-The Obama Administration is set to roll out its new carbon emission limits for existing power plants next week. The new proposal is designed to give states greater flexibility in meeting their emissions reduction targets, including the ability to institute cap-and-trade programs.
-Via Reuters, a natural gas pipeline in northwestern Minnesota owned by ONEOK exploded on Monday. The towns of Warren and Argyle remained without gas as of this morning, but no injuries were reported. The Viking Gas Transmission line tranports gas from Canada to local distributors in Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin.
-Meanwhile, federal regulators have placed two new conditions on the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline after learning of defects in the pipeline’s southern leg. Via the Associated Press, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) will require TransCanada to hire a contractor of the PHMSA’s choosing to monitor the construction. The Canadian firm will also be required to adopt a quality management program.
-Officials in Kern County, Calif., have issued an environmental review of Alon USA’s proposed Bakersfield refinery expansion. Alon is seeking to increase the plant’s ability to receive and process light crude produced in U.S. shale plays.
Photo: kjkolb/Wikipedia
