Michael Phyllis and Jennifer McDermott
President Donald Trump began to demolish his predecessor’s climate change and renewable energy policy on the first day he took office, declaring a national energy emergency to speed up the development of fossil fuels.
The declaration calls on the federal government to make it easier for businesses to build oil and gas projects by weakening environmental reviews with the goal of lowering prices and selling to international markets.
Democrats say it’s false. They point out that the US produces more oil and natural gas than any other country, and that the Biden administration’s inflation reduction laws boost renewable energy, create jobs and address the threat of climate change at critical times.
Democrats were expected to offer a resolution in the Senate Wednesday to end Trump’s declaration. Meanwhile, the Trump administration has already made the United States a more friendly environment for fossil fuels. Congress is also supporting the House as the house plans to vote for measures to abolish Biden-era methane charges for oil and gas producers.
Here’s how the Trump administration would do that:
Lift pause in LNG export
Last year, the Biden administration suspended the assessment of new liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminals. The environmentalists are concerned that a huge surge in exports will contribute to the planet’s warming emissions. The suspension did not halt any projects already under construction, but delayed consideration of new projects.
Trump reversed the pause.
On Tuesday, oil and gas giant Shell said global LNG demand is expected to rise by around 60% by 2040.
The US is expected to play a major role in meeting its demand, as export capacity is expected to double before 2030, according to the US Energy Information Agency.
“I think investors will be able to move towards a final investment decision over the past four years without concern about potential obstacles,” said Christopher Trenore, an energy and environmental lawyer at law firm Akin.
Excavation
Trump has stepped away from Biden’s efforts to open more land for oil and gas lease sales, protect environmentally sensitive areas like Alaska’s National Wildlife Reserve, and make the majority of the ocean, including major areas in the Pacific, Atlantic and Alaska parts, unavailable for offshore drilling.
Environmental groups are appealing to stop Trump from moving.
Expanding the areas available to businesses to lease and drill areas does not necessarily mean that more oil and gas will be produced. For example, if leases were made available on Artic National Wildlife Refuge, for example, only small businesses bidded would bid, and no buyers would have sold their second lease.
The Army Corps appears ready to help the project dodge clean water
The Army Corps of Engineers cited Trump’s orders on energy, marking permissions for quick tracking of hundreds of Cleanwater Act permits and deleted that notation in its database. The agency said it should review the activation permit application before it can disclose which one will be tracked more quickly.
“It doesn’t seem like they’re backing down,” said Tom Pelton, spokesman for the Environmental Integrity Project. “They are trying to refine their list.”
According to the Environmental Integrity Project, many of the permit applications listed for expeditedness are for fossil fuel projects, but have nothing to do with energy, such as the housing subdivision proposed by Chevron in Southern California.
David Bookbinder, director of law and policy for the organization, said the Trump administration is using “pretend for a national energy emergency” to ask federal agencies to avoid environmental protection and justify building more fossil fuel power plants. Bookbinder said there is no shortage of energy.
It will significantly reduce federal labor
Pat Derprue, professor emeritus at Vermont Law & Graduate School, said changes to Trump’s policy were less important than deep cuts to the federal government that eliminated critical expertise.
“I think they are trying to accomplish what other administrations have failed in terms of crippling the federal government’s institutional capacity to protect public health and conserving national resources to save endangered species,” he said. “That’s where we see long-term, lasting damage.”
For example, Trump’s energy emergency calls may even frame rarely used commissions (so-called “God’s Squad”) that can ensure fast energy development and have the power to dismiss any serious threats to the species to undermine the protection of endangered species. The move was linked to recent deep cuts to the Fish and Wildlife Department, which governs the law.
Tarenteau said some species are likely to be extinct.
Administrative orders aim for renewable energy
Trump has also targeted wind energy with an order to temporarily suspend offshore wind lease sales in federal waters and suspend federal approvals, permits and loans for both land and offshore projects.
In another order, he listed the domestic energy resources that help ensure reliable, diverse and affordable energy. Although solar, wind and battery storage were omitted, solar is the fastest growing power source in the United States. Trump vows to end the renewable energy tax credit as well, pushing up prices.
As coal plants are extended and new gas plants are built, it could leave the US married to coal and gas, as the US is married to coal and gas, according to David Shepherd, a partner and energy expert at global consultant Ballinga.
Shepheard said the US is facing unprecedented growth, primarily in electricity demand, to meet needs from data centers and artificial intelligence, and decks are piling up to meet that for renewable energy.
Balinga’s analysis found that Trump’s policies drive emissions and put the agreed international climate thresholds further out of reach.
Associated Press authors Matthew Daly and Patrick Whittle contributed to the report.
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Original issue: February 26, 2025, 12:56pm EST
