RECESS ACTIVITIES: House Republicans have been using their recess time to blast the Biden administration’s energy policies across the country through field hearings and “energy tours” to promote the use of fossil fuels. Democrats, on the other hand, have been traveling out of the country to engage in global talks to rein in the use of plastic. 

ICYMI: Just yesterday, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise led a group of GOP members to observe Chevron’s oil and gas production in the Gulf of Mexico for his annual “Offshore Energy Tour” – a tradition he’s held since 2008, amounting to 14 trips with more than 60 members over the years. Along with touring the platform, Scalise and the House Republicans rebuked the Biden administration for delaying and attempting to cancel lease sales, and the lack of a “robust” 5-year offshore drilling lease plan. 

Who was on the delegation: Scalise, along with Reps. Julia Letlow, Cliff Bentz, Mike Collins, Mary Miller, and Jake Ellzey. 

Down in Texas: House Republicans led a field hearing in Plano, Texas, hearing testimony from energy executives on the barriers to further oil production. House Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Pat Fallon, the host, mocked the Biden administration’s energy policy, arguing that the policies don’t “live within the bounds of reality.” 

“The administration wants Americans to believe that wind and solar energy can alone support the grid right now,” Fallon said during his opening remarks. “I can ride my unicorn to this hearing, and visit the mermaids out in the pond, and it’s all going to be paid for by leprechauns. Or, we can live within the bounds of reality and talk about our energy needs in a realistic way.” 

Reps. Randy Weber, Beth Van Duyne, Keith Self, and Pete Sessions also hosted the hearing. 

Democrats are on the move too: As we previously covered, Democratic lawmakers are in Canada this week to represent the U.S. in talks to finalize a deal in ending plastics pollution. Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse, Jeff Merkley, Peter Welch, Kirsten Gillibrand, and Rep. Jared Huffman are all a part of the delegation. 

Welcome to Daily on Energy, written by Washington Examiner Energy and Environment writers Breanne Deppisch (@breanne_dep) and Nancy Vu (@NancyVu99). Email bdeppisch@washingtonexaminer dot com or nancy.vu@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. 

INTERIOR PUBLISHES FIVE-YEAR OFFSHORE WIND PLAN: The Interior Department said today it plans to hold up to 12 offshore wind auctions through 2028, part of its new five-year plan that is meant to boost investor confidence in the fledgling offshore wind industry and deliver on President Joe Biden’s offshore wind targets.

The lease auctions are expected to be held in the Atlantic, the Gulf of Mexico, the Pacific, and the waters offshore of the U.S. territories, department officials said.

The five-year plan includes four planned lease sales this year for offshore acres in the Central Atlantic, the Gulf of Maine, the Gulf of Mexico, and Oregon. The administration will hold one lease sale per year in 2025 and 2025, two in 2027, and four in 2028. 

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said in a statement that the schedule will provide “predictability” to developers.

Offshore developers have struggled with supply chain delays and higher than expected costs in the U.S., prompting the cancellation of billions of dollars in planned projects this year alone.

To date, Interior has approved roughly 10 GW in offshore projects, or enough capacity to power four million homes. 

National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) president Erik Milito said today that the plan is a positive development but that it also reinforces the need for more offshore oil and gas lease sales, which are linked to offshore wind under an Inflation Reduction Act provision negotiated by Sen. Joe Manchin. 

“With potentially only three oil and gas lease sales scheduled over the next five years, Interior may struggle to comply with the Inflation Reduction Act and conduct offshore wind lease sales annually as contemplated in the new schedule—a crucial factor for supporting renewable energy growth along America’s coastlines,” Milito said.

Read more from Breanne here.

NEW BIDEN GOAL OF NET-ZERO EMISSIONS FOR FREIGHT SECTOR: The White House set a new goal this morning of net-zero emissions for the freight sector, including truck, rail, aviation, and marine shipping. 

The goal does not come with a timeline, but a White House fact sheet said that the target aligns with its existing goals for a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035 and a net-zero emissions transportation sector by 2050. It also said that action plans would be forthcoming for each freight segment. 

To that end, the White House is convening a meeting today with representatives from commercial trucking, ports, vehicle manufacturers, and activists. 

The EPA also announced the release of nearly $1 billion in Inflation Reduction Act funding for localities to replace school buses, trash trucks, and delivery trucks with zero-emissions vehicles.

TESLA STOCK SOARS AFTER MUSK PROMISES NEW ELECTRIC VEHICLES: Tesla’s stock soared more than 10% this morning as investors digested Elon Musk’s promise to accelerate production of an affordable electric vehicle model. 

Musk said during a highly anticipated earnings call yesterday that the models “will use aspects of the next-generation platform as well as aspects of our current platforms, and will be able to be produced on the same manufacturing lines as our current vehicle lineup.” He said they would be ready by 2025 or even year-end. 

Earlier this month, Musk had pushed back against reports that Tesla was abandoning plans for a $25,000 model. 

Tesla stock had fallen more than 45% since December as sales slowed even after it cut prices aggressively. Musk’s focus on developing a fully autonomous car, rather than on a more affordable model, had also worried investors. 

FITZPATRICK SURVIVES IN PRIMARY: Centrist Republican and carbon tax proponent Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick prevailed in his primary contest in Pennsylvania’s 1st congressional district against anti-abortion activist Mark Houck. It was competitive, with Houck gaining nearly 40% of the vote with more than 95% reporting. 

Elsewhere in the state, Rep. Summer Lee, a Democratic “Squad” member who represents Pittsburgh and is a prominent congressional supporter of the Green New Deal, survived a primary challenge from local politician Bhavini Patel, who’d campaigned against Lee’s criticism of Israel’s handling of the conflict in Gaza. 

RUNDOWN 

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