President Trump signs executive order targeting states whose climate policies ‘impede domestic energy production’

U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order April 8 aimed at “securing America’s energy dominance by removing unlawful and burdensome state-level impediments to domestic energy production,” the White House stated.

The order directs the attorney general, Pam Bondi, to “identify and take action against state laws and policies that burden the use of domestic-energy resources and that are unconstitutional, preempted by federal law or otherwise unenforceable.”

According to the order, the attorney general “will prioritize taking action against laws and policies purporting to address ‘climate-change’ policies, or involving ‘environmental, social and governance’ initiatives, ‘environmental justice,’ carbon or ‘greenhouse-gas’ emissions, and funds to collect carbon penalties or carbon taxes.”

The attorney general will submit a report to the president detailing actions taken and additional recommendations to “protect American energy pursuant to the order in 60 days.”

The White House said, “President Trump believes that an affordable and reliable domestic energy supply is vital to America’s national security, economic prosperity and foreign policy. When states purport to regulate energy beyond their constitutional or statutory authorities, American energy suffers.”

Three specific states were called out by the White House.

“States like New York and Vermont have imposed retroactive ‘climate-change’ extortion laws on energy producers for those producers’ alleged past contributions to greenhouse-gas emissions, while California enforces restrictive carbon caps that punish businesses,” the White House said in a statement. “These state policies raise energy prices, disrupt supply reliability and degrade quality of life for families nationwide. Affordable energy is essential for heating homes, fueling vehicles and powering industries, all of which are jeopardized by ideologically driven state laws.”

The order itself, which can be viewed here, mentioned “biofuel” in the first sentence.

“My administration is committed to unleashing American energy, especially through the removal of all illegitimate impediments to the identification, development, siting, production, investment in or use of domestic energy resources—particularly oil, natural gas, coal, hydropower, geothermal, biofuel, critical mineral, and nuclear-energy resources,” the first sentence of the executive order states. 

California Gov. Gavin Newsom called the executive order a “glorified press release.”

In a statement, Newsom said, “This is the world the Trump administration wants your kids to live in. California’s efforts to cut harmful pollution won’t be derailed by a glorified press release masquerading as an executive order.”

Biobased Diesel Daily® has reached out to biofuel organizations with interests in California—where the Low Carbon Fuel Standard has been a magnet for domestic and international biofuels—in addition to other states that have similar policies.

“Clean Fuels Alliance America is currently evaluating President Trump's executive order on ‘Protecting American Energy from State Overreach,’ in collaboration with our members,” said Jeff Earl, the director of state governmental affairs for Clean Fuels, in a statement he provided Biobased Diesel Daily®. “States have taken a leading role with programs—such as low-carbon fuel standards and other renewable fuel programs—which have played a key role in growing the clean-fuels industry and expanding domestic-made energy demand. Today, biomass-based diesel supplies over 9 percent of the nation’s diesel demand, helping to lower fuel costs for fleet operators and consumers alike. While these policies have created important markets, more can be done to ensure renewable fuels continue to have opportunities to contribute to clean, reliable and domestic energy solutions. Clean Fuels is willing to work with all partners—federal, state and the private sector—that prioritize domestically produced renewable fuels. We remain committed to supporting policies at both the state and federal levels that drive growth and innovation in American-made energy.”

Check back soon for updates as comments from additional organizations come in.