WHAT’S HAPPENING TODAY: Good afternoon and happy Wednesday, readers! Congress is still in recess this week, but the wheels on the Hill haven’t stopped turning, as House majority leaders have announced plans to take up bills reversing California’s vehicle emissions rules next week. 

A wildfire in southeastern New Jersey continues to swell today, spanning roughly 12,000 acres. Despite its size, little damage has been done to buildings and homes in the region. 

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Plus, keep reading to learn more about OPEC+ plans to accelerate its output increase for a second time later this year. 

Welcome to Daily on Energy, written by Washington Examiner energy and environment writers Callie Patteson (@CalliePatteson) and Maydeen Merino (@MaydeenMerino). Email cpatteson@washingtonexaminer dot com or mmerino@washingtonexaminer dot com for tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. If a friend sent this to you and you’d like to sign up, click here. If signing up doesn’t work, shoot us an email, and we’ll add you to our list.

HOUSE EYES BILLS NEXT WEEK TO REVERSE CALIFORNIA EMISSION RULES: House lawmakers next week plan to take on several Congressional Review Act resolutions focused on undoing California regulations that set standards for vehicle emissions. 

Republicans have sought to use the CRA to undo a number of Biden-era energy and climate rules. The CRA is a special legislative process that allows lawmakers to vote in a simple majority in both chambers to undo a regulation. 

Since President Donald Trump has taken office, the administration and Republicans have set their sights on California rules that would phase out gas-powered vehicles and replace them with electric vehicles. 

The CRA bills include: 

• H.J. Res. 87: A resolution to undo an EPA waiver that allows California to require manufacturers to seek to increase sales of zero-emission trucks. 

• H.J. Res. 88: A bill that would overturn California’s Clean Air Act waiver that allows the state to boost the electric vehicle industry and ban gas-powered vehicles by 2035. 

• H.J. Res. 89: A bill aimed at undoing the state’s regulation that implements nitrogen oxide engine emission standards for heavy-duty vehicles. 

Other climate-related CRA bills on the chopping block: 

• H.J. Res. 78: A bill that would remove longfin smelt from the endangered species list. 

• H.J. Res. 60: The resolution would undo a rule prohibiting the use of off-road vehicles and ATVs on 24 miles of park roads in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.

SOMETHING RELATED: The House Natural Resources Committee is reportedly planning to meet on May 6 to consider its part of Trump’s signature piece of legislation codifying his tax and spending agenda. An anonymous source confirmed the markup date – which has yet to be formally announced – to Daily on Energy alum and Politico’s Josh Siegel.

The committee’s portion of the “one big, beautiful, bill” could likely include $1 billion dedicated to expanding oil and gas lease sales on federal lands and waters as well as expansions for domestic critical mineral mining. 

SCOTUS WEIGHS IN ON CALIFORNIA VEHICLE EMISSION WAIVER: The Supreme Court today heard oral arguments from fuel producers against the Environmental Protection Agency’s authority to grant California a waiver that allows the state to impose stricter emission standards. 

The details: In the case, Diamond Alternative Energy LLC v EPA, the justices have agreed to hear arguments on whether the challengers have legal standing to sue the EPA for its authority to grant California the waiver. The case will determine whether third parties could challenge similar federal regulations in the future. 

California’s Clean Air Act vehicle waiver was reinstated by the Biden administration in 2022. However, critics have claimed the regulation sets a national “electric vehicle mandate,” since over a dozen states follow California’s auto emission standards. 

“It doesn’t take much common sense to figure out that if California limits the number of cars that can run on gas, automakers will make fewer cars that run on gas,” Jeffrey Wall, a lawyer for Diamond Alternative Energy, told the high court. 

In 2023, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that fuel petitioners did not have a legal right to challenge California’s waiver and lacked sufficient evidence. The petitioners then appealed to the Supreme Court. 

Joshua Klein, representing the California Department of Justice, told the high court that petitioners failed to establish a “non-speculative likelihood that automakers would sell more gas cars and petitioners sell more fuel without the waiver.” 

A ruling in the case is expected by June.

Read more by Maydeen here. 

NEW JERSEY WILDFIRE SWELLS: A rapidly growing wildfire continued to burn in southeastern New Jersey this morning, spreading to roughly 12,000 acres, inching closer to a shuttered nuclear power plant. 

The details: The Jones Road wildfire broke out Tuesday morning in Ocean County – just over 50 miles east of Philadelphia – prompting the state to shut down part of the Garden State Parkway and issue evacuation orders for more than 3,000 residents in the area, according to state officials. As of around 1 p.m. EST this morning, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service had 35% of the fire contained and lifted all evacuation orders. 

Officials are still investigating the cause of the fire. Last week, the U.S. drought monitor estimated that more of New Jersey was experiencing abnormally dry and moderate to severe drought conditions. The state’s forest fire service has also warned that the entire state is at a “high” risk of fires. 

The impact: Concerns rose late Tuesday evening as reports indicated that the fire had reached the property of the Oyster Creek Nuclear Plant, which closed in 2018 and is being decommissioned by Holtec International. Spokesman Pat O’Brien confirmed in a Facebook post yesterday that the facility has not seen any fires or loss of buildings as a result of the wildfire. 

“Oyster Creek Security Personnel are keeping careful round-the-clock watch on all of the site property to ensure protection from the current forest fire in Waretown,” O’Brien continued. “Earlier this evening, embers from the fire blew onto a small patch of grass on plant property, north of all buildings and structures, and was completely and safely extinguished.”

Shawn LaTourette, commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, has warned that the wildfire could end up being the largest one in the state in 20 years. He touted ongoing containment efforts during a press conference today, saying the state has “averted a major disaster,” according to CNN. Only one commercial building has reportedly been destroyed. While some other vehicles and buildings have been burned, no homes have. 

MILLIONS MORE BREATHING UNHEALTHY AIR: The American Lung Association’s annual “State of the Air 2025” report found that more Americans are living in areas with unhealthy air despite efforts to reduce air pollution. 

The report found that 46% of Americans, or 156.1 million people, are living in areas that get failing grades for unhealthy levels of ozone or particle pollution. It added that about 25 million more people are breathing unhealthy compared to their report last year. The number of people living in places with bad air quality is the largest number in any report in the last 10 years. 

“Extreme heat, drought and wildfires are contributing to worsening levels of air pollution across much of the U.S., exposing a growing proportion of the population to ozone and particle pollution that put their health at risk,” the report reads. 

ALA takes a look at two dangerous air pollutants: fine particles and ozone. The report ranked Bakersfield, California, as the place with the worst short-term particle pollution for the third year in a row. Meanwhile, Los Angeles is the city with the worst ozone pollution in the U.S. for the 6th year in a row. 

OPEC+ MAY PUSH A SECOND ACCELERATED OUTPUT HIKE THIS SUMMER: Several members of OPEC+ are reportedly planning to suggest that the oil-producing bloc accelerate its increases in oil production for the second time in June. 

The details: Three sources familiar with the talks confirmed the discussions to Reuters, but would not reveal how many countries are in favor of the jump in output. It comes as members of OPEC+ have reportedly been feuding over compliance with production quotas. 

Sources told Reuters that some members – including Kazakhstan and Iraq – have been producing well above their quotas, with Kazakhstan vowing to prioritize its national interests over levels set by the bloc. This has caused others like Saudi Arabia to push for more accelerated output increases, as planned for May. 

Following its April meeting, OPEC+ announced it would be increasing oil production by 411,000 barrels a day starting in May, three times the amount it was expected to increase output. Sources told Reuters that the bloc may consider a similar level for June. Though, not all member countries (such as Russia) are on board, the outlet reported. 

Impact on prices: Another accelerated output increase could lead to another price crash in the global oil markets. After OPEC+’s announcement earlier this month, oil prices fell to their lowest levels seen in four years. Both international and domestic benchmarks dropped below the $60 per barrel line at one point. While lower prices are anticipated to offer relief to consumers, analysts have predicted that it will make it increasingly difficult to profitably pursue new drilling projects. 

SAUDI BUSINESSES SEEKING OUT SOLAR: While the renewable energy industry faces uncertainty in the United States, businesses in Saudi Arabia are looking to move forward in full force with investments in power generation from solar. 

The details: The shift to solar energy has been primarily driven by dropping material costs and the government’s sustainability targets of having half of its power generation to come from renewables by 2030 and hit net zero by 2060. 

Experts revealed to the Financial Times this week that solar support has also been fueled by Saudi Arabia’s phasing out of energy subsidies, as part of its efforts to reduce dependence on oil and diversify its energy makeup. 

“The primary objective is to contribute to supply chain sustainability in a positive way because, at the end of the day, this is also recognised by our vendors, our suppliers and our partners,” Amr Elmansoury, chief supply chain officer at Tamer Group, told the outlet.

By pursuing solar, many Saudi Arabian companies have been able to obtain major energy savings. Tamer Group revealed to the Financial Times that after installing rooftop solar on its buildings in Jeddah and Riyadh, it saved 440,000 Saudi riyals (more than $117,000) last year. The company now reportedly plans to install solar on all its major distribution centers within the next two years. 

ICYMI – WHITE HOUSE DENIES GOING AFTER GREEN GROUPS’ TAX-EXEMPT STATUS: In the days leading up to Earth Day yesterday, concerns had spread among environmentalists and climate activists that the president would use the annual event to target the tax-exempt status of some non-profits through executive orders. But the White House has since denied such plans. 

The details: A White House official confirmed to E&E News yesterday that no orders regarding the tax-exempt status of green nonprofit organizations “are being drafted or considered at this time.” 

This came one day after members of the president’s cabinet also indicated that they wouldn’t be in favor of sweeping changes to the tax statuses of such groups. 

Environmental Protection Agency administrator Lee Zeldin told reporters during a Monday press conference that he would not support withdrawing tax-exempt status of climate groups, especially if these organizations “follow the rules.” Zeldin did appear to indicate that he would be supportive of changes regarding nonprofit organizations that register with a particular status and then fail to follow applicable rules. 

RUNDOWN 

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