‘AU REVOIR’ TO A CLIMATE BREAKTHROUGH: President Trump and France President Emmanuel Macron discussed the Paris climate deal during a bilateral meeting in the French capital Thursday, but did not move any closer to a consensus on the issue.

Macron has been among the most vocal critics of Trump’s decision to pull the U.S. out of the climate accord, and pledged to press Trump on the issue during their meeting in Paris this week.

But, Macron reported during a joint press conference on Thursday, « there is nothing new and unprecedented » on the issue.

« Something could happen with respect to the Paris accord. We’ll see what happens, » Trump said, though he often uses a similar answer when he doesn’t want to commit to a particular policy position.

« But we’ll talk about that in the coming period of time. If it happens, that will be wonderful. If it doesn’t that’s ok, too. »

Macron said he would « leave the United States to work on its road map » when it comes to energy and environment policies.

But he said the stark disagreement on climate change wouldn’t affect work between the U.S. and France on issues like terrorism and the Middle East.

« Here we know what our disagreements are — we have expressed them on a number of occasions — but I think it is important that we can continue to talk about it, » Macron said of the Paris deal.

« Should it have an impact on discussions we’re having on all the other topics? Absolutely not. »

Read more here.

 

Trump revives 2016 energy fight:  On his way to Paris on Wednesday, Trump used an Air Force One discussion with reporters to launch another attack on his 2016 foe Hillary ClintonHillary Rodham ClintonTrump Jr. pitch was part of broad Russian effort Lynch distances herself from Russian lawyer after Trump attack Overnight Cybersecurity: Trump dodges on Putin hacking denial | Senate panel wants Trump Jr. to testify | House approves cyber amendments to defense bill MORE‘s energy agenda.

The president said the country’s oil and natural gas surge is a geopolitical advantage over Russia, and he claimed « your energy prices right now would be double » if Clinton had won last November’s election instead of him.

« I’m a tremendous fracker, coal, natural gas, alternate energy, wind — everything, right? » Trump said, according to a transcript of the interaction released Thursday. « But I’m going to produce much, much more energy than anyone else who was ever running for office. Ever. »

Trump also said he was « not joking » about his plan, floated last month, to put solar panels on a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.

« There is a chance that we can do a solar wall, » Trump said. « We have major companies looking at that. »

Read more about the solar wall here, and the Clinton answer here.

 

EPA METHANE RULE BACK ON ICE: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can once again pause the Obama administration’s methane rule, if only briefly.

The Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit Thursday ordered that its decision last week rejecting the EPA’s delay of the regulation could itself be delayed for 14 days while the Trump administration considers whether to appeal the ruling.

The court wrote in a brief order that putting the rule on hold « for longer would hand the agency, in all practical effect, the very delay in implementation this panel determined to be » illegal.

The same court had ruled July 3 that the EPA overstepped its authority under the Clean Air Act when it put a 90-day pause on the Obama administration’s rule limiting methane emissions from oil and gas drilling operations.

The judges said their ruling would take effect immediately, meaning the EPA had to start enforcing the regulation.

Justice Department attorneys asked this week for the court to hold off on enforcing its ruling for 52 days, which they said is standard in D.C. Circuit Court cases.

The Thursday order means the EPA can once again stop enforcing the methane rule. But without further court action, the agency would have to start enforcing it.

Read more here.

 

ZINKE LETS TWO MONUMENTS STAY: Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke wants President Trump to keep two national monument designations without any changes.

While Zinke’s recommendation doesn’t necessarily mean Trump won’t try to change the protections, the conclusions for Idaho’s Craters of the Moon and Washington’s Hanford Reach mean they are likely safe.

The Thursday announcement came amid a wide-ranging review by Zinke of more than two-dozen national monuments designated over the last two decades. Trump may try to eliminate some of the monuments, though conservationists say he does not have the authority to do that.

« When the President and I began the monument review process we absolutely realized that not all monuments are the same and that not all monuments would require modifications, » Zinke said in a statement.

Read more here.

 

ON TAP FRIDAY:

The House Natural Resources Committee’s federal land subpanel will hold a hearing on four proposed bills in its jurisdiction.

 

AROUND THE WEB:

Ralph Northam, the Democratic candidate for governor of Virginia, signaled support for the controversial Atlantic Coast pipeline, Southside Daily reports.

California Gov. Jerry Brown (D) testified Thursday in dire tones at a state Senate hearing, urging lawmakers to vote for a bill to extend a cap-and-trade program, the Los Angeles Times reports.

The Minneapolis Star Tribune examines one Democrat’s effort to balance climate change and his district’s mining industry. (A story on which we have many thoughts.)

 

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

Check out Thursday’s stories …

-House defeats amendment to strip climate study from defense bill

-Trump: Not joking about solar wall

-Trump: Russia knows ‘I’m going to produce much more energy’ than Clinton would have

-Court lets EPA put drilling pollution rule on hold

-Trump, Macron fail to break deadlock on Paris climate deal

-2 national monuments safe from Trump administration’s review

-Trump admin approves oil company’s Arctic drilling plan

-Trump set for climate confrontation in Paris

 

Please send tips and comments to Timothy Cama, tcama@thehill.com and Devin Henry dhenry@thehill.com. Follow us on Twitter: @Timothy_Cama, @dhenry, @thehill