President Trump’s Plan to Secure America’s Energy Future
On his first day in office, President Donald Trump made it clear that restoring American energy security is a top priority for his Administration. By declaring a national energy emergency [whitehouse.gov], he set the stage to protect national security, create jobs, and lower fuel costs for all Americans.
Importantly, the order also includes an assessment to identify specific vulnerabilities to our nation’s refining infrastructure. The order points to vulnerabilities in the Northeast, where insufficient refining infrastructure could undermine our security and defense needs.
The emergency declaration is a direct response to years of policies that have weakened domestic energy security and refining capacity, making the U.S. more vulnerable. One such policy is the decades-old ethanol mandate that is part of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS).
The way the RFS is implemented has been a damaging force in that region, contributing to the closure of independent refineries. In fact, in recent years, the RFS has contributed to at least four independent refinery closures across the country, eliminating over 80,000 highquality, family-sustaining jobs for hundreds of thousands of hardworking men and women and increasing fuel prices for all Americans.
Experts have long reported that the RFS increases fuel costs for consumers by 20 to 30 cents per gallon. Maintaining the high-cost implementation of the RFS would contradict President Trump’s campaign promise to decrease energy prices by 50 percent.
The RFS continues to threaten our national security by diminishing America’s refining capacity. Reforming the RFS would strengthen the resilience and capacity of U.S. refining, promoting energy independence and economic stability while also preserving tens of thousands of high-quality union jobs.
America is poised to reclaim its energy dominance. By cutting red tape, restoring America’s independent refining sector, and making commonsense reforms to outdated regulations like the RFS, the Trump Administration can position the U.S. for long-term success.
It will take aggressive action to restore the resilience and strength of our energy infrastructure. The livelihoods of hardworking American families should not be subject to the instability of foreign markets or conflicts.Reinforcing our domestic energy security is a no-brainer. Reforming the RFS is, too.
The benefits are clear: a stronger economy, lower costs for families, and a more secure nation.
