AmericasEnvironmentOffshoreRegulatory

Trump signs executive order ditching many clean air requirements on energy sector

As promised a day previously, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday unveiled an energy policy executive order that rolls back much of the clean air regulations of the Barack Obama administration.

But it may have only a minimal impact on the offshore oil and gas industries with the most obvious effect being that the order undoes rules restricting methane emissions from the production process.

However those restrictions were already being undone through court cases and actions still going through the US Congress.

Industry trade association the American Petroleum Institute (API) praised the president’s order, saying it would advance a US energy renaissance.

The main focus of the order is on unburdening the coal industry and power plants from regulations intended to reduce greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming.

President Trump and many in the Republican Party he leads are climate change sceptics who say the regulations are job killers.

Donal Scully

With 28 years experience writing and editing for newspapers in the UK and Hong Kong, Donal is now based in California from where he covers the Americas for Splash as well as ensuring the site is loaded through the Western Hemisphere timezone.
Back to top button