Trump’s “Energy Independence” Order: Both Uncertainty And Opportunity

President Trump has issued an executive order to dismantle the Obama administration’s Clean Power Plan.
The “Energy Independence” order lifts a moratorium on federal coal leasing, triggers a review of methane and hydraulic fracturing restrictions, and eliminates use of the Environmental Protection Agency’s “social cost of carbon” in policymaking.
From a climate action perspective, there is widespread agreement that the order is bad news for U.S.
emissions.
Interestingly, 62 percent of Trump voters support taxing and/or regulating pollution causing global warming, and nearly three-quarters think the U.S.
should use more renewable energy in future.