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America First Energy Plan[edit]
Trump unveiled what he calls the America First Energy Plan soon after his inauguration. His administration claims that "America has been held back by burdensome regulations on [its] energy industry".[1] America currently has 264 billion barrels of oil reserves, the largest oil reserve of any nation.[2] The United States also has a vast amount of coal reserves, amounting to 26% of the world’s total, more than any other nation.[3] Its untapped oil and coal resources are estimated to be worth about $50 trillion according to the Trump administration.[1] The White House estimates deregulation will increase wages by over $30 billion by 2024.[1] This figure specifically refers to the removal of Obama's Climate Action Plan and was drawn from a study from the Institute for Energy Research, a conservative non-profit organization specializing in research of global energy markets; the report based that figure on increased oil drilling on federal land and offshore, not on reduction of regulations.[4] However, reports from the Natural Resources Defense Council show that coal consumption in the US has steadily declined by about 20% over the last 10 years with natural gas and renewable energy quickly taking over.[5] Christina Simeone, director of policy and external affairs with the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania, says that strict regulations aren’t the only reason for the faltering coal market, natural gas has now become a cheaper option.[4]
Trump wants America to achieve energy independence from the OPEC and all nations hostile to the interests of the United States to ensure national security, and insulate it from any supply disruptions and price fluctuations from the global oil market.[6] However, Fossil fuels are finite, and entities such as the Pentagon claim climate change also poses a threat to national security.[7] The NRDC argues that a more reliable long term solution would be to develop more of a reliance on renewable energy rather than maintaining a reliance on fossil fuels.[5]
Currently, the EPA focuses on a range of topics including air, emergency management, land and cleanup, pesticides, toxic substances, waste, and water.[8] Trump will refocus its efforts to solely protect clean air and clean water.[1] This has resulted in a 31% proposed budget cut to the EPA.[9] Environmentalists, current EPA staff members, and former EPA staff members believe that the EPA will have a harder time upholding environmental standards with a smaller budget.[9][10]
- ^ a b c d "An America First Energy Plan". WhiteHouse.gov. January 19, 2017. Retrieved March 17, 2017.
- ^ Egan, Matt (5 July 2016). "U.S. has more untapped oil than Saudi Arabia or Russia". CNNMoney. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
- ^ "How Much Coal Is Left". www.eia.gov. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
- ^ a b Brady, Jeff (February 7, 2017). "'America First' Energy Plan Challenges Free Market Realities". NPR. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
- ^ a b Remick, Pat; Tonachel, Luke; Steinberger, Kevin; Urbanek, Lauren. "ACCELERATING INTO A CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE" (PDF). NRDC. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
- ^ "Linking Energy and U.S. National Security". Strauss Center. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
- ^ DAVENPORT, CORAL (October 13, 2014). "Pentagon Signals Security Risks of Climate Change". New York Times. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
- ^ "Regulatory Information By Topic". Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
- ^ a b Eilperin, Juliet; Dennis, Brady (March 1, 2017). "White House eyes plan to cut EPA staff by one-fifth, eliminating key programs". Washington Post. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
- ^ Dlouhy, Jennifer A (February 27, 2017). "Trump's EPA Budget Cuts May Unleash a Backlash as Risks Remain". Bloomberg. Retrieved 24 April 2017.