This is Queen Street Analytics' weekly digest of regulatory developments, legislative discussions, political announcements, and other government-related news concerning power generation and transmission, wind and solar, utilities, midstream companies, batteries and energy storage, LNG, biofuels, as well as nuclear. Once a week, we break down the most important updates in this space in under five minutes.

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Dates: 2026-04-12 to 2026-04-18

📋 In This Week's Newsletter

• 🏛️ This Week's Congressional Calendar
• 🇺🇸 Federal Government News
• 📜 Legislative Updates
• 🗺️ State Government News
• 📚 What We're Reading This Week

This Week's Congressional Calendar

• House Rules Committee Considers Infrastructure and Energy Bills: The House Rules Committee will meet on April 20 to address H.R. 2289 (American Broadband Deployment Act of 2026), H.R. 5587 (Harnessing Energy At Thermal Sources Act), and other measures, including a resolution on rural energy providers.
• House Natural Resources Committee Schedules Energy-Critical Minerals Markup: On April 21, the House Natural Resources Committee will mark up legislation including the Committing Leases for Energy Access Now Act (CLEAN Act) and the Critical Minerals Supply Chain Resiliency Act.
• House Intelligence Subcommittee Holds FY27 Energy Budget Hearing: The House Intelligence Subcommittee on the National Intelligence Enterprise will hold a closed hearing on April 21 with Ms. Sandy Willis regarding the Department of Energy's FY 2027 budget.
• House Energy & Commerce Subcommittee to Examine NRC Budget and Oversight: On April 22, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy will hold a hearing featuring the NRC's Commissioners to discuss oversight, priorities, and the FY 2027 budget.
• House Energy & Commerce to Discuss Environmental Laws and Critical Materials: A hearing titled 'Help or Hindrance? The impact of U.S. Environmental Laws on Critical Material Supply Chains, National Security, and Economic Growth' is set for April 22.
• Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Schedules DOE FY27 Budget Hearing: On April 22, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development will review proposed budget estimates for the Department of Energy for fiscal year 2027.

Federal Government News

EPA Proposes Broad Revisions to Coal Combustion Residuals Federal Regulations

The Environmental Protection Agency has issued a comprehensive proposed rulemaking amending federal regulations for the disposal and beneficial use of coal combustion residuals (CCR) from electric utilities. The proposal exempts CCR dewatering structures from regulation, revises requirements for legacy impoundments, and offers new permit flexibilities enabling site-specific determinations regarding groundwater monitoring points of compliance, corrective action levels, and closure obligations. The rule would also update procedures for closure certification of certain previously closed legacy CCR impoundments and rescind regulations related to CCR Management Units, pending comment. Additionally, EPA proposes to ease requirements for beneficial use determinations, eliminate the 12,400 ton mass threshold for certain demonstrations, and categorically exclude CCR use in cement, agriculture (FGD gypsum), and wallboard under specified conditions. The public comment period runs until June 12, 2026, with a virtual hearing scheduled for May 28, 2026. Cost savings from the proposal are estimated at $169–189 million annually at a 3% discount rate.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

White House Issues Multiple Presidential Permits for Enbridge Cross-Border Oil Pipelines

President Trump signed a series of Presidential permits on April 15, 2026, authorizing Enbridge Energy and related companies to operate, maintain, or construct multiple crude oil pipeline facilities across the U.S.-Canada border. Facilities include lines in St. Clair County, Michigan, Pembina County, North Dakota, and Burke County, North Dakota. The permits supersede prior versions, define U.S. and border facilities, impose inspection, reporting, and contingency requirements, and include provisions for national security, compliance with all applicable regulatory standards, and removal obligations upon permit termination. Several permits specifically exclude natural gas operations.

Sources: www.whitehouse.gov, www.whitehouse.gov, www.whitehouse.gov, www.whitehouse.gov, www.whitehouse.gov, www.whitehouse.gov, www.whitehouse.gov, www.whitehouse.gov, www.whitehouse.gov

White House CEQ Launches 'Permitting Innovators' Program to Modernize Federal Review

The White House Council on Environmental Quality, in cooperation with NASA’s Center of Excellence for Collaborative Innovation, has announced the new Permitting Innovators initiative. The program is designed to partner with private sector technology providers to improve the federal environmental review and permitting process. CEQ Chairman Katherine Scarlett stated that modernizing these processes is essential for economic growth and national security, and aligns with the administration’s focus on technological upgrades. CEQ published its Permitting Technology Action Plan identifying current gaps and will be soliciting proposals from industry for new solutions. Selected solutions will be highlighted at the Permitting Innovators Expo in summer 2026.

Sources: www.whitehouse.gov

FERC Advances Environmental Assessments for Multiple Transmission Pipeline Projects

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has issued notices and environmental schedules for a series of major natural gas and power infrastructure projects. Notices include intent to prepare environmental assessments for the Bath County Pumped Storage Project in Virginia, the Viola Gas Pipeline in Kansas, and the WBI Energy Transmission expansion in North Dakota. FERC has set comment and intervention deadlines and provided schedules for issuance of draft environmental documents on each project, as well as coordinated timelines for federal authorizations. The Commission continues to process abandonment, upgrade, and expansion requests for existing pipeline infrastructure.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov, www.federalregister.gov, www.federalregister.gov, www.federalregister.gov, www.federalregister.gov

FERC Issues Filings Notices for Electric Rate Tariffs, Refund Reports, and Market Authorizations

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission published several combined notices documenting recent electric rate filings, tariff amendments, and market-based rate authorizations. Entities submitting filings include major ISOs, transmission companies, and renewable energy producers. Multiple compliance filings and applications for securities issuance were also received from Xcel Energy and American Transmission Company, as well as notices of tariff cancellations and ownership changes of foreign utility companies. The notices set varying comment deadlines for interested parties.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov, www.federalregister.gov, www.federalregister.gov, www.federalregister.gov, www.federalregister.gov

Legislative Updates

GRID Power Act (S.465)

The GRID Power Act (Senate Bill 465) remains before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, where the Subcommittee on Energy held hearings. The bill addresses energy policy issues affecting grid operations and infrastructure.

Sources: www.congress.gov

Reliable Power Act (S.3034)

The Reliable Power Act (Senate Bill 3034) is in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee with subcommittee hearings completed. The legislation focuses on improving the reliability of electric power supply.

Sources: www.congress.gov

Grid Expansion and Reliability Act (H.R. 8248)

The Grid Expansion and Reliability Act (House Bill 8248) was referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee. The bill aims to address transmission expansion and improve grid reliability.

Sources: www.congress.gov

Liquid Cooling for AI Act of 2025 (S.3269)

The Liquid Cooling for AI Act of 2025 (Senate Bill 3269) is before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy. Hearings were held examining the implications for data center energy consumption.

Sources: www.congress.gov

REWIRE Act (S.3947)

The REWIRE Act (Senate Bill 3947) is under review in the Subcommittee on Energy within the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. Subcommittee hearings focused on energy grid modernization provisions.

Sources: www.congress.gov

State Government News

California Court Upholds State Pipeline Oversight as Oil Prices Remain High

The Santa Barbara Superior Court ruled that federal emergency orders do not override California’s authority to regulate pipeline operations, maintaining the injunction on Sable Offshore’s pipeline restart. Governor Newsom contended that gas prices remain elevated, citing historical spills and unresolved legal challenges over state approvals.

Sources: www.gov.ca.gov

New York PSC Approves $50 Million Settlement for Utility Customers

Governor Hochul announced that the New York Public Service Commission has adopted a settlement with nine NRG-affiliated energy service companies requiring $50 million in bill adjustments and guaranteed savings for over 278,000 customers, including special provisions for low-income accounts.

Sources: www.governor.ny.gov

What We're Reading This Week

• China’s Electrostate Is Poised to Win From War in the Middle East: Analysis of how China’s energy and grid sectors may benefit from ongoing Middle East conflict.
• Oil prices, data centers pave way for renewable energy comeback | Opinion: Opinion examines how oil price volatility and data center growth could renew support for renewable energy.
• Europe is planning a carbon pricing revolution. Why does no one know about it?: Report explores the EU’s proposed expansion of carbon pricing policies.
• Renewable energy gets a boost from the Iran war: Discussion of increased renewable energy activity in response to global market disruptions.
• War spurs EU plan for electricity tax cuts, faster shift from fossil fuels, draft shows: EU considers electricity tax relief and a rapid move away from fossil fuels amid geopolitical tensions.
• US energy regulator to make data center interconnection decision by June: FERC is expected to rule on key interconnection issues affecting data centers in the coming months.
• US Energy Department restores funding to carbon removal projects: Funding resumes for several federal carbon capture and removal initiatives.
• India is considering request from Mauritius for energy supplies: Mauritius seeks energy imports from India amid tightening global supply.

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