US President Donald Trump signed [remarks] an executive order [policy] on Tuesday reforming the previous administration’s energy policies. Trump stated [press release] that previous policies and regulations became burdensome to the energy industry and that by altering these regulations and policies wages will increase by more than $30 billion over the next seven years. The new order targets [Fox News report] the Clean Power Plan [text, PDF], which was implemented by the Obama administration to curb carbon emissions. Opponents to the plan argued [CNN report] that it was hurting and unfairly targeting the coal industry. The president stated that his plan will protect the environment while being “pro-jobs.” Opponents of the president’s new order have argued it places jobs above the environment and will in fact harm both. This order also lifts a moratorium on coal leases on federal lands. The order also removes regulations and language regarding greenhouse gasses, emission of methane in oil and natural gas production, and hydraulic fracturing.

A priority of the Trump administration has been to roll back regulations and alter the country’s energy and environmental policies, which the current administration claims have hurt jobs and the growth of the economy. In February Trump signed legislation [JURIST report] that rolled back coal mining regulations implemented by the Obama administration. Also that week the president signed a repeal of regulations [JURIST report] that required energy companies to disclose their payments to foreign governments. Shortly after his inauguration, Trump signed orders advancing the construction [JURIST report] of both the Keystone XL pipeline and Dakota Access Pipeline.