By Nicola Groom
(Reuters) -The U.S. oil and gas industry on Tuesday called on President-elect Donald Trump to scrap many of President Joe Biden’s policies to combat climate change, saying the measures threaten jobs, consumer choice and energy security.
The American Petroleum Institute (API), the nation’s top oil and gas trade group, has urged the incoming Trump administration to eliminate vehicle emissions standards intended to encourage the auto industry produce more electric vehicles, lift a pause on export licenses for liquid fuel making facilities. working with Congress to repeal a fee on methane emissions from drilling operations, among a range of other actions.
The group announced the requests in a policy document shared with the media.
During his campaign, Trump promised to roll back dozens of environmental regulations and policies seen as burdensome by oil and gas drillers. Despite stricter regulations under Biden, who has sought to transition the U.S. economy to clean energy sources, the domestic industry is producing more oil and gas than at any time in history.
“If you look at the results of last week’s election, it’s clear that energy was voted on,” API CEO Mike Sommers said on a call with reporters. “Whether it’s EV mandates in Michigan or fracking in Pennsylvania, voters across the country and on both sides of the aisle have sent a clear message to policymakers that they want a comprehensive approach to energy, not government mandates and – limits. .”
API sought to revoke California’s ability to set state tailpipe emissions stricter than federal rules, and to repeal the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s clean vehicle rules. It also called for supporting LNG exports, holding more auctions for oil and gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and rolling back rules that the group says limit oil and gas development on federal lands. It wants Trump to make it easier to obtain drilling permits through changes to the Clean Water Act and the National Environmental Policy Act, and to introduce tax incentives for infrastructure and foreign investment.
The group unveiled its policy priorities hours after ExxonMobil (NYSE:) CEO Darren Woods said at the United Nations COP29 climate summit that the US should not leave the Paris climate treaty as Trump has promised.
“A second U.S. departure from the Paris Climate Agreement will have profound implications for the United States’ efforts to reduce its own emissions and for international efforts to combat climate change,” ExxonMobil said in a statement.
The company also advocated staying in the agreement in 2017, before Trump withdrew the nation from the landmark global agreement to combat climate change. Exxon also supported Biden’s decision to rejoin the deal in 2021.
When API’s Sommers was asked about Woods’ comments, he said his group was focused on reducing emissions as well as meeting the world’s energy needs.
“We will continue to do that regardless of whether the United States is part of the agreement or not,” Sommers said.
