by Katy Grimes, E&E Legal Senior Media Fellow and California Globe Editor
As Appearing in the California Globe
Trump is committed to unleashing American energy through the removal of all illegitimate impediments to energy production
President Donald Trump has issued an executive order that targets California’s climate change laws and policies, specifically naming California’s sketchy Cap and Trade program, which ostensibly facilitates greenhouse gas emission reductions.
Trump is promoting “all of the above” energy policy, including nuclear power.
From Trump’s executive order “PROTECTING AMERICAN ENERGY FROM STATE OVERREACH:”
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.
Trump’s order singles out California’s cap and trade program, run by the equally sketchy California Air Resources Board:
California, for example, punishes carbon use by adopting impossible caps on the amount of carbon businesses may use, all but forcing businesses to pay large sums to “trade” carbon credits to meet California’s radical requirements. Some States delay review of permit applications to produce energy, creating de facto barriers to entry in the energy market. States have also sued energy companies for supposed “climate change” harm under nuisance or other tort regimes that could result in crippling damages.
