SW Arkansas Times

President Donald Trump is set to issue an executive order aimed at boosting American energy production. The move has been praised by House Committee on Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman. He expressed his support, stating, "In the first hours of his presidency, Trump is restoring strength and commonsense to the White House and unleashing American energy dominance."

Westerman criticized previous policies under President Joe Biden, particularly the withdrawal of 625 million acres of federal waters from energy production. He highlighted Trump's actions as a shift towards prioritizing national and economic security. "President Trump’s actions reinforce what House Republicans have said for years - that energy security is national security," Westerman added.

The executive order will include several key measures. It will declare a National Energy Emergency, opening Alaska for energy exploration in areas like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the National Petroleum Reserve. Additionally, it aims to streamline permitting processes for energy production and rescind Biden's restrictions on drilling in federal coastal waters.

Furthermore, the order seeks to repeal mandates related to electric vehicles and other environmental policies from the previous administration. Westerman emphasized that committee Republicans are prepared to support these initiatives in Congress.

The overarching goal of these actions is to bolster America's energy independence while aligning with national security interests.