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Gov. Spanberger Moves to Increase Electricity Prices With Plans to Rejoin RGGI

January 28, 2026 by Leave a Comment

WASHINGTON DC (1/28/26) – Last week, Governor Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), who ran a campaign based on affordability, including lower energy bills, announced that Virginia would be rejoining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), and thus imposing a new tax on residents. The RGGI is a regional cap-and-trade program in the Northeast that requires power plants to buy “allowances” to emit carbon dioxide. These allowance costs are naturally passed on to the consumer, inevitably raising electricity prices.

American Energy Alliance President Tom Pyle released the following statement:

“In December, we released a report giving an in-depth look at electricity prices. The data are clear: energy affordability is a policy problem, and blue states that pursue aggressive climate policies pay more. With her RGGI announcement this week, unfortunately, Gov. Spanberger is about to prove what we already know to be true.

“Cap-and-trade is just another name for a consumer tax, plain and simple. It affects not only energy affordability but also the reliability of the grid, as it makes adding and retaining baseload generation more difficult. With rising electricity bills, the importance of an affordable and reliable power grid should be Gov. Spanberger’s main focus. Instead, she remains fixated on pushing pointless, costly policies that Americans have repeatedly rejected.

“It is disappointing that any governor sees the RGGI as a path forward for their state, especially now when affordability is top of mind for all Americans. At the end of the day, the promotion of climate idealism may sound nice, but it does nothing to actually help American families pay their utility bills, and it does little for the environment.” 

Gov. Spanberger’s predecessor, Gov. Glenn Youngkin, had pulled Virginia out of RGGI. According to former Gov. Youngkin, from the time Virginia originally joined RGGI to the time they left, residents paid $828 million in a regressive interstate tax applied to their power bills.  

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AEA Signs Coalition Letter In Support of Administrator Zeldin

January 26, 2026 by Leave a Comment

On January 22, 2026, the American Energy Alliance joined with 19 other free-market and consumer choice advocacy organizations in sending a EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, commending him for his stalwart leadership of the agency in 2025. The full text of the letter is available below. The full list of signers is available here.

Dear Administrator Zeldin:

The undersigned conservative organizations want to commend you for your leadership in 2025 and look forward to working with you in 2026.

In your first year, you faced an incredible challenge to undo the damage from the previous administration. You have been successful in making this happen while simultaneously advancing a proactive agenda that recognizes environmental protection doesn’t require ignoring the rule of law or sound science.

A significant amount of attention has rightly been paid to the EPA’s decision to reconsider the 2009 endangerment finding. You didn’t back down from the scare tactics and handwringing from climate extremists over revisiting the flawed 2009 finding. Instead, the agency proposed a detailed rule outlining the problems with the endangerment finding. It also made an overwhelming case based on numerous legal arguments as to why the EPA doesn’t have statutory authority to promulgate greenhouse gas standards for new motor vehicles.

Your strong leadership goes well beyond the work on the endangerment finding. You led the fight against the Inflation Reduction Act’s abuse of taxpayer dollars, such as through the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. In March 2025, you announced 31 deregulatory actions in what you called “the greatest day of deregulation our nation has seen.” This was not some mere announcement but a clear blueprint detailing what to expect from the agency. And you are delivering on this ambitious agenda.

The use of sound science is critical across the federal government, especially at the EPA. President Donald Trump has demonstrated his commitment to sound science through his May 2025 executive order “Restoring Gold Standard Science.” The executive order also demonstrates a commitment to properly consider risk. The executive order states “Highly unlikely and overly precautionary assumptions and scenarios should only be relied upon in agency decision-making where required by law or otherwise pertinent to the agency’s action.”

You have also demonstrated this commitment to sound science and proper risk assessment on issues ranging from Clean Air Act regulation to pesticide regulation. In the past, one of the biggest problems at the EPA has been statutory overreach. Another major problem though has been the agency’s use of junk science, unreasonable risk assessments, and the lack of transparency. The EPA under your leadership appears to recognize this problem.

Imposing an air standard that can have severe economic effects or not approving a chemical that can improve the day-to-day lives of Americans can hurt Americans, drive up prices, and restrict freedom. Therefore, it is critical that such an action is only taken when gold standard science has been the foundation of that action.

As we look back though on what you have accomplished, we want you to know that you have exceeded any reasonable expectations we could have had for a strong EPA administrator.

Please also know that we are available to help make 2026 at the EPA even better than 2025.

Sincerely,

Daren Bakst
Director, Center for Energy and Environment
Competitive Enterprise Institute

James L. Martin
Founder/Chairman
60 Plus Association

Amy Oliver Cooke
President and Chairman of the Board
Always On Energy Research

Saulius “Saul” Anuzis
President
American Association of Senior Citizens

Phil Kerpin
President
American Commitment

Tom Pyle
President
American Energy Alliance

Hon. Jason Isaac
CEO
American Energy Institute

Brent Gardner
Chief Government Affairs Officer
Americans for Prosperity

Margaret Byfield
Executive Director
American Stewards of Liberty

Craig Rucker
President
Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow (CFACT)

E. Calvin Beisner, Ph.D.
President
Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation

Craig Richardson
President
Energy & Environment Legal Institute (E&E Legal)

Cameron Sholty
Executive Director
Heartland Impact

James Taylor
President
The Heartland Institute

Tom Harris, B. Eng., M. Eng.
Executive Director
International Climate Science Coalition

Annette Olson
Chief Executive Officer
The John K. MacIver Institute for Public Policy, Inc.

Paul Gessing
President
Rio Grande Foundation

James E. Enstrom, PhD, MPH
President
Scientific Integrity Institute

David Williams
President
Taxpayers Protection Alliance

Frank Lasee
President
Truth in Energy and Climate

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The Unregulated Podcast #260: Escape from Virginia

January 23, 2026 by Leave a Comment

On this episode of The Unregulated Podcast Tom Pyle and Mike McKenna review new proposals for the U.S. electric grid and the future of American electric vehicles. Later in the show they are joined by Alvin Lui, president of Courage Is a Habit, for a discussion of his new report on the indoctrination of critical theory in K-12 education across America.

Links:

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U.S. House Votes to Advance Responsible American Mining

January 22, 2026 by Leave a Comment

WASHINGTON DC (1/22/26) – Yesterday, the U.S. House passed H.J.Res. 140, a Congressional Review Act disapproval resolution that would reverse the Biden administration’s mining ban in Minnesota. H.J. Res.140 was introduced by Congressman Pete Stauber of Minnesota. Earlier this month, AEA joined a coalition in urging Speaker Johnson and Majority Leader Scalise to ensure prompt passage of this resolution. The vote was also included in our American Energy Scorecard.

American Energy Alliance President Tom Pyle released the following statement:

“As we pointed out recently in our 2026 Environmental Quality Index, when we restrict American resource development, we shift production to nations with lower environmental standards and questionable human rights records. We applaud Congressman Stauber for his leadership on this issue. The House vote paves the way for responsible mineral development in Minnesota and establishes an important precedent that public land withdrawals issued through public land orders be subject to congressional review.

“By locking up public lands, revoking and restricting leases, and piling on regulatory roadblocks, the Biden administration closed off American mining, denying Americans the opportunity to produce the minerals we need to power our nation and economy. With this Resolution, we can stand in support of American competitiveness, good-paying jobs, and our national energy security.”

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Key Vote YES on H.J. Res. 140

January 21, 2026 by Leave a Comment

The American Energy Alliance supports H.J. Res. 140, providing for congressional disapproval of the BLM public land order prohibiting mining in the Superior National Forest.

The subject region contains one of the world’s largest untapped copper and nickel deposits, two minerals that are crucial inputs to vast numbers of modern products. These are also minerals for which the U.S. relies heavily on imports. The Biden administration’s action to lock out development from this important mining opportunity undermined national security and economic development in order to pander to extreme environmentalists. Congress should support the reversal of this destructive and unnecessary administrative action.

Last week, AEA joined with Pacific Legal Foundation and others in sending a coalition letter to House leadership urging the prompt consideration of this important legislation.

A YES vote on H.J. Res. 140 is a vote in support of free markets and affordable energy. AEA will include this vote in its American Energy Scorecard.

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What a Difference a Year Makes

January 20, 2026 by Leave a Comment

WASHINGTON DC (1/20/26) – Since being sworn into office exactly one year ago today, President Donald J. Trump has worked alongside Congressional Republicans to prioritize reliable, affordable American energy. His focus on energy security, economic growth, cutting bureaucracy, and reducing consumer costs has led to over 250 actions to unleash America’s energy potential.

American Energy Alliance President Tom Pyle released the following statement:

“It is only fitting that on the one-year anniversary of his inauguration, in the 250th year of America’s independence, we celebrate the 250 actions the President and Congress have taken to support a transformative energy agenda for the nation. AEA has highlighted more than 250 actions, ranging from executive orders and regulatory changes to legislative wins, that have reduced obstacles to domestic energy production, lowered costs, and reinforced America’s standing as the world’s energy leader.

“It is unprecedented for any leader to work this swiftly to identify a national priority and take every action possible in support of it. It took President Biden almost his whole presidency to hit this many energy-killing measures, but in just one year, President Trump and the Republican Congress have brought us roaring back to energy prosperity.

“Congratulations to President Trump and Congress on a year of decisive action to restore America’s energy future. We look forward to working with you for another productive year of making American energy even greater.”

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250 Actions the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans Have Taken to Unleash Our Energy Potential

January 20, 2026 by Leave a Comment

President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans ran on a plan for American energy: make it easier to produce and more affordable to purchase. In the first year since President Trump took office, his administration and congressional allies have taken over 250 actions to unleash America’s energy potential. A list of those actions appears below.

January 20, 2025 

  1. President Donald J. Trump had a whirlwind first day in office on January 20, signing some 200 executive orders, many redirecting federal policies on energy, such as: Executive order declaring a national energy emergency.
  2. Executive order revoking and rescinding the U.S. International Climate Finance Plan.
  3. Executive order pausing government agencies and departments from issuing new rules until a department head approves.
  4. Executive order reviewing agency activities that burden the production of U.S. energy.
  5. Executive order allowing drilling and reversing restrictions placed by the Federal Government on Alaskan energy production.
  6. Executive order resuming the processing of export permit applications for new liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects.
  7. An offshore wind moratorium and a 60-day stop of new wind and solar permits on federal lands.
  8. Withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and revoking any financial commitments under the UNFCCC.
  9. Rescinded previous executive actions, including: Executive Order 13990 of January 20, 2021 (Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science to Tackle the Climate Crisis).
  10. Executive Order 14013 of February 4, 2021 (Rebuilding and Enhancing Programs To Resettle Refugees and Planning for the Impact of Climate Change on Migration).
  11. Executive Order 14027 of May 7, 2021 (Establishment of the Climate Change Support Office).
  12. Executive Order 14057 of December 8, 2021 (Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability).
  13. Executive Order 14082 of September 12, 2022 (Implementation of the Energy and Infrastructure Provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022).
  14. The Presidential Memorandum of March 13, 2023 (Withdrawal of Certain Areas off the United States Arctic Coast of the Outer Continental Shelf from Oil or Gas Leasing).
  15. The Presidential Memorandum of January 3, 2025 (Designation of Officials of the Council on Environmental Quality to Act as Chairman).
  16. The Presidential Memorandum of January 6, 2025 (Withdrawal of Certain Areas of the United States Outer Continental Shelf from Oil or Natural Gas Leasing).

January 31, 2025

  1. The Bureau of Land Management issued leases effective Feb. 1 for 17 oil and gas parcels totaling 6,259 acres in the Farmington and Rio Puerco field offices in New Mexico.

February 3, 2025

  1. Announced an attempt to open up federal lands and waters to production, including in ANWR.

February 7, 2025

  1. The House passed H.R. 26, the Protecting American Energy Production Act, which prohibits the President from banning hydraulic fracturing unless Congress authorizes a moratorium.

February 14, 2025

  1. Announced the creation of the National Energy Dominance Council.
  2. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) announced the issuance of the Texas Gulflink LLC (TGL) Record of Decision (ROD) to Sentinel Midstream, LLC, which will own, construct, and operate a deepwater port for the export of domestically produced crude oil.
  3. Secretary Wright issues first LNG export approval since Biden-era freeze for Commonwealth LNG.

February 25, 2025

  1. The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) removes the regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) from the Code of Federal Regulations.

February 26, 2025

  1. The House of Representatives and the Senate voted to overturn a Biden-era rule imposing progressively higher fees on oil and natural gas companies for excess methane emissions, advancing the bill to President Trump for his signature.

February 28, 2025

  1. The Department of Energy announced an order that removes barriers for the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as marine fuel to power vessels. The order issued by DOE modifies a prior order issued to JAX LNG under the previous administration that asserted new oversight for the use of LNG to power marine vessels, also known as LNG bunkering.

March 5, 2025

  1. U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright approved an LNG export permit extension for Golden Pass LNG Terminal LLC, currently under construction in Sabine Pass, Texas.
  2. The Bureau of Land Management approved the Nevada North Lithium Exploration Project near Montello in Elko County. With this approval, Surge Battery Metals USA, Inc., is authorized to conduct lithium mineral exploration activities through phased exploration over the course of three years. The plan proposes disturbance of up to 250 total acres across 7,819 acres of public lands.

March 6, 2025

  1. The House of Representatives and the Senate passed S.J. Res. 11 to repeal Biden’s BOEM rule requiring archeological reports for oil and gas exploration or development plans on the OCS. (Signed by President Trump on March 13, 2025.)

March 10, 2025

  1. U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright approved a liquefied natural gas export permit extension for Delfin LNG LLC, granting additional time to commence exports from the project proposed for offshore Louisiana.

March 12, 2025

  1. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin announced the agency will undertake 31 historic actions in the greatest and most consequential day of deregulation in U.S. history, to advance President Trump’s Day One executive orders and Power the Great American Comeback including: Reconsideration of regulations on power plants (Clean Power Plan 2.0).
  2. EPA reconsideration of regulations throttling the oil and gas industry (OOOO b/c).
  3. EPA reconsideration of the mandatory Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program that imposed significant costs on the American energy supply (GHG Reporting Program). 
  4. EPA reconsideration of limitations, guidelines and standards (ELG) for the Steam Electric Power Generating Industry to ensure low-cost electricity while protecting water resources (Steam Electric ELG). 
  5. EPA reconsideration of wastewater regulations for oil and gas development to help unleash American energy (Oil and Gas ELG). 
  6. EPA reconsideration of the Biden-Harris administration’s Risk Management Program rule that made America’s oil and natural gas refineries and chemical facilities less safe (Risk Management Program Rule). 
  7. EPA reconsideration of light-duty, medium-duty, and heavy-duty vehicle regulations that provided the foundation for the Biden-Harris electric vehicle mandate (Car GHG Rules). 
  8. EPA reconsideration of the 2009 Endangerment Finding and regulations and actions that rely on that Finding (Endangerment Finding). 
  9. EPA reconsideration of the technology transition rule that forces companies to use certain technologies that increase costs on food at grocery stores and semiconductor manufacturing (Technology Transition Rule). 
  10. EPA reconsideration of Particulate Matter National Ambient Air Quality Standards that shut down opportunities for American manufacturing and small businesses (PM 2.5 NAAQS). 
  11. EPA reconsideration of multiple National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for American energy and manufacturing sectors (NESHAPs). 
  12. EPA is restructuring the Regional Haze Program, which threatens the supply of affordable energy for American families (Regional Haze). 
  13. Overhauling the Biden-Harris administration’s “Social Cost of Carbon.” 
  14. Redirecting enforcement resources to EPA’s core mission to relieve the economy of unnecessary bureaucratic burdens that drive up costs for American consumers (Enforcement Discretion). 
  15. EPA is terminating Biden’s Environmental Justice and DEI arms of the agency (EJ/DEI). 
  16. EPA is ending the so-called “Good Neighbor Plan,” which the Biden-Harris Administration used to expand federal rules to more states and sectors beyond the program’s traditional focus and led to the rejection of nearly all State Implementation Plans. 
  17. EPA is working with states and tribes to resolve the massive backlog of State Implementation Plans and Tribal Implementation Plans that the Biden-Harris administration refused to resolve (SIPs/TIPs). 
  18. The EPA is reconstituting the Science Advisory Board and Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (SAB/CASAC). 
  19. The EPA is prioritizing the coal ash program to expedite state permit reviews and update coal ash regulations (CCR Rule). 

March 13, 2025

  1. The Department of the Interior announced the approval of a federal mining plan modification by the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement for the Spring Creek Mine in Big Horn County, Montana, operated by the Navajo Transitional Energy Company. This decision extends the mine’s operational life by 16 years, enabling the production of approximately 39.9 million tons of federal coal and supporting 280 full-time jobs. 

March 19, 2025

  1. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright approved a liquefied natural gas (LNG) export authorization to the Venture Global CP2 LNG export project proposed for Cameron Parish, Louisiana. This action reflects another step in the Trump administration’s commitment to restoring American energy dominance.
  2. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced the department has rescinded two memoranda issued during the Biden administration, which injected a social justice and environmental agenda into decisions for critical infrastructure projects. These Biden-era policies had no basis in statute and worked to raise the costs of new energy infrastructure projects regulated by the Department of Transportation.

March 20, 2025

  1. Executive Order taking immediate measures to increase American mineral production. The United States possesses vast mineral resources that can create jobs, fuel prosperity, and significantly reduce our reliance on foreign nations.  Transportation, infrastructure, defense capabilities, and the next generation of technology rely upon a secure, 

predictable, and affordable supply of minerals.

  1. Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum is taking immediate steps to unleash Alaska’s untapped natural resource potential through Secretary’s Order 3422, which reopens up to 82% of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska available to leasing and expanding energy development opportunities in the approximately 23-million-acre reserve.
  2. Reinstating a program that makes the entire 1.56-million-acre Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge available for oil and gas leasing. This program would fulfill Congress’s intent in the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and advance American Energy Dominance, while maintaining strong protections for important surface resources and uses in the Coastal Plain.
  3. Revoking withdrawals along the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Corridor and Dalton Highway north of the Yukon River in order to convey these lands to the State of Alaska. This action would help pave the way forward for the proposed Ambler Road and the Alaska Liquified Natural Gas Pipeline project, two projects that stand to increase job opportunities and encourage Alaska’s economic growth.

March 28, 2025 

  1. The Trump administration axed funding for two clean energy projects and signaled that hundreds more may face cuts. Grants like these incentivize companies to compete over federal dollars rather than in the marketplace.

March 24, 2025 

  1. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright announced the Department of Energy has further postponed the implementation of three of the Biden-Harris administration’s restrictive mandates on home appliances. These actions mark a key step in lowering costs, enhancing performance, and expanding options for American consumers.

April 1, 2025 

  1. The Department of Energy announced the removal of additional regulatory barriers standing in the way of unleashing U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports. DOE has rescinded a Biden-era policy statement that required authorized LNG exporters to meet stringent criteria before the agency would consider a request to extend a commencement date for an approved project. This policy statement added unnecessary red tape to the extensive LNG export permitting process and made it more difficult for operators of approved projects to obtain necessary extensions.

 April 7, 2025

  1. The Bureau of Land Management approved a new natural gas pipeline in Humboldt County, Nevada.

April 8, 2025 

  1. President Trump signed an executive order focused on “Reinvigorating America’s Beautiful Clean Coal Industry and Amending Executive Order 14241. 
  2. Executive order requiring the National Energy Dominance Council to designate coal as a mineral as defined in section 2 of Executive Order 14241.
  3. Executive order demanding that the Secretaries of the Interior, Agriculture, and Energy submit a report to President Trump identifying coal resources and reserves on federal lands, assessing impediments to mining, and proposing policies to address such impediments.
  4. Executive order lifting barriers to coal mining on federal lands by requiring the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture to prioritize coal leasing on federal lands and expedite leasing by utilizing emergency authorities.
  5. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to end the Jewell Moratorium by ordering the publication of a notice in the Federal Register.
  6. Directs the Secretary of the Interior to process royalty rate reduction applications from federal coal lessees in as expeditious a manner as permitted.

April 9, 2025

  1. The Department of Energy issued a Request for Information seeking public input on process improvements relating to energy conservation standards and test procedures for consumer products and certain commercial and industrial equipment.

April 10, 2025

  1. The Department of the Interior will no longer require the Bureau of Land Management to prepare an environmental impact statement for approximately 3,244 oil and gas leases in seven Western states.

April 11, 2025

  1. The Bureau of Land Management announced the approval of expanded infrastructure supporting increased oil and gas production on public lands. With this approval, Chipeta Processing LLC can construct a buried 16-inch natural gas pipeline, a six-inch liquids pipeline, and a fiber optic line 3,320 feet from the planned Green River Slug Catcher Facility to the existing Chipeta Processing Plant.
  2. The Bureau of Land Management announced an additional oil and gas lease sale scheduled for June 12, 2025, to offer 66 oil and gas parcels totaling 70,415 acres in Wyoming.

April 17, 2025

  1. 54. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers published a notice declaring that they will expedite the Environmental Impact Statement review process for a project to relocate the Line 5 pipeline in Michigan to a concrete-lined tunnel.

April 18, 2025

  1. In support of President Donald J. Trump’s directive to accelerate domestic critical mineral production, the Department of the Interior is taking steps to streamline permitting processes and improve federal accountability by working with the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council to add critical minerals infrastructure projects to the FAST-41 program.
  2. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management initiates the first step in a robust public engagement process to develop a new schedule for offshore oil and gas lease sales on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf.
  3. The Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (Permitting Council) announced increased transparency and accountability for the federal permitting of two Department of Energy (DOE) critical minerals projects. The projects — Michigan Potash and the South West Arkansas Project — are part of the first wave of critical minerals projects added to the Permitting Dashboard in response to President Trump’s Executive Order, Immediate Measures to Increase American Mineral Production
  4. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy delivered on his promise to slash an unlawful environmental rule, known as the GHG Measurement Rule,  that would raise project costs and divert critical resources away from highway construction to irrelevant emissions targets. The overturned greenhouse gas emission (GHG) rule would have required state transportation departments to measure and establish declining targets for carbon dioxide emissions on federally supported highways.
  5. The Bureau of Land Management takes an important step toward future oil and gas leasing and development within the Marietta Unit of Wayne National Forest in southeastern Ohio. A supplemental environmental assessment recently released supports the restart of development on 65 existing leases and new competitive oil and gas leasing of parcels within 40,000 acres of federal mineral estate underlying National Forest System lands in Monroe, Noble, and Washington counties.

April 23, 2025

  1. The Department of the Interior implements emergency permitting procedures to accelerate the development of domestic energy resources and critical minerals.

April 24, 2025

  1. At a London energy summit, Acting Assistant Secretary Tommy Joyce slammed global climate policies, claiming they limit energy access and bolster China’s influence.
  2. The Department of the Interior announced a critical policy advancement that will boost offshore oil output in the Gulf of America. The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement implemented new parameters for Downhole Commingling in the Paleogene (Wilcox) reservoirs, expanding the allowable pressure differential from 200 psi to 1500 psi.
  3. The Department of State eliminated the Office of Global Change, which oversaw international climate change negotiations.

April 25, 2025

  1. The Department of the Interior announced new permitting procedures for domestic energy and mineral production to reduce permitting timelines that currently take several years to a maximum of 28 days.

April 28, 2025

  1. The Bureau of Land Management approved a right-of-way for the Park Mountain Pipeline in Uintah County. Utah Gas Corp can construct a 3.5-mile, 12-inch buried pipeline to transport Uintah Basin natural gas to markets in the West.

May 2, 2025

  1. The Department of Energy announced the withdrawal of the determination of miscellaneous gas products as a covered consumer product under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act. This action is yet another step toward President Trump’s pledge to lower costs for the American people by expanding choice and cutting red tape.

May 5, 2025

  1. The Department of Energy announced it has delayed the compliance date for new provisions regarding Clean Energy for New Federal Buildings and Major Renovations of Federal Buildings (CER). This action delays the restrictive standards imposed by the previous administration to limit the use of affordable, reliable energy sources, such as coal and natural gas, to power federal buildings in favor of less reliable, more expensive options.

May 12, 2025 

  1. The Department of Energy slashes 47 burdensome and costly regulations, delivering the first milestone in America’s biggest deregulatory effort. These include:
  2. Rescinding Requirements for Exempt External Power Supplies Under the EPS Service Parts Act of 2014
  3. Streamlining Administrative Procedures with Respect to the Import and Export of Natural Gas
  4. Streamlining Application for Presidential Permit Authorizing the Construction, Connection, Operation, and Maintenance of Facilities for Transmission of Electric Energy at International Boundaries
  5. Rescinding Collection of Information Under the Energy Supply and Environmental Coordination Act of 1974
  6. Streamlining Applications for Authorization to Transmit Electric Energy to a Foreign Country
  7. Rescinding the Production Incentives for Cellulosic Biofuels
  8. Rescinding Reporting Requirements, Certification, Independent Verification, and DOE Review for Voluntary Greenhouse Gas Reporting
  9. Rescinding the Renewable Energy Production Incentive  
  10. Streamlining the Procedures for Acquisition of Petroleum for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve
  11. Rescinding Energy Conservation Standards for Automatic Commercial Ice Makers
  12. Rescinding Energy Conservation Standards for Commercial Prerinse Spray Valves
  13. Rescinding the Energy Conservation Standards for Microwave Ovens
  14. Rescinding the Water Use Standards for Faucets
  15. Rescinding Energy Conservation Standards for External Power Supplies
  16. Rescinding in Part the Amended Energy Conservation Standards for Dehumidifiers
  17. Rescinding the Amended Design Requirements for Conventional Cooking Tops
  18. Rescinding the Amended Design Requirements for Conventional Ovens
  19. Rescinding the Amended Water Conservation Standards for Commercial Clothes Washers
  20. Rescinding the Amended Water Use Standards for Residential Clothes Washers
  21. Rescinding the Amended Water Use Standards for Residential Dishwashers
  22. Rescinding the Efficiency Standards for Battery Chargers
  23. Rescinding the Efficiency Standards for Compact Residential Clothes Washers
  24. Rescinding Floodplains and Wetlands Environmental Review Requirements
  25. Rescinding Obsolete Transfer of Proceedings Regulations
  26. Withdrawing Air Cleaners as a Covered Consumer Product
  27. Withdrawing Compressors as a Covered Equipment
  28. Withdrawing Miscellaneous Refrigeration Products as a Covered Consumer Product
  29. Withdrawing Portable Air Conditioners as a Covered Consumer Product
  30. Withdrawal of Fans and Blowers as Covered Equipment
  31. Rescinding Test Procedures for Small Electric Motors
  32. Rescinding Test Procedures for Commercial Warm Air Furnaces
  33. Request for Information on Lowering the Efficiency Standards for Furnace Fans
  34. Notice Rescinding 10 Unlawful and Burdensome Guidance documents
  35. Rescinding the Definition of Showerhead to Unleash Better Shower Pressure
  36. Withdrawing Portable Electric Spas as a Covered Product
  37. Withdrawing Miscellaneous Gas Products as a Covered Product
  38. Delaying Compliance Date for Federal Agencies to Meet the Clean Energy Federal Building Rule
  39. The Department of the Interior announced the expedited permitting review of a major energy project—the Velvet-Wood mine in Utah. As part of a strategic response to the national energy emergency declared by President Donald J. Trump. The expedited review is expected to significantly contribute to meeting urgent energy demands.

May 13, 2025

  1. The Department of the Interior announced a Bureau of Land Management policy update designed to expedite the oil and gas leasing process on public lands. Through a newly issued Instruction Memorandum, “Oil and Gas Leasing – Land Use Planning and Lease Parcel Reviews,” the BLM is committing to faster lease parcel reviews by aiming to complete the entire process within six months.

May 14, 2025

  1. The Department of the Interior announced the proposed rescission of a rule governing solar and wind energy development on public lands. The proposed rescission of the Bureau of Land Management’s clean energy regulation marks a significant policy shift, aimed at removing what officials describe as federal overreach and opening the door to expanded land use and energy independence. The move would eliminate rate reductions that biased renewable energy development over other energy sources..

May 19, 2025

  1. The Department of Energy released its Response to Comments on the 2024 LNG Export Study, marking a critical step toward returning to regular order on liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports. With this action, DOE has completed the final hurdles left over from the Biden administration’s reckless pause on LNG export permits, paving the way for the Trump Administration to fully unleash American LNG exports.

May 20, 2025

  1. The Department of Energy announced it is initiating the process to evaluate a potential mineral lease sale in the waters offshore American Samoa. This marks the first such action by Interior in over 30 years and could pave the way for future extraction of critical minerals from the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf.

May 21, 2025

  1. The Department of the Interior announced the release of a new U.S. Geological Survey assessment identifying significant undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas resources in the Mowry Composite Total Petroleum System. Spanning parts of Wyoming, Colorado, and Utah, the assessment estimates the presence of 473 million barrels of oil and 27 trillion cubic feet of natural gas—resources that could help bolster domestic energy supply and fuel local economies.

May 22, 2025

  1. The Department of Energy removed barriers for the American hydrogen industry by updating its 45VH2-GREET modeling tool. The latest version of 45VH2 GREET employs a more flexible method for calculating methane loss from hydrogen supply chains.

May 22, 2025

  1. The Department of Energy removed barriers for the American hydrogen industry by updating its 45VH2-GREET modeling tool. The latest version of 45VH2 GREET employs a more flexible method for calculating methane loss from hydrogen supply chains.

May 23, 2025

  1. The Department of Energy formally designated coal used in the production of steel as a critical material under the Energy Act of 2020, in accordance with President Trump’s Executive Order “Reinvigorating America’s Beautiful Clean Coal Industry.”
  2. President Trump signed an Executive Order for the restructuring of the NRC to streamline permit approval and to cut out needless bureaucracy.
  3. President Trump signed an Executive Order for the fast-tracked deployment of advanced nuclear reactor technologies for national security-related critical infrastructure.
  4. President Trump signed an Executive Order to expedite and promote to the fullest possible extent the production and operation of nuclear energy to provide affordable, reliable, safe, and secure energy to the American people, to power advanced nuclear reactor technologies.
  5. President Trump signed an Executive Order to reform nuclear reactor testing at the Department of Energy to allow for a more streamlined process and greater innovation.
  6. The U.S. Department of the Interior greenlit the Velvet-Wood uranium and vanadium mine in San Juan County, Utah—marking the nation’s first project approved under a newly accelerated 14-day environmental review process, initiated in response to the national energy emergency declared by President Donald J. Trump.

May 29, 2025

  1. The Department of Energy approved a final authorization for liquefied natural gas exports to non-free trade agreement countries from Port Arthur LNG Phase II in Jefferson County, Texas. This is the first final LNG export approval under President Trump’s leadership and marks another step in restoring regular order to LNG export permitting–reversing the previous administration’s pause and delivering on the President’s pledge to unleash American energy.

June 3, 2025

  1. The Department of the Interior today announced the formal rescission of 18 obsolete or redundant Bureau of Land Management regulations in a decisive move to advance America’s energy independence and economic vitality. The recessions include:
  2. 43 CFR 3823.1 regarding prospecting within national forest wilderness for the purpose of gathering information about mineral resources.
  3. 43 CFR 3814.2(a) regarding disposal of reserved minerals under the Stock-Raising Homestead Act.
  4. 43 CFR 3823.2 regarding mineral locations within national forest wilderness.
  5. 43 CFR 3737.1 regarding mining claim and millsite use for purposes other than mining and milling.
  6. 43 CFR 3830.23(a)(5) regarding authorized debit payments for mining claims from a declining deposit account held with the BLM.
  7. 43 CFR 3835.31(d)(2) regarding filing of annual Federal Land Policy and Management Act documents for oil shale placer claims.
  8. 43 CFR 3200.7(b) & (c) regarding regulations applicable to geothermal leases issued before Aug. 8, 2005; and 43 CFR 3200.8(b)(2) regarding regulations applicable to geothermal leases pending on Aug. 8, 2005.
  9. 43 CFR 3203.5(b)(1) regarding obtaining a competitive geothermal lease; 43 CFR 3204.5(d) regarding obtaining a noncompetitive geothermal lease; and 43 CFR 3204.13 regarding processing of noncompetitive geothermal lease applications pending on Aug. 8, 2005.
  10. 43 CFR 3212.18 through 3212.24 regarding production incentives for geothermal leases
  11. 43 CFR 3503.37(f) regarding hardrock mineral acreage limits for permits and leases; and 43 CFR Part 3500 Subpart 3517 regarding hardrock mineral development contracts and processing and milling arrangements.
  12. 43 CFR 3212.26 regarding how to submit a request to modify the royalty rate terms of a geothermal lease; and 43 CFR 3212.27 regarding how those requests would be reviewed.
  13. 43 CFR 3261.17(b) regarding amendment of approved geothermal lease operation plans or drilling permits.
  14. 43 CFR Part 1850 regarding public lands hearings procedures.
  15. 43 CFR Part 3730 Subpart 3738 regarding mining in powersite withdrawal surface protection requirements.
  16. 43 CFR 3821.3 regarding requirements for filing a statement of assessment work for unpatented mining claims, mill sites, or tunnel sites on O&C Lands.
  17. 43 CFR 3809.400(b) & (c) regarding applicability of surface management plans of operations of mining claims under the general mining laws.
  18. 43 CFR 3834.11(b) regarding annual fees for oil shale placer mining claims.
  19. 43 CFR 3715.4 regarding the management of the use and occupancy of the public lands under the United States mining laws by limiting to prospecting, mining, or processing operations.

June 5, 2025

  1. The Bureau of Land Management approved mineral exploration on about 40 acres of public lands across a 24,727-acre area in Railroad Valley of Nye County.

June 11, 2025

  1. Members of the Trump administration’s National Energy Dominance Council respectively joined with representatives from several U.S. LNG producers to announce the finalization of four 20-year agreements between JERA Co, and U.S. companies to purchase up to 5.5 million tons per year of American LNG.
  2. The Environmental Protection Agency announced its proposal to repeal all “greenhouse gas” emissions standards for the power sector under Section 111 of the Clean Air Act (CAA).
  3. and to repeal amendments to the 2024 Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) that directly result in coal-fired power plants having to shut down. These Biden-era regulations have imposed massive costs on coal-, oil-, and gas-fired power plants, raising the cost of living for American families, imperiling the reliability of our electric grid, and limiting American energy prosperity.

June 12, 2025

  1. The Department of the Interior’s Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement announced a proposed rule to rescind the 2024 “Ten-Day Notices and Corrective Action” rule—a problematic regulation from the prior administration that complicated how states and the federal government work together to oversee surface coal mining. The proposed rule would restore the simpler, more effective 2020 version from the first Trump administration of the ten-day notice process, eliminating unnecessary layers of federal bureaucracy and putting regulatory authority back where it belongs—with the states.

June 17, 2025

  1. The Department of the Interior released a draft analysis for public comment, which supports the selection of a new alternative from the 2020 plan that would reopen up to 82% of the 23-million-acre reserve to oil and gas leasing and development.

June 18, 2025

  1. The Department of the Interior released a U.S. Geological Survey report on undiscovered oil and gas resources in formations under the federally managed public lands of the U.S., estimating that there are technically recoverable resources of 29.4 billion barrels of oil and 391.6 trillion cubic feet of gas.  If produced, that would be enough oil to supply all of the nation’s needs for 4 years at the current rate of consumption, and enough natural gas to meet the nation’s needs for nearly 12 years. 

June 20, 2025

  1. The Bureau of Land Management issued a decision approving a final supplemental environmental assessment that provides enhanced air quality analysis and affirms previous decisions approving the Bull Mountain Unit Master Development Plan and the Dual Operator 5-Pad Proposal. The projects are for the development of 55 private and 171 federal oil and gas wells on 38 new and existing well pads within the BLM Uncompahgre Field Office in western Gunnison County.

June 25, 2025

  1. The Department of the Interior announced new policy steps to speed up the search and development of critical minerals offshore, To support a more efficient and predictable offshore minerals program, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, or BOEM, and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, or BSEE, are updating policies across all stages of development—from early exploration to post-lease operations and production. These updates are designed to reduce delays, improve coordination, and provide greater certainty for industry, all while upholding key environmental safeguards. 

June 30, 2025

  1. The White House, through the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), coordinated a historic effort to significantly reduce the burdens of National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance across the Federal government, allowing America to get back to building again.

June 30, 2025

  1. The Department of Energy published an interim final rule rescinding all NEPA regulations and published new NEPA guidance procedures for the Department of Energy.
  2. The Environmental Protection Agency announced the agency’s intent to update the 2024 Effluent Limitations Guidelines (ELGs) for Steam Electric Power Generating Units. This action advances the goals of President Trump’s Unleashing American Energy Executive Order by ensuring the country has reliable, affordable electricity while protecting our nation’s water resources under the Clean Water Act.

July 4, 2025

  1. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act was passed into law, ushering in an end to mass green energy subsidization and ending the war on fossil fuel while driving further investment into domestic oil and gas production. Major provisions include:
  2. Terminates the 45V Clean Hydrogen Production Credit for projects that commence construction after December 31, 2027, up from the previous phase-out of 2033.
  3. Termination of clean hydrogen production credit 45V:
  4. 25E tax credit – Previously Owned Clean Vehicle Credit terminates September 30, 2025.
  5. 30D tax credit – Clean Vehicle Credit terminates 180 days after enactment.
  6. 45W tax credit – Commercial Clean Vehicle Credit terminates on September 30, 2025.
  7. 30C tax credit – Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Credit terminates on June 30, 2026.
  8. 25C tax credit – Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit terminates after December 31, 2025.
  9. 25D tax credit – Residential Clean Energy Credit terminates after December 31, 2025.
  10. 179D tax credit – Energy Efficient Commercial Buildings Deduction terminates for property which begins construction after June 30, 2026.
  11. 45L tax credit -New Energy Efficient Home Credit terminates after June 30, 2026.
  12. Phase-out and Restrictions on 45X Advanced Manufacturing Production Credit: Eliminates the credit for wind energy components after December 31, 2027.
  13. Restrictions on the Extension of 48C Advanced Energy Project Credit Program: Eliminates the ability of the Treasury Secretary to reissue credits from funds of projects whose credits have been revoked to new projects.
  14. NEPA – The OBBB allows a project sponsor to pay a fee—equal to 125% of the anticipated costs of expected agency activities to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) or environmental assessment (EA)—to receive an EIS for their project in one year and their EA within 180 days. The Byrd Rule eliminated a section in the original Senate bill that stated that these EISs or EAs would not be subject to judicial review.
  15. According to preliminary Congressional Budget Office estimates, the OBBB is expected to rescind over $5 billion in unobligated balances from the following programs that were funded by or created in the Inflation Reduction Act (Section 41001). The OBBB repeals the loan authority (authorizing language) established in the IRA for the Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Loan Program, in addition to rescinding funding for the following offices:
    1. State-Based Energy Efficiency Training Grants (Sec. 50123 of the IRA)
    2. Title 17 Loan Guarantee Program (Sec. 50141 of the IRA)
    3. Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Loan Program (Sec. 50142 of the IRA)
    4. Energy Infrastructure Reinvestment Financing, also known as the 1706 Program (Sec. 50144 of the IRA)
    5. Tribal Energy Loan Guarantee Program (Sec. 50145 of the IRA)
    6. Transmission Facility Financing (Sec. 50151 of the IRA)
    7. Grants to Facilitate the Siting of Interstate Electricity Transmission Lines (Sec. 50152 of the IRA)
    8. Interregional and Offshore Wind Electricity Transmission Planning, Modeling, and Analysis (Sec. 50153 of the IRA)
    9. Advanced Industrial Facilities Deployment Program (Sec. 50161 of the IRA)

July 7, 2025

  1. The Department of the Interior proposed critical updates to Bureau of Land Management oil and gas regulations that would make it easier for operators to combine production from multiple leases—a practice known as commingling. Current Bureau of Land Management regulations restrict commingling to leases that have identical mineral ownership, royalty rates, and revenue distribution. These requirements create unnecessary barriers in many areas of the West where mineral ownership is complex and varied. The proposed changes would allow commingling even when these conditions differ, unlocking energy potential that is currently tied up in regulatory red tape. 
  2. The Bureau of Land Management opened a window for public comment on potential updates to coal leasing on public lands in the coal-rich Powder River Basin areas of southeast Montana and northeast Wyoming. 
  3. The Bureau of Land Management approved Coal Energy Group 2, LLC’s proposal to expand the Wildcat Loadout Facility under an accelerated 14-day environmental review process, initiated in response to the national energy emergency declared by President Donald J. Trump. The facility, used to transfer Uinta Basin crude oil from tanker trucks to rail cars, will be reconfigured to accommodate new infrastructure within the current 270-acre project area. 
  4. The Bureau of Land Management Colorado State Office announced an oil and gas lease sale scheduled for Sept. 9, 2025, to offer 14 oil and gas parcels totaling 7,896 acres in Colorado.

July 8, 2025

  1. The Department of the Interior gave the green light to Hurricane Creek Mining, LLC, to mine coal on Bryson Mountain in Claiborne County, Tennessee. This project will produce up to 1.8 million tons of coal over the next 10 years, helping to strengthen America’s energy independence and create local jobs.
  2. The Bureau of Land Management Wyoming State Office announced an oil and gas lease sale scheduled for Sept. 16, 2025, to offer 37 oil and gas parcels totaling 45,178 acres in Wyoming.

July 9, 2025

  1. The Bureau of Land Management Montana-Dakotas State Office announced an oil and gas lease sale scheduled for September 10, 2025, to offer 26 oil and gas parcels totaling 8,355 acres in Montana and North Dakota.

July 10, 2025

  1. The Bureau of Land Management announced a proposed coal exploration project in Utah’s Muddy Creek Canyon area as part of a larger federal effort to reinvigorate the coal industry and advance American energy independence. This is the BLM’s first coal exploration notice nationwide since 2019. 

July 11, 2025

  1. The U.S. Department of Energy announced the authorization of an exchange from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve with ExxonMobil Corporation to address logistical challenges impacting crude oil deliveries to the company’s Baton Rouge refinery. ExxonMobil will return the borrowed crude along with additional barrels of crude oil for the SPR at no cost to the taxpayer.

July 12, 2025

  1. The Department of Energy announced termination of its conditional commitment for the Grain Belt Express Phase 1 project, a high-voltage direct current transmission line intended to connect wind and solar capacity across Kansas and Missouri. The conditional commitment, which would have provided a taxpayer-funded loan guarantee of up to $4.9 billion, was issued by the Biden administration in November 2024 – one of many conditional commitments that were rushed out the door in the final days of the Biden administration.

July 16, 2025

  1. While in Pennsylvania, President Trump announced a $92 billion investment into energy and AI initiatives, emphasizing that the only way forward in the AI revolution is with reliable and plentiful energy.
  2. The Bureau of Land Management Utah State Office announced an oil and gas lease sale scheduled for Sept. 24, 2025, to offer 15 oil and gas parcels totaling 19,014 acres in Utah.

July 17, 2025

  1. The Department of the Interior ends preferential treatment for unreliable, subsidy-dependent wind and solar energy. All Department-related decisions and actions concerning wind and solar energy facilities will undergo elevated review by the Office of the Secretary, including leases, rights-of-way, construction and operation plans, grants, consultations, and biological opinions. This enhanced oversight will ensure all evaluations are thorough and deliberative.
  2. The Department of the Interior updated its guidelines for states applying to federal programs aimed at cleaning up abandoned oil and gas wells. The changes are meant to cut red tape and help states act faster. By giving states more flexibility and speeding up well-plugging efforts, the Department is helping advance the administration’s goal of unleashing U.S. energy resources, protecting American job,s and reducing federal overreach.

July 24, 2025

  1. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued letters to portable fuel container (PFC or gas can) manufacturers encouraging them to add vents to gas cans to ensure safe and effective refueling. This announcement comes in response to years of complaints about slow, frustrating fuel flow from modern gas cans. The letter is part of EPA’s broader effort to address the issue of regulatory confusion and accurately communicate to make sure manufacturers and the public understand EPA’s requirements.
  2. The Bureau of Land Management approved 36 lease renewals for the continued operation of five active mines within the Mark Twain National Forest in southeastern Missouri.

July 25, 2025

  1. The Bureau of Land Management Eastern States State Office announced an oil and gas lease sale scheduled for Sept. 23, 2025, to offer five oil and gas parcels totaling 2,090 acres in Louisiana, Michigan, and Mississippi.

July 28, 2025

  1. The Bureau of Land Management rescinded three policy documents that sought to expand and intensify restrictions on special area management within the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska. The rescinded documents include:
    1. A request for information titled “Special Areas within the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska” that published in the Federal Register in July 2024.
    2. A report titled “Maximizing Protection in the National Petroleum Reserve – Alaska” was published in January 2025.
    3. A BLM memorandum entitled “BLM Interim Management of Special Areas within the National Petroleum Reserve – Alaska” was published in January 2025. 

July 29, 2025

  1. The Environmental Protection Agency released the agency’s proposal to rescind the 2009 Endangerment Finding, which has been used to justify over $1 trillion in regulations, including the Biden-Harris Administration’s electric vehicle (EV) mandate. If finalized, the proposal would repeal all resulting greenhouse gas emissions regulations for motor vehicles and engines, thereby reinstating consumer choice and giving Americans the ability to purchase a safe and affordable car for their family while decreasing the cost of living on all products that trucks deliver.

August 1, 2025

  1. The Bureau of Land Management announced it will hold a competitive sealed-bid coal lease sale for federal coal reserves at the Freedom Mine in Mercer County, North Dakota, on Sept. 3, 2025.

August 4, 2025

  1. The Bureau of Land Management New Mexico State Office announced an oil and gas lease sale scheduled for Nov. 6, 2025, to offer 21 oil and gas parcels totaling 8,843 acres in New Mexico and Oklahoma.

August 5, 2025

  1. The Department of the Interior approved a mining plan modification for the Rosebud Mine in Rosebud and Treasure counties, Montana. The decision enables the recovery of approximately 33.75 million tons of federal coal and extends the mine’s operation through 2039. It marks the second-largest federal coal mine expansion approved since the beginning of the second Trump administration. 

August 6, 2025

  1. The Department of the Interior, through the Bureau of Land Management and in coordination with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, has completed the environmental review for a major Utah coal project, marking the first expedited coal leasing action under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

August 7, 2025

  1. The Department of the Interior launched a full review of offshore wind energy regulations to ensure alignment with the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act and America’s energy priorities under President Donald J. Trump. This effort includes reviewing the Renewable Energy Modernization Rule, as well as financial assurance requirements and decommissioning cost estimates for offshore wind projects, to ensure federal regulations do not provide preferential treatment to unreliable, foreign-controlled energy sources over dependable, American-made energy.

August 8, 2025

  1. The Department of the Interior announced approval of a mining plan modification that will unlock 14.5 million tons of federally owned coal at the Antelope Mine in Converse County, Wyoming. The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement issued the decision following completion of a rigorous environmental assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact.

August 11, 2025

  1. The U.S. Department of Energy Inspector General has released another report on the failure of the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations to responsibly implement billions of dollars in Green New Scam awards, reinforcing concerns with how billions of dollars were rushed out the door without proper due diligence.

August 12, 2025

  1. President Trump has made it clear that the United States will not accept any international environmental agreement that unduly or unfairly burdens the United States or harms the interests of the American people. This October, members of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) are poised to consider the adoption of a so-called “Net-Zero Framework,” aimed at reducing global greenhouse gas emissions from the international shipping sector.
  2. As part of the One Big Beautiful Bill, the Department of the Interior announced the annual revenue-sharing cap for Gulf of America Outer Continental Shelf energy revenues will rise from $500 million to $650 million beginning in fiscal year 2025 and continuing through 2034.
  3. The Department of the Interior announced its intent to prepare an environmental impact statement for a proposed mining plan modification by Black Butte Coal Company to access additional federal coal reserves in Sweetwater County, Wyoming.

August 13, 2025

  1. The Environmental Protection Agency issued new guidance urging engine and equipment manufacturers to revise DEF system software to prevent sudden shutdowns and give operators more time to repair faults without impacting productivity or safety.

August 19, 2025

  1. The Department of the Interior rolled out a long-term schedule for offshore oil and gas lease sales in the Gulf of America and Alaska’s Cook Inlet, as directed by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R. 1). By committing to a predictable sale schedule, the Department is delivering on President Trump’s promise to expand American energy production and strengthen U.S. energy independence.
  2. The Bureau of Land Management Montana/ Dakotas State Office announced an oil and gas lease sale scheduled for Oct. 21. 2025, to offer four oil and gas parcels totaling 2,068.40 acres in North Dakota.

August 20, 2025

  1. The Department of the Interior updated oil and gas commingling rules to align with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The updates, led by the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, or BSEE, and the Bureau of Land Management, or BLM, provide clear standards that support safe operations, improve efficiency and maximize recovery of America’s energy resources. Commingling is the practice of combining oil or gas production from two or more sources into a single stream for measurement and processing.

August 21, 2025

  1. U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright issued an emergency order to minimize the risk of power outages and address critical grid security issues in the Midwestern region of the United States. Secretary Wright’s order directs the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), in coordination with Consumers Energy, to ensure that the J.H. Campbell coal-fired power plant in West Olive, Michigan remains available for operation. Additionally, MISO is directed to take every step to minimize cost to the American people.
  2. The Bureau of Land Management advanced a key coal project in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin that could unlock access to more than 440 million tons of federal coal. The BLM has released a final environmental impact statement for the proposed West Antelope III coal lease-by-application project.

August 22, 2025

  1. U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright signed an amendment order granting additional time for Energy Transfer’s Lake Charles LNG Export Company, LLC to commence exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to non-free trade agreement (non-FTA) countries from the Lake Charles LNG project in Lake Charles, LA. Once fully constructed, the Lake Charles LNG project will be capable of exporting up to 2.33 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of natural gas as LNG.
  2. In consultation with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), EPA reviewed and considered information submitted by each petitioning small refinery. EPA then evaluated each SRE petition consistent with the Clean Air Act and case law. After carefully reviewing all information, EPA granted full exemptions to 63 petitions and partial exemptions to 77 petitions.

August 22, 2025

  1. The Environmental Protection Agency proposed to disapprove of California’s Heavy-Duty (HD) Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) Requirements as it applies to out-of-state and out-of-country vehicles. The HD I/M requirement in the State Implementation Plan (SIP) submitted by California establishes an I/M program for any heavy-duty vehicle driven in the state—regardless of registration. EPA is proposing to deny these actions due to concerns that this requirement violates the U.S. Constitution’s Commerce Clause and this inconsistency with Federal law also violates Section 110 of the Clean Air Act.

August 28, 2025

  1. U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright issued an emergency order to minimize the risk of energy shortfalls in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Secretary Wright’s order directs PJM Interconnection (PJM), in coordination with Constellation Energy, to ensure Units 3 and 4 of the Eddystone Generating Station in Pennsylvania remain available for operation. Ensuring these units remain operational minimizes the risk of generation shortfall that could lead to unnecessary power outages.
  2. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposed to approve Wyoming’s coal combustion residuals program application. This proposal would allow the state rather than the federal government to manage coal residuals disposal in surface impoundments and landfills. 
  3. The Bureau of Land Management Wyoming State Office announced an oil and gas lease sale scheduled for Dec. 3, 2025, to offer 86 oil and gas parcels totaling 79,169 acres in Wyoming.

August 29, 2025

  1. U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright announced the Department of Energy’s (DOE) final authorization for Commonwealth LNG, LLC to export up to 1.21 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of natural gas as liquefied natural gas (LNG) to non-free trade agreement (FTA) countries from its proposed project in Cameron Parish, Louisiana.

September 2, 2025

  1. The Bureau of Land Management announced it will offer two lease areas covering about 14,050 acres beneath private lands in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. The tracts contain an estimated 53 million tons of recoverable metallurgical coal, used in steelmaking and designated as a critical material under the Energy Act of 2020.
  2. In Emery County, Utah, the Bureau of Land Management will offer about 120 acres known as the Little Eccles Tract, containing an estimated 1.29 million tons of recoverable coal.
  3. In Big Horn County, Montana, the Bureau of Land Management will offer about 1,262 acres containing an estimated 167.5 million tons of recoverable coal. The lease sale responds to an application by Navajo Transitional Energy Company, LLC, operator of the Spring Creek Mine. If issued, the lease could extend the mine’s life through 2051, supporting high-paying jobs and contributing to U.S. energy security.

September 9, 2025

  1. The Department of the Interior approved a mining plan change for the Black Butte Mine in Sweetwater County, Wyoming. The change allows the Black Butte Coal Company to recover about 9.2 million tons of federal coal in two new areas, known as Pit 15 and Pit 10. The Black Butte Mine has operated since 1977, supplying coal to the Jim Bridger Power Plant and supporting jobs on federal, state and private lands. With this approval, the mine is expected to continue operating through at least 2039. The expansion could create over 50 new jobs. The mine currently employs 56 full-time workers.
  2. Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin announced new guidance on New Source Review preconstruction permitting requirements to provide much needed clarity for the buildout of essential power generation and reshoring of manufacturing. This action provides flexibility to begin certain building activities that are not related to air emissions, such as installing cement pads, before obtaining a Clean Air Act construction permit.

September 10, 2025

  1. The Department of the Interior proposed rescinding the Bureau of Land Management’s Public Lands Rule, aligning with Secretary Doug Burgum’s commitment to restoring balance in federal land management by prioritizing multiple-use access, empowering local decision-making and supporting responsible energy development, ranching, grazing, timber production and recreation across America’s public lands. The 2024 Public Lands Rule, formally known as the Conservation and Landscape Health Rule, made conservation (i.e., no use) an official use of public lands, putting it on the same level as BLM’s other uses of public lands. The previous administration had treated conservation as “no use,” meaning the land was to be left idle rather than authorizing legitimate uses of the land like grazing, energy development or recreation.

September 12, 2025

  1. In accordance with President Trump’s Day One executive orders, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin announced a proposed rule to end the burdensome Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program, saving American businesses up to $2.4 billion in regulatory costs while maintaining the agency’s statutory obligations under the Clean Air Act.

September 24, 2025

  1. The U.S. Department of Energy announced its intention to return more than $13 billion in unobligated funds initially appropriated to advance the previous Administration’s wasteful Green New Scam agenda, many of which would have made it more difficult to produce energy domestically. This announcement reflects the Administration’s commitment to halt wasteful spending and refocus the department to its core mission.

September 24, 2025

  1. The U.S. Department of Energy announced its intention to return more than $13 billion in unobligated funds initially appropriated to advance the previous Administration’s wasteful Green New Scam agenda, many of which would have made it more difficult to produce energy domestically. This announcement reflects the Administration’s commitment to halt wasteful spending and refocus the department to its core mission.

September 29, 2025

  1. The Department of the Interior announced the opening of 13.1 million acres of federal land for coal leasing, tripling the benchmarks set by the landmark One Big Beautiful Bill Act and delivering on President Donald J. Trump’s directive to restore American Energy Dominance. 
  2. The Environmental Protection Agency proposed a new rule which will provide steam electric power generation with more time to comply with existing effluent limitations guidelines (ELGs) in order to affordably meet the nation’s growing electricity demand, including for data centers and manufacturing. When implemented, the proposal will save up to $200 million annually in electricity costs that are ultimately borne by consumers.
  3. The Environmental protection agency issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) to solicit information from the public to assist in the development of regulatory changes on the implementation and structure of the Clean Air Act (CAA)’s Regional Haze Rule (RHR). Historically, the implementation of this program has imposed significant costs on power plants and other sectors, calling into question the supply of affordable and reliable energy for American families.

October 2, 2025

  1. The U.S. Department of Energy announced the termination of 321 financial awards supporting 223 projects, resulting in a savings of approximately $7.56 billion dollars for American taxpayers. Following a thorough, individualized financial review, DOE determined that these projects did not adequately advance the nation’s energy needs, were not economically viable, and would not provide a positive return on investment of taxpayer dollars.

October 21, 2025

  1. U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright signed the final export authorization for the Venture Global CP2 LNG Project in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, allowing exports of up to 3.96 billion cubic feet per day of U.S. natural gas as liquefied natural gas (LNG) to non-Free Trade Agreement (FTA) countries.

October 23, 2025

  1. The Department of the Interior announced a sweeping package of actions to boost energy development, modernize land and resource management across Alaska, and improve public health and safety for Alaskans. These steps include reopening the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil and gas leasing;
  2. Completing right-of-way permits for the Ambler Road;
  3. And moving forward with the King Cove–Cold Bay Road corridor through a land exchange.

October 24, 2025

  1. U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright directed the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) today to initiate rulemaking procedures with a proposed rule to rapidly accelerate the interconnection of large loads, including data centers, positioning the United States to lead in AI innovation and in the revitalization of domestic manufacturing.
  2. U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright issued an emergency order authorized by Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act ensuring Americans maintain access to reliable, affordable, and secure energy without interruption. The emergency order permits PJM Interconnection (PJM), in coordination with the Talen Energy Corporation, to run specified units at the Wagner Generating Station to meet anticipated electricity demand heading into the winter months.

October 27, 2025

  1. The Environmental Protection Agency approved an aquifer exemption request from the Utah Department of Environmental Quality that will allow the expansion of copper mining in a part of the Burro Canyon aquifer in San Juan County, Utah.

November 7, 2025

  1. In consultation with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), EPA reviewed and considered information submitted by each petitioning small refinery. EPA then evaluated each SRE petition consistent with the Clean Air Act and case law. After carefully reviewing all information, EPA granted full exemptions to two petitions and partial exemptions to 12 petitions.

November 13, 2025

  1. The Department of the Interior announced a final rule rescinding the 2024 Bureau of Land Management rule governing the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, a major step in unlocking the energy potential of the roughly 23-million-acre reserve.

November 19, 2025

  1. The Department of the Interior’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced four proposed rules to restore Endangered Species Act regulations to their proven 2019 and 2020 framework. The actions advance President Donald J. Trump’s directives to strengthen American energy independence, improve regulatory predictability and ensure federal actions align with the best reading of the law.

November 20, 2025

  1. The U.S. Department of Energy announced an organizational realignment designed to strengthen DOE’s ability to execute President Trump’s bold agenda to restore American energy dominance. This realignment reflects the Administration’s priorities of expanding American energy production, accelerating scientific and technological leadership, and ensuring the continued safety and readiness of the Nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile.
  2. The Department of the Interior announced a Secretary’s Order titled “Unleashing American Offshore Energy,” directing the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to take the necessary steps, in accordance with federal law, to terminate the restrictive Biden 2024–2029 National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program and replace it with a new, expansive 11th National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program by October 2026.

November 26, 2025

  1. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin announced final action on the agency’s July 2025 Interim Final Rule to extend several compliance deadlines in the Biden-Harris Administration’s Clean Air Act rules for the oil and gas industry – commonly known as OOOOb/c. By providing more realistic timelines for owners and operators of new and modified oil and natural gas sources, the Trump EPA is taking an important step in unleashing America’s domestic energy supply.

December 3,  2025

  1. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation rescinded its National Definition of a Zero Emissions Building. This action lowers costs and promotes freedom of choice in the buildings sector by relieving developers, investors, and building owners of indirect pressure to account for federal guidelines that never had the force or effect of law.
  2. The Department of Transportation announced plans to eliminate Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards,which regulate tailpipe emissions from vehicles. This rollback aims to reduce regulatory burdens on automakers and promote fossil fuel use by avoiding efficiency mandates that could limit gasoline consumption.

December 5, 2025

  1. Energy Secretary Wright announced the reversal of Biden administration policies that led to dam removals, coal plant closures, and gas plant restrictions. This includes halting retirements of aging coal facilities and promoting their continued operation to stabilize electricity prices.

December 9, 2025

  1. The Bureau of Land Management leased 37 parcels totaling 30,528 acres in Colorado for $4,884,267 in total receipts during a quarterly oil and gas lease sale.

December 10, 2025

  1. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management successfully conducted Lease Sale Big Beautiful Gulf 1, which is the first mandatory offshore oil and gas lease sale required under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The sale generated $300,425,222 in high bids for 181 blocks across 80 million acres in federal waters of the Gulf of America. Thirty companies submitted 219 bids totaling $371,881,093.

December 11, 2025

  1. The Bureau of Land Management approved the expansion of lithium exploration activities in southern Malheur County, about 20 miles west of McDermitt, Nev.

December 12, 2025

  1. President Trump signed five bills into law, overturning restrictions on coal, oil, and gas leasing across millions of acres in North Dakota, Montana, Alaska, and Wyoming. This frees up federal lands for energy production, expected to lower prices and create jobs.

December 20, 2025

  1. In a speech, President Trump highlighted ending the “war on American energy” and the “Green New Scam,” announcing plans for 1,600 new power plants within the next 12 months.

December 22, 2025

  1. The Bureau of Land Management approved an updated Integrated Activity Plan for the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska that reopens nearly 82 percent of the 23-million-acre reserve to oil and gas leasing. The decision aligns management with the 2020 plan and restores the Reserve’s core purpose as a strategic domestic energy supply.
  2. The Bureau of Land Management published updated plans that enhance conservation of Greater sage-grouse habitat while balancing access to public lands for responsible energy and mineral development across Idaho, Montana and the Dakotas, Nevada and California, Utah and Wyoming.

January 6, 2026

  1. The Bureau of Land Management leased 31 parcels totaling 20,399 acres in New Mexico and Oklahoma for $326,811,240 in total receipts during a quarterly oil and gas lease sale. Combined lease bonus bids and rentals are distributed between the federal government and state where parcels are located. 

January 7, 2026

  1. The White House announced the U.S. withdrawal from 66 international organizations “that no longer serve American interests,” including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

January 9, 2026

  1. The Environmental Protection Agency finalized the full disapproval of Colorado’s revised 2022 Regional Haze State Implementation Plan (SIP), preventing the premature closure of power plants. EPA determined that Colorado’s proposal to shut down coal fired power plants, without consent from all of the plants, does not comply with the Clean Air Act (CAA). These plants are vital to delivering reliable and affordable energy to Colorado families. Shutting down these power plants is not necessary to meet Regional Haze requirements, and including forced closure deadlines for facilities that want to stay open would have been a misuse of the CAA.

January 12, 2026

  1. Representative Peter Stauber introduces HJ Res. 140. In 2023, the Biden Administration finalized PLO 7917, which withdrew more than 225,000 acres of the Superior National Forest from mineral development for a period of 20 years. The order effectively placed large areas off-limits, despite expert findings that the land contains globally significant, largely undeveloped copper-nickel and platinum-group metal resources, including potentially major reserves of copper, nickel, cobalt, and related minerals. The PLO was finalized despite strong opposition from Members of Congress, mineral developers, and local residents who support responsible development and economic opportunity in the region. Now that PLO 7917 has been submitted to Congress as a rule, Congress can disapprove of the order under the Congressional Review Act (CRA). Use of the CRA offers two important benefits. First, it allows the resolution to advance in the Senate by a simple majority vote. Second, CRA disapproval would prevent future administrations from issuing a “substantially similar” rule, providing long-term certainty and stability for land managers, workers, and developers alike.

January 13, 2026

  1. The Environmental Protection Agency announced a proposed rule that would return Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 401 to its proper statutory purpose, protecting water quality while eliminating regulatory overreach that has imposed unnecessary burdens on critical energy infrastructure projects.
  2. The Bureau of Land Management leased 19 parcels totaling 4,116 acres in Montana and North Dakota for $8,653,960 in total receipts during a quarterly oil and gas lease sale. Oil and gas lease sales support domestic energy production and American energy independence, while contributing to the nation’s economic and military security. Consistent with Executive Order 14154, “Unleashing American Energy,” the BLM’s lease sales help meet the energy needs of U.S. citizens and solidify the nation as a global energy leader long into the future.
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Ditching Maduro Will Help Keep America’s Backyard Free of Adversaries

January 20, 2026 by Leave a Comment

Fueling The Conversation, Week of January 19th, 2026

Early in the morning of January 3, the U.S. carried out an operation to capture the self-proclaimed president of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores, to face trial in New York on charges of trafficking cocaine and partnering with cartels.

Removing Maduro from power was long overdue. More than 50 countries do not recognize him as the legitimately elected president of Venezuela. Under his leadership, the Venezuelan state carried out numerous human rights abuses, suppressed political opposition, and destroyed the economy. Decades of socialism under Maduro and his predecessor, Hugo Chavez, caused the once prosperous country to reach a 75% extreme poverty level among its citizens. Maduro oversaw a GDP decrease of three-quarters from 2014 to 2021 due to an oil price decline of 44% between June and December 2014, highlighting the extent to which Venezuela’s state-run economy was buffered by high oil prices during Chavez’s rule.

Although the situation is still evolving, President Trump has firmly defended the legitimacy of the mission on national security and justice grounds. A Maduro-run Venezuela became a threat to the American people, and President Trump has shown that he will not let our adversaries walk all over us, especially in the Americas. With the U.S. firmly overseeing the flow of oil from the country, the Trump administration announced that “all proceeds from the sale of Venezuelan crude oil and oil products will first settle in U.S. controlled accounts at globally recognized banks” and that the “only oil transported in and out of Venezuela will be through legitimate and authorized channels consistent with U.S. law and national security.” Even if the administration continues to permit oil sales to China, increased American control gives the U.S. a new card to play.

Venezuela has housed intelligence agents from China, Russia, Cuba, and Iran, while also being a hub for oil exports to China and Cuba, providing both countries with the discounted fuel they need to repress their people and, in Cuba’s case, float its economy. Notably, capturing Maduro involved the U.S. military facing off against Cuban soldiers and Chinese weapons, which failed to kill any American service members.

Besides the legal claims against Maduro personally, he led a regime that profited from the stolen assets of American companies. Although Venezuela has always had massive oil reserves, particularly in the Orinoco Belt and Maracaibo Basin, the country had no access to these resources until American oil companies invested in the expertise, infrastructure, and technology to get them out of the ground. An administrative board of Venezuela’s state-run oil company, PDVSA, admits this point, claiming that “U.S. companies such as Standard Oil (later Exxon) and Gulf Oil were pioneers in the investment and development of the Venezuelan oil industry.”

Instead of thanking these companies for contributing to a growing economy, which reached nearly 80% of U.S. GDP per capita in the late 1950s, Venezuela moved to punish them by demanding that they provide the state with a stake in ownership. In 1976, PDVSA was created to take over the industry, with the state requiring foreign oil companies to give it 60% equity in joint ventures. In 2007, Chavez reinforced this previous decree by nationalizing the last remaining oil sites that were majority controlled by foreign companies in the Orinoco Belt, declaring that “the privatization of oil is over in Venezuela.” Currently, Chevron is the only American company still operating in the country, owning stakes between 25% and 60% in five onshore and offshore projects, according to Reuters. ConocoPhillips and Exxon Mobil, which left the country under Chavez, have been looking to recover $12 billion and $1.65 billion, respectively, of seized assets, which President Trump has made contingent on new investments in Venezuela by these companies.

President Trump’s recognition that the nationalization of American assets constitutes theft reverses decades of weakness by previous administrations and provides a new level of deterrence that should make foreign governments think twice before deciding to put American property under state control. Effectively resolving these disputes should help make Venezuela a more hospitable place to drill for oil.

Even though Venezuela has some easy to access medium and light oil reserves in the Maracaibo and Monagas Basins, it would be a mistake to overstate the effect an open Venezuela will have on the American energy sector. Questions still remain regarding whether the political and economic institutions within Venezuela can facilitate the development and trade of oil without significant disruptions, especially as the current Venezuelan regime continues to exist under the leadership of Maduro’s vice president, Delcy Rodriguez. Furthermore, the investment required to achieve Venezuela’s previous peak production of 3.7 million barrels per day could reach $183 billion, a staggering amount in a time of low crude oil prices.

Despite these concerns, the liberation of Venezuela from Maduro’s grasp is a big win for the Venezuelan people and our national security. With ample pressure and encouragement from the Trump administration, Venezuela could reach new heights as a free and prosperous country. ¡Viva Venezuela Libre!

__________________

Fueling the Conversation, a weekly column by AEA President Tom Pyle, offers a principled take on energy events. Energy underpins all aspects of modern life, so policies that artificially limit production hurt everyday people paying to heat their homes and drive to work. “Green” groups push these policies for ideological reasons, but this column uses economic logic and hard facts to advocate for energy freedom.

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AEA Signs Coalition Letter In Support of HJ Res. 140

January 16, 2026 by Leave a Comment

On January 15, 2026, the American Energy Alliance joined with 20 other free-market and consumer choice advocacy organizations in sending a letter to House leadership urging the prompt consideration, and passage of HJ Resolution 140, a joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of Public Land Order (PLO) 7917. The full text of the letter is available below. The full list of signers is available here.

Dear Speaker Johnson and Majority Leader Scalise,

We, the undersigned organizations, write to urge prompt consideration and passage of H.J.Res.140, a joint resolution providing for congressional disapproval of Public Land Order (PLO) 7917. As organizations committed to free markets, responsible development, and the constitutional separation of powers, passage of this resolution is critical to advancing American economic prosperity.

In 2023, the Biden Administration finalized PLO 7917, which withdrew more than 225,000 acres of the Superior National Forest—located in the headwaters of the Boundary Waters—from mineral development for a period of 20 years. The order effectively placed large areas off-limits, despite expert findings that the land contains globally significant, largely undeveloped copper-nickel and platinum-group metal resources, including potentially major reserves of copper, nickel, cobalt, and related minerals. The PLO was finalized despite strong opposition from Members of Congress, mineral developers, and local residents who support responsible development and economic opportunity in the region.

Swift passage of H.J.Res.140 would reverse this misguided policy and allow for the responsible development of these federally owned lands. The mineral deposits at issue are critical to meeting growing global demand for the materials that underpin modern manufacturing, infrastructure, and energy technologies. Notably, Congress has already expressed bipartisan opposition to this withdrawal through House passage of H.R.3195, the Superior National Forest Restoration Act, in the previous Congress.

Now that PLO 7917 has been submitted to Congress as a rule, H.J.Res.140 provides a clear and lawful mechanism for Congress to disapprove the order under the Congressional Review Act (CRA). Use of the CRA offers two important benefits. First, it allows the resolution to advance in the Senate by a simple majority vote. Second, CRA disapproval would prevent future administrations from issuing a “substantially similar” rule, providing long-term certainty and stability for land managers, workers, and developers alike. More broadly, passage of H.J.Res.140 would establish an important precedent confirming that public land withdrawals issued through public land orders constitute rules subject to congressional review. Given the significant economic implications of these decisions, no administration should be permitted to unilaterally remove large swaths of land from productive use without congressional oversight. This Congress has already used the CRA to nullify several misguided Biden Administration resource management plans, and it should similarly act to disapprove PLO 7917—and consider other withdrawals that warrant congressional reexamination.

For these reasons, we respectfully urge House leadership to act expeditiously to advance H.J.Res.140 and reaffirm Congress’s constitutional role in overseeing federal land use decisions. Swift passage of this resolution will restore certainty, enable responsible domestic mineral development, and confirm that major land withdrawals with significant economic consequences are subject to congressional disapproval under the CRA.

Signed,

American Committment

American Consumer Institute

American Energy Alliance

Americans for Limited Government

American Policy Center

Americans for Prosperity

The Buckeye Institute

C3 Action

Center for Freedom and Prosperity

Center for a Free Economy

Conservatives for Property Rights

Competitive Enterprise Institute

E&E Legal Foundation

Heartland Impact

Independent Women

Less Government

MacIver Institute

National Taxpayers Union

Pacific Legal Foundation

State Policy Network

Taxpayers Protection Alliance

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Key Vote YES on H.R. 2988

January 15, 2026 by Leave a Comment

The American Energy Alliance supports H.R. 2988, the Protecting Prudent Investment of Retirement Savings Act.

For many years activists and advisory firms have encouraged and sometimes threatened fiduciaries responsible for managing and investing Americans’ retirement savings to engage in so-called ESG investing. This type of investing involves elevating subjective political priorities rather than focusing on economic returns. Most average Americans did not even know that their investment funds and voting rights were being leveraged to pursue political goals. The Biden administration even passed regulations which encouraged playing these political games with people’s retirement savings.

While the rage for ESG has faded in more recent years because of inflation and the obvious market underperformance of ESG-driven investing, the destructive ideology remains a threat to Americans’ retirement savings. This legislation would make clear that the responsibility of retirement fiduciaries is economic returns for their clients, not pursuing the political goals of activists. This will protect from future attempts to hijack the retirements savings of average Americans.

A YES vote on H.R. 2988 is a vote in support of free markets and affordable energy. AEA will include this vote  it in its American Energy Scorecard.

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