• American Petroleum Institute urges reversal of Biden-era regulations promoting EV adoption and limiting natural gas exports.
• Calls for lifting LNG export permit pauses and reforming permitting processes.
• Industry leaders emphasize need for U.S. energy leadership and expanded consumer choice.

The American Petroleum Institute (API), representing nearly 600 U.S. oil and natural gas companies, has released a policy wishlist for President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration. The platform focuses on reversing several Biden-era policies that API argues limit consumer choice and hinder industry growth.

Driving the News:

API’s five-point policy list includes:

1. Repealing EV-Focused Regulations: Targeting the Environmental Protection Agency’s tailpipe emissions rules and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s corporate average fuel economy standards, which push automakers toward increased electric vehicle (EV) production. API also requests the rescission or denial of a waiver for California’s stricter vehicle emissions standards.
   • From API’s policy map: “American consumers … should not shoulder the burden of the extreme costs associated with a forced shift to electric vehicles. EVs are an option for some, but don’t work for many Americans, and existing charging infrastructure is completely inadequate to meet the mandated targets.”
2. Lifting LNG Export Permit Pauses: Calling for the incoming administration to lift the Biden administration’s LNG permitting pause and “swiftly process all pending export applications.”
3. Increasing Onshore and Offshore Leasing: Urging the renewal of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s leasing program for another five years and the repeal of onshore leasing rules to expand access to federal lands and waters.
4. Permitting Reform: Advocating for reforms to the National Environmental Policy Act and the Clean Water Act to expedite energy infrastructure projects.
   • Trisha Curtis, CEO of PetroNerds, said: “There is a massive opportunity to build infrastructure – natural gas processing facilities, export infrastructure and possibly new pipelines.”
5. Preserving Tax Credits: Supporting the retention of “technology-neutral tax credits” to encourage investment and innovation in the energy sector.

What They’re Saying:

American Petroleum Institute President and CEO Mike Sommers emphasized the strategic importance of U.S. energy leadership:

“Our country has a generational opportunity to fully leverage U.S. energy leadership to improve the lives of all Americans and bring stability to a volatile world,” Sommers said in the open letter. “It has never been more vital that America control its energy future.”

Dustin Meyer, policy chief for American Petroleum Institute (API), highlighted the need for consumer choice:

“We think that this is a time in which Americans should have more choices, not fewer, when it comes to the energy that they use,” said Meyer.

Michael Oestmann, CEO of gas producer Tall City Exploration, pointed out regulatory challenges:

“Regulations, particularly on federal lands, are incredibly burdensome – operators are dealing with a very inefficient process that has a cost and slows down development,” said Oestmann.

Between the Lines:

The policy wishlist reflects a broader industry push to “unleash American energy dominance” by reducing regulatory barriers—a promise Trump campaigned on. American Petroleum Institute argues that current policies threaten consumer choice and energy security, and that reforms are necessary to maintain the U.S.’s position as a global energy leader.

The Bottom Line:

By advocating for the reversal of certain regulations and the implementation of permitting reforms, American Petroleum Institute aims to foster an environment that supports growth, innovation, and energy independence in the U.S. oil and natural gas industry.

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