with her son, says he called to tell her he was getting pulled over (Blavity), the fossil fuel industry is racist (Earther)

CORONAVIRUS: As COVID restrictions lift, green spaces are front lines in a fight for housing justice (Grist)

COP26: UK lays out plan for COP26 prep meetings (Politico Pro $)

PUBLIC OPINION: Poll: The partisan gap on climate change is widening (Grist)

TEXAS (AND CALIFORNIA): Texas froze and California burned. To insurers, they look similar. (New York Times $), Texas wind energy set a record—but Republicans are still trying to squash it (Earther), ERCOT declares grid emergency, asks residents to conserve power (Houston Chronicle, Texas Tribune), [Gov.] Abbott picks PUC chief after Texas blackout resignations (E&E $, Houston Chronicle)

TRANSIT: The case for a transit-first infrastructure plan (Bloomberg $)LIVIN

GRID: A green grid by 2035? New report says we’re halfway there (Bloomberg $, Canary Media)

DENIAL: It’s not just Big Oil. Big Meat also spends millions to crush good climate policy. (Vox)

AGENCIES: Industry, greens petition EPA for HFC phase-downs (Politico Pro $, Houston Chronicle), could EPA-approved 'fog juice' bring Broadway back? (E&E $), Haaland pressed to ban livestock grazing in herd areas (E&E $), 'the dial is shifting' toward regulating climate risks (E&E $), US Energy secretary says state incentives could boost clean energy standard (Reuters), US climate research outpost abandoned over fears it will be devoured by sea (The Guardian)

LAWSUITS: Appeals court backs drilling protections reinstated by Biden (The Hill)

THE HILL: Democrats signal limited patience for GOP opposition to Biden infrastructure package (Washington Post $), obstacles and expectations loom as Democrats draft Biden’s $2T infrastructure bill (Politico Pro $), Dems urge Biden to restore, expand Utah monuments (E&E $), distrust of 30x30 complicates outreach to Republicans (E&E $), five hurdles Democrats face to pass an infrastructure bill (The Hill)

SENATE: Bipartisan bill would provide billions to clean up 'orphaned' wells (Politico Pro $, Reuters, E&E $), Merkley plans progressive action as Interior-EPA chair (E&E $), Senate Dems float Martin O'Malley as Chesapeake Bay adviser (E&E $)

HOUSE: Tenn. Dem [Steve Cohen] floats bill to increase scrutiny of coal ash dumps (E&E $), Michigan reps reintroduce measure for national 'forever chemicals' standard (The Hill)

WHITE HOUSE: [Gina] McCarthy: focus on 2030 climate goals, not 2050 (Politico Pro $), Biden wants bipartisanship. Will climate policy suffer? (E&E $), White House says gas tax won't be part of infrastructure bill (The Hill, Reuters)

BUDGET: Joe Biden’s $1.2bn budget for Green Climate Fund falls short of campaigner demands (Climate Home)

NDC: Biden’s Paris goal: pressure builds for a 50 percent greenhouse gas cut by 2030 (InsideClimate News)

AMERICAN JOBS PLAN: Biden plan would boost climate defenses at military bases (E&E $), Granholm: reconciliation possible for clean energy standard, but no decisions made (Politico Pro $), the 1 thing to understand about Biden’s infrastructure plan (The Atlantic)

NOMINEES & CONFIRMATIONS: Senate confirms [Polly Trottenberg as] Transportation deputy secretary (E&E $), Biden picks environmental law prof [Christopher Schroeder] for DOJ post (E&E $), Biden set to tap [Tommy] Beaudreau for Interior deputy spot (Politico Pro $, E&E $)

CLIMATE DIPLOMACY: Biden wants leaders to make climate commitments for earth day (New York Times $), Biden's climate envoy Kerry to hold talks with China, South Korea (Reuters, New York Times $, Wall Street Journal $, E&E $, The Hill)

CITIES AND STATES: Controversial Indiana environmental bills inch near passage (AP), NJ offshore wind to connect at 2 former power plants onshore (AP), Florida to close wastewater reservoir with leak history (AP), New Mexico issues 10-year plan for boosting forest health (AP), nearly 400 state and local officials call for ban on new fracking permits (The Hill)

CALIFORNIA: California fracking ban blocked by moderate Democrats (Politico Pro $), California targets urgent projects as wildfire season looms (AP), California launches first-of-kind plan for EV, hydrogen trucks (E&E $)

FERC: Glick: FERC should tackle MOPR if PJM can't agree on update by December capacity auction (Utility Dive), 'seismic shift' at FERC could kill natural gas pipelines (E&E $)

SURFBOARDS: How high-tech robotic surfboards could change our understanding of the Gulf Stream (Washington Post $), melting ice shelves show razor-thin risk margins on warmer Earth (Bloomberg $)

IMPACTS: What happens when the tides get higher (NPR, Short Wave), Americans are already deciding where to move based on climate change (Earther), what a 1,600-year-old New Zealand tree can tell us about climate change (Vox)

METHANE: Groups push Biden for methane reduction targets (E&E $), 3 oil companies join push to restore Obama methane rules (E&E $)

RENEWABLES: Tesla is burning its solar roof customers with a huge price increase (The Verge)

OIL & GAS: Exxon faces $1.5M fine for alleged violations at Illinois refinery (E&E $), oil majors face tough choices even with higher prices (Wall Street Journal $)

PIPELINES: Tensions emerge between green groups and Biden over Dakota Access Pipeline (The Hill), court urged to restore Dakota Access permit on NEPA grounds (E&E $)

PLASTICS: Plastic is falling from the sky. but where’s it coming from? (Wired)

BATTERIES: Quantum leap: QuantumSape says its technology is ready to move from the lab to VW’s dealerships. But this secretive startup is very familiar with failure. (Bloomberg $)

COAL: 4 states weigh plans to rescue coal plants (E&E $)

HYDROGEN: Europe could operate 40,000 km of hydrogen pipelines by 2040: operators (Reuters)

PATHWAYS: Energy transition after COVID-19: what pathway are we on? (S&P Global)

ACTIVISM: Lobbying for good? New campaign asks Big Tech to push for bold climate action (Grist)

AGRICULTURE: Carbon farming: a new cash crop (WBUR, Bloomberg $), California dairy farmers are saving money—and cutting methane emissions—by feeding cows leftovers (InsideClimate News)

BITCOIN: A new threat to New York’s clean energy goals: Bitcoin mining (New York Focus)

BUSINESS: Apple endorses mandatory disclosure of emissions to SEC (Politico Pro $), Morgan Stanley aims to support $750 billion in low-carbon investments by 2030 (Reuters)

FINANCE: World’s top pension fund treads water as ESG picks up pace (Bloomberg $)

WILDLIFE: The last two giraffes have been rescued from a vanishing Kenyan island (Earther)

INTERNATIONAL: France is on the brink of banning domestic short-haul flights (Earther), Japan's greenhouse gas emissions fell 2.9% in 2019/20 to record low (Reuters), New Zealand emissions rise as government vows urgent action (The Guardian), seven European countries to halt export finance for fossil fuels (Reuters), climate change threatens Russia with billions in annual costs (Bloomberg $)

• FERC Commissioner Christie on his 'across the board' respect for state authority (Utility Dive, interview)
• Companies are promising to remove carbon — what about frontline communities? (The Hill, Jonathan Buonocore op-ed)
• An ignored water crisis is at the center of the farmer protest in India (Washington Post, Kabir Agarwal op-ed $)
• Flood survivors find common ground in a divided nation (Environmental Health News, Laurie Mazur op-ed)
• Dear media, let’s treat the climate emergency like the pandemic emergency (The Nation, Mark Hertsgaard op-ed)
• The ocean can no longer be a climate victim (The Hill, Michael Conathan op-ed)
• We don’t need more life-crushing steel and concrete (New York Times, Paul Greenberg and Carl Safina op-ed $)
• The Green New Deal, in disguise (Wall Street Journal, Editorial Board $)

Big Oil Centralizes Federal Lands Propaganda, Adding New Mexico To List Of State Educators It’s Exploited

In February, New Mexico’s 2019 Teacher of the Year Jessica Sanders wrote an op-ed for the Albuquerque Journal to “strongly encourage President Biden to reconsider” his pause on fracking on federal lands. It appeared independent enough on its face, in that there’s no disclosure of industry involvement. The fact that it was full of industry jargon — along with questionable claims from the oil industry, specifically the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association on how much revenue the state gets from the industry, for example, did make it seem pretty unusual for a (clearly gifted!) teacher. 

But as we have learned since, the oil industry sought out local education officials to respond to President Biden’s move, organizing a letter from state superintendents of Alaska, Utah, Montana, and Wyoming, among other tactics. This coordination was exposed by emails obtained through open records requests, as Igor Derysh at Salon reported last month. 

Noticeably absent from that reporting is the involvement of Sanders. Apparently Big Oil was a little disappointed that it didn’t get noticed though, and has graciously included the piece on a new “microsite” the Independent Petroleum Association of America’s PR-consultant run front group Energy in Depth recently launched.

The page helpfully collects all their local efforts into one place, so if you’re curious about the talking points they’re using, or the four main reports they (or, in this case, the spokespeople they’ve successfully placed in media) base their claims on, this is the place!

That’s where we found Sanders’ op-ed, in a “local voices” section, along with a statement from Wyoming state superintendent Jilian Balow (whose emails prove she worked with the industry), an op-ed by a father and son ranching duo in the Santa Fe New Mexican, and a piece the industry labels as a voice from “Small Businesses” in the Albuquerque Journal. 

Also listed in the section on pieces by “Representatives” they’ve programmed to repeat the petro-party line is a Fox News op-ed by Reps. Steve Sclasie and Yvette Herrell, the latter of whom is cited by Jessice Sanders while delivering a (fake) stat about the state’s supposed job losses from Biden’s executive order. It's one of main overlaps between these pieces that suggest they’re all pulling from those four reports the industry funded to provide exactly this sort of cover. 

But if you’d prefer not to read, there are the YouTube videos, essentially supercuts of the various supposedly-everyday-spokespeople and politicians the industry has successfully roped into being the human face of its polluting profits on various local TV news stations. 

Jessica Sanders may have been 2019’s Teacher of the Year, but apparently she still needs to learn a thing or two about not being a cog in the climate denial machine.

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