The Trump administration said it would accelerate approvals for permits for mining, drilling and fossil fuel production and transport on public lands, and would quickly follow a review process that would normally take years.
When announcing the emergency proceedings on Wednesday, the Home Office, which oversees the management of federal land and natural resources, said the permitting process would take “at most 28 days.”
The agency said the move corresponds to President Trump’s January 20th declaration. National Energy Emergency. In its executive order on the first day of its second term, the White House said it would “eliminate harmful and forced “climate” policies that increase the costs of food and fuel.”
The rapid permit policy opens the door for the US to expand its oil and gas projects and for Trump to succeed in his “drill, babe, drill” promise. The new guidelines apply to a wide range of energy projects, including crude oil, natural gas and coal.
According to the International Energy Agency, the United States is the world’s leading producer of oil and gas, earning 20 million barrels of oil a day, accounting for about a quarter of the world’s gas production.
The DOI said it would use emergency authorities under the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Species Act and the National Historical Preservation Act to facilitate the permitting process.
“The United States cannot afford to wait,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgham said in a statement Wednesday. “President Trump has made it clear that our energy security is national security. These emergency procedures reflect an unwavering commitment to protecting both.”
Experts say a lawsuit will come
Environmental advocates replied for the announcement, in addition to the negative environmental impacts on public lands and water sources, prompt procedures remove the ability to place emphasis on projects taking place in their backyards. Experts say the move is expected to bring out legal challenges.
“What they propose to do is basically abandon environmental reviews, public participation, or anything meaningful,” said Michael Berger, executive director of the Savin Climate Change Law Center at Columbia University. “The meaning is extreme.”
The environmental review process has evolved over time and dates back decades. The Endangered Species Act, one of the three statues targeted by DOI, was signed into law in 1973 by President Richard Nixon. Section 7 of the Act requires that the continued presence of federal protected species be consulted, “their activities will not risk their continued existence,” according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services.
The Oil and Gas Industry Win
Wednesday’s announcement was the victory of the American Petroleum Institute, the largest lobbying group in the oil and gas industry, supporting Trump’s energy agenda.
“Our national permit system is broken, and reforms are essential to ensuring access to affordable and reliable energy,” said Holly Hopkins, vice president of Upstream Policy in the American Petroleum Institute, in an email to CBS Money Watch.
Former officials from several different federal agencies who served under Trump’s previous term and under the Biden administration told CBS News on the background that looming workforce cuts could throw wrenches into plans to speed up the permitting process. They added that breaking long-standing practices could lead to major slip-ups such as oil spills.
According to its website, the interior department employs approximately 70,000 staff. However, the cut may be on the horizon. Internal White House documents obtained by the Washington Post showed that one in four department employees could let go as part of a series of staff across agencies.
“How can you achieve so many things with so many people?” said Burger at the Sabine Center in Columbia. “The only outcome is that there is less and less monitoring.”
Athan Manuel, director of Sierra Club’s Lands Protection Program, added that sabotaging federal agencies could hamper the Trump administration’s purpose.
“They don’t seem to understand that these employees operate a range of things ranging from wildlife biologists to firefighters to those who allow oil and gas drilling to allow mines on federal land,” he said. “If it’s going to be a wholesale cut staff, some of the things they care about will get caught up in it.”
The Home Office did not respond to a request for comment on how layoffs affect their ability to issue permits on stricter timetables.
According to new procedural guidelines issued by the agency this week, businesses seeking permission should confirm in writing that they want projects that are subject to a rapid process. This means that not everyone will always opt in.
“Companies are extremely cautious before sinking into multi-million dollar wells and mining projects,” he said. “So I think they’ll benefit from going slowly.
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