What is in House Republicans’ energy policy package?

House Republicans have effectively named energy policy a top priority, introducing an energy package known as HR1 on Tuesday.

While the bill is unlikely to pass a democratically-controlled Senate or President Biden, it shows the party’s vision of how to improve the nation’s energy policy and could be important to its message in the years to come. There is

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said the bill countered President Biden’s assault on domestic energy and included allowing reforms to accelerate the construction of major infrastructure projects across the country. It also said it would “grow the economy” and “strengthen national security.”

If the bill is passed, it will be:

Fortification of fossil fuels

The Republican bill includes several provisions aimed at promoting oil and gas production and sales.

For public lands, the Department of the Interior must hold at least four annual sales per state in at least nine states for oil and gas drilling rights.

Also, the royalty rate that offshore drilling companies must pay to the government will be reduced from at least 16.67% to 12.5%. The Home Office also has until July 1 to announce his next five-year plan for offshore oil leasing.

The bill seeks to limit the president’s power to block cross-border energy projects like the Keystone XL pipeline that Biden blocked. Instead, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Department of Energy are responsible for approving cross-border pipelines and transmissions, respectively. It would also eliminate state authorities blocking projects through water bodies, such as pipelines and gas export terminals.

We also prohibit any kind of suspension of fracking. It is a method of oil and gas extraction that is controversial for its potential health and environmental impacts. Increased incidence of childhood cancer.

The bill also aims to facilitate overseas sales of U.S. liquefied natural gas by eliminating the need for Department of Energy approval for export applications to countries with which the U.S. does not have free trade agreements. .

permission to reform

The bill includes provisions aimed at speeding up the state approval process for energy and infrastructure project permits.

Set a two-year deadline for conducting a more rigorous type of environmental review known as an environmental impact statement for major projects. These reviews are also limited to 150 pages, except for very complex projects where reviews can be up to 300 pages.

Less rigorous reviews, known as environmental assessments, are limited to one year and 75 pages.

a 2020 White House Review We found the average environmental impact statement to be 575 pages, with a median of 397 pages.

The bill also requires anyone wishing to challenge the approval of the project to do so within 120 days.

boost mining

The law includes provisions requiring the Home Office to assess potential impacts on mineral supply chains, including economic and national security implications, before banning mining on federally owned land parcels. I’m here.

building seeks This is to help uranium join the list of “important minerals” that the federal government is trying to prioritize. Uranium was characterized as a key mineral under the Trump administration, but the Biden administration removed it from the list, citing a 2020 law banning the inclusion of “fuel minerals.” The new law seeks to circumvent that hurdle to including minerals.

Repeal of the Inflation Control Act Program

The bill removes several programs passed last year as part of the Democratic Climate, Tax, and Health Act.

One such program offers both subsidies and loans to help companies reduce their emissions, and by imposing penalties for excessive emissions, to reduce emissions from the oil and gas sector. aims to reduce global warming methane emissions.

HR 1 also cuts the funding given to EPA. Facilitate funding for climate-friendly projectsespecially in disadvantaged communities.