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An oil well pump jack operated by Chevron Corp. in San Ardo, California, U.S., on Tuesday, April 27, 2021.
David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images

The Biden administration on Friday proposed reforms to the country’s oil and gas leasing program that would raise costs for energy companies to drill on public lands and water, but stopped short of recommending an end to leasing on public lands.

The long-anticipated report, published by the Interior Department, recommended increasing royalty rates and rents for drillers, prioritizing leasing in areas with known resource potential and avoiding leasing in areas that can be developed to protect wildlife habitat, recreation and cultural resources.

The report completes a review that President Joe Biden ordered in January. The president directed a halt to new federal oil and gas lease sales on public lands and waters, but a Louisiana federal judge blocked the administration’s suspension in June.

Drilling on public lands generates billions of dollars in revenue but contributes to roughly a quarter of the country’s planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions. The report did not indicate that the administration would take climate change impact into account when approving new leases.

The report said the federal oil and gas program, which is enshrined in law, fails to provide a fair return to taxpayers and inadequately accounts for its harmful impact on the environment. It called for new rules to hike royalty rates, bonding rates and other fees for drillers. The minimum royalty rate is currently 12.5% for oil and gas production on federal lands.

“Our nation faces a profound climate crisis that is impacting every American,” Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said in a statement. “The Interior Department has an obligation to responsibly manage our public lands and waters – providing a fair return to the taxpayer and mitigating worsening climate impacts – while staying steadfast in the pursuit of environmental justice.”

Environmentalists argue the report offers little on the climate impacts of drilling and contradicts Biden’s vows to end drilling on public lands. Some groups note that the report was released during a long holiday weekend when fewer people would notice it.

“Releasing this completely inadequate report over a long holiday weekend is a shameful attempt to hide the fact that President Biden has no intention of fulfilling his promise to stop oil and gas drilling on our public lands,” Mitch Jones, policy director at the environmental group Food & Water Watch, said in a statement.

“A minor increase in the royalties paid by climate polluters will have zero impact on combating the climate crisis, and will in effect make the federal government more dependent on fossil fuels as a source of revenue,” Jones said.

The report comes after the president on Tuesday ordered the release of 50 million barrels of crude from the country’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve as part of a global effort by energy-consuming nations to calm this year′s rapid rise in fuel prices.

The Biden administration has approved 3,091 new drilling permits on public lands at a rate of 332 per month, a faster pace than the Trump administration’s 300 permits per month. The administration recently opened more than 80 million acres in the Gulf of Mexico to auction for oil and gas drilling, a record offshore sale that will lock in years of greenhouse gas emissions.

The permit approvals for fossil fuel production are at odds with Biden’s climate agenda, which involves a commitment to slash U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030 and reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

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Hyundai cuts 2025 IONIQ 5 lease prices to just $179 per month

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Hyundai cuts 2025 IONIQ 5 lease prices to just 9 per month

Hyundai’s electric SUV is more affordable than ever. After cutting lease prices again this month, you can lease the new 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5, which now features a longer range and a Tesla NACS charging port, for just $179 per month.

Hyundai cuts 2025 IONIQ 5 lease prices again in June

The 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 is better in every way possible compared to the outgoing model. It now boasts up to 318 miles of driving range, sleek new styling both inside and out, and an NACS port, allowing you to charge at Tesla Superchargers.

Hyundai’s electric SUV remains a top seller in the US with nearly 16,000 models sold through May. After cutting lease prices again in June, Hyundai looks to draw in even more buyers.

The 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 SE Standard Range RWD is now listed at just $179 for 24 months with $3,999 due at signing. That’s a notable difference from May.

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Last month, IONIQ 5 lease prices started at $209 a month. Although that was considered one of the best EV deals, the new rate will save you $30 a month.

Hyundai-2025-IONIQ-5-lease
2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 Limited (Source: Hyundai)

The SE Standard Range trim starts at $43,975, with a driving range of up to 245 miles. However, the extended range SE model may be an even better deal. You can upgrade to the longer-range SE trim, which has up to 318 miles of range, for just $199 a month.

Hyundai-2025-IONIQ-5-interior
2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 Limited interior (Source: Hyundai)

You can even lease the off-road XRT variant for $299 a month right now. Hyundai’s offers end on July 7 and include the $7,500 federal EV tax credit.

2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 Trim EV Powertrain Driving Range (miles) Starting Price*  Monthly lease price June 2025
IONIQ 5 SE RWD Standard Range 168-horsepower rear motor 245 $42,500 $179
IONIQ 5 SE RWD 225-horsepower rear motor 318 $46,550 $199
IONIQ 5 SEL RWD 225-horsepower rear motor 318 $49,500 $209
IONIQ 5 Limited RWD 225-horsepower rear motor 318 $54,200 $309
IONIQ 5 SE Dual Motor AWD 320-horsepower dual motor 290 $50,050 $249
IONIQ 5 SEL Dual Motor AWD 320-horsepower dual motor 290 $53,000 $259
IONIQ 5 XRT Dual Motor  AWD 320 horsepower dual motor 259 $55,400 $359
IONIQ 5 Limited Dual Motor AWD 320-horsepower dual motor 269 $58,100 $299
2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 prices and range by trim (*includes $1,475 destination fee)

As an added bonus, Hyundai is still offering a free ChargePoint Level 2 home charger with the purchase or lease of a new 2025 IONIQ 5. If you already have one, you can opt for a $400 public charging credit.

With Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” calling to end federal EV incentives, including the $7,500 tax credit, many of these savings will soon dry up.

Want to check out Hyundai’s electric SUV for yourself? With leases as low as $179 per month, it’s hard to pass up right now. You can use our link to find deals on the 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 in your area (trusted affiliate link).

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Pipeline giant Enbridge just lit up its first Texas solar farm

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Pipeline giant Enbridge just lit up its first Texas solar farm

Canadian oil and gas pipeline giant Enbridge just launched its first solar farm in Texas, adding more clean energy to its “all-of-the-above” energy mix, mainly fossil fuels.

Enbridge’s Orange Grove Solar project in Jim Wells County now sends up to 130 megawatts (MW) of clean electricity to the Texas ERCOT grid. That’s enough to power around 24,000 homes. Roughly 300,000 solar panels stretch across 920 acres.

AT&T has signed a long-term virtual power purchase agreement for all the output from Orange Grove. That deal helps AT&T reduce its carbon footprint and stabilize long-term energy costs.

“We are pleased to be able to deliver additional zero-emission electricity into the grid in support of local and Texas state-wide economic growth and energy demand,” said Matthew Akman, Enbridge’s EVP of corporate strategy and president of its power business.

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This isn’t Enbridge’s first dip into renewables: it bought its first wind farm in 2002, and it says its renewable assets are part of its plan to achieve net zero by 2050.

But Enbridge is still ultimately best known for its oil and gas pipelines – and its troubled environmental history. In 1991, the company was responsible for the largest inland oil spill in the US, in Minnesota. It’s faced criticism for other spills and environmental risks tied to its pipeline network, which is the longest across North America and the largest oil export pipeline network in the world.

Enbridge is building a second, much larger solar farm southeast of Abilene in Callahan County. Called the Sequoia Solar project, it’s expected to generate 815 MW of power – more than six times the size of Orange Grove – making it one of the biggest solar farms in North America once it’s complete.

Both projects are part of Enbridge’s growing push into clean power, especially in Texas, where demand for electricity in the ERCOT market keeps climbing. It’s a notable shift for a company still deeply rooted in fossil fuels without plans to abandon them. But it’s now tapping into the sun as part of its evolving energy portfolio.

Akman continued, “Enbridge is proud to operate a wide range of critical energy infrastructure across the Gulf Coast area, including liquids pipelines and export facilities, natural gas pipelines and storage, as well as wind and now solar power.”

Read more: Texas just shot its wind + solar boom in the foot on purpose [Update]


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Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*

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The Kia EV4 actually looks pretty sharp in real life [Video]

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The Kia EV4 actually looks pretty sharp in real life [Video]

Kia’s new entry-level EV was spotted driving in the US with its official launch just around the corner. The EV4 is Kia’s first electric sedan, and in real life, it looks even better.

Kia EV4 spotted in real life on US streets

We’ve been waiting since Kia’s first annual EV day in 2023, when we first saw the concept for the electric sedan, to finally arrive. The EV4 is part of the brand’s new lineup of entry-level electric vehicles, alongside the EV2, EV3, and EV5.

After opening EV4 pre-orders in Korea earlier this year, Kia is preparing to launch it globally. The electric car starts at about $30,000 (41.92 million won) in its home market.

Similar to Korea, the EV4 will be offered in the US with two battery options: 58.3 kWh and 81.4 kWh. The entry-level “Light” trim will come with a standard 58.3 kWh battery, which Kia estimates will provide a range of 235 miles.

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The Wind and GT-Line trims will be available with the long-range 81.4 kWh battery, providing up to 330 miles of range.

Kia-EV4-real-life
2026 Kia EV4 (Source: Kia)

Kia says the EV4’s sports car-like design contributed to its impressive driving range. With a drag coefficient of just 0.23, the EV4 is Kia’s most aerodynamic vehicle yet.

It will also come with a built-in NACS port on the front passenger side for charging at Tesla Superchargers. With DC fast charging, the EV4 can recharge from 10% to 80% in about 29 minutes (Light battery). The long-range (81.4 kWh) battery will take around 31 minutes.

Kia-EV4-real-life
2026 Kia EV4 electric sedan (Source: Kia)

The EV4 was recently spotted driving in the US ahead of its official launch, giving us a better idea of what Kia’s electric sedan looks like in real life.

The video, courtesy of KindelAuto, shows the EV4 with Michigan plates on public roads. You can see it’s not your average four-door sedan. Kia calls it an “entirely new type of EV sedan” with a wide, low stance.

2026 Kia EV6 spotted driving in the US ahead of upcoming launch (Source: KindelAuto)

Kia’s new “EV Tiger Face” design is showcased up front, featuring vertical headlights and its signature Star Map lighting.

The interior will feature nearly 30″ of screen space as part of Kia’s new connected car Navigation Cockpit (ccNC) infotainment system.

kia-ev4-interior
Kia EV4 GT-Line interior (Source: Kia)

The setup includes dual 12.3″ driver display and navigation screens, plus a 5″ climate screen. It also offers wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support.

Kia will launch the EV4 in Europe later this year and in the US in early 2026. We will learn prices closer to when it arrives, but Kia’s electric sedan is expected to start at around $35,000 to $40,000.

We also got a look at the upcoming EV4 GT this week, after it was spotted outside Kia and Hyundai’s facility in Korea.

What do you think about Kia’s first electric sedan? Would you buy one for around $35,000? Let us know in the comments.

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