The leader of a key information sharing group said Tuesday that organizations involved in the electricity sector had seen an “unprecedented” increase in cyber threats during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“While cyber and physical security has always been a top priority, the events over the past year have really differentiated themselves. … It really has been an unprecedented 12-18 months,” Manny Cancel, the senior vice president of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), said during a virtual press briefing Tuesday. 

Cancel also serves as CEO of the Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center (EI-ISAC), a key organization used to share threat intelligence from the federal government and private industry with grid owners and operators. 

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Cancel noted that the organization had seen a spike in cyber threats during the COVID-19 pandemic due to more employees working remotely. 

“Just over the first quarter of this year, it has dramatically increased,” Cancel said.

“Whether they are nation state actors or cyber criminals, they possess the capabilities to disrupt our infrastructure, so that again underscores the need to remain vigilant. The pandemic created a broader opportunity since it increased our attack vector since everyone was working from home, and we saw adversaries targeting and attempting to take advantage of this across our industry.”

The threat of cyber hacks was illustrated by a major cyber espionage attack on the U.S. — the SolarWinds hack — that intelligence agencies have assessed was likely carried out by Russian operatives. 

The hackers exploited software from IT group SolarWinds to compromise at least nine federal agencies and 100 private sector companies, far fewer than the initial 18,000 SolarWinds customers that might potentially have been impacted. 

Many of these customers were in the electricity sector. Cancel stressed Tuesday that the sector was clearly not the main target of the hackers, due to the lack of successful breaches despite around 25 percent of EI-ISAC downloading the malicious SolarWinds software. 

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“Our sector did not appear to be a target of this attack, and as a result we saw no threats that would indicate a compromise or any impact on the reliability of the bulk power system,” Cancel said. “We continue to watch this very closely.”

The cybersecurity of the electric grid has been an area of increasing concern in recent years, particularly as foreign adversaries develop the ability to target critical infrastructure. 

The 2019 Worldwide Threat Assessment compiled by former Director of Intelligence Dan CoatsDaniel (Dan) Ray CoatsExperts see ‘unprecedented’ increase in hackers targeting electric grid Intel heads to resume worldwide threats hearing scrapped under Trump Lack of cyber funds in Biden infrastructure plan raises eyebrows MORE found that Russia, China and Iran were all capable of launching cyberattacks that “cause localized, temporary disruptive effects on critical infrastructure.” 

The updated 2021 assessment released Tuesday found that China still had the ability to “launch cyber attacks that, at a minimum, can cause localized, temporary disruptions to critical infrastructure within the United States.”

The Government Accountability Office also stressed in a report released last month that distribution systems within the U.S. grid are increasingly vulnerable to cyberattacks.

The Biden administration is currently working on a plan to secure critical infrastructure against attacks.

Members of Congress on both sides of the aisle have stressed the need to address threats to the grid, with one key lawmaker pushing for inclusion of language on cybersecurity in Biden’s infrastructure proposal.

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China’s Centers for Disease Control (CDC) acknowledged the low efficacy of two COVID-19 vaccines produced by state-owned companies for the first time on Saturday.

Gao Fu, the director of China’s CDC, said at a conference that two vaccines produced by Chinese companies Sinovac and Sinopharm “don’t have very high protection rates,” The Associated Press reported while noting that the country’s foreign ministry says nearly two dozen countries have accepted the vaccines for distribution.

He also said that officials are now considering the approval of other vaccines for distribution.

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“It’s now under formal consideration whether we should use different vaccines from different technical lines for the immunization process,” he added, according to the AP.

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The news service also reported that a second Chinese CDC official confirmed at a news conference Sunday that officials are conducting clinical trials of vaccines that use the messenger RNA (mRNA) process for delivery, as opposed to the inactivated vaccines released by Sinovac and Sinopharm, which use dead virus particles to stimulate immunity within patients.

“The mRNA vaccines developed in our country have also entered the clinical trial stage,” said the second CDC official, Wang Huaqing, according to the AP.

China’s vaccine program has faced criticism from some U.S. officials who accuse Beijing of using donations of the two companies’ vaccines for diplomatic purposes around the world while falsely touting the efficacy of the Chinese vaccines and disparaging vaccines made using the mRNA process, including those produced by Pfizer and Moderna.

A study by Brazilian health officials released in January found the Sinovac injection to be just above 50 percent effective at preventing cases of COVID-19.

Sinopharm has said that its vaccine is 79 percent effective at preventing COVID-19 infections, while a study conducted in the United Arab Emirates found it to be 86 percent effective.

The IRS will start sending monthly payments to families from the new $3,000 child tax credit starting in July. 

IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig confirmed the timeline during congressional testimony Tuesday, telling the Senate Finance Committee, “If we end up not being on track for some unforeseen situation, we will advise you and the committee.”

The expansion of the child tax credit was included in the $1.9 trillion stimulus package President BidenJoe BidenIRS to roll out payments for ,000 child tax credit in July Capitol Police told not to use most aggressive tactics in riot response, report finds Biden to accompany first lady to appointment for ‘common medical procedure’ MORE signed into law in March. The law provides families with $3,000 per child between the ages of 6 and 17 and $3,600 per child under the age of 6 for the 2021 tax year.

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The credit will be made available to individuals who make under $75,000 or couples who combined make less than $150,000. The payments phase out as incomes rise and caps out at individuals earning $95,000 and couples earning $170,000. 

The payments will be made in monthly intervals and will be made through December. Those with older children will see the payments come in in $250 increments, while those with children under the age of 6 will receive their payments in bunches of $300. 

People above the threshold can still get the regular tax credit, which would provide $2,000 per child under the age of 17 for people making less than $200,000 annually or couples making below $400,000.

Rettig had warned that the IRS might not be able to start sending the payments in July, given that a prolonged tax season had his agency underwater.

A key Senate Democrat said Wednesday he supports making people pay to use transportation infrastructure even as the White House eyes raising corporate taxes to pay for its own infrastructure package.

“I think things that are worth having are worth paying for,” Sen. Tom CarperThomas (Tom) Richard CarperOVERNIGHT ENERGY: Senate confirms Mallory to lead White House environment council | US emissions dropped 1.7 percent in 2019 | Interior further delays Trump rule that would make drillers pay less to feds Key Democrat says traveler fees should fund infrastructure projects Senate confirms Biden’s pick to lead White House environmental council MORE (D-Del.), chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, said during The Hill’s Sustainability Imperative event.

“For years, we have taken a user-pay approach. If you use roads, highways, bridges, you have to help pay for that. I think that’s sound policy and one that we should continue,” Carper told The Hill’s Bob CusackRobert (Bob) CusackKey Democrat says traveler fees should fund infrastructure projects Trump legal switch hints at larger problems The Hill’s Morning Report – President Biden, Vice President Harris begin work today MORE. 

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Carper also said he thinks that in the future, the country may look toward using a “vehicle miles traveled” approach. 

“Regardless of whether you’re driving a gasoline- or diesel-powered vehicle or an electric-powered vehicle, hydrogen-powered vehicle, you’re going to pay directly or indirectly for the construction of our roads, highways and bridges. That’s the future. That may be 10 years away,” Carper said. 

“We’re seeing the marketplace and the manufacturers moving toward electric, moving toward hydrogen,” he said. “We need charging stations all over the country. Joe Biden’s proposed building 500,000 of them. We need tax policy that supports that,” he added.

His comments come as the Biden administration has its own idea for how to pay for infrastructure. Namely, the White House has proposed increasing the corporate tax rate from 21 percent to 28 percent to pay for Biden’s $2.3 trillion infrastructure plan.

The Hill’s event was sponsored by the American Investment Council, the American Petroleum Institute, the Consumer Brands Association, Philip Morris International, Electric Last Mile Solutions, Securing America’s Future Energy and XL Fleet.

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A group of 18 Republican senators on Tuesday wrote to FBI Director Christopher Wray seeking an investigation into President BidenJoe BidenTrump: McConnell ‘helpless’ to stop Biden from packing court Biden, first lady send ‘warmest greetings’ to Muslims for Ramadan The business case for child care reform MORE‘s nominee for a top role in the Pentagon over whether he disclosed or solicited classified information after leaving his government job in the Obama administration.

The senators requested Senate Majority Leader Charles SchumerChuck SchumerTop academics slam Puerto Rico Self-Determination Act NY Times beclowns itself by normalizing court-packing ‘to balance the conservative majority’ The first Southern state legalizes marijuana — what it means nationally MORE (D-N.Y.) not advance the nomination of Colin Kahl for under secretary of Defense policy for a full vote until the FBI has completed an investigation, according to a copy of the letter obtained exclusively by The Hill.

Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), who led the letter-writing effort, accused Kahl of using social media to disclose classified information.

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“These disclosures are extremely concerning and warrant a complete FBI investigation to determine the full scope of the nominee’s mishandling of sensitive national security information, apparently for his own perceived political gain,” Hagerty said in a statement to The Hill.

Hagerty and Sen. Tom CottonTom Bryant CottonNikki Haley says if Trump runs for president in 2024 then she won’t Biden picks vocal Trump critics to lead immigration agencies McConnell, GOP slam Biden’s executive order on SCOTUS MORE (R-Ark.) led the effort to write the letter, and 16 other Republican senators signed on, including Sens. Marco RubioMarco Antonio RubioNikki Haley says if Trump runs for president in 2024 then she won’t Trump’s early endorsements reveal GOP rift The Memo: Biden’s five biggest foreign policy challenges MORE (Fla.), John CornynJohn CornynOn The Money: Biden seeks GOP support for infrastructure plan | Democrats debate tax hikes on wealthy | Biden, Congress target semiconductor shortage Hillicon Valley: Biden nominates former NSA deputy director to serve as cyber czar | Apple to send witness to Senate hearing after all | Biden pressed on semiconductor production amid shortage Lawmakers, industry call on Biden to fund semiconductor production amid shortage MORE (Texas), Mike BraunMichael BraunA number of Republican lawmakers are saying no to COVID-19 vaccines GOP goes on the attack against Biden relief bill Amazon removing books that frame LGBTQ issues as mental illness MORE (Ind.), Ted CruzRafael (Ted) Edward CruzBoehner: ‘There’s a lot of leaders in the Republican Party’ Biden picks vocal Trump critics to lead immigration agencies Boehner: Trump ‘stepped all over their loyalty’ by lying to followers MORE (Texas), Josh HawleyJoshua (Josh) David HawleyHillicon Valley: Biden nominates former NSA deputy director to serve as cyber czar | Apple to send witness to Senate hearing after all | Biden pressed on semiconductor production amid shortage Hawley, critic of Big Tech, proposes ‘trust-busting’ agenda Biden picks vocal Trump critics to lead immigration agencies MORE (Mo.), Joni ErnstJoni Kay ErnstTrump faces test of power with early endorsements GOP looks to squeeze Biden, Democrats on border Blackburn introduces bill to require migrant DNA testing at border MORE (Iowa) and Rick Scott (Fla.).

The letter cites written responses from Kahl from late last month in which he indicated to senators that an article in The Washington Post in March 2017 was the source of his Twitter posts that day in which he discussed what the senators allege are classified details of a National Security Council committee meeting about a U.S. operation in Yemen.

But the article cited by Kahl does not account for all of the sensitive contents of his tweets, the senators wrote.

They also cited additional tweets from Kahl later in 2017 in which they allege he appeared to confirm leaked classified information related to military options in North Korea and later indicated “multiple” officials within the Trump administration had confirmed the information to him.

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“This report should be taken very seriously,” Kahl tweeted on Dec. 20, 2017. “There is a contingent at the White House that believes a limited strike is viable and the US can control escalation by threatening regime change if Kim Jong UnKim Jong UnOn North Korea, Biden should borrow from Trump’s Singapore declaration North Korea drops out of Tokyo Olympics Biden should look to ‘Ostpolitik’ to negotiate with autocrats MORE retaliates. Very dangerous thinking.”

“Kahl’s growing record of apparent mishandling of classified information and controlled unclassified information and his evasive response regarding this issue fall short of the standard required for holding one of our nation’s top national security positions,” the GOP senators wrote to Wray.

“By apparently soliciting or otherwise receiving classified information and controlled unclassified information from U.S. government officials serving in national security roles and repeatedly posting such information on social media websites, Kahl demonstrated disregard for security protocols that are designed to protect our national security interests,” the senators wrote.

The senators explicitly asked Wray and the FBI to review the highlighted tweets from Kahl, as well as whether he disclosed classified information or uncontrolled classified information on social media after leaving the government, whether he ever received classified information after leaving the government and whether he violated his classified information nondisclosure agreement.

The Senate Armed Services Committee last month deadlocked in a vote on Kahl’s nomination to lead the Pentagon’s policy shop. The 13-13 vote meant Kahl’s nomination advanced out of committee but will have to overcome an additional procedural hurdle on the Senate floor.

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Republicans had originally unified against Kahl after criticizing him for fiery tweets lambasting the Trump administration, as well as his support for the Iran nuclear deal.

During his confirmation hearing, Kahl apologized for the “disrespectful” language in his tweets and pledged to approach the Pentagon job in a nonpartisan way, saying his past government service demonstrates his ability to do so. Democrats largely dismissed criticism of Kahl as hypocritical, saying that GOP lawmakers stayed silent on former President TrumpDonald TrumpTrump: McConnell ‘helpless’ to stop Biden from packing court Romney on NRSC awarding Trump: Not ‘my preference’ McConnell sidesteps Trump calling him ‘dumb son of a b—-‘ MORE’s own inflammatory tweets.

But the new questions surrounding his past tweets are certain to prompt fresh scrutiny from the GOP in the Senate.

Should all 50 members of the Democratic conference continue to back Kahl’s nomination, however, he would be confirmed with Vice President Harris serving as the tie-breaking vote. 

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Welcome to Hillicon Valley, The Hill’s newsletter detailing all you need to know about the tech and cyber news from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley. If you don’t already, be sure to sign up for our newsletter by clicking HERE. 

Welcome! Follow our cyber reporter, Maggie Miller (@magmill95), and tech team, Chris Mills Rodrigo (@chrisismills) and Rebecca Klar (@rebeccaklar_), for more coverage.

Today: Federal agencies urged organizations running a Microsoft email application to immediately patch their systems to prevent hackers from exploiting newly discovered vulnerabilities. Meanwhile, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence released the annual worldwide threats report which highlighted cyber incidents as a key national security threat, and tech workers at the New York Times launched a union.

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MICROSOFT PATCH, TAKE TWO: The National Security Agency (NSA), the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the White House on Tuesday urged organizations running a Microsoft email application to immediately patch their systems following the discovery of new vulnerabilities. 

A different issue: The security flaws in Microsoft’s Exchange Server were separate from the vulnerabilities discovered in March by the company, which at least one Chinese state-sponsored hacking group exploited to gain access to thousands of organizations. 

The NSA discovered the new vulnerabilities and reported them to Microsoft, with the company releasing a patch on Tuesday. CISA ordered federal agencies to implement the patch by the end of the week, and a top Biden administration official said the White House was monitoring the situation closely.

Getting out ahead: “We have not seen the vulnerabilities used in attacks against our customers,” the Microsoft Security Response Center wrote in a blog post Tuesday. “However, given recent adversary focus on Exchange, we recommend customers install the updates as soon as possible to ensure they remain protected from these and other threats.”

Read more about the vulnerabilities here.

 

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THREATS REMAIN THREATS: An annual worldwide threats assessment made public by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) on Tuesday warned of increasing cyber, technological and military threats from China and Russia, particularly as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. 

Skipping a beat: The report was released ahead of hearings later this week set to be held by the House and Senate Intelligence panels to examine the findings of the intelligence community. The worldwide threats report is meant to be released annually, but the Trump administration failed to release a report publicly in 2020, with the last assessment released in early 2019. 

Four big players: This year’s report identified China and Russia as well as Iran and North Korea as continuing to pose major threats to national security, zeroing in on competition with China as a particularly challenging threat to the United States. 

Following two major cyber espionage attacks involving Russia and China, the assessment stressed that cyberattacks remained an “acute” threat to national security. 

“Although an increasing number of countries and nonstate actors have these capabilities, we remain most concerned about Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea,” the report reads. “Many skilled foreign cybercriminals targeting the United States maintain mutually beneficial relationships with these and other countries that offer them safe haven or benefit from their activity.”

Read more about the annual report’s findings here.

 

TIMES TECH UNION: Tech workers at The New York Times announced Tuesday that they have formed a union and will seek voluntary recognition from the paper.

The group of software engineers, product managers and data analysts will be represented by the NewsGuild of New York, which also represents more than 1,300 of the paper’s editorial and business staff.

The Times Tech Guild said in a statement Tuesday that it is seeking collective bargaining rights to address a number of challenges including “sudden or unexplained termination, opaque promotion processes, unpaid overtime, and underinvestment in diverse representation.”

NYT’s response: A spokesperson for the Times confirmed that the company received the union’s request.

Read more.

 

JUST CHECKING IN: President BidenJoe BidenIRS to roll out payments for ,000 child tax credit in July Capitol Police told not to use most aggressive tactics in riot response, report finds Biden to accompany first lady to appointment for ‘common medical procedure’ MORE on Tuesday raised concerns with Russian President Vladimir PutinVladimir Vladimirovich PutinHillicon Valley: Microsoft (re)patch requested | International cyber threats growing | New York Times tech workers unionize Biden was right to call Putin a ‘killer’ — but is he doing enough to save Alexei Navalny? Biden emphasizes ‘unwavering commitment’ to Ukraine during call with Putin MORE about escalating tensions in Ukraine, where Moscow has taken an aggressive posture.

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Biden spoke to Putin over the phone for the second time since taking office and “emphasized the United States’ unwavering commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” according to a White House readout of the call.

A warning: They also discussed the recently uncovered SolarWinds hack and potential Russian interference in U.S. elections, with Biden warning Putin against cyber intrusions against the United States. 

Read more about the call here. 

 

BROADER SCOPE FOR FACEBOOK BOARD: Facebook on Tuesday announced that users will be allowed to appeal the platform’s decisions to keep other users’ posts up after being reported to a company independent oversight body.

Facebook’s announcement expands the scope of its Oversight Board, allowing users to appeal decisions about content that is allowed to remain on the site.

Previously, users who had their content removed by the platform and disagreed with the decision were eligible for appeal to the board. 

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In order to appeal to the board about content allowed to remain on the platform, a user first needs to report the content to Facebook. If the platform decides to keep the content up after the initial review, the person who reported the content will be given a chance to refer to the Oversight Board. 

Read more here. 

Lighter click: Marry him

An op-ed to chew on: We need systemic mobile IT security

 

NOTABLE LINKS FROM AROUND THE WEB: 

How Facebook’s Ad System Lets Companies Talk Out of Both Sides of Their Mouths (The Markup / Jeremy B. Merrill)

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“I Felt Hate More Than Anything”: How an Active Duty Airman Tried to Start a Civil War (ProPublica / Gisela Pérez de Acha, Kathryn Hurd and Ellie Lightfoot, Berkeley Journalism’s Investigative Reporting Program)

The Crusade Against Pornhub Is Going to Get Someone Killed (Motherboard / Samantha Cole)

‘Master,’ ‘Slave’ and the Fight Over Offensive Terms in Computing (New York Times / Kate Conger)

IT’S WEDNESDAY!!!  Welcome to Overnight Energy, your source for the day’s energy and environment news.

Please send tips and comments to Rachel Frazin at rfrazin@thehill.com . Follow her on Twitter: @RachelFrazin . Reach Zack Budryk at zbudryk@thehill.com or follow him on Twitter: @BudrykZack . Signup for our newsletter and others HERE. 

Today’s a big personnel day, as we’re looking at Brenda MalloryBrenda MalloryOVERNIGHT ENERGY: Senate confirms Mallory to lead White House environment council | US emissions dropped 1.7 percent in 2019 | Interior further delays Trump rule that would make drillers pay less to feds Senate confirms Biden’s pick to lead White House environmental council The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Tax March – US vaccine effort takes hit with Johnson & Johnson pause MORE’s confirmation and some more nominations announced by the White House. We’re also talking about the latest totals on U.S. emissions and a further pause on a Trump drilling rule. 

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But first…

DO YOU LIKE EVENTS? Check out The Hill’s The Sustainability Imperative (Wednesday, April 14-Friday, April 16)

Environmental sustainability is no longer optional; it’s become an imperative. Join The Hill for a national multi-day virtual event including multiple tracks of programming featuring fireside chats with policy leaders and practitioners in the sustainability ecosystem. 

View the full schedule and RSVP today.

FROM COUNSEL TO COUNCIL: Senate confirms Biden’s pick to lead White House environmental council

The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Brenda Mallory to lead the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), which advises the president on issues such as environmental justice and conserving oceans, lands and wildlife.

The upper chamber approved Mallory’s nomination in a 53-45 vote, with three Republicans voting with Democrats to back her: Sens. Susan CollinsSusan Margaret CollinsOVERNIGHT ENERGY: Senate confirms Mallory to lead White House environment council | US emissions dropped 1.7 percent in 2019 | Interior further delays Trump rule that would make drillers pay less to feds Anti-Asian hate crimes bill overcomes first Senate hurdle On The Money: Senate confirms Gensler to lead SEC | Senate GOP to face off over earmarks next week | Top Republican on House tax panel to retire MORE (Maine), Lindsey GrahamLindsey Olin GrahamOVERNIGHT ENERGY: Senate confirms Mallory to lead White House environment council | US emissions dropped 1.7 percent in 2019 | Interior further delays Trump rule that would make drillers pay less to feds The Memo: Biden puts 9/11 era in rear view Senate confirms Biden’s pick to lead White House environmental council MORE (S.C.) and Rob PortmanRobert (Rob) Jones PortmanOVERNIGHT ENERGY: Senate confirms Mallory to lead White House environment council | US emissions dropped 1.7 percent in 2019 | Interior further delays Trump rule that would make drillers pay less to feds Senate confirms Biden’s pick to lead White House environmental council Biden outreach on infrastructure met with Republican skepticism MORE (Ohio).

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Mallory, who served as the council’s general counsel under the Obama administration, will be the first Black leader of the CEQ.

So what does CEQ actually do? The council is in charge of implementing a bedrock environmental law called the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). 

The implementation of NEPA, which requires environmental analyses ahead of projects such as pipelines, highways and drilling on public lands, was rolled back under the Trump administration.

Mallory may seek to reverse changes made by the prior administration, which included reducing the amount of time environmental reviews take. 

Read more about her confirmation here. 

NAMING LOTS OF NOMS: Biden picks Obama alum for No. 2 spot at Interior, names other nominees

President BidenJoe BidenHouse panel approves bill to set up commission on reparations Democrats to offer bill to expand Supreme Court Former Israeli prime minister advises Iran to ‘cool down’ amid nuclear threats MORE has selected Tommy Beaudreau for the No. 2 role at the Interior Department after nixing a previous pick amid reported opposition from swing-vote senators. 

Among enviros, he got some mixed reviews: Jennifer Rokala, the executive director at the Center for Western Priorities, praised Beaudreau, saying in a statement that his “extensive experience at the Interior Department makes him exceedingly qualified to serve as Deputy Secretary of the Interior.”

However, Brett Hartl, government affairs director at the Center for Biological Diversity, accused Beaudreau of being “cozy with the biggest polluters on the planet and will undermine the president’s efforts to rein in fossil fuel extraction on public lands and waters.”

OK but who else?

• At Interior, Biden is  nominating Shannon Estenoz for the position of assistant secretary for fish and wildlife and parks, Winnie Stachelberg for the assistant secretary for policy, management and budget and Tanya Trujillo for assistant secretary for water and science. 
• At EPA, Biden nominated Radhika Fox to be assistant administrator for water, Michael Freedhoff to be assistant administrator for chemical safety and pollution protection and Faisal Amin to be chief financial officer. 
• At Energy, he nominated Jill Hruby, as under secretary for nuclear security and administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration

And one bonus: President Biden is expected to pick Tracy Stone-Manning, a senior adviser at the National Wildlife Federation, as director of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), a person familiar with the selection confirmed to The Hill. Politico previously reported that Stone-Manning would be selected for the top BLM role, citing two sources. A White House spokesperson declined to comment.

Read more about the announced nominations here and the expected nomination here.

THE NUMBERS ARE IN: US emissions dropped 1.7 percent in 2019, EPA says

U.S. greenhouse gas emissions dropped by 1.7 percent in 2019 compared with 2018, according to a new report released by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Wednesday. 

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The report, issued annually by the agency, said that the decrease was “largely driven” by decreased carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel combustion. 

This decrease was the result of both a 1 percent drop in total energy use and a shift away from coal and toward natural gas and renewables in the electricity sector. 

The 1.7 percent decrease in emissions also represented a 13 percent decrease compared with 2005 levels, the report said. 

Read more about the emissions drop here. 

PAY, PAL: Interior further delays Trump rule that would make drillers pay less to feds

The Biden administration is adding an additional delay to a rule that is expected to lessen the amount companies that drill on public lands and in public waters pay in fees to the federal government.

The rule, which was finalized in January and previously delayed until this Friday, will now be halted until Nov. 1, according to a department spokesperson. 

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During the delay period, the department’s Office of Natural Resources Revenue will weigh whether to revise or withdraw the prior rule, and possibly propose a new one in its place. 

“In its final days, the previous administration sought to shortchange American taxpayers for the resources that oil and gas companies extract from public lands,” an Interior spokesperson said in a statement.

The rule changed the way that royalties companies pay to the government for drilling on federal property is calculated and was expected to decrease how much the government collects by $28.9 million each year.

Read more about the delay here. 

QUOTE OF NOTE: Carper says infrastructure should be funded through user pay

Sen. Tom CarperThomas (Tom) Richard CarperOVERNIGHT ENERGY: Senate confirms Mallory to lead White House environment council | US emissions dropped 1.7 percent in 2019 | Interior further delays Trump rule that would make drillers pay less to feds Key Democrat says traveler fees should fund infrastructure projects Senate confirms Biden’s pick to lead White House environmental council MORE (D-Del.) said Wednesday he supports making people pay to use transportation infrastructure even as the White House eyes raising corporate taxes to pay for its own infrastructure package.

“I think things that are worth having are worth paying for,” said the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee chairman during The Hill’s Sustainability Imperative event.

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“For years, we have taken a user-pay approach. If you use roads, highways, bridges, you have to help pay for that. I think that’s sound policy and one that we should continue,” he said. 

Read more about what he had to say here. 

ON TAP TOMORROW:

• The Senate Energy Committee will hold a hearing on the role of the Department of Energy and energy innovation in American economic competitiveness
• The Senate Budget Committee will hold a hearing on the cost of inaction on climate change

• The House Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies will hold a hearing on increasing risks of climate change and NOAA’s role in providing climate services
• The House Energy & Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Environment and Climate Change will hold a hearing on the CLEAN Future Act and environmental justice

• The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will hold a hearing on practical steps toward a carbon-free maritime industry

• The House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis will hold a hearing on “Making the Case for Climate Action”

WHAT WE’RE READING:

A poultry plant, years of groundwater contamination and, finally, a court settlement, The Washington Post reports

House Republican leadership details three-day climate event to counter Biden’s Earth Day summit, The Washington Examiner reports

Here’s What A Civilian Climate Corps Could Look Like, HuffPost reports

ICYMI: Stories from Wednesday…

Senate confirms Biden’s pick to lead White House environmental council

US emissions dropped 1.7 percent in 2019, EPA says

Biden set to pick conservation advocate for top land management role

Biden picks Obama alum for No. 2 spot at Interior

Texas power provider asks residents, businesses to conserve electricity

US reentry to Paris agreement adds momentum to cities’ sustainability efforts

Interior further delays Trump rule that would make drillers pay less to feds

Key Democrat says traveler fees should fund infrastructure projects

SOMETHING BOTH OFFBEAT AND OFF BEAT: Folks in CO are bidding on marijuana-themed license plates

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Japanese officials plan to release more than 264 million gallons of radioactive water into the Pacific Ocean over a period of decades as part of efforts to dispose of waste resulting from the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.

A report from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry obtained by Bloomberg indicated that the first release of water would take place in roughly two years, with the water being processed to remove all radioactive elements except for tritium and engineers working to dilute it before it is released.

The report prompted statements from China’s and South Korea’s governments, the latter of which firmly condemned the idea, while Beijing urged Japan to deal with the issue prudently, according to Bloomberg.

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“Disposing of the treated water is an unavoidable issue for decommissioning the Fukushima nuclear power plant,” said Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, according to Bloomberg.

Just more than 10 years ago, the Fukushima nuclear plant experienced a meltdown resulting from an earthquake and an ensuing tsunami that heavily damaged the facility, which led to large amounts of radiation being released into the surrounding area and Pacific Ocean.

In 2012, a Japanese commission found that the company responsible for overseeing the plant, the Tokyo Electric Power Company, had failed to prepare for damage containment and had not developed proper evacuation procedures for employees.

Environmental groups have warned against plans to release more radioactive water into the ocean, while local fishing groups are also opposed to the idea, Bloomberg reported.

The World Health Organization and other groups are calling for the suspension in sales of captured live animals due to the risk they pose in spreading infectious diseases.

“Animals, particularly wild animals, are the source of more than 70% of all emerging infectious diseases in humans, many of which are caused by novel viruses,” the WHO said in a statement on Tuesday. “Wild mammals, in particular, pose a risk for the emergence of new diseases.”

The statement is signed by the WHO along with the World Organization for Animal Health and United Nations Environment Programme.

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The groups called this guidance an “emergency measure” and said that “Banning the sale of these animals can protect people’s health – both those working there and those shopping there.”

There is a risk of direct transmission to customers coming into contact with the animals’ bodily fluid at a market and a risk for handlers as animals could contaminate areas where they are being held. 

The guidance comes after a WHO report found that the coronavirus likely originated from an animal.

The organization found that COVID-19 likely started in bats or another animal and possibly jumped to another animal before transmitting to humans.

Although the cause is still under investigation, the WHO report found it was “extremely unlikely” that the virus outbreak originated from a lab.

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