US oil industry calls on Trump to abandon Biden's climate policies
The U.S. Oil and Gas Industry on Tuesday called for President-elect Donald Trump's revocation of many policies implemented by President Joe Biden to combat climate change. They said the measures threatened jobs, consumer choices and energy security.
The American Petroleum Institute, the nation's largest oil and gas trade association, has urged the incoming Trump administration to remove vehicle emission standards designed to encourage the auto industry to make more electric vehicles. It also urged Trump to lift the pause on liquefied gas export permits and work with Congress on repealing a fee for methane emissions during drilling operations.
The group revealed the requests in an official document that was shared with media.
During his election campaign, Trump promised to reverse dozens environmental rules and policies that oil and gas drillers considered burdensome. Biden has imposed stricter regulations to help transition the U.S. to cleaner energy sources. However, domestic oil and gas production is higher than ever before.
API CEO Mike Sommers told reporters that the election results showed energy to be a major issue. "Whether it was EV mandats in Michigan or fracking, voters on both sides of aisle sent a strong message to policymakers about their desire for an all-of the-above energy approach, and not government mandates and limitations."
API wanted to remove California's authority to set state emissions standards that were stricter than the federal regulations and repeal rules of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on clean vehicles. The group also urged for LNG exports and more oil and natural gas drilling auctions in the Gulf of Mexico. The group wants Trump to ease the process of obtaining drilling permits by amending the Clean Water Act and National Environmental Policy Act. It also wants to implement tax incentives for infrastructure and foreign investment.
The group announced its policy priorities just hours after ExxonMobil's CEO Darren Woods told the United Nations COP29 Climate Summit that the U.S. shouldn't leave the Paris Climate Agreement as Trump had promised to do.
ExxonMobil released a statement saying that a second U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement would have "profound implications" for the United States efforts to reduce emissions as well as for international efforts against climate change.
Exxon also advocated staying in the agreement in 2017, before Trump pulled the United States out of the landmark global accord to combat climate change. Exxon supported Biden's decision in 2021 to rejoin the accord.
When asked about Woods comments, API's Sommers said that his group is focused on both reducing emission and meeting the global energy needs.
Sommers stated that "we're going continue to do this regardless of whether or not the United States are part of the accord." (Reporting and editing by Nichola Gregorio; reporting by Nichola Gregorio).
(source: Reuters)
