An official in the new US administration said on Monday that President Donald Trump will sign an executive order declaring a national emergency in the energy sector with the aim of boosting oil and gas production in the United States and reducing costs for American consumers.
The emergency declaration is just one of many measures that Trump is expected to take on Monday to boost the American oil, gas and energy industries and curb former President Joe Biden’s efforts to accelerate the electric car industry.
Biden came to the White House pledging to end the United States’ dependence on fossil fuels, but American oil and gas production reached record levels under his supervision, as drillers chased high prices in the wake of sanctions imposed on Russia over its war on Ukraine.
New projects
The official did not provide details about the national emergency, but Trump and his allies indicated that they would quickly approve new projects in the oil, gas, and electricity sectors, which usually take years to approve.
The official said the common goal is to “unleash a reliable and affordable American energy sector.”
He added, “Because energy permeates every part of our economy, it is also a pillar for restoring our national security and extending American influence in the field of energy globally.”
Trump said the United States is in an AI arms race with China and others, making the industry’s voracious power need to be a national priority.
Natural resources
Trump is also expected to sign another order aimed at using Alaska’s natural resources, rescinding several of Biden’s electric vehicle initiatives and protecting gas-powered appliances from federal and state regulators who want to phase them out in homes and businesses, the official said.
Trump will take “decisive action to unleash Alaska’s natural resource potential,” the official said, citing its abundance of resources such as oil, gas, seafood, timber and critical minerals.
No further details were provided, but the official said previous Interior and Agriculture Department regulations had limited production in Alaska.
