[President-elect Donald Trump’s three-word energy policy: “Drill, baby, drill.” But his cabinet picks for energy and environment and the current fossil fuel economy suggest it’s not going to be that easy. Booker-founded energy and environment appointees will roll back regulations favoring electric vehicles and fuel-efficient hybrids, and approve Gulf Coast projects to liquefy and ship natural gas abroad.
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Trump’s new energy czar and pick for Interior Secretary, will oversee this work alongside Chris Wright, a Colorado-based natural gas fracking CEO and Trump’s pick for Energy Secretary. Both are strong proponents of fossil fuels, but each has also worked with clean energy.
The oil industry boomed in North Dakota under Burgum’s tenure as governor, but electricity from wind more than doubled from 2015 to 2023, becoming North Dakota’s second-biggest electricity source, behind high-pollution coal.
Wright runs a natural gas fracking company and has invested in a geothermal startup. Booker-founded energy will also be impacted by the fast-changing energy landscape. Trump and his allies will open the nation’s oil spigots on full blast, but under the climate-focused tenure of President Joe Biden, US oil production has never been higher.
The energy policy will also be impacted by Elon Musk, CEO of America’s largest EV company, and one of Trump’s closest advisors, despite his apparent disdain for electric vehicles. Trump’s energy policy will also be influenced by the oil industry, which is poised to significantly expand production to meet growing global demand.
Trump’s team is planning to withdraw the US from the Paris climate agreement, downsize national monuments to increase drilling on public lands, and slash government jobs and offices dedicated to cutting pollution in low-income communities. The Trump transition team didn’t respond to specific questions on the incoming administration’s plans.
Oil and gas boomed on Biden’s watch, despite his promises on climate, but his administration worked to limit drilling on public lands compared to previous administrations. The incoming administration is focused on spurring demand for fossil fuels, including relaxing regulations on gas-powered vehicles and restarting federal permits for massive liquefied natural gas export terminals, paused this year by Biden’s Energy Department.
However, the LNG industry is urging Trump’s administration not to rush to immediately approve new terminals, taking its time to make sure any new permits can stand up in court.
What’s less clear is what Trump’s picks will mean for clean energy. Biden’s clean energy law massively benefits Republican congressional districts around the country, and Republicans could be sacrificing billions of dollars of private investment and thousands of jobs if they vote to repeal it. The nuclear industry is hopeful that there will be more investment in its zero-carbon energy under Trump, and it’s getting major boosts from big tech companies that have signed agreements to source much of their power from nuclear energy.
Source link