Republican governors met in Chalmette, La. on Monday to unveil a plan to unleash American energy and counter what they call the Biden Administration’s unprecedented attacks on America’s energy. At a press conference outside a refinery, as seen in the YouTube video below, Gov. Dunleavy spoke about the harm the Biden Administration has done to Alaska.
Gov. Dunleavy said, “the Republican Party is about people. The other party is about causes. What you’re seeing happen here is social engineering on the people of Alaska, the people of the United States.” He showed reporters a one-page document put together by the office of Sen. Dan Sullivan that lists the more than 63 executive orders against Alaska by the Biden Administration.
While the Biden Administration continues to add more government regulations rather than free market solutions, the Republican governors support innovative energy production to unleash America’s natural resources, safeguard national security, and attain American energy independence. The governors want the Biden’s government to increase energy lease sales both on and offshore and to end his ban on permits for liquid natural gas export facilities.
“If the federal government took its foot off of the neck of American energy, we could absolutely lower the cost of everyday goods to American citizens,” Gov. Jeff Landry said, pointing out the correlation between inflation and the Biden administration’s disastrous energy and environmental policies.
At the press conference, Republican governors revealed a joint letter sent to the Biden Administration that called for immediate action to address the harmful impacts of Biden’s energy policies, which are costing American taxpayers $1.37 trillion and weakening America’s energy security.
In the letter, the governors listed steps the Biden Administration can take immediately to allow free markets to flow, adopt an all-of-the-above homegrown energy plan, and ensure America’s energy independence and security.
“As governors, we are extremely concerned with the impacts your energy policies are having on households across our country and call on you to pursue an all-of-the-above energy approach that will promote homegrown energy that benefits all Americans. Under your administration, Americans have paid over 40% more for gas every time they fill up. These policies are disproportionally impacting low-income Americans,” the letter to the president said.
“Since taking office, your administration has weakened American energy security by reducing the amount of federal acres leased for drilling, canceling the Keystone XL pipeline, and prioritizing foreign energy over American-made energy. Even more recently, your decisions to freeze all new liquified natural gas (LNG) export projects and to ban fossil fuel drilling on nearly half of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska exemplify your willingness to prioritize political whims over the long term capabilities of our natural resources,” the governors argued.
“In addition to increased grocery, gas, and utility expenses for Americans, these actions have empowered rather than countered our adversaries to direct the global energy conversation. Failing to maintain the American energy advantage emboldens China and Russia and creates a national security threat for both Americans and our allies abroad. The inefficient and often unworkable mandates your administration continues to push are hitting Americans where it hurts the most – their pocketbooks. According to recent reports, your most recent rules and regulations in the energy space are part of a larger unchecked rulemaking effort that is projected to cost American taxpayers $1.37 trillion,” the letter said.
The steps the governors want the president to take include:
- End regulatory overreach that unnecessarily restricts domestic energy production, making it
more difficult to build and transport all forms of energy in America (like the Dakota Access
and Keystone XL pipelines), and ultimately drives up costs and threatens national security;
● Increase the number and quality of onshore and offshore lease sales for all forms of
energy production (including petroleum development on the National Petroleum Reserve –
Alaska (NPR-A); where such leasing is consistent with all federal and state laws;
● Expedite approval of federal drilling permits, which can take over a year on federal lands
as opposed to less than two weeks on private lands;
● Remove the pause on LNG exports;
● Stop the EPA’s war on American energy by rolling back initiatives such as the final rules
on methane emissions, particulate matter (PM2.5) standards, the Ozone Transport Rule, and
the Clean Power Plan 2.0, among others;
● Repeal EPA’s Waste Emission Charge (i.e., methane tax) which will drive up energy costs;
● Work with Congress to enact comprehensive permitting reform that is supportive of all forms
of energy and limits bad-faith legal obstructionism;
● Repeal burdensome and unnecessary financial regulations that will drive away capital
from American companies;
● Expand critical mineral mining and processing to counter China; and
● Prioritize innovation over regulation by supporting technology to produce reliable, affordable
American-made energy.
Read the full letter here.
All signatories of the letter include: Governor Mike Dunleavy (AK), Governor Sarah Sanders (AR), Governor Ron DeSantis (FL), Governor Brian Kemp (GA), Governor Brad Little (ID), Governor Eric Holcomb (IN), Governor Jeff Landry (LA), Governor Tate Reeves (MS), Governor Mike Parson (MO), Governor Greg Gianforte (MT), Governor Joe Lombardo (NV), Governor Chris Sununu (NH), Governor Doug Burgum (ND), Governor Kevin Stitt (OK), Governor Kristi Noem (SD), Governor Greg Abbott (TX), Governor Spencer Cox (UT), Governor Glenn Youngkin (VA), Governor Jim Justice (WV), and Governor Mark Gordon (WY).
