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The Unregulated Podcast #265: Yabber, Yabber, Yabber (3/7/26)

March 9, 2026 by Leave a Comment

On this episode of the Unregulated Podcast, Tom Pyle and Mike McKenna discuss the conflict in Iran and its impact on energy markets.

Links:

Noem Out, Mullin In – Source: Politico

Iran: One Side: Rand Paul – Source: Fox News The Other Side: – Source: The Dispatch

China’s Oil Dilemma – Source: Politico

AI Anxiety: Blackrock Limits Withdrawals – Source: Bloomberg

Senate Permitting Talks Back On – Source: The Hill

Who Actually Wrote the Climate Manual for Federal Judges? – Source: The Honest Broker/Roger Pielke

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AEA Applauds Judgment in Dakota Access Pipeline Case Against Greenpeace

March 3, 2026 by Leave a Comment

WASHINGTON DC (03/03/2026) – Last week, a judge in North Dakota ordered Greenpeace to pay damages totaling $345 million to pipeline company Energy Transfer. This comes after a 2025 North Dakota jury found them liable for conspiracy and trespassing, among other charges, for efforts to sabotage the Dakota Access Pipeline.

American Energy Alliance President Tom Pyle released the following statement:

“This latest judgment against Greenpeace marks a decisive win for America’s ability to deliver energy to consumers. For years, certain activist organizations have engaged in disruptive and, at times, unlawful activities aimed at halting critical infrastructure projects, including pipeline development. These actions have threatened worker safety and community well-being, damaged property and the environment, and impacted all those who depend on affordable, reliable energy.

“Since entering service, the Dakota Access Pipeline has lowered transportation costs and generated roughly $750 million in additional proceeds for public use in North Dakota. It has become a cornerstone of the state’s economy, where innovative oil and natural gas development accounts for nearly one-third of its economic activity.

“This recent judgment underscores the importance of accountability and the rule of law. And while it is an encouraging milestone, our judicial system must stand firm in holding these obstructionists accountable for their unlawful actions, as they inevitably appeal the ruling. Our energy security cannot be treated as a pawn in their dogmatic games.”

Additional Background Resources From AEA:

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The Unregulated Podcast #264: What Is It Going To Get Me This Time? (3/2/26)

March 2, 2026 by Leave a Comment

On this episode of The Unregulated Podcast, Tom Pyle and Mike McKenna discuss the escalating situation in Iran, companies leaving blue states, and Germany ditching its climate targets.

Links:

Iran – Source: Politico

More Companies Leaving Blue States: Public Storage – Source: LA Times

Happy Anniversary, LNG Exports – Source: Forbes

Geothermal, the New Wind and Solar – Source: Euronews

Greenpeace Lawsuit – Source: AP News

SCOTUS Takes Up Boulder Climate Lawfare Case – Source: WSJ Opinion

Germany Starts Ditching Climate Targets – Source: The Guardian

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Grounded: California’s Burgeoning Aviation Fuel Crisis

February 26, 2026 by Leave a Comment

California’s declining oil production and refinery closures, caused by the state’s energy policies, could create an “aviation fuel crisis.” An increasing dependence on imported aviation fuel could threaten national security. Several U.S. military installations, including Travis Air Force Base and Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, rely almost entirely on California refineries for their jet fuel. According to the Energy Information Administration, California ranks first in jet fuel demand among the states. Via AVWeb, California imports approximately one million barrels of oil per day, with about 20% of its jet fuel, gasoline, and diesel coming from India. India has been obtaining about 40% of its oil from Russia, though it is winding down those imports due to additional sanctions on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine and Trump’s 50% tariffs on its goods.

California had more than 40 refineries in 1991, but only eight remain as of October 2025. The lack of refineries and the unique nature of California’s gasoline blend are causes for California’s gasoline prices to be over $1.60 higher than the nation’s average price. According to PennyGem, with the closure of Valero’s refinery in Benicia in the spring of 2026, California will lose 145,000 barrels of gasoline and diesel daily — about 8% of the state’s refining capacity. California’s gasoline prices are expected to increase by 15 cents per gallon, with possible spikes above $7 or $8 per gallon. The loss of 2.2 billion gallons annually affects not only personal vehicles, but also shipping routes, aviation, and emergency services. California Governor Gavin Newsom and the state’s lawmakers are reviewing emergency measures, including infrastructure upgrades and strategic fuel reserves, but admit that such efforts may not avert near-term consequences of the closure stemming from the state’s regulations.

Via PennyGem, California’s unique fuel standards and pipeline limitations mean replacement barrels must come from overseas — primarily Asia and the Middle East — at higher costs and longer transit times. Other U.S. refineries do not make the fuels required by the state, resulting in imports of the refined products in tankers crossing the Pacific. California believes that its onerous regulations and higher resulting petroleum prices would make consumers move more quickly to electric vehicles and solar and wind power. The state’s 27 million licensed drivers, however, still rely heavily on gasoline. While some consumers are switching to electric vehicles, that transition is slower than the closure of the state’s refineries and the availability of domestically produced petroleum products.

Background

California’s oil refiners are confronting mounting regulatory and cost pressures as the state races toward its ambitious climate goals. A suite of new emissions targets, rules on gasoline-vehicle sales, and tougher transparency mandates has reshaped the business landscape — prompting Phillips 66, for example, to announce the closure of its Los Angeles refinery after lawmakers required facilities to keep larger fuel stockpiles to prevent price spikes.

The regulatory squeeze comes as California’s own oil output has been in long-term decline. Production has fallen for most of the past four decades, even as states like Texas and New Mexico have surged ahead. Since taking office, Governor Gavin Newsom has layered on additional restrictions, including measures to phase out fossil fuels from both production and consumption. He has pushed for a ban on the sale of new gasoline-powered cars by 2035 and, in 2022, signed a law prohibiting oil and gas drilling within 3,200 feet of homes, schools, hospitals, and other buildings — despite the fact that many of those structures were built decades after nearby oil operations began.

That same year, state regulators adopted a sweeping climate plan to slash carbon dioxide emissions by 85% below 1990 levels by 2045. The blueprint includes cutting oil and gas consumption to less than one-tenth of today’s levels, a target that further clouds the investment outlook for refineries already weighing whether to upgrade, convert, or shut down.

Newsom has also taken an increasingly confrontational stance toward the industry. In September 2023, his administration filed a lawsuit accusing oil companies of misleading the public about climate change for decades. He later signed legislation enabling the state to pursue refiners for alleged price gouging. Under SB X1-2, the California Energy Commission can set a maximum profit margin for in-state refiners and penalize companies that exceed it. Another bill, AB X2-1, expands reporting and disclosure requirements across the refining sector.

Together, the policies signal a state determined to accelerate its energy transition — even as they raise questions about the future of California’s remaining refining capacity.

Analysis

Refiners cannot survive in California with Governor Newsom’s policies against oil companies and their oil and gasoline production, threatening the state’s aviation fuel supply. These refinery closures are a response to policy actions by California, including a goal of reducing gasoline use to one-tenth its current consumption by 2045. Governor Newsom’s recently proposed Sustainable Aviation Fuel Tax Credit will do little to better the situation. A better approach involves allowing refiners to determine the amount and type of fuel they produce without overburdening regulations or subsidies. As we’ve written previously, “California’s history of progressive legislation favoring renewable energy is a clear example of the risks of government market intervention in determining winners and losers in business. Had renewable energy been required to compete on equal terms with conventional fuels, the free market would have responded accordingly, with either outright rejection or specific feedback on the innovations needed to make the technology viable for consumers.”

*This article was adapted from content originally published by the Institute for Energy Research on November 25, 2025.

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American Natural Gas Is Powering The Future

February 26, 2026 by Leave a Comment

While natural gas is preferred by data centers and manufacturers, the Energy Information Administration (EIA), in its Short-Term Energy Outlook, reports that solar power is expected to supply the largest increase in power generation over the next two years, increasing by about 20% a year in both 2026 and 2027, following the addition of almost 70 gigawatts of new solar capacity. Solar and wind developers are rushing to bring online new capacity before the One Big Beautiful Bill Act phases out the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act’s tax credits for renewables. Under the act, tax credits pay for as much as 30% of the cost of solar installations. Solar also has other challenges, including hefty land requirements, intermittency, and grid integration issues, requiring hard-to-source transmission lines to get power from generation sites to demand centers.

Natural gas, however, is still the major source of generation and the fuel of choice for data centers and manufacturers, supplying around 40% in both 2026 and 2027, according to EIA’s forecasts. Solar is expected to supply less than 10% as it is not as efficient, providing only about a quarter of the energy that natural gas can supply with the same amount of capacity. EIA projects only three gigawatts of new natural gas capacity coming online in 2026 and 2027.

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration

According to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), U.S. utilities installed about 4.5 gigawatts of natural gas capacity in 2025, and the agency is forecasting that 44.9 gigawatts of proposed new capacity, including 22.7 gigawatts of high-probability projects, will come online in the near future. Those figures are more than the 12.7 gigawatts of gas retirements FERC expects through November 2028. Natural gas currently makes up 42% of the installed electric-generating capacity in the United States, with wind making up 11.9% and solar, 12%. As mentioned above, capacity numbers are not comparable, as both wind and solar are less efficient than natural gas, only performing when the wind is blowing and the sun is shining.

Due to the shale drilling boom, U.S. natural gas production continues to reach new records, and the United States is now the world’s largest exporter of liquefied natural gas, but manufacturers still are cut off from natural gas supplies during extreme weather days due to insufficient pipeline capacity because priority goes to residential customers when demand rises. That is also why the Northeast had to rely on oil for 40% of its electricity generation during Arctic storm Fern last month. Due to long-term supply deals guaranteeing space on pipelines, overseas buyers are also not cut off from supplies.

Source: Wall Street Journal

Manufacturing Gas Curtailments

The Wall Street Journal reports that pipelines, curtailed or otherwise, restricted the flow of gas to manufacturers more than 40 times last year. Paul Cicio, chief executive of Industrial Energy Consumers of America, expects it may be worse this year. Some manufacturers had to wind down their operations when high gas prices made their operations unprofitable. On-the-spot gas deliveries at trading hubs in areas hardest hit by Fern soared to some of the highest prices on record.

According to the Journal, Cicio’s organization asked FERC to shorten the length of pipeline supply contracts to a few years, from more than a decade, since very few industries can make a commitment lasting that long. The group also requested that the Energy Department restrict uncontracted LNG shipments during heat waves and winter storms. American manufacturers have a large advantage over global competitors due to cheap natural gas fueled by the shale gas boom, but supply interruptions interfere with that advantage, particularly when they can last up to a week as they did for some manufacturers during winter storm Fern.

Data Center Electricity Demand

Via the World Resources Institute, data centers are being accused of increasing electricity demand and causing electricity prices to escalate. According to Rystad Energy, the United States is expected to have over 100 gigawatts of data center demand coming online between 2024 and 2035, which is about 10 times New York City’s summer peak demand in 2023, when air conditioners were operating at full blast. In comparison, an Electric Power Research Institute paper from 2024 found that electricity demand for data centers could consume anywhere between 4.6% and 9.1% of all U.S. electricity generation by 2030. The difference with the Rystad projection is around 200 terawatt-hours. Most data center use projections through 2030 range from 200 terawatt hours per year to over 1,050 terawatt hours per year, with most being between 300 and 400 terawatt hours. One study, however, found no evidence of national electricity demand growth, but certain regional and utility demands are expected to increase.

Clearly, the amount of demand arising from data centers is still a question mark. But, unlike the technology boom in the 2000s, most forecasters believe there will be an increase, although by how much is unknown.

Analysis

Data centers want reliable power, not power produced from intermittent wind and solar sources. Developers require sources that can power these centers decades into the future and are, therefore, looking to natural gas generation, either from utilities or from dedicated on-site sources.

Moreover, data center demand is not the primary driver of higher electricity rates. For instance, Texas and Virginia have built more data centers than anyone else and their electricity rates are below the national average. As IER’s Alex Stevens and Samuel Peterson explain for the Washington Post, “The machines aren’t the main problem. The red tape strangling the U.S. grid is. Remove it, and America can have both cutting-edge AI and abundant electricity.”

*This article was adapted from content originally published by the Institute for Energy Research.

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Newsom Imports Expensive Gasoline From Bahamas As California Closes Domestic Refineries

February 25, 2026 by Leave a Comment

This story is baffling. Bloomberg reports that California is starting to import gasoline from the Bahamas, while the state sits on enormous oil resources it refuses to develop. Bloomberg reports:

“US supplies of gasoline are being shipped out of the country to travel thousands of miles via the Bahamas before finally ending up in California, a state battling shrinking fuelmaking capacity and high pump prices. Shipments on the circuitous route are increasing. California imported more gasoline in November than ever before, with more than 40% coming from the Bahamas… After Phillips 66 shuttered its Los Angeles refinery in October, gasoline imports climbed in 2025 to the highest level since at least 2016. With Valero Energy Corp. set to close a Northern California refinery this spring, and no fuel pipelines connecting the US Gulf’s oil-producing powerhouse to the West Coast, the nation’s most populous state will likely depend on imports to bridge the gap.”

Only in Governor Newsom’s California does this make sense. The same governor who tried to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered cars by 2035 and has made it nearly impossible to develop new oil fields is now presiding over a state that needs gasoline shipped from the Bahamas because California can’t refine enough of its own fuel.

California Was Once an Oil Giant

With Governor Newsom as governor, it’s easy to forget that California is an oil state. But California was one of the birthplaces of the American oil industry. The state has been producing commercial oil since the 1860s, and by the mid-20th century, it was a cornerstone of the nation’s energy supply. That history is being deliberately erased by Governor Newsom’s war on fossil fuels.

The data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) tells the full story. From 1981 all the way through 2016 — 36 consecutive years — California was the #3 oil-producing state in the country, trailing only Texas and Alaska. But California’s oil production has only fallen since the 1980’s while other states, including Texas, have greatly increased oil production.

A Stunning Collapse: From #3 to #7

What has happened since the 1980s is a policy-driven catastrophe. California’s oil production has almost fallen every single year for nearly four decades, dropping from 1,079 Mbbl/d in 1985 to just 300 Mbbl/d in 2024 — a decline of 70%. The state slipped from #3 to #4 in 2017 when North Dakota overtook it. Then the shale revolution transformed the rankings, and New Mexico, Colorado, and Oklahoma all surpassed California. By 2018, California had fallen to #7, where it remained until last year, when Wyoming also surprised California.

The comparison to Texas is staggering. In 2000, California produced 61% as much oil as Texas. By 2024, California produced only 5% as much, and for the first 11 months of 2025, California only produced 4.5% as much oil as Texas. In the span of just 24 years, California went from a respectable energy producer to a rounding error next to the Lone Star State. Great work, Gavin.

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration

The Shale Revolution California Missed — By Choice

While California sat on its hands, other states seized the energy opportunity of a generation. North Dakota went from a minor oil producer to pumping over 1,194 Mbbl/d in 2024 thanks to the Bakken shale play. New Mexico has become a powerhouse, producing 2,023 Mbbl/d in 2024 from the Permian Basin — nearly seven times California’s output.

California sits atop significant hydrocarbon resources, but California’s regulatory environment — a labyrinth of permitting requirements, environmental reviews, setback mandates, and outright moratoria on new drilling permits — has made development effectively impossible. Governor Newsom’s administration imposed a moratorium on new fracking permits in 2021 and has proposed to phase out all oil extraction in the state by 2045.

The consequence is not a California free of fossil fuels. It is a California that imports the fossil fuels it refuses to produce — from Iraq, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and now even the Bahamas.

The Refinery Death Spiral

California’s production collapse is compounded by a simultaneous refinery crisis. When Phillips 66 shuttered its Los Angeles refinery in October 2024, it removed a critical piece of the state’s fuel supply chain. Valero Energy is set to close its Northern California refinery this year. With no pipelines connecting California to Gulf Coast refineries, the state is increasingly dependent on marine imports and will continue to pay more for gasoline than virtually anyone else in the country.

California’s unique boutique fuel requirements mean that when California refinery capacity goes offline, it cannot easily be replaced by supplies from other U.S. states. The result is a market structure perfectly engineered to produce high prices, supply disruptions, and gasoline imported from Caribbean islands.

Who Pays the Price?

Governor Newsom likes to talk about fighting for working families. But his policies are designed to make life harder for working families. Here are the current highest-priced gasoline states according to Gasbuddy:

Source: Gasbuddy

There is no reason that California, an oil-producing state with several oil refineries, should have higher gasoline prices than Hawaii, thousands of miles from any oil production or substantial oil refineries. But this is the outcome of Newsom’s policies.

The Bottom Line

California was the #3 oil-producing state in America for 36 consecutive years. (It was likely the #3 oil producing state for longer, but the data from EIA only goes back to 1981). Today it is #8 and falling. Its production is down over 75% since 1985. It produces less than 5% as much oil as Texas. Its refineries are closing. And it is importing gasoline from the Bahamas.

This is what it looks like when ideology overrides energy reality. Governor Newsom has made California a case study in how to destroy a state’s energy sector — and make its residents pay more for the privilege. The rest of America should take note.

*This article was adapted from content originally published by the Institute for Energy Research.

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Ahead of the State of the Union, AEA Highlights 300 Actions to Power America

February 24, 2026 by Leave a Comment

WASHINGTON DC (2/24/26) – As President Trump prepares to give his second State of the Union address, a growing body of work underscores the sustained focus he, alongside Congressional Republicans, has had on prioritizing reliable, affordable American energy. This focus has resulted in 300 actions taken, thus far, to unleash America’s energy potential.

American Energy Alliance President Tom Pyle released the following statement:

“As the nation marks another State of the Union, it’s worth recognizing the scale of what has been accomplished. In just a short time, the President, working together with the Republican-led Congress, has advanced 300 distinct actions to strengthen and expand American energy. By using all available directives, legislative, and regulatory tools, these collective measures have streamlined the path for domestic energy development, boosted investor confidence, and strengthened America’s role at the forefront of global energy production.

“The pace of this effort has been remarkable. No administration has moved so quickly to elevate energy as a national priority and follow through with sustained action. Where past policies placed limits on growth, this administration and Congress have focused on restoring momentum and are helping drive the country toward greater energy security, economic strength, and long-term prosperity.”

AEA Experts Available For Interview On This Topic:

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300 Actions the Trump Administration and Congressional Republicans Have Taken to Unleash America’s Energy Potential

February 24, 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. On the eve of President Trump’s State of The Union Address, his administration and congressional allies have taken 300 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 5, 2026

  1. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission amended the operating licenses for Limerick Units 1 and 2, granting approval to replace analog safety-related instrumentation and controls systems with a modern digital system. These amendments enable Constellation to install new I&C equipment as part of Limerick’s digital modernization project. The NRC’s review and approval of the Limerick amendments also paves the way for future digital I&C modernization across the nation’s nuclear power plants. This milestone highlights the NRC’s commitment to the safe adoption of digital technologies in nuclear facilities and supporting innovation and modernization across the operating fleet.

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.
  2. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) is issuing new rules and introducing a new enforcement policy that will lower energy costs and provide relief to American families. Together, these changes will enhance safety and generate over $600 million in annualized cost savings.

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.

January 24, 2026

  1. The U.S. Department of Energy issued an emergency order for the deployment of backup generation resources in order to mitigate blackouts in Texas during Winter Storm Fern. Issued pursuant to Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act, the order authorizes the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) to deploy backup generation resources at data centers and other major facilities.

January 25, 2026

  1. The U.S. Department of Energy issued an emergency order to mitigate blackouts in the Mid-Atlantic during Winter Storm Fern. Issued pursuant to Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act, the order authorizes PJM Interconnection, LLC (PJM) to run specified resources located within the PJM Region, regardless of limits established by environmental permits or state law. The order will help PJM with the extreme temperatures and storm destruction across the Mid-Atlantic and reduce costs for Americans during the winter storm.
  2. The U.S. Department of Energy issued two emergency orders to mitigate blackouts in New England and Texas during Winter Storm Fern. Issued pursuant to Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act, the orders authorize ISO New England Inc. (ISO-NE) and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) to run specified resources located within the ISO-NE region and ERCOT region, regardless of limits established by environmental permits or state law.

January 26, 2026

  1. The U.S. Department of Energy issued an emergency order to mitigate blackouts in North and South Carolina following Winter Storm Fern. Issued pursuant to Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act, the order authorizes Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC and Duke Energy Progress (collectively, Duke Energy) to run specified resources located within the Duke Region, regardless of limits established by environmental permits or state law. The order will help Duke respond to extreme temperatures and storm damage across the Carolinas and reduce costs for Americans due to the winter storm.
  2. The U.S. Department of Energy issued two emergency orders authorizing the deployment of backup generation resources to mitigate blackouts in the Mid-Atlantic and Carolinas following Winter Storm Fern. Issued pursuant to Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act, the orders authorize PJM Interconnection, LLC (PJM) and Duke Energy Carolinas, LLC and Duke Energy Progress (collectively, Duke Energy), respectively, to deploy backup generation resources at data centers and other major facilities.
  3. The U.S. Department of Energy issued an emergency order to mitigate blackouts in New York and the surrounding area following Winter Storm Fern. Issued pursuant to Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act, the order authorizes New York ISO (NYISO) to run specified resources located within the New York region, regardless of limits established by environmental permits or state law. The order will help NYISO respond to extreme temperatures and storm damage across New York and reduce costs for Americans due to the winter storm.

January 27, 2026

  1. The Environmental Protection Agency announced the agency’s final disapproval of California’s Heavy-Duty (HD) Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) Regulation under the Clean Air Act (CAA) to the extent the regulation applies to out-of-state and out-of-country registered vehicles. EPA determined that California’s unprecedented attempt to establish an I/M program in its State Implementation Plan (SIP) for heavy-duty vehicles that pass-through California, regardless of where the vehicle was registered, may violate Federal law.

January 28, 2026

  1. The Environmental Protection Agency proposed phase 1 of its reconsideration of the deeply flawed Biden-era “Good Neighbor Plan.” Under phase 1, the agency is proposing to approve eight states’ State Implementation Plans (SIPs) pertaining to the 2015 eight-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). If finalized, Alabama, Arizona, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, and Tennessee would no longer need to worry about another “Good Neighbor Plan” and could implement the remainder of their SIPs.

January 28, 2026

  1. The Environmental Protection Agency proposed phase 1 of its reconsideration of the deeply flawed Biden-era “Good Neighbor Plan.” Under phase 1, the agency is proposing to approve eight states’ State Implementation Plans (SIPs) pertaining to the 2015 eight-hour ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). If finalized, Alabama, Arizona, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, and Tennessee would no longer need to worry about another “Good Neighbor Plan” and could implement the remainder of their SIPs.

January 29, 2026

  1. The Bureau of Land Management announced a proposed rule to update decades-old oil and gas regulations that limit the practice of commingling, a change aimed at improving efficiency, protecting taxpayers and tribes and strengthening domestic energy production. The proposed rule would modernize guidelines that currently allow commingling only when mineral ownership and royalty conditions are identical. Those limits were written decades ago and no longer reflect current technology or the complex mineral ownership found across much of the western United States.

January 30, 2026

  1. The Bureau of Land Management announced an oil and gas lease sale scheduled for March 31, 2026, to offer 90 oil and gas parcels totaling 52,703 acres in Colorado.
  2. The Bureau of Land Management announced an oil and gas lease sale scheduled for March 31, 2026, to offer 11 oil and gas parcels totaling 19,957 acres in Nevada.
  3. The Bureau of Land Management announced an oil and gas lease sale scheduled for March 31, 2026, to offer 57 oil and gas parcels totaling 68,632 acres in Utah.

February 1, 2026

  1. The U.S. Department of Energy issued seven emergency orders over the weekend to mitigate the risk of blackouts in Florida as exceptionally low temperatures hit the state and are expected to persist through early next week. Pursuant to Section 202(c) of the Federal Power Act, the orders were issued to Homestead Public Services Energy (HPS/Energy), Duke Energy Florida, LLC (Duke), Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC), Florida Municipal Power Agency (FMPA), and the city of Lakeland, Florida on behalf of Lakeland Electric. If these utilities determine that additional generation is necessary to meet electricity demand, the orders authorize them to dispatch units only as needed to maintain reliability.

February 2, 2026

  1. The Environmental Protection Agency advanced American farmers and equipment owners’ lawful right to repair their farm and other nonroad diesel equipment. EPA’s guidance to manufacturers clarifies that the Clean Air Act (CAA) supports, rather than restricts, Americans’ ability to make repairs on their own, and makes clear manufacturers can no longer use the CAA to justify limiting access to repair tools or software. For America’s farmers, timely and affordable repairs are essential to planting, harvesting, and keeping operations running.

February 3, 2026

  1. U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy announced Texas GulfLink, LLC received a license to own, construct, and operate a deepwater port for the export of crude oil from the United States. The license, which is the first to be authorized under President Trump’s Unleashing American Energy Executive Order, is a critical step towards cementing America’s position as a global energy superpower.
  2. The Environmental Protection Agency took another step to further the Trump EPA’s work to address widespread concerns from farmers, truckers, motor coach operators, and other diesel equipment operators regarding Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) system failures. As a follow up to new guidance in August 2025 reversing deratements that were harming farmers and truckers, EPA is pursuing rulemaking opportunities to provide further relief for Americans. To strengthen the agency’s ongoing efforts, EPA is demanding information from major diesel engine manufacturers on critical data from DEF system failures. The data collected will allow EPA to independently evaluate ongoing system failures and help inform next steps the agency takes in 2026 pertaining to DEF.

February 6, 2026

  1. The Environmental Protection Agency announced a final rule extending key compliance deadlines for coal combustion residual management unit (CCRMU) and groundwater monitoring requirements. The action supports grid reliability and unleashes American energy potential while maintaining strong protections for human health and the environment.

February 10, 2026

  1. The Bureau of Land Management announced it will hold a major oil and gas lease sale on March 18, 2026, offering over 600 tracts across approximately 5.5 million acres in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska. This marks the first lease sale for this area under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and is a milestone in unlocking Alaska’s vast energy potential.  The act mandates the BLM to conduct at least five lease sales in the reserve by 2035, each offering no fewer than 4 million acres. This upcoming sale also aligns with Executive Order 14153, Unleashing Alaska’s Extraordinary Resource Potential, reinforcing the President’s comm

February 12, 2026

  1. The Department of the Interior announced the Bureau of Land Management’s Materials Access Program, which reduces the regulatory burden for the American people to access mineral materials such as sand, gravel and stone. The Materials Access Program and the policy change will make it easier and more affordable for the public to obtain common materials used in construction and community development.
  2. The Environmental Protection Agency announced it is saving American taxpayers over $1.3 trillion by eliminating both the Obama-era 2009 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Endangerment Finding and all subsequent federal GHG emission standards for all vehicles and engines of model years 2012 to 2027 and beyond. The action also eliminates all off-cycle credits, including for the almost universally hated start-stop feature. EPA’s historic move restores consumer choice, makes more affordable vehicles available for American families, and decreases the cost of living on all products by lowering the cost of trucks. The final rule (91 Fed. Reg. 7686) explicitly removed or revised the costly GHG-related provisions in these specific parts of the federal code:
  3. 40 CFR Part 85: Mobile source control.
  4. 40 CFR Part 86: New and in-use highway vehicle/engine emissions.
  5. 40 CFR Part 600: Fuel economy and GHG exhaust emissions.
  6. 40 CFR Part 1036: Heavy-duty highway engines.
  7. 40 CFR Part 1037: Heavy-duty highway vehicles.
  8. 40 CFR Part 1039: Nonroad compression-ignition engines.

February 13, 2026

  1. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued a license to TRISO-X, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of X-energy, LLC, authorizing the commercial fabrication of nuclear fuel for advanced reactors known as tristructural isotropic fuel. This license marks the first-ever U.S. approval of a category II fuel fabrication facility.

February 17, 2026

  1. U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright renewed an emergency order to address critical grid reliability issues facing the Midwestern region of the United States. The emergency order directs the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), in coordination with Consumers Energy, to ensure that the J.H. Campbell coal-fired power plant (Campbell Plant) in West Olive, Michigan shall take all steps necessary to remain available to operate and to employ economic dispatch to minimize costs for the American people. The Campbell Plant was originally scheduled to shut down on May 31, 2025 — 15 years before the end of its scheduled design life.

February 18, 2026

  1. The Department of the Interior signed an amendment to its cooperative agreement with the State of West Virginia, giving the state expanded authority to regulate coal mining and reclamation on federal lands within its borders. The change builds on the cooperative framework established under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977. Previously, West Virginia regulated mining involving privately owned coal tied to federal lands. The amendment now extends that authority to include federally owned coal leased by the Bureau of Land Management, creating a more streamlined regulatory process.

February 19, 2026

  1. The Bureau of Land Management announced an oil and gas lease sale scheduled for April 28, 2026, to offer 23 oil and gas parcels totaling 8,993 acres in North Dakota and South Dakota.
  2. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission voted unanimously to streamline its National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review for water power actions that have minimal or no impacts to the environment, to provide greater efficiency and regulatory certainty to regulated industries.
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Timeline Of Destruction: How California Went “Green”

February 23, 2026 by Leave a Comment

Despite being an oil-rich state and ranking third in refining capacity behind Louisiana and Texas, California has surpassed even Hawaii, which imports practically everything, as the state with the highest average cost of a gallon of gas at $4.63 per gallon, and comes in third for the highest cost of electricity rates per kilowatt-hour (kWh) at $32.41 per kWh. Most of California’s problems, including and especially high energy costs, are self-imposed and make the state a prime case study of how misguided, idealistic policy can ruin even the most resource-abundant regions.

1970s, The Beginning

California’s alternative energy push dates back to the 1970s. This decade was wrought with multiple conflicts in the Middle East, including the Yom Kippur War of 1973, the Arab Oil Embargo of 1973-1974, and the Iranian Islamic Revolution of 1979. In particular, the Arab Oil Embargo put significant pressure on American consumers due to America’s heavy reliance on Middle Eastern oil. The supply shortages brought on by the embargo and the accompanying price controls occurred only a few years after the Santa Barbara oil spill of 1969, which, despite the majority of the cleanup being completed in 45 days, had soured public opinion of oil operations in California. This event spurred the beginnings of the environmental movement in California, and the compounded supply shortages caused by the Arab embargo pushed legislators even further toward forcing energy alternatives, leading directly to the creation of the California Energy Commission (CEC).

The Warren-Alquist State Energy Resources and Conservation Act of 1974, signed into law by Governor Ronald Reagan, established the CEC, which began operations in 1975. Born out of the chaos of the oil supply chain challenges, the CEC was tasked with “reducing energy costs, curtailing greenhouse gas emissions, and ensuring a safe, resilient, and reliable supply of energy.” Ironically, the most reliable source of energy, both then and now, in California, is conventional fuels, specifically, the plentiful in-state oil and natural gas reserves, which continue to be politically vilified and sidelined by renewable energy.

The end of the decade saw the implementation of the Public Utilities Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA) of 1978, which has faced both praise and criticism. PURPA is federal legislation that was implemented — once again, out of concern for oil supply chain challenges from foreign sources in the Middle East — to encourage the development of renewable energy, reduce reliance on conventional fuels, and promote energy diversity. Instead of encouraging a solution developed through free-market competition to demonstrate the potential of renewable energy to both surpass and replace conventional fuels fully, the government initiative has turned into decades of subsidization in the form of tax credits and mandatory purchase rates from qualifying facilities (QFs) — defined by law as either a small power producer or cogenerator (their primary energy source must be renewable).

Supporters argue that it helped create the opportunity for developing renewable energy at scale and established and expanded the foundation for energy security. However, because of subsidization, interconnection challenges, and regulatory favoritism, PURPA encouraged rent-seeking rather than profit-seeking. Over time, renewable energy providers are now established enough, through government subsidization, to compete without mandatory purchase obligations. In 2020, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) took a step to address the new market reality and the concerns from utility providers by giving states a greater level of flexibility in how they implement the law, with a particular focus on setting the mandatory purchase rates. These changes, while welcomed by critics of PURPA, led many renewable energy groups to protest, arguing that it would hinder their ability to develop further, highlighting the question of whether or not renewable energy could survive and grow without government subsidies and mandates.

2000s to Today

In 2002, California enacted SB 1078, officially creating the Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), which set an initial requirement that, by 2017, 20% of all retail electricity sales be serviced by renewable energy sources. This legislation was instrumental in laying the groundwork for both the future expansion of the RPS as well as other green mandate initiatives, and inspired similarly disastrous policies in other states leading to higher electricity prices across the country. For example, as part of the renewable energy push, the California Solar Initiative was launched in 2006 as part of SB 1, providing financial subsidies for the installation of solar panels, especially in residential areas. This government manipulation of the market led to a massive increase in solar capacity, but came with a high cost and posed an unfair financial burden to non-solar users who were not able to afford them. Additionally, the following year, Assembly Bill 118, 2007, created the Clean Transportation Program, formerly the Alternative and Renewable Fuel and Vehicle Technology Program, as a means to fund the creation and market introduction of alternative fuels, other than gasoline, and electric vehicles (EVs). Assembly Bill 118 artificially created more support for renewable energy by promoting the electrification of transportation and by directly funding projects such as the California Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Project (CALeVIP), which sought to, but has ultimately failed, to create an interconnected network of EV charging stations to compete directly with the scale of gas stations.

In 2015, California continued its green energy crusade with the passage of Assembly Bill 802, which ultimately allowed utilities to offer monetary incentives for implementing what was argued to be energy efficiency improvements. The general goal was to further the transition to renewables, and its implementation reduced energy demand and enabled a higher proportion of the remaining electricity demand to come from renewables; such a reduction also inevitably reduces economic growth, and was another clear example of government interference and market manipulation. 2015 also saw the passage of SB 350, the Clean Energy and Pollution Reduction Act, which established new renewable energy goals and even more aggressive greenhouse gas reduction targets. SB 350 also increased the RPS requirement to 50% by 2030, and it was later increased to 60% in 2018 with the passage of SB 100, with 2030 still being the target year. However, SB 100 was not just another RPS standard increase; it also required that all of California’s electricity be sourced by carbon-free resources by 2045. The objective of California’s RPS is a classic example of government market intervention and, therefore, manipulation. By requiring a certain percentage of electricity to be sourced from renewables, Sacramento has taken away a significant amount of choice from Californians.

In 2006, during the passage and periodic expansion of RPS, Sacramento passed the California Global Warming Solutions Act, AB 32, which required that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions return to the levels of the 1990s no later than 2020 — this would have been a 15% decrease from the early 2000s levels. AB 32 was a prime example of government market manipulation, given how the legislation gave blatant preferential treatment to companies focused on renewable energy, even though they, too, were and are guilty of carbon emissions. Furthermore, the outcome of this piece of legislation, and those of a similar nature, inevitably resulted in higher costs for utility companies, which were passed down to the consumer in the form of higher prices. For this reason, in 2010, Proposition 23 was introduced in order to suspend the implementation of AB 32 until unemployment in the state was consistently below 5.5% for four quarters. Many of California’s energy policies follow a trend of focusing on lowering GHG, supported by the argument that adopting an entirely renewable energy economy would be the way to achieve the goal of both lowering GHG and fighting climate change. This rhetoric has led to the current self-inflicted energy crisis in California.

Since 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom has supported and signed into law numerous pieces of legislation that have taken the renewable push and forced displacement of conventional fuels even further. In 2020, Newsom signed an executive order that all new vehicle sales in the state were to be zero-carbon emission by 2035. By doing so, Newsom effectively eliminated all market choice for automobiles in California, allowing only EVs based on a flawed understanding of emissions; if EVs were a perfect or superior alternative to internal combustion engines, then the market would respond differently. Furthermore, what was clearly not taken into account in these directives was that California lacks the critical infrastructure and grid capacity to sustain an entirely electric vehicle consumer base.

The only way to expand EV capacity has been through market manipulation and government subsidization, both of which have severely increased the cost of living in California. Fortunately, much of these EV mandates were reversed on June 12th, 2025, when President Trump signed a series of resolutions that ended California’s plans to mandate that all new vehicles in the state sold beginning in 2035 be net-zero, rolled back Sacramento’s low-nitrogen oxide regulations for heavy duty-trucks, and rescinded the 2023 EPA waiver that at the time President Biden supported, allowing for California to enforce even stricter vehicle emissions standards then required.

Conclusion

Since the 1970s, California has incrementally expanded its mandate for renewable energy while ousting conventional fuels through both political rhetoric and unfavorable policies. By doing so, California has manipulated the market to favor renewable energy, causing prices to slowly rise over time to the point where the state now boasts some of the highest electricity and gas prices in the country. California’s history of progressive legislation favoring renewable energy is a clear example of the risks of government market intervention in determining winners and losers in business. Had renewable energy been required to compete on equal terms with conventional fuels, the free market would have responded accordingly, with either outright rejection or specific feedback on the innovations needed to make the technology viable for consumers. Instead, Californians are left with high prices and a lack of true free market choice, which, given the state’s vast resources and potential for increased pipeline infrastructure, could have made oil and gas both more accessible and affordable for consumers. Californians deserve to have more choice in their energy consumption, but unfortunately, it may have to get worse before it gets better.

*This article was adapted from content originally published by the Institute for Energy Research on November 19, 2025.

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The Unregulated Podcast #263: Good Luck Fellas

February 23, 2026 by Leave a Comment

On this episode of The Unregulated Podcast Tom Pyle and Mike McKenna discuss the latest actions of the Mamdani and Trump administrations, check in on the Winter Olympics, run the numbers on blue state refugees, marvel at the latest absurdities out of California and more.

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