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Biden, Senators Reach Infrastructure Deal But More Needed On Climate For Passage: President Biden and a bipartisan group of 10 senators reached an agreement on an infrastructure package that includes little to address climate change, and its passage will require additional measures in separate legislation. The package, which includes $579 billion in new investments, includes some funding for transit, rail, EVs, and improving resilience to climate-fueled disasters. It omits, however, many of the ambitious proposals President Biden initially outlined to reduce fossil fuel consumption and address climate change, including a national clean electricity standard, and tax incentives for renewable energy development. It was unclear who the five additional Republican senators needed to overcome the filibuster might be. Democrats in both chambers and President Biden said their ultimate support for the bipartisan compromise would be contingent on passage of a larger budget reconciliation package that includes stronger climate provisions as well as investments in "human infrastructure" like childcare and paid leave. (Bipartisan deal: New York Times $, New York Times $, Washington Post $, Reuters, factbox, Washington Post $, The Hill, E&E $, New York Times $, Politico, E&E $, Politico Pro $; Reconciliation required: New York Times $, AP, Reuters, The Hill)

Dangerous Heatwave Threatens Pacific Northwest: The massive heat wave forecast to oppress the Pacific Northwest this weekend will be extreme and historic, among other superlatives, a growing consensus among meteorologists warns. Climate change, caused by the extraction and combustion of fossil fuels, makes heatwaves worse and more frequent, and the heatwave expected to roast the Northwest will be extreme in both intensity and duration. Temperatures of 15-30°F above average could stifle the region for as much as a week, held in place by a high pressure 'heat dome.' Extreme heat and heatwaves kill as many as 5,600 people living in the U.S. every year, and are often worst in historically redlined neighborhoods. (Washington Post $, Buzzfeed, AP, Vox, CNN, Axios; Climate Signals background: June 2021 PNW heatwave)

Biden Administration Sides With Line 3 In Court: The Biden administration sided with Canadian pipeline company Enbridge on Wednesday, when it filed a brief asking a federal court to throw out a legal challenge from tribes and environmental groups over the construction of the Line 3 tar sands oil pipeline. While the Army Corps of Engineers could still revoke the permits, issued in the final days of the Trump administration, the administration's defense of the pipeline is “a betrayal of the Indian people,” Winona LaDuke, executive director and a co-founder of Honor the Earth, told the New York Times. “We intend to keep opposing this pipeline,” she added. “We will file more legal challenges. Expect more resistance.” On Thursday, Minnesota Public Radio reported Enbridge had received an amended permit from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources allowing them to pump nearly 10 times as much water from the ground to build the pipeline — which Native groups worry will threaten vital water resources — than their permits originally allowed. (Legal: New York Times $, Minnesota Public Radio, Earther, Reuters, The Hill, E&E $, AP; Water: Minnesota Public Radio, AP)

GREEN INVESTORS: Heavyweight investors demand more disclosure of environmental risks (FT $), solar power investors burnt by rise in raw material costs (FT $) 

CLEAN UP YOUR MESS: Citgo to pay $19.7M for Louisiana spill environmental damage (AP)

FOSSIL FUEL PRICING: The natural-gas glut has evaporated, driving prices higher (Wall Street Journal), after blowing $300 billion, US shale finally makes money (Bloomberg)

COMMENTARY: The bipartisan infrastructure bill is a gift to Wall Street, at the planet’s expense (The New Republic, Kate Aronoff column)

(ENVIRONMENTAL) RACISM: Racism, drought and history: Young Native Americans fight back as water disappears (LA Times $), 751 unmarked graves found at another Indigenous school in Canada (Indian Country Today, Politico, Indian Country Today, Buzzfeed, BBC, AP, New York Times $, NBC, Newsweek, Reuters)

MADAGASCAR: Climate change has pushed a million people in Madagascar to the 'edge of starvation,' UN says (CNN), WFP says communities on verge of starvation in Madagascar after drought (Reuters)

INSURANCE: Insurance at peril for many in California’s risky fire areas (AP)

ORPHANED WELLS: Report: 32K abandoned wells surround 162 national park sites (E&E $)

THIS IS FINE: Texas power grid faces summer having changed little from February freeze (Reuters)

MEDIA: Women working in local TV news say harassment from viewers gets out of hand (Prism Reports)

MIAMI CONDO COLLAPSE: 1 dead, 99 unaccounted for, search and rescue underway after partial collapse of surfside condo building (NBC Miami, CBS12, Black Wall Street Times, New York Times $, ABC, Washington Post $), collapsed Miami condo had been sinking into Earth as early as the 1990s, researchers say (USA Today)

AGENCIES: Equity is one of my top priorities' — FEMA chief (E&E $)

DOE: Granholm promises revamp of DOE efficiency rules (E&E $)

DOI: 5 things Congress learned from Haaland's latest appearance (E&E $), greens pressure Interior to intervene with mining pollution (E&E $), Interior returns National Bison Range to Montana tribes (E&E $)

EXECUTIVE BRANCH: US attorney launches N.Y. Environmental Justice Team (E&E $)

THE HILL: Pelosi and Schumer agree to push Congress on climate crisis in WH meeting (Axios)

HOUSE: House panel targets spending for climate change, research (E&E $), bill would fund Biden zero-emission fleet plans (E&E $), GOP shifts on climate as moderate Dems stake out ground (E&E $), major PFAS, water bills clear House committee (E&E $), What will the GOP’s new ‘climate caucus’ accomplish? (Grist), As Democrats spar over advancing Biden’s climate agenda, they move to cut methane (Washington Post $)

SENATE: ‘Prada socialist’ turned centrist wields power over Biden’s agenda (FT $), Barrasso pitches billions for drought relief projects (E&E $), In rare bipartisan move, Senate approves bill to help farmers profit on climate action (Politico, The Hill, E&E $), Democrats praise Manchin's energy bill, but urge more investments (Politico Pro $), Heinrich introduces hydrogen energy research bill (E&E $), senators push carbon capture bills, community solar (E&E $), Democrats launch bill allowing existing nuclear plants tax credit (Reuters), Manchin thinks he can sell his big energy package (E&E $)

INFRASTRUCTURE DEAL, DETAILS: Such a deal? Infrastructure pay-fors a mishmash of financing tools and old ideas (Politico Pro $), US infrastructure deal includes $6 billion sale from oil reserve -document (Reuters), gas tax indexing dropped from bipartisan pay-for list (Politico Pro $), can Dems unite on climate to keep infrastructure deal? (E&E $), fate of infrastructure deal hinges on approving Biden’s plan for working women (The 19th* News), what the deal means for progressive climate hopes (E&E $)

POLITICS: Energy supply disruptions pose risk for environmental justice push (Politico Pro $)

NOMINEES & CONFIRMATIONS: Biden announces USDA nominee; GOP blocks cyber pick (E&E $), USDA nominee back after bowing out during Obama admin (E&E $)

CLIMATE DIPLOMACY: Backing grows for new IMF COVID and climate fund (Reuters), US Treasury's Yellen to attend G20 finance, climate meetings in Italy (Reuters)

CITIES AND STATES: [Oregon] governor commutes sentences for 41 people who worked wildfires (AP), MIchigan utility to quit coal by 2025, buy natural gas plants (E&E $), New York’s next mayor — whoever it is — has a climate change mandate (Grist), legislators hope to make northern Maine a hub of renewable power exports (Bangor Daily News), Cleveland’s plan for climate justice could be a model for the rest of the country (COLORLINES)

CALIFORNIA: ‘Less water means more gas’: how drought will test California’s stressed power grid (The Guardian), California approves clean energy proposal to help respond to extreme weather (Reuters, Utility Dive, Politico Pro $), California eyes creating fund to buy imperiled beach houses (E&E $)

FERC: FERC launches Office of Public Participation (Politico Pro $)

IMPACTS: ‘The water is coming’: Florida Keys faces stark reality as seas rise (The Guardian), climate paradox: Warming is cooling parts of Antarctica (E&E $), 'worst is yet to come': disastrous future ahead for millions worldwide due to climate change, report warns (USA Today)

HEAT: Records crumble in Europe, Russia amid scorching heat wave (Washington Post $), summer heat brings new challenge to electric grid (The Hill), why 2021’s heat waves are so brutal (The Verge)

DROUGHT: California’s megadrought is making water taste like ass (Earther), where did Sierra snow go this spring? Not into California rivers and water supplies (Mercury News), California’s drought is so bad that almond farmers are ripping out trees (Bloomberg $)

WILDFIRES: Drought indicators in Western US flash warnings of the ‘big one’ (Bloomberg $), evacuation orders expand as wildfires burn in Arizona (AP), US seeks ways to recruit, retain wildland firefighters (AP)

RENEWABLES: Building new renewables is cheaper than burning fossil fuels (Bloomberg $), first US offshore wind farm cleared for marine harassment (E&E $), how Biden gave a boost to one Xinjiang solar manufacturer (Bloomberg $), what the clean energy future looks like from a 262-foot wind turbine (LA Times $), offshore wind energy transforms foes into friends (Reuters), why are solar PPA prices creeping upward? It's complicated, experts say (Utility Dive)

XINJIANG SOLAR: US bans some Chinese solar imports over Xinjiang forced labor (Axios, Politico Pro $, Bloomberg $, The Hill, Reuters, FT $), US says ban on Chinese firm's solar products will not slow clean energy progress (Reuters), Biden bans China solar imports. Will it hurt U.S. industry? (E&E $)

BATTERIES: Battery material company to add 290 jobs in Tennessee (AP), ESS is betting the world is ready for a billion-dollar battery disrupter (Canary Media)

EFFICIENCY: Heat pumps, already on the rise in rural Minnesota, get boost from new state law (Energy News Network), startup that makes homes climate-friendly raises $16 million (Axios), The secret of home energy efficiency? Don’t talk about home energy efficiency (Canary Media)

OIL & GAS: Amid troubles for fossil fuels, has the era of ‘peak oil’ arrived? (Yale Environment 360), top US oil industry lobby [API] sets greenhouse gas disclosure template (Reuters, Politico Pro $)

PLASTICS: Lego reveals first bricks made from recycled plastic bottles (Axios), momentum grows for a global plastic pollution pact (Politico Pro $)

HYDROGEN: The hydrogen economy: a strategy to prolong the life of the natural gas industry (Seeking Alpha)

UTILITIES: Consumers Energy to end Michigan coal use by 2025, but critics wary of plan to buy existing gas plants (Utility Dive), New Jersey utility accelerates net zero carbon plan by 20 years (Bloomberg $)

EVs: EV charging providers to allow roaming across their networks (Axios), New York City votes to block new licenses for electric taxis, snubbing Revel’s Tesla plans (The Verge)

AVIATION: Airline industry to weigh goal of net-zero emissions by 2050 (Bloomberg $), it's more than just rain and snow. Climate change will hit air travel in surprising ways (TIME)

BUSINESS: Microsoft urged to keep corporate travel to 2020 levels for good (The Guardian), Tesla, Spirit Airlines earn high marks for climate efforts (E&E $)

CARBON PRICING: EU carbon market reform set to include one-off emissions cap cut (Bloomberg $)

FINANCE: Climate change and financial disclosure - what's at stake? (Reuters explainer), Success of climate change talks rests on finance, UN chief says (Reuters)

BITCOIN: Bitcoin is changing US coal, renewables (E&E $)

GRETA: Greta thunberg roasts UK government for wanting to drill the North Sea (Earther)

SHIPPING: Can massive cargo ships use wind to go green? (New York Times $)

WILDLIFE: How Indigenous memories can help save species from extinction (Vox)

INTERNATIONAL: Asia’s richest man to plow $10 billion into green energy (Bloomberg $), Climate watchdog says Britain lacks a strategy to meet its goals. (New York Times $), EU lawmakers approve deal on climate neutrality by 2050 (AP), Indigenous leaders and human rights groups in Brazil want Bolsonaro prosecuted for crimes against humanity (InsideClimate News), Japan insurers struggle to pinpoint climate change cost estimates (Reuters), Norway’s Statkraft lined up to provide green hydrogen for 88-meter long, zero-emission ship (CNBC)

• Congress must fix clean energy tax credits to advance low-carbon future (The Hill, Dan Lashof op-ed)
• UN climate change report vindicates Biden's climate infrastructure plan (MSNBC, Hayes Brown column)
• Satellites could be a game-changer for storm recovery — utilities should take a fresh look (Utility Dive, Jeff Lewis op-ed)
• We can’t fight climate change using forced labor in China (Washington Post, Josh Rogin column $)
• California’s climate-driven threats need cross-cutting clean energy solutions(Energy Monitor, Justin Gerdes column)
• The tightrope walk Democrats have ahead on two separate infrastructure bills (Washington Post, Peter Stevenson analysis $)
• A sacred drop (Atmos, Ruth Hopkins essay)
• [Offshore wind is] an idea whose time has come (NJ.com, James Florio op-ed)
• On infrastructure, Biden tests the limits of having it both ways (New York Times, Jim Tankersley analysis $)
• California Public Utilities Commission needs to make serious investments in renewable clean energy (Inland Empire Community News, op-ed)

CO2 Coalition Is Hiring- Someone Please Go Undercover, These People Are Gullible

[A note: We're not lawyers, but we know enough lawyers to know we should make sure you know that we are absolutely not advocating that anyone do anything illegal, no matter how funny it might be.]

Back in 2015, some sneaky Greenpeace folks went undercover via email, posing as a fossil fuel executive, and offered William Happer a tidy sum to write a climate denial report. Happer wrote Peabody Energy had paid him thousands for his denial testimony, in the process of explaining how the unnamed Middle Eastern oil interest he believed he was talking to could conceal the funding for his work by funnelling it through the CO2 Coalition. 

With that in mind, we’re really hoping someone takes it upon themselves to go undercover for real, and apply for a newly-posted job opening at the CO2 Coalition. They’re hiring a digital and communications associate, “to be part of a rapidly expanding and effective team that is fighting back against the climate nonsense.”

Seems the CO2 Coalition has found some funding to hire someone to “work with contemporary and emerging social media platforms, most notably, Twitter and Facebook.” Beyond regular posting, they’re also looking for someone to “work with our App Developer to create a new state-of-the-art smartphone app,” because why wouldn’t climate denial need an app? 

They’re asking for someone with a bachelor’s degree, 0-4 years of experience and “proven, demonstrable experience with social media campaigns,” so definitely targeting someone fresh out of school and ready to bring their Gen Z tech skills to the otherwise geriatric coalition. 

So if any freshly-minted graduates out there haven't found a better job, and find yourself drawn to the excitement of going undercover to expose just how corrupt the Koch climate denial network can be, consider puffing up any conservative credentials and throw your hat in the ring!

But you will definitely need to play up your dedication to conservative political correctness, as the second requirement listed reads that “alignment with and passion for the Coalition’s mission and work is critical”. 

On top of that, they’re not letting easily email-fooled Happer handle the hiring, but instead directing applicants to the Talent Market intake form. With that name, you might expect them to be any ol’ generic hiring agency, but the dropdown box for what organization you’re applying to is basically a list of the Koch organized climate denial and conservative propaganda network. 

Talent Market has been described as the “right wing’s casting agency,” staffed by former Koch group staffers who apparently do the hiring and recruitment for the Koch network.  

If you have a shred of human decency and find deception, deceit and denial even the least bit difficult to maintain, then this is probably not the job for you. Better not to waste your time, or theirs, with joke or prank submissions. But it is interesting to hear that not only did the CO2 Coalition get some funding to staff up, but they’re also looking to build up new websites and even an app, suggesting the CO2 Coalition is seeking out younger, more online audiences. 

We’re eagerly awaiting their app launch! 

(Unless that’s just another Greenpeace prank…)

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