by Greg Walcher, E&E Legal Senior Policy Fellow
The Daily Sentinel
All my adult life, presidents have talked about energy independence. Nixon, Ford, Carter, Regan — even presidents like Biden and Obama, who did everything they could to stop domestic energy production. But on both sides, changing policies is said to be as difficult as turning an aircraft carrier.
Actually, turning an aircraft carrier is far easier than turning around decades of environmental laws and bureaucratic processes that hinder energy production. A modern aircraft carrier is over 1,000 feet long, weighs 100,000 tons, carries 5,000 people, and 75 airplanes. The four propellers are 25 feet in diameter and weigh 30 tons each, yet the ship can turn around in less than five minutes. But first, someone has to give the command. Someone has to pull the lever.
Changing energy policy is the same. The structure is huge, complicated, and many people are involved. But someone has to start it. The “One Big Beautiful Bill” signed into law on July 4 is the start. Besides broad tax relief, the bill began a dramatic shift toward securing an independent energy future, as promised during the presidential campaign. Notably, the bill prioritizes fossil fuel development while shifting away from the prior administration’s sole focus on “green energy,” replacing that with energy independence as the primary goal.
New energy provisions included reducing tax credits for wind and solar energy, eliminating subsidies for electric vehicles (which are no longer mandated), expanding oil and gas development on public lands and offshore, loosening regulatory burdens, and maintaining federal support for nuclear power.
