� TRUMP DECLARES NATIONAL ENERGY EMERGENCY
Declaring a national energy emergency , President Trump on Jan . 20 , the day of his inauguration to a second term , signed an executive order to void existing regulations and allow increased production of oil and gas , news outlets reported .
Trump also signed orders to promote oil and gas production in Alaska and withdraw from the Paris climate agreement .
“ This is a new day for American energy , and we applaud President Trump for moving swiftly to chart a new path where US oil and natural gas are embraced , not restricted ,” said American Petroleum Institute President and CEO Mike Sommers .
Here are excerpts from the executive order declaring a national energy emergency ; the excerpts have been edited slightly for clarity , continuity , and space reasons :
“ We need a reliable , diversified , and affordable supply of energy to drive our Nation ’ s manufacturing , transportation , agriculture , and defense industries , and to sustain the basics of modern life and military preparedness .
Caused by the harmful and shortsighted policies of the previous administration , our Nation ’ s inadequate energy supply and infrastructure causes and makes worse the high energy prices that devastate Americans , particularly those living on low- and fixed-incomes .
[ A ] threat to the American people from high energy prices is exacerbated by our Nation ’ s diminished capacity to insulate itself from hostile foreign actors . Energy security is an increasingly crucial theater of global competition . In an effort to harm the American people , hostile state and non-state foreign actors have targeted our domestic energy infrastructure , weaponized our reliance on foreign energy , and abused their ability to cause dramatic swings within international commodity markets . An affordable and reliable domestic supply of energy is a fundamental requirement for the national and economic security of any nation .
The integrity and expansion of our Nation ’ s energy infrastructure — from coast to coast — is an immediate and pressing priority for the protection of the United States ’ national and economic security . It is imperative that the Federal government puts the physical and economic wellbeing of the American people first .
Moreover , the United States has the potential to use its unrealized energy resources domestically , and to sell to international allies and partners a reliable , diversified , and affordable supply of energy . This would create jobs and economic prosperity for Americans forgotten in the present economy , improve the United States ’ trade balance , help our country compete with hostile foreign powers , strengthen relations with allies and partners , and support international peace and security . Accordingly , our Nation ’ s dangerous energy situation inflicts unnecessary and perilous constraints on our foreign policy .
The policies of the previous administration have driven our Nation into a national emergency , where a precariously inadequate and intermittent energy supply , and an increasingly unreliable grid , require swift and decisive action . Without immediate remedy , this situation will dramatically deteriorate in the near future due to a high demand for energy and natural resources to power the next generation of technology . The United States ’ ability to remain at the forefront of technological innovation depends on a reliable supply of energy and the integrity of our Nation ’ s electrical grid . Our Nation ’ s current inadequate development of domestic energy resources leaves us vulnerable to hostile foreign actors and poses an imminent and growing threat to the United States ’ prosperity and national security .
These numerous problems are most pronounced in our Nation ’ s Northeast and West Coast , where dangerous State and local policies jeopardize our Nation ’ s core national defense and security needs , and devastate the prosperity of not only local residents but the entire United States population . The United States ’ insufficient energy production , transportation , refining , and generation constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to our Nation ’ s economy , national security , and foreign policy . In light of these findings , I hereby declare a national emergency .
… The heads of executive departments and agencies shall identify and exercise any lawful emergency authorities available to them , as well as all other lawful authorities they may possess , to facilitate the identification , leasing , siting , production , transportation , refining , and generation of domestic energy resources , including , but not limited to , on Federal lands . If an agency assesses that use of either Federal eminent domain authorities or authorities afforded under the Defense Production Act are necessary to achieve this objective , the agency shall submit recommendations for a course of action to the President , through the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs .
… [ The ] Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency , after consultation with , and concurrence by , the Secretary of Energy , shall consider issuing emergency fuel waivers to allow the year-round sale of E15 gasoline to meet any projected temporary shortfalls in the supply of gasoline across the Nation .
… To facilitate the Nation ’ s energy supply , agencies shall identify and use all relevant lawful emergency and other authorities available to them to expedite the completion of all authorized and appropriated infrastructure , energy , environmental , and natural resources projects that are within the identified authority of each of the Secretaries to perform or to advance . To protect the collective national and economic security of the United States , agencies shall identify and use all lawful emergency or other authorities available to them to facilitate the supply , refining , and transportation of energy in and through the West Coast of the United States , Northeast of the United States , and Alaska .
… The Secretary of the Army , acting through the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works , shall be available to consult promptly with agencies and to take other prompt and appropriate action concerning the application of the emergency Army Corps permitting provisions . The Administrator of the EPA shall provide prompt cooperation to the Secretary of the Army and to agencies in connection with the discharge of the responsibilities described
14 FEBRUARY 2025 | FUEL OIL NEWS | www . fueloilnews . com