After a month of Trump’s pro-oil and gas moves, Dems target his energy emergency | AP News
In a sweeping new law, President Donald Trump has made it official: the U.S. is doubling down on fossil fuels and pulling back from renewable energy. His signature domestic policy, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, gives the oil, gas, and coal industries nearly everything they’ve asked for — while winding down major federal support for solar and wind power.
What the Law Does:
The bill passed narrowly in the Senate earlier this week and cleared the House just before the White House’s deadline. It reflects Trump’s long-standing stance against renewable energy. In a recent interview, he criticized wind turbines and solar farms, calling them “ugly” and bad for the landscape.
Instead, the law shifts focus to oil, gas, coal, and nuclear power as the primary sources to meet America’s energy needs.
Big Wins for Fossil Fuels:
Here’s how the oil and gas industry comes out ahead:
- New Drilling Opportunities: The law reopens federal lands and waters for drilling. It requires 30 lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico over the next 15 years, plus more than 30 lease sales annually across nine U.S. states — even expanding access in Alaska.
- Lower Costs for Oil Producers: Companies will now pay lower royalties to the government for drilling on public land, making it cheaper to pump more oil and gas.
- Boost for Carbon Capture Oil Production: The bill expands tax breaks for using captured carbon emissions to pump more oil — turning a clean energy credit into a tool for more fossil fuel output.
- Support for Hydrogen Projects: The hydrogen fuel tax credit will now last through 2028, giving companies like Chevron and Exxon more time to invest in this emerging fuel.
- Coal Industry Perks: Coal producers get access to 4 million more acres of federal land for mining. They also benefit from royalty cuts and tax credits for mining coal used in steelmaking.
Solar and Wind Lose Major Support:
The biggest losers in the bill are the renewable energy sectors:
- Tax Credit Phaseouts: Federal tax credits that helped solar and wind power grow rapidly will start to phase out after 2027. These credits, in place since 1992 (wind) and 2005 (solar), were extended through 2032 under the Inflation Reduction Act — but Trump’s law reverses that.
- Made-in-USA Incentives Slashed: A related tax credit for using U.S.-made solar and wind components will also disappear for projects launched after 2027, unless they start construction within a year of the law being signed.
Leaders in the clean energy sector say the changes could slow down investment, lead to factory closures, and hurt U.S. efforts to reduce reliance on foreign-made parts, especially from China.
“This undermines the foundation of America’s clean energy comeback,” said Abigail Ross Hopper, CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association.
Final Thoughts:
Trump’s new energy law marks a major shift in U.S. policy. It heavily favors traditional energy industries and cuts back federal backing for renewables. While the fossil fuel industry celebrates, experts warn the bill could stall America’s progress on clean energy and climate goals.
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