Invoking Defense Production Act, Trump Doubles Down on Fossil Fuels
Abusing his emergency authorities, Trump fulfills Big Oil’s wish list
WASHINGTON — Late this afternoon, President Trump invoked the Defense Production Act, setting in motion an increase of publicly subsidized fossil fuel production including coal, natural gas, and petroleum under the guise of national security. Public Citizen predicted President Trump’s abuse of the Defense Production Act to unreasonably promote fossil fuels in a statement issued more than a year ago. as a means to dismantle generations of public health and safety laws in order to promote coal, natural gas and oil. In response, Tyson Slocum, director of Public Citizen’s Energy Program, issued the following statement:
“President Trump is abusing emergency authorities and wasting taxpayer resources through unprecedented abuse of the Defense Production Act to promote his politically-favored fossil fuel projects at the expense of energy affordability and common sense. Today’s unjustified suite of executive orders is a wish-list for the oil, gas and coal industries who are already enjoying record profits under Trump’s Energy Unaffordability Agenda.
“America is already—far and away—the world’s largest oil and gas producer, and the world’s largest petroleum and gas exporter. Promoting more fossil fuel exports at a time when Trump has failed to deliver affordable, sustainable energy for American communities is just another example of the President’s incompetent, failed energy policies. Trump is once again abusing emergency authorities to treat his unlawful acts like they can’t be stopped. But we will work to oppose this egregious abuse of emergency authority.”
Further Reading: Trump’s Energy Emergency Declaration of War On America
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