One of President Donald Trump’s pastimes is gutting environmental regulations, and this term, he has been doing it at a frenetic pace.
U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright signed his first order on February 5, 2025. The order calls President Trump’s energy plan “bold and ambitious.” Trump’s plan, Unleashing American Energy, makes “drill, baby, drill” a reality. Trump’s plan calls for expanding energy production and claims it will “reduce energy costs” for Americans.
Two directives in the DOE’s order truly screw over Americans. Both will increase energy costs for those struggling because Trump has put the economy in crisis. As Michigan Lieutenant Garlin Gilchrist said about the President’s new DOE policies, “They are setting fire to our pocketbooks.” The directive to “advance energy addition, not subtraction” particularly empties people’s pocketbooks.
That directive claims net-zero policies raise energy costs for Americans, threaten our energy system’s reliability, and undermine energy and national security. It also declares that the new DOE policies will “unleash” American energy, meaning drilling more fossil fuels.
Rising Cost and Diminishing Health
Net-zero policies save folks money. An analysis by the Union of Concerned Scientists found that achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 can save households, businesses, and industries $89 billion in 2030. Phasing out fossil fuels and transitioning to clean energy would bring $800 billion in annual health savings and almost $1.3 trillion in avoided climate damage by 2050. The cost of reaching net-zero would be $46 billion in 2050.
A 2013 Regional Economic Models, Inc. (REMI) study found that a carbon price would have positive health and economic benefits. During the first 20 years of a carbon price, 2.8 million more jobs would be created, while 230,000 deaths would be avoided.
Another directive targets the DOE’s Appliance Standards Program, claiming that “affordability and consumer choice will be our guiding light.” However, the federal agency also vowed to consider the “upfront cost” of product purchases without considering the cost savings. Unfortunately, this approach reflects the DOE policies promoted by the administration.
The program, implemented in 1987, covers over 70 products. It accounts for around 90 percent of home energy, 70 percent of commercial buildings, and 30 percent of industrial energy. According to the DOE, the program reduced utility bills for households and businesses by $105 billion in just 2024.
The DOE Secretary’s Ties To the Fossil Fuel Industry
Chris Wright is the new DOE Secretary. He worked as the Chairman and CEO of Liberty Energy, a major energy service provider, since 2011. He has no governmental experience. What he does have is experience in the fossil fuel industry. The Petroleum Association of Wyoming describes him as someone with “extensive experience in the natural gas and oil industry” who “understands the importance of an energy strategy that supports responsible oil and natural gas development.
Xavier Boatright, Sierra Club Deputy Legislative Director of Clean Energy and Electrification, linked the directives to Wright’s past. The new DOE Secretary wants to promote fossil fuel energy because he wants to “give handouts to big oil and gas companies, like the one Chris Wright made his fortune from.”
Wright’s cronies benefit from his new DOE policies, while the American people pay the price with increased health problems and higher energy bills. Fossil fuel companies already made billions in 2024 and will make even more money.
Photo by Chris LeBoutillier on Unsplash
