OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Keystone XL saga continues

DEMS RESPOND: Republican lawmakers have been out in full force to push President Obama on the pending Keystone XL decision, but on Tuesday a House Democrat responded.

Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) says the Government Accountability Office will probe the State Department’s environmental review of the Keystone pipeline. 

{mosads}Grijalva said the GAO told him it would investigate and that he remains confident it will be a transparent process. A GAO spokesman said Grijalva’s request will go through a review process that usually takes a few weeks.

E2-Wire has more on that here.

Speaking of Keystone XL… Sen. Barbara Boxer will join in on the debate over the Keystone oil pipeline Wednesday.

The California Democrat will hold a press conference on the “harmful health implications associated with tar sands oil and the proposed Keystone XL pipeline.”

Boxer will be joined by doctors and community representatives to speak about the issue. An official for Boxer said she will be presenting updated data on the emissions of the oil sands in Canada.

CRUDE-BY-RAIL: The Transportation Department issued a new order on Tuesday mandating that shippers test crude oil coming from the Bakken region before transporting it via railcar.

The emergency order comes a day before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will take a look at the safety of railcars transporting crude oil.

Concerns over crude-by-rail accidents have increased in recent months, and lawmakers are pushing for updated tanker standards for trains carrying crude oil from the Bakken in Montana and North Dakota.

Rest of Wednesday’s agenda…

The House Natural Resources Committee starts the day with a hearing on job opportunities for veterans in the energy sector, and later will hold a markup on a slew of conservation and species bills.

The House Foreign Affairs Committee will dive into the national security concerns surrounding wildlife trafficking threats.

Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz will deliver the keynote address at ARPA-E’s fifth Energy Innovation summit.

The Solar Foundation will be releasing a report Wednesday morning with Operation Free on veterans working in U.S. solar industry.

AROUND THE WEB:

Tesla Motors says it plans to increase battery production in what CEO Elon Musk called a “gigafactory,” Bloomberg News reports.

ABC News reports EPA chief Gina McCarthy is heading to North Dakota this week to discuss the agency’s latest proposal on the renewable fuel mandate.

McCarthy will join Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, who called on the administrator to reverse its proposal, which retreats on levels oil refiners must blend into the U.S. fuel supply.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

Here’s what ran on E2-Wire on Tuesday…

– Emergency DOT order mandates rail crude oil tests
– Grijalva: GAO to probe State’s Keystone review
– Natural gas may not be the cheaper fuel
– China catching up to US in renewable power
– ‘Big data’ going public?
– Climate warrior ramps it up

Please send tips and comments to Laura Barron-Lopez, laurab@digital-release.thehill.com.