Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Protects American Energy from State Overreach

PROTECTING AMERICAN ENERGY FROM STATE INTERFERENCE: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order aimed at securing America’s energy dominance by removing unlawful and burdensome state-level impediments to domestic energy production.

• The Order directs the Attorney General 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.
• 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.

STRENGTHENING NATIONAL AND ECONOMIC SECURITY THROUGH ENERGY: 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• By removing unconstitutional state impediments to American energy production, the United States can secure a prosperous future for all Americans.

STOPPING STATE OVERREACH: President Trump is committed to halting efforts by individual states to impose their regulatory preferences on the entire nation, defending federalism, and safeguarding Americans from overreaching, ideologically driven state policies. 

• He signed an Executive Order overriding disastrous California policies in order to fight and prevent massive wildfires in southern California.
• He signed an Executive Order threatening to revoke federal funding from “sanctuary” states and cities that refuse to comply with federal immigration law.
• His administration is working to block efforts by California to set its own vehicle emissions standards that would have forced automakers across the country to comply with the state’s extreme environmental rules.