Top trade association sends letters calling on big changes in three key departments: ‘Unleash American energy’

FIRST ON FOX: A top national trade organization has sent letters to three departments in the Trump administration advocating for specific policies that the group believes will most effectively achieve President Trump’s goal to “unleash American energy” in the United States. 

The American Exploration & Production Council, a national trade association representing the leading independent oil and natural gas exploration and production companies in the United States, sent letters to the Department of Energy, Department of Interior and Environmental Protection Agency with specific guidelines on how to best jumpstart energy production.

In the letter to the Department of Energy, AXPC made several requests, including that the department “resume timely approval of liquefied natural gas (LNG) export approvals.”

“U.S. LNG plays a critical role in geopolitical stability and supporting global emission reductions — a fact that has been confirmed numerous times over the past decade,” the letter states. “As the world’s largest natural gas producer, the U.S. is well positioned to meet the dual challenge of supplying the world with affordable, clean, and reliable energy all while reducing global emissions. This misguided permitting pause should be lifted immediately, and DOE should ensure that any public interest study uses well-reasoned assumptions.”

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President Donald Trump is expected to enact major reforms aimed at increasing American energy independence (Getty Images)

Other recommendations to DOE included promoting U.S. energy exports, creating fair access to export authorizations and avoiding unnecessary delays, providing greater certainty for critical energy and infrastructure, and enhancing energy reliability with advanced natural gas storage.

“Our recommendations focus on policy priorities and actions within the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and some Department wide that we believe strike this critical balance and directly impact responsible onshore exploration, development, and production of oil and natural gas in the United States,” the letter to the Department of Interior explained. 

“In alignment with the Trump administration’s goal to ‘Unleash American Energy’, including expanding oil and natural gas production on federal lands, these recommendations aim to support responsible American energy production while maintaining crucial environmental protections and fostering economic growth here at home.”

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Recommendations to the DOI include revoking the BLM’s Conservation & Landscape Health Rule and its implementing instructional memorandums, streamlining drilling permits, replacing the recent resources management plan amendments to align with western states’ priorities, and allowing for the commingling of oil and gas production for greater efficiency and environmental protection. 

In the letter to the EPA, AXPC wrote that its recommendations “focus on policy priorities that we believe strike this critical balance and directly impact responsible onshore exploration, development, and production of oil and natural gas in the United States.”

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Some of those recommendations include revising the source performance standards to “improve feasibility for emission controls” and “provide greater allowance for alternative technologies and approaches.”

The letter also calls for reforms to the Clean Water Act and modifications to the Greenhouse Gas reporting rule. 

“America is stronger, the world is safer, and the environment is cleaner when the United States is the world leader in energy production, and that is best achieved with sensible, workable, and durable policies out of Washington,” AXPC CEO Anne Bradbury told Fox News Digital in a statement. 

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 “That’s why America’s oil and natural gas producers look forward to working with the Trump administration’s goal of energy dominance and providing affordable, reliable, and ever-cleaner energy for the American people.”

Trump’s nominees in all three departments have signaled that they intend to implement new policies and guidelines that significantly increase oil and gas production while easing regulations at the same time. 

“When energy production is restricted in America, it doesn’t reduce demand. It just shifts production to countries like Russia and Iran, whose autocratic leaders not only don’t care at all about the environment, but they use their revenues from energy sales to fund wars against us and our allies,” DOI secretary nominee Doug Burgum said in his opening statement at his confirmation hearing. 

“President Trump’s energy dominance vision will end those wars abroad and will make life more affordable for every family in America by driving down inflation. And President Trump will achieve those goals while championing clean air, clean water and protecting our beautiful lands.”