Trump establishes National Energy Dominance Council

The National Energy Dominance Council was created through executive order on February 14. It is chaired by Interior Secretary Doug Bergum and vice-chaired by Energy Secretary Chris Wright. The council is tasked with bringing to President Trump within 100 days a plan with both recommendations and action items.

The plan should “raise awareness on a national level of matters related to energy dominance, such as the urgency of reliable energy,” the executive order states. “We must expand all forms of reliable and affordable energy production to drive down inflation, grow our economy, create good-paying jobs, reestablish American leadership in manufacturing, lead the world in artificial intelligence, and restore peace through strength.”

A closer look: The council will advise Trump on strategies to improve the processes surrounding energy industries, including permitting, production, generation, distribution, regulation, and transportation. It is also tasked with cutting red tape, growing private sector investments, and advancing innovation.

Guthrie

Reactions: “Energy security is national security,” said U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie (R., Ky.), chair of the committee on Energy and Commerce, in a statement. “By utilizing our domestic energy resources to create baseload power, we can lower prices, secure our grid, and provide the energy needed to grow manufacturing, heat our homes, and fill our gas tanks.”

Jay Timmons, chief executive and president of the National Association of Manufacturers, said in a statement, “This was a significant move that will bolster our energy sector, strengthen our position in the global market, and ensure manufacturers in America have the energy resources they need to power economic growth here at home.”

“The federal permitting system is broken—delaying projects that would create jobs, secure supply chains and reinforce America’s competitive edge,” he added.