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Shortly after President Trump’s inauguration, the Interior Department asked industry stakeholders to identify policies that “burden the development or use of domestically produced energy resources,” particularly oil, gas, and coal. In October 2017, the agency previewed its deregulatory agenda by releasing an “Energy Burdens Report,” essentially a hit list of policies compiled from input by extractive industries. Exactly two years after releasing its deregulatory roadmap, an analysis by the Center for Western Priorities finds the Interior Department has taken action on 43 of 49 recommendations, completing 33.
The policy changes include eliminating rules to capture methane waste from public lands drilling, weakening protections for endangered wildlife, and watering down safety rules for offshore drilling. After completing nearly everything on their deregulatory agenda, the only question is "what’s left to destroy?"
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This is handing out public money to special interests that don’t need them, don’t deserve them and aren’t paying their fair share. Our laws and standards need to reflect the fact that public resources are there for the benefit of the public.”
