In the name of job creation, the Trump Administration is attempting to single-handedly bring back the coal industry via executive action. But while the president may be scoring political points in coal country, as a practical matter that’s really not where energy sector job growth will come from in the next few years.
Nevertheless, the past several months have seen a resurgence of the long dormant coal industry. Hampered by a number of factors
A memorandum issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s acting chief financial officer proposes program cuts to accommodate the Trump Administration’s proposed 31% budget reduction for FY 2018. The memo states that this resource level will require evaluating EPA’s priorities and “thinking differently about the best ways to accomplish [its] core statutory responsibilities.”
The proposed cuts make it clear that regulation of climate change or carbon pollution is no longer
During his confirmation hearing to become Secretary of Energy, former Texas Governor Rick Perry sensibly walked back his 2011 recommendation that the Department of Energy (DOE) be eliminated. After a few weeks on the job, it is now apparent that the secretary not only thinks the DOE should continue to exist but recognizes it’s an essential element of our national security.
President Trump’s inaugural address called for an “America First Energy Plan.” Although admittedly short on details, the Trump plan seems to
I’m Adam Sachs, a partner in Husch Blackwell’s energy practice and a registered DC lobbyist. I will be joined in these semi-regular blog posts by my colleague and longtime Washington lawyer, Bob Horn. Bob served in the Ford administration, ran Detroit Edison’s federal affairs operations, co-founded the Republican National Lawyers Association, and most recently served as a member of the Trump transition team. I have extensive Capitol Hill experience, having served in senior policy and legal positions since the mid-1980’s. My most recent Hill gig was serving as committee counsel to now assistant Democratic leader James Clyburn of South Carolina.
On January 20, 2017, President Trump’s Chief of Staff, Reince Priebus, issued a memorandum to the heads of executive departments and agencies implementing a “regulatory freeze” on new regulations. The memorandum requires departments and agencies to: