- President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing the National Energy Dominance Council with an aim of accelerating U.S. fossil fuel production. The council has been mandated to streamline regulations and boost private sector investment in energy development.
- The administration also granted conditional approval for a major liquefied natural gas export project in Louisiana.
- Additionally, plans were announced to revive a long-blocked natural gas pipeline from Pennsylvania to New York, which Trump claims could cut energy prices in the Northeast by up as much as 70%.
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President Donald Trump signed an executive order late last week establishing the National Energy Dominance Council. The White House directed this newly formed council to work quickly to accelerate domestic oil and gas production.
“We’re going to be energy dominant like nobody else,” Trump stated during the announcement. “We’re going to make more money than anybody’s ever made with energy.”
What will the National Energy Dominance Council do?
Trump appointed Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to lead the National Energy Dominance Council. The council will oversee federal agencies involved in power regulation, permitting, production, distribution, and transportation.
Trump also mandated the council to streamline bureaucratic processes and encourage private sector investment in energy development.
“President Trump wisely understood that under the Biden administration, there was a war against American energy,” Burgum said. “Today that war officially has ended.”
What else is Trump changing in the energy sector?
In addition to forming the council, the administration announced several other moves aimed at furthering growth in the U.S. fossil fuel sector. The moves include the conditional approval of a large liquefied natural gas (LNG) export project in Louisiana, marking the first LNG export authorization since former President Joe Biden paused consideration of them a year ago.
The approval, granted by Energy Secretary Chris Wright, will allow the company Commonwealth LNG to construct a new facility that is expected to produce 9.5 million tons of liquefied natural gas annually.
While this green light is still subject to a final order by the independent Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Commonwealth LNG has expressed confidence the panel will give them permission to move forward. The company expects to begin production in early 2029.
“Exporting American LNG strengthens the U.S. economy and supports American jobs while bolstering energy security around the world,” Wright said. “I am proud to be working with President Trump to get American energy exports back on track.”
Could Trump’s pro-fossil fuel actions reduce energy prices?
The Trump administration also unveiled plans to revive a previously canceled natural gas pipeline between Pennsylvania and New York. According to Trump, the project, known as the Constitution Pipeline, could significantly lower energy costs in the Northeast by as much as 70%.
“We are also working on a project that has been under wraps for 20 years,” Trump said. “Everybody wanted it. It’s been held up by New York. It’s a pipeline that will bring down energy prices in New York and in all of New England.”
What happens next?
These moves are part of the administration’s broader efforts to expand fossil fuel energy output in the U.S., while rolling back regulatory measures and other policies implemented during the Biden administration.
