Donald Trump is preparing to declare a national emergency as part of his plan to boost energy production as soon as he takes office. Trump’s move comes amid a push to reverse President Joe Biden’s policies to combat climate change and liberalize domestic energy production. These regulations, which are expected to take effect a few hours after the inauguration, will allow new oil and gas development projects on federal lands.
Trump’s energy policies are an extension of his campaign promises. Trump announced that he would declare a national emergency to meet growing energy demand and increase energy production. In his words, “We need twice as much energy as we already have, and eventually we will have more than that.”
The emergency declaration gives the president up to 150 special powers. These powers are normally used to deal with unforeseen events such as natural disasters and terrorist attacks. Trump plans to use these powers to build more power plants and support fossil fuel production. But it is not yet clear whether this initiative will succeed. During his first presidential term, he tried to use similar powers to prevent the closure of coal and nuclear power plants, but without success.
Trump also aims to increase energy production capacity by invoking Cold War-era laws. These include the Defense Production Act, which was used by President Harry Truman to boost steel production and later implemented by Biden to promote renewable energy technologies.
Trump’s policies represent a sharp departure from Biden-era efforts to combat climate change. The Biden administration pursued policies focused on reducing the use of fossil fuels and increasing investments in renewable energy. Trump, however, plans to reshape the US energy sector by invoking emergency powers for power plants, artificial intelligence facilities and other major projects.
While these policies have been harshly criticized by environmentalists, they are expected to lead to radical changes in the energy sector. These steps could redraw the framework of energy and environmental policies in Washington.