Energy & Environment

Energy & Environment

The Big Story 

A pipeline leak spilled more than 1 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. 

© U.S. Coast Guard/Courtesy Clean Gulf Associates via AP

It appears to have started near New Orleans 

Coast Guard officials say the origin of the leak appears to be near the Main Pass Oil Gathering company’s pipeline system, located around Plaquemines Parish, La., southeast of New Orleans.

The leak was first reported to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Thursday morning

It’s much bigger than the average oil spill in U.S. waters

Thousands of oil spills occur in U.S. waters every year, though most are a single barrel or less of oil.

Over the last 50 years, at least 44 spills have released more than 420,000 gallons each.

Initial assessments indicate the latest Gulf spill is at least 1.1 million gallons.

It’s still far short of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster

The Deepwater Horizon disaster, which began on April 20, 2010, is the largest known aquatic oil spill in U.S. history.

It began with an explosion on a marine platform, injuring 17 and causing the disappearance of 11 workers whose bodies were never recovered.

That spill discharged some 134 million gallons into the Gulf.

Read more in a full report at TheHill.com.

Welcome to The Hill’s Energy & Environment newsletter, we’re Rachel Frazin and Zack Budryk — keeping you up to speed on the policies impacting everything from oil and gas to new supply chains.

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Essential Reads 

How policy will affect the energy and environment sectors now and in the future:

EPA opens $2B in grants for helping communities fight climate change, pollution

Severe storms, snow threaten Thanksgiving travel

Ford scaling back plans for Michigan EV battery plant

In Other News 

Branch out with a different read on The Hill:

California megafires are causing long-term shifts in wildlife survival strategies: Study

As wildfires across the U.S. West become increasingly severe, scientists are aiming to unravel the ways such large-scale blazes are impacting the survival of species and their habitats — for better …

What We’re Reading 

News we’ve flagged from other outlets touching on energy issues, the environment and other topics:

Scientists said the ozone hole was recovering. That good news was premature, one study claims (CNN)

Fossil Fuel Lobbyists Flock to Plastics Treaty Talks as Scientists, Environmentalists Seek Conflict of Interest Policies (Inside Climate News)

Pennsylvania governor’s deal with fracking company splits environmentalists (Pennsylvania Capital-Star)

What Others are Reading 

Two key stories on The Hill right now:

Judge declines to revoke bond of Trump Georgia co-defendant

A Georgia judge declined to revoke the bond of one of former President Trump’s co-defendants in his 2020 election subversion case Tuesday, allowing him to remain free on bond ahead of a future trial. Read more

House Judiciary subpoenas deputy to special counsel in Hunter Biden probe

GOP impeachment investigators on Tuesday subpoenaed a deputy to the special counsel investigating Hunter Biden, expanding their inquiry into claims from two IRS whistleblowers that she took actions that “deviated from standard investigative procedures.” Read more

Opinions in The Hill 

Op-eds related to energy & environment submitted to The Hill: