White House Energy Executive Orders Would Boost Oil, Gas Production
Shortly after his inauguration on Jan. 20 and throughout last week, President Donald Trump issued several executive orders pertaining to energy exploration and production in the United States. Generally, these orders seek to expand oil and gas development while limiting the development of renewable energy.
Specifically, President Trump:
- Ordered a 30-day review by all federal departments and agencies of regulations and other barriers to the identification and development of domestic energy resources, particularly oil, coal, natural gas, biofuels, critical minerals, nuclear, and hydropower;
- Directed the U.S. Department of Energy to resume liquefied natural gas (LNG) export permits, ending a moratorium put in place by the Biden administration that MSCI had opposed, and to resume review of LNG export applications;
- Directed the reconsideration of the legality of regulating greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act;
- Terminated state emissions waivers that limit the sale of gas-powered vehicles;
- Began the process of unwinding a suite of vehicle tailpipe regulations from the previous administration;
- Opened drilling in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, directing the U.S. Department of the Interior to reinstate drillings rights and review lease sales there, and telling agencies to reverse policies that limited drilling in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve; and
- Barred the federal government from auctioning off the rights to build wind farms offshore and temporarily blocked new rights for wind on public lands. (The Interior Department also issued its own order that blocked activities that enable renewable development on federally owned lands or offshore.)
President Trump also declared a national energy emergency. This order directs the head of federal agencies to identify any emergency authorities they may have to facilitate the production or processing of energy. The order also directed agency heads to consider issuing emergency fuel waivers that would allow for the year-round sale of gasoline that contains high ethanol content, which is typically restricted due to smog concerns.
Additionally, the order requires the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other agencies produce a report that explores how potential and planned permitting revisions would affect energy production. Supporters of oil and gas production believe this provision could immediately accelerate permits for pipelines and power transmission lines by fast-tracking approvals, including for pipeline route permits by the Army Corps and habitat impacts under the Endangered Species Act as administered by Department of Interior.