President Trump has wasted no time at all in pressing the reset button on U.S. energy policy.
Here is his America First Energy Plan:
Energy is an essential part of American life and a staple of the world economy. The Trump Administration is committed to energy policies that lower costs for hardworking Americans and maximize the use of American resources, freeing us from dependence on foreign oil.
For too long, we’ve been held back by burdensome regulations on our energy industry. President Trump is committed to eliminating harmful and unnecessary policies such as the Climate Action Plan and the Waters of the U.S. rule. Lifting these restrictions will greatly help American workers, increasing wages by more than $30 billion over the next 7 years.
Sound energy policy begins with the recognition that we have vast untapped domestic energy reserves right here in America. The Trump Administration will embrace the shale oil and gas revolution to bring jobs and prosperity to millions of Americans. We must take advantage of the estimated $50 trillion in untapped shale, oil, and natural gas reserves, especially those on federal lands that the American people own. We will use the revenues from energy production to rebuild our roads, schools, bridges and public infrastructure. Less expensive energy will be a big boost to American agriculture, as well.
From now on, then, it’s frack, baby, frack for oil and gas (on Federal lands – as previously prohibited under the Obama administration) and dig, dig, dig for coal.
And note how renewable energy – solar and wind, for example – doesn’t even get a look-in. This president isn’t going to even pretend he cares about all that fluffy, taxpayer-subsidized, rent-seeker-enriching nonsense.
His only concession to green stupidity – a mistake, in my view – is the first half of this sentence.
The Trump Administration is also committed to clean coal technology, and to reviving America’s coal industry, which has been hurting for too long.
If he’s talking about carbon capture and storage here, then he’s wasting everyone’s time and money. If, on the other hand, he just means striving to strip coal of its particulate pollution, then that makes sense.
Trump’s enemies will strive to portray him has some kind of heartless anti-environment uber-capitalist thug.
But he has already outwitted them:
Lastly, our need for energy must go hand-in-hand with responsible stewardship of the environment. Protecting clean air and clean water, conserving our natural habitats, and preserving our natural reserves and resources will remain a high priority. President Trump will refocus the EPA on its essential mission of protecting our air and water.
The environment is going to be safe in President Trump’s hands. Environmentalists not so much…
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