Energy Tomorrow Blog
Methane Fee Would Weaken Economy, U.S. Security and Hinder Environmental Progress
methane emission reductions taxes congress
Lem Smith
Posted September 9, 2021
Levying a fee on the methane emissions of the U.S. natural gas and oil industry, under consideration as part of the reconciliation package in Congress, is the wrong way to address emissions and could hinder the U.S. economy, national security and environmental progress.
This week API and dozens of organizations representing producers, distributors and users of natural gas, oil and natural gas liquids opposed the “Methane Emissions Reduction Act of 2021” in a letter to Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chair Tom Carper (D-DE) and Ranking Member Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV).
Here are three reasons why a methane fee should be rejected by lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.
Singling Out Natural Gas and Oil for Higher Taxes is Bad Policy
taxes investment economic growth subsidies
Mark Green
Posted October 27, 2020
Three points about Vice President Joe Biden’s pledge, if elected, to deny the natural gas and oil industry the use of growth and investment provisions in the tax code that are available to virtually the entire U.S. manufacturing sector – basically, singling out our industry for higher taxes.
1. Our industry is strongly invested in the U.S. economy, its infrastructure and workforce through spending today and in the future.
2. The ability through tax deductions to recover costs associated with job creation and other operational investments is critically important to seed energy development in the future, to create new jobs and help drive economic growth.
3. The U.S. natural gas and oil industry pays its fair share in taxes – and then some – while delivering safe, affordable and reliable energy that Americans count on every day.
But What About New Mexico’s Students?
new mexico education oil and natural gas taxes revenues
Mark Green
Posted October 16, 2019
Hydraulic fracturing – the technological breakthrough that launched the U.S. energy revolution – has taken a beating during the Democratic presidential derby.
The Washington Post ran a graphic recently, showing that the entire field would ban fracking altogether or restrict it in some capacity. Here’s the portion of the graphic showing the candidates who would ban fracking completely. The group includes some top-tier candidates, U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders and Kamala Harris. Sen. Warren tweeted last month that she would ban fracking everywhere, while Sen. Sanders told the Post that safe fracking is a “pure fiction.”
Not fiction are the negative impacts throughout our society that could result from banning hydraulic fracturing: millions of job losses, trillions lost to the economy, significant increases in household spending on energy.
Supporting the Public Good in Pennsylvania
pennsylvania pennsylvania severance tax natural gas taxes
Mark Green
Posted June 28, 2019
Here's some quantification for the broad, public good the natural gas industry is doing in Pennsylvania – nearly $252 million distributed to counties and municipalities in state impact fees paid by natural gas operators, the highest total since the fee was implemented in 2012.
Behind the numbers: county and municipal governments that host shale wells will receive $135 million, the Marcellus Legacy Fund – for statewide initiatives including greenways, trails and recreation, watershed restoration, flood control, abandoned mine drainage abatement and abandoned well plugging – will receive $90 million and $18 million will go to state agencies.
Tariffs Continue to Hurt U.S. Consumers, Not China
Jessica Lutz
Posted May 8, 2019
We can’t say it enough: U.S. consumers, not China, are paying the costs of the administration’s tariffs on Chinese goods – which the administration says will increase on Friday to 25 percent on $200 billion in goods, up from the current 10 percent.
As we’ve noted here, here and here, Americans are the ones hurt by tariffs, which essentially are a tax on consumer goods that millions of U.S. families use.Summer Driving and Gasoline Prices
consumers gasoline prices fuels gasoline taxes
Dean Foreman
Posted May 1, 2019
With summer driving season almost here, nationwide average gasoline prices were $2.88 per gallon as of April 30, according to the American Automobile Association, identical to what they were one year ago when adjusted for price inflation. This good news for consumers is due, at least in part, to record-breaking domestic oil production, which has put downward pressure on global prices for crude oil, the main factor in determining prices as the fuel pump.
While the current price may be the same when you pull up to pump, some notable things have changed behind the scenes.
U.S. Consumers Bearing the Brunt of Tariffs and Quotas
taxes trade consumers imports infrastructure
Jessica Lutz
Posted March 13, 2019
The administration is considering doubling down on its trade war despite repeated warnings and thorough evidence that tariffs and quotas are negatively impacting American consumers, even while failing to lower the U.S. trade deficit. We can now add one more report to that long list of evidence with the release of a new analysis from the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) with all-too-familiar findings: the economic impact of trade restrictions is falling solely on consumers – not the countries that they target – despite the Administration’s claims. This serves as an unfortunate reminder that tariffs are a tax on imported goods that is paid for not only by American businesses but potentially consumers.
More on Variations in State Gasoline Prices
gasoline prices taxes regulation consumers
Dean Foreman
Posted July 6, 2018
Earlier this week we looked at the summer variation in gasoline prices, due mainly to increased driving as well as fuel specifications that have added to the cost of gasoline. As the 2018 summer driving season approaches its midpoint, let’s check the data on gasoline prices and, separately, take a deeper look at why prices in any one state have tended to be higher (or lower) than the national average.
According to the American Automobile Association, the nationwide average price for regular gasoline was $2.85 per gallon on June 28, a decrease of 12 cents per gallon since May 28.
Remember, gasoline and diesel fuel prices tend to track the price of crude oil, because crude oil currently makes up more than half of the cost to make the fuels. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported that crude oil made up 56 percent of the price of gasoline in May, the agency’s most recent analysis.
Taxes and Regulations Impact Pump Prices
gasoline prices regulation taxes refineries
Mark Green
Posted July 2, 2018
In previous posts (see here and here), we’ve discussed factors that have affected gasoline prices in the past. The cost of crude oil is chief among them, accounting for more than 50 percent of the fuel price. Some other factors are seasonal, and taxes imposed on each gallon of gasoline vary from state to state.
The economic—and environmental—case for natural gas
gasoline prices crude oil gasoline blends gasoline taxes consumers
Jessica Lutz
Posted May 31, 2018
In a recently released report, the U.N. Conference on Trade and Development digs into the factors that have made the U.S. energy dominance possible, and – specifically – the role of natural gas in energy dominance.