GOP Lawmakers Passing Bills to Shield Oil Companies From Climate Lawsuits

Most of the 15 bills being considered are part of a coordinated effort by groups linked to right-wing activist Leonard Leo…

 https://www.propublica.org/article/climate-change-alec-leonard-leo-lawsuits-fossil-fuel-oil-gas-immunity

OK State Senator Seeks to Rein In Oil Companies’ Groundwater Pollution — ProPublica

The legislation comes after The Frontier and ProPublica found over 150 incidents where oilfield wastewater had gushed from the earth, releasing toxic chemicals — including some that cause cancer — near homes and farms and into drinking water sources...

https://www.propublica.org/article/oklahoma-legislation-oil-gas-injection-wells-water-pollution-cleanup 

 

Trump suggests US taxpayers could reimburse oil firms for Venezuela investment

"A tremendous amount of money will have to be spent and the oil companies will spend it, and then they'll get reimbursed by us or through revenue," the president said...

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jan/06/trump-us-taxpayers-oil-firms-venezuela-investment

 

Trump administration launches new bid to pressure US oil companies on Venezuela - POLITICO

Calls that Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum are planning with chief executives represent some of the first official outreach that the administration has made to the U.S. companies after months of informal discussions with people in the sector, these people said — days after President Donald Trump told reporters that "our very large United States oil companies" will "spend billions of dollars" in Venezuela...

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/05/trump-venezuela-oil-fields-00710893 

 

Oil Companies Withhold Millions in Royalties From ND Mineral Owners — ProPublica

Oil companies are holding back a large portion of revenue payments to the people they lease drilling rights from, often with little explanation. But the industry has an outsize influence in the state, and public officials have refused to take action...

https://www.propublica.org/article/north-dakota-mineral-owner-royalty-deductions 

 

Elizabeth Warren presses oil companies on tax break lobbying for Senate bill | Oil and gas companies | The Guardian

Democratic senator leads calls for answers over provision that could cut fossil fuel firms' income tax to zero…

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jun/26/elizabeth-warren-oil-companies-tax-break-lobbying

 

Top Democrats launch inquiry into Trump’s brazen $1bn pitch to oil execs

Whitehouse added: "The quid pro quo – so called – is so very evident … I can't think of anything that matches this either in terms of the size of the bribe requested, or the brazenness of the linkages."…

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jun/03/trump-big-oil-campaign-pitch-corruption

Newsom gets big win: California Senate approves first-of-its-kind ‘price gouging’ bill

California lawmakers voted on Thursday to advance a bill that would penalize oil companies for "price gouging" — a first-of-its-kind legislation pushed forward in recent months by Gov. Gavin Newsom (D)…

https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/3914818-newsom-gets-big-win-california-senate-approves-first-of-its-kind-price-gouging-bill/

Analysis Shows Major US Oil Companies Raked in $290 Billion in Profits Last Year

"The industry's historic margins were largely achieved through unabated price gouging of American consumers. As families across the country experienced financial strain due to the artificially high prices at the pump, the industry spent over $163 billion on stock buybacks and dividends, further enriching their wealthy shareholders. Even as Big Oil executives complain about supposedly lower-than-desired margins in 2023, oil and gas companies have already publicly announced plans to buy at least $160 billion in stock backs starting this year."

https://www.commondreams.org/news/big-oil-profits

Opinion | Oil and Gas Companies Keep Taking From Taxpayers. And Taking. - The New York Times

... As senators from different parties, we have our share of policy differences. But we both believe in sticking up for the public interest and the taxpayer. In this case, we agree that oil and gas companies should pay fair market value for the public resources they extract and sell. They aren't doing that now — not even close — and the American public is the big loser...

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/02/opinion/oil-gas-companies-public-land.html

White House likely to pursue federal aid for shale companies hit by oil shock, coronavirus downturn - The Washington Post

The White House is considering including federal aid for natural gas companies as it seeks targeted help for certain sectors.....
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2020/03/10/trump-oil-bailout/

Oil and gas firms 'have had far worse climate impact than thought'

The oil and gas industry has had a far worse impact on the climate than previously believed, according to a study indicating that human emissions of fossil methane have been underestimated by up to 40%. Although the research will add to pressure on fossil fuel companies, scientists said there was cause for hope because it showed a big extra benefit could come from tighter regulation of the industry and a faster shift towards renewable energy. ...
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/feb/19/oil-gas-industry-far-worse-climate-impact-than-thought-fossil-fuels-methane

How Oil Companies Avoided Environmental Accountability After 10.8 Million Gallons Spilled — ProPublica

Louisiana still hasn’t finished investigating 540 oil spills after Hurricane Katrina. The state is likely leaving millions of dollars in remediation fines on the table — money that environmental groups say they need as storms get stronger.
https://www.propublica.org/article/how-oil-companies-avoided-environmental-accountability-after-10.8-million-gallons-spilled

BLM's new headquarters to share building with oil and gas companies - The Hill

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) signed a lease for its new headquarters in a Grand Junction, Colo. building that also houses several companies that the federal bureau regulates.....
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/462463-federal-land-agencys-new-headquarters-to-share-building-with-oil-and

This is how the Trump administration quietly incapacitates the government - The Washington Post: Opinion

The Bureau of Land Management move serves one nefarious purpose...
https://beta.washingtonpost.com/opinions/this-is-how-the-trump-administration-quietly-incapacitates-the-government/2019/09/10/109a54c0-d412-11e9-9610-fb56c5522e1c_story.html

EPA to loosen federal rules on methane, a powerful greenhouse gas linked to climate change, officials say - The Washington Post

The proposed rule would reverse standards enacted under President Barack Obama that require oil and gas operations to install controls on their operations to curb the release of methane at the well head and in their transmission equipment, including pipelines and storage facilities. ....
https://beta.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2019/08/29/trump-administration-reverse-limits-methane-powerful-greenhouse-gas/

Federal bill would allow clean energy companies to structure like oil companies - Ars Technica

In the meantime, IEA says value of subsidies for fossil fuels has increased.....
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/06/federal-bill-would-allow-clean-energy-companies-to-structure-like-oil-companies/