Executive Order 14154

Unleashing American Energy

Signed January 20, 2025, printed at 90 FR 8353. 9 sections of substance, 3,572 words.

In plain English

This order tells agencies to strip out rules that slow oil, gas and coal. It says the country should use its own fuel.

Sec. 1. Background

America is blessed with an abundance of energy and natural resources that have historically powered our Nation's economic prosperity. In recent years, burdensome and ideologically motivated regulations have impeded the development of these resources, limited the generation of reliable and affordable electricity, reduced job creation, and inflicted high energy costs upon our citizens. These high energy costs devastate American consumers by driving up the cost of transportation, heating, utilities, farming, and manufacturing, while weakening our national security. It is thus in the national interest to unleash America's affordable and reliable energy and natural resources. This will restore American prosperity-- including for those men and women who have been forgotten by our economy in recent years. It will also rebuild our Nation's economic and military security, which will deliver

In plain English

This sets out the case the order makes. It says the country is rich in fuel. It says rules have held that back. It says power has grown costly and less sure. It ties high bills to travel, heat and farming. It says that also weakens safety. It says people left behind would gain most.

Sec. 2. Policy

It is the policy of the United States: (a) to encourage energy exploration and production on Federal lands and waters, including on the Outer Continental Shelf, in order to meet the needs of our citizens and solidify the United States as a global energy leader long into the future; (b) to establish our position as the leading producer and processor of non-fuel minerals, including rare earth minerals, which will create jobs and prosperity at home, strengthen supply chains for the United States and its allies, and reduce the global influence of malign and adversarial states; (c) to protect the United States's economic and national security and military preparedness by ensuring that an abundant supply of reliable energy is readily accessible in every State and territory of the Nation; (d) to ensure that all regulatory requirements related to energy are grounded in clearly applicable law;

In plain English

This states the energy policy. Drilling on federal land and water is to grow. That includes the sea floor off the coast. The country is also to lead in mining. Rare earths are named in that aim. Every state must have steady power. Rules on energy must rest on clear law.

Sec. 3.

Immediate Review of All Agency Actions that Potentially Burden the Development of Domestic Energy Resources. (a) The heads of all agencies shall review all existing regulations, orders, guidance documents, policies, settlements, consent orders, and any other agency actions (collectively, agency actions) to identify those agency actions that impose an undue burden on the identification, development, or use of domestic energy resources--with particular attention to oil, natural gas, coal, hydropower, biofuels, critical mineral, and nuclear energy resources--or that are otherwise inconsistent with the policy set forth in section 2 of this order, including restrictions on consumer choice of vehicles and appliances. (b) Within 30 days of the date of this order, the head of each agency shall, in consultation with the director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the National

In plain English

This orders a review of rules. Every agency must comb through its own. It must find rules that hold energy back. Oil, gas, coal and nuclear are named. So are water power and crop fuel. Limits on cars and stoves count too. Each agency must report back in 30 days.

Sec. 4.

Revocation of and Revisions to Certain Presidential and Regulatory Actions. (a) The following are revoked and any offices established therein are abolished: (i) Executive Order 13990 of January 20, 2021 (Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science to Tackle the Climate Crisis); (ii) Executive Order 13992 of January 20, 2021 (Revocation of Certain Executive Orders Concerning Federal Regulation); (iii) Executive Order 14008 of January 27, 2021 (Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad); (iv) Executive Order 14007 of January 27, 2021 (President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology); (v) Executive Order 14013 of February 4, 2021 (Rebuilding and Enhancing Programs to Resettle Refugees and Planning for the Impact of Climate Change on Migration); (vi) Executive Order 14027 of May 7, 2021 (Establishment of the Climate Change Support Office); [[Page 8355]]

In plain English

This cancels a list of orders. Most date from early 2021. Any office they set up is closed. The list covers climate work at home and abroad. It also covers a science council and refugee planning. Each order is named by number and date.

Sec. 5. Unleashing Energy Dominance through Efficient Permitting

(a) Executive Order 11991 of May 24, 1977 (Relating to protection and enhancement of environmental quality) is hereby revoked. (b) To expedite and simplify the permitting process, within 30 days of the date of this order, the Chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) shall provide guidance on implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq., and propose rescinding CEQ's NEPA regulations found at 40 CFR 1500 et seq. (c) Following the provision of the guidance, the Chairman of CEQ shall convene a working group to coordinate the revision of agency-level implementing regulations for consistency. The guidance in subsection (b) and any resulting implementing regulations must expedite permitting approvals and meet deadlines established in the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (Public Law 118-5). Consistent with applicable law, all agencies must

In plain English

This is about permits. It cancels a 1977 order on the environment. A White House council must issue new guidance in 30 days. It must also move to drop its own rules. A working group then lines up agency rules to match. The aim is faster approvals within legal deadlines.

Sec. 6. Prioritizing Accuracy in Environmental Analyses

(a) In all Federal permitting adjudications or regulatory processes, all agencies shall adhere to only the relevant legislated requirements for environmental considerations and any considerations beyond these requirements are eliminated. In fulfilling all such requirements, agencies shall strictly use the most robust methodologies of assessment at their disposal and shall not use methodologies that are arbitrary or ideologically motivated. (b) The Interagency Working Group on the Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases (IWG), which was established pursuant to Executive Order 13990, is hereby disbanded, and any guidance, instruction, recommendation, or document issued by the IWG is withdrawn as no longer representative of governmental policy including: (i) the Presidential Memorandum of January 27, 2021 (Restoring Trust in Government Through Scientific Integrity and Evidence-Based Policymaking);

In plain English

This is about how harm to nature is judged. Agencies must weigh only what the law requires. Anything beyond that is dropped. They must use the strongest methods they have. Methods chosen for belief are barred. A group that priced carbon is broken up. Its guidance no longer counts.

Sec. 7. Terminating the Green New Deal

(a) All agencies shall immediately pause the disbursement of funds appropriated through the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (Public Law 117-169) or the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117-58), including but not limited to funds for electric vehicle charging stations made available through the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program and the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Discretionary Grant Program, and shall review their processes, policies, and programs for issuing grants, loans, contracts, or any other financial disbursements of such appropriated funds for consistency with the law and the policy outlined in section 2 of this order. Within 90 days of the date of this order, all agency heads shall submit a report to the Director of the NEC and Director of OMB that details the findings of this review, including recommendations to enhance their

In plain English

This pauses money from two big laws. One is the 2022 climate and tax law. The other is the 2021 roads law. Funds for car charging points are named. Agencies must review how they hand out that money. A report is due in 90 days.

Sec. 8. Protecting America's National Security

(a) The Secretary of Energy is directed restart reviews of applications for approvals of liquified natural gas export projects as expeditiously as possible, consistent with applicable law. In assessing the ``Public Interest'' to be advanced by any particular application, the Secretary of Energy shall consider the economic and employment impacts to the United States and the impact to the security of allies and partners that would result from granting the application. (b) With respect to any proposed deepwater port for the export of liquefied natural gas (project) for which a favorable record of decision (ROD) has previously been issued pursuant to the Deepwater Port Act of 1974 (DWPA), 33 U.S.C. 1501 et seq., the Administrator of the Maritime Administration (MARAD) shall, within 30 days of the date of this order and consistent with applicable law, determine whether any refinements to the

In plain English

This is about gas exports. Energy must restart its review of export projects. In weighing the public good it must look at jobs. It must also weigh what allies would gain. A sea port project already approved gets a fresh look. That review is due in 30 days.

Sec. 9. Restoring America's Mineral Dominance

(a) The Secretary of the Interior, Secretary of Agriculture, Administrator of the EPA, Chairman of CEQ, and the heads of any other relevant agencies, as appropriate, shall identify all agency actions that impose undue burdens on the domestic mining and processing of non- fuel minerals and undertake steps to revise or rescind such actions. (b) The Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture shall reassess any public lands withdrawals for potential revision. (c) The Secretary of the Interior shall instruct the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey to consider updating the Survey's list of critical minerals, including for the potential of including uranium. (d) The Secretary of the Interior shall prioritize efforts to accelerate the ongoing, detailed geologic mapping of the United States, with a focus on locating previously unknown deposits of critical minerals. (e) The Secretary of

In plain English

This is about mining. Several agencies must find rules that block it. They must then change or drop those rules. Land closed to mining must be looked at again. The list of critical minerals may be updated. Uranium may be added to it. New mapping must look for unknown deposits.

Sec. 10. General Provisions

Every order carries this. It is not what the order does.

(a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect: [[Page 8359]] (i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or the head thereof; or (ii) the functions of the Director of OMB relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals. (b) This order shall be implemented in a manner consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations. (c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. <GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT> (Presidential Sig.) THE WHITE HOUSE, January 20, 2025. [FR Doc. 2025-01956 Filed 1-28-25; 8:45 am] Billing code 3395-F4-P </pre></body> </html>

In plain English

This is the closing clause that nearly every order carries. It says the order does not change what the law already allows. It also says no one can sue to enforce it.

How this order is quoted

Each section is quoted as the order prints it, under its own number and heading. Executive orders are United States government works and are not under copyright. Long sections are cut at a sentence and the whole order is a click away.