<p><strong>WHAT’S HAPPENING TODAY</strong>: Good afternoon and happy Friday, readers! Hurricane Isaias, the first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season, has <a href="https://www.accuweather.com/en/hurricane/live-news/live-hurricane-isaias-path-landfall-timing-and-evacuation-updates-for-the-gulf-coast/1943589?utm_term=cat-regional%2Clive%20blog%2Clive%20news%2Caccudirect%2Cnational%2Cus%2Csouthern%20us%2Csoutheast%2Churricane%2Churricane%20isaias%2Cbreaking%20news%2Cmajor%20hurricane%2Ccategory%203%2Ctropical%20storm%20path%2Ctropical%20storm%2Cisaias%2C2026%20atlantic%20hurricane%20season%2Catlantic%20hurricane%20season%2C2026%20hurricane%20season%2Churricane%20season&country_code=US&partner=push_pushly&default_language=en-US&utm_campaign=52103474-PR%20AccuWeather%20Emails&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8gq3N8Ls08bAj627hiUHdKXWuqaPS5REr4R6_n54HZl14TojOylFwl8KmiV6sKbVueBF6D6Q87L07ux4grSya6hQ0KLxq9fjV-Y9Y-c-uBs8wYzdM&_hsmi=443452165&utm_content=443452165&utm_source=hs_email#isaias-is-now-a-category-3-hurricane" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">grown</a> to a major Category 3 storm. The hurricane is expected to make landfall tonight or early tomorrow morning, with meteorologists indicating that cities in Florida and Alabama are most at risk of flooding and high winds. More information on where exactly Isaias is expected to hit can be found <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2026/10/09/hurricane-isaias-is-closing-these-cities-will-face-its-worst-impacts/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.</p>
<ul> <li>Today’s edition of <em>Daily on Energy</em> examines the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to once again delay requirements for polluters to report their greenhouse gas emissions.</li> </ul>
<p>Welcome to <em>Daily on Energy</em>, written by Washington Examiner <em>energy and environment writers</em> <strong><em>Callie Patteson</em></strong> and <strong><em>Maydeen Merino</em></strong>. Email cpatteson@washingtonexaminer dot com or mmerino@washingtonexaminer dot com for tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else.</p>
<h2>QUOTE OF THE WEEK:</h2> <p>During the Energy Intelligence Forum in London this week, Chevron CEO <strong>Mike Wirth</strong> noted that liquefied natural gas, while appealing for investors looking to diversify, faces challenges that could impact the international market amid higher prices due to the war in Iran.</p> <p>“When you look at natural gas and LNG in particular, it’s not as clean as renewables and it’s not affordable as coal,” Wirth <a href="https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/natural-gas/100626-lng-remains-attractive-despite-tough-patches-shell-ceo" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">said</a>.</p>
<h2>GREENHOUSE GAS REPORTING REQUIREMENT DELAYED AGAIN:</h2> <p>The Trump administration has delayed the implementation of a Biden administration rule aimed at reducing methane emissions, as part of its broader strategy to ease regulatory burdens on the oil and gas industry.</p> <p>This week, the Environmental Protection Agency <a href="https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2026-10/ry2025_reporting_deadline_extension_prepub.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">extended</a> the reporting deadline for the annual emissions reporting requirements until next March, roughly one year after the emissions reports were originally due.</p> <p>The Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program was established in 2009 and has been collecting data from polluters since 2010, including emissions data from facilities such as power plants, oil refineries, and manufacturing plants.</p> <p>In September of last year, the EPA proposed revising the program to remove reporting requirements for 46 out of 47 source categories, with the exception of petroleum and natural gas systems, which are required to report data under the Inflation Reduction Act.</p> <p>While the EPA has yet to finalize its decision to dismantle the reporting program, it has delayed the 2025 reporting requirements twice. Originally, emissions reports were due in March of this year, but the EPA postponed the deadline to October 30.</p> <p><strong>Pushback:</strong> Environmental and climate-focused groups criticized the extension, with the Environmental Defense Fund stating it will leave “Americans in the dark.”</p> <p>“A wide variety of state and local governments, businesses, and communities use information from the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program to better understand and address the pollution that causes climate change,” EDF senior attorney <strong>Edwin LaMair</strong> <a href="https://www.edf.org/media/statement-delaying-climate-pollution-reporting-will-leave-americans-dark" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">said</a>. “Without it, we’ll all be less equipped to prevent the worsening storms, wildfires, and floods that are driving up insurance costs and putting Americans everywhere at risk.”</p> <p><strong>Some background:</strong> The delayed rule comes shortly after EPA administrator <strong>Lee Zeldin</strong> <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/daily-on-energy/4757946/daily-on-energy-nuclear-plants-embrace-artificial-intelligence/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">indicated</a> that the agency was close to rolling back parts of other Biden administration standards for oil and gas operations.</p> <p>This rollback would specifically consider the Biden administration’s 2024 oil and natural gas rules, also known as OOOOb/c. The EPA plans to propose new rules regulating marginal wells, which produce 15 barrels of oil equivalent or less per day, or 90,000 cubic feet or less of natural gas each day. These wells account for less than 5% of the country’s oil and gas supply but contribute nearly 50% of the industry’s emissions, according to the EPA.</p> <p>The new rulemaking is also expected to revisit the overall approach to regulating associated gas from oil wells, proposing new technical changes to flame monitoring data deviations, control device alerts, and visible emissions test conditions.</p> <hr /> <h2>All the rest:</h2> <p><strong>TRUMP TURNS TO RUSSIA TO LOWER DIESEL PRICES:</strong> President <strong>Donald Trump</strong> <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/white-house/4761534/trump-diesel-fuel-deal-russia-elevated-prices/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">announced</a> that Russia will supply more than 1 million tons of diesel to the U.S. and global marketplace to help reduce prices.</p> <p>“I have just concluded a highly successful discussion with President <strong>Vladimir Putin</strong>, of Russia, wherein it was agreed that Russia will immediately supply over 300,000 tons of diesel fuel to the American and global marketplace, another 500,000 tons during November, and 1,000,000 tons immediately thereafter,” Trump stated on Truth Social.</p> <p>The president added that depending on the condition of Russia’s diesel refineries, Moscow will deliver another 3,000,000 tons of diesel fuel “within a short period of time.”</p> <p>“Between our TOTAL CONTROL of the Strait of Hormuz, and this great announcement on Russian Energy, Diesel Prices for Americans and, indeed, the World, will be COMING DOWN, IN RECORD NUMBERS, AND FAST!” Trump stated.</p> <p>He emphasized that lowering prices for farmers, ranchers, and truckers is his “greatest priority.”</p> <p>Diesel prices have not significantly decreased since Trump signed an executive order this week to <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/white-house/4754364/trump-widen-access-tax-exempt-diesel-record-high-prices/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">increase</a> the availability of red-dyed diesel.</p> <p>Earlier this morning, Trump mentioned a “big announcement coming up on diesel,” without further elaboration, but indicated it would come from Office of Management and Budget Director <strong>Russell Vought</strong>.</p> <p>“He’ll be even more important than Chris if he pulls this off,” Trump remarked, referring to Energy Secretary <strong>Chris Wright</strong>.</p> <p>It remains unclear what the U.S. would offer Russia in exchange for the new diesel. However, prioritizing the export of Russian energy goods could be part of the president’s broader strategy to negotiate a ceasefire, even temporarily, between Russia and Ukraine.</p> <p>White House officials confirmed that <strong>Jared Kushner</strong> and <strong>Steve Witkoff</strong>, the president’s top negotiators, were orchestrating a deal to sell off assets owned by Lukoil, a Russian energy company sanctioned by the United States.</p> <p>Shortly after the announcement, the Treasury Department <a href="https://x.com/USTreasury/status/2108630834169385310" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">issued</a> a temporary general license to allow the supply of Russian diesel to the market.</p> <p><strong>Where prices stand:</strong> The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas <a href="https://www.dallasfed.org/research/economics/2026/1008" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reported</a> that up to 10% of global refinery capacity has been offline due to the war in Iran and Ukrainian attacks against Russia.</p> <p>It also noted that crack spreads – the difference between oil prices and the cost of refined products like gasoline and diesel – have increased “well beyond normal.” Thus, even with increased oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz in recent weeks, U.S. fuel prices are expected to remain elevated.</p> <p>Today, AAA reported that the average cost of gasoline in the U.S. was $4.3718 a gallon, up by about one cent compared to yesterday, while diesel averaged about $6.2785 a gallon, down about one cent.</p> <p><strong>FOREST SERVICE LIMITS PUBLIC’S ABILITY TO OBJECT TO CERTAIN PROJECTS:</strong> The Trump administration is attempting to accelerate projects by reducing the time the public can object to new permits.</p> <p>The U.S. Forest Service announced it is reforming the “project-level pre-decisional reviews process,” which determines how long individuals and organizations have to file objections to environmental assessments and impact statements required by the National Environmental Policy Act.</p> <p>The Forest Service stated it is updating the rule to “consolidate and streamline processes” and increase efficiency. This change is likely to face scrutiny from conservationists and environmental organizations, who argue that cuts to review and objection periods hinder public engagement in the federal permitting process.</p> <p>The new rule will apply to project proposals that “support implementation of land and resource management plans,” including projects related to forest management, grazing, infrastructure, wildlife habitat, energy, and special use projects.</p> <p>The rule change will reduce the overall objection process timeline by up to 73% for environmental assessments and up to 48% for environmental impact statements, while also setting strict page limits for objections and expanding the use of technology.</p> <p><strong>A DATA CENTER IN DOWNTOWN CHICAGO:</strong> A former trading complex in downtown Chicago will be converted into a data center, reflecting the growing demand for such facilities in urban areas.</p> <p>The facility will be smaller than some of the large data centers built in rural areas but is financially viable due to higher rents compared to office space, according to <em>Bloomberg</em>.</p> <p><strong>VIVEK RAMASWAMY IS MOONLIGHTING AS A NUCLEAR POWER ENTREPRENEUR:</strong> In addition to campaigning for governor of Ohio, <strong>Vivek Ramaswamy</strong> is involved in nuclear power innovation.</p> <p>A startup co-founded by Ramaswamy, Atlas Atomics, has raised $400 million at a $1.9 billion valuation, as reported by <em>Bloomberg</em>. Energy investor <strong>Kevin Gan</strong> is the other co-founder, and former Oak Ridge National Laboratory chief operating officer <strong>Balendra Sutharshan</strong> serves as the company’s chief nuclear officer.</p> <p>Atlas aims to develop improved heavy water reactor technology.</p> <p>The company enters a competitive field, especially following the Trump administration’s efforts to boost the nuclear industry, with investors contributing $4.6 billion to nuclear startups this year, according to <em>Bloomberg</em>.</p> <p><strong>WHITE HOUSE PRESSURE ON MEXICO:</strong> The president has reportedly pressured Mexican officials to sign energy deals with U.S. companies as part of a broader trade agreement.</p> <p>During a call with Mexican president <strong>Claudia Sheinbaum</strong> in September, Trump reportedly advocated for more U.S.-Mexican energy deals, as reported by the <em>Financial Times</em>.</p> <p>The discussions included a potential deal to sell Mexican assets to U.S. companies and another agreement similar to one signed by South Korea, involving investments in U.S. energy products.</p> <p>A U.S. official indicated that the two presidents discussed Mexico increasing purchases of U.S. natural gas.</p> <p>The call reportedly heightened tensions between officials as formal trade talks planned for September were postponed and later canceled, partly due to the energy deals pushed by the Oval Office.</p> <p><strong>RUNDOWN</strong></p> <p><a href="https://www.vox.com/climate/505726/chinstrap-penguins-zavodovski-colony-collapse-ocean-warming" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Vox</a> Antarctica’s penguins are sending us a distress signal</p> <p><a href="https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/6137528-filling-a-bathtub-with-water-before-a-hurricane-why-its-common-advice/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Hill</a> Filling a bathtub with water before a hurricane? Why it’s common advice</p> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2026/oct/08/monarch-butterflies-chicago-garden" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Guardian</a> As monarch butterflies migrate for the fall, meet the Chicago woman trying to protect them</p>