Pres. Donald Trump’s Energy Plan And 4 Critical Issues To Watch In 2017
Majority of President Donald Trump’s cabinet members allegedly doubt or reject established climate science. As a result, the priorities of Trump’s transition team include rolling back eight years of the previous administration climate regulations and restrictions on coal, oil and, gas development.
The Trump administration’s energy plan includes gas and coal development and unrestrained oil usage and production. This is a very stark contrast to former President Barack Obama administration’s climate agenda where renewable energy is being developed.
As such, here are the four developments in energy policy to keep an eye on in 2017, as reported by Climate Central.
The Fall of the Coal Leasing Moratorium
In order for energy to dig for oil, they need to lease those minerals, obtain permit and set up the operations after an environmental review is conducted and all the regulations are met. Trump’s plan, however, is to make the process easier for energy companies to extract fossil fuels from public lands.
The fall of the Coal Leasing Moratorium which Obama had placed in early 2016 might also be the start of Trump’s energy plan into the path of reigniting the declining coal industry. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and others are supporting this plan.
Repealing the Clean Power Plan
The Clean Power Plan would limit carbon emissions power plants uses coals. This plan aims to reduce U.S greenhouse gas emissions. Trump’s plan is to pull U.S out of the Paris Pact has installed Myron Ebell as leader of the U.S environmental Protection Agency for the transition team.
Trump’s Plans for Renewables
Trump has said little about how his administration might change how the government would work on wind and solar development but Interior Secretary Nominee has said that wind and solar energy as well as fossil fuels shall be developed.
“I don’t think we can necessarily draw the conclusion that Trump himself is opposed to offshore wind,” Center for Carbon-Free Power Integration director Jeremy Firestone said, as per Sun Times. “The Aberdeen Bay Wind project in Scotland that he opposed is to be only 3 km (1.8 miles) from shore and thus not replicated in the U.S.”
How States Respond
States will likely follow the path to renewable energy. States are making progress separately when it comes to the fight against climate change. 29 states, which are led by New York and California, have their own renewables and gas emission standards. Some states like California have approved measures to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
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