Yesterday, President Trump issued 47 presidential actions, many of which focused on energy dominance. These directives prioritize domestic energy production, roll back climate initiatives, and withdraw the U.S. from international environmental agreements. While their full impact will unfold over time, they set the stage for how political leadership will enter their roles leading the agencies and developing policy priorities.
Many of these actions require recommendations from agency leads and will require prioritization within the agencies on how to replace existing initiatives (where necessary), change the remit of existing programs, and roll back regulations.
Here are the key themes across the energy and environment executive orders and how to potentially engage on implementation:
Energy Independence & Regulatory Rollback: Trump's Declaring a National Energy Emergency and Unleashing American Energy EOs are designed to fast-track domestic energy production by loosening regulatory constraints and halting climate-related initiatives. Additionally, the Delivering Emergency Price Relief for American Families shows how climate priorities will be considered as raising costs for Americans.
Agencies must conduct comprehensive reviews of existing regulations, identify permits for expedited approval, and assess how the NEPA and the Endangered Species Act are impacting energy development. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) are tasked with recommending permits that should be fast-tracked—an effort that could encounter legal and bureaucratic delays.
The immediate suspension of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) funds for at least three months creates uncertainty for ongoing projects. Agencies will need to determine which climate programs are still viable under these restrictions.
International Climate Commitments & Environmental Justice: The EO Putting America First in International Environmental Agreements formally withdraws the U.S. from the Paris Agreement and related UN climate accords. Additionally, Ending Radical Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferences terminates all federal environmental justice grants and programs.
While the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement is largely symbolic given the resilience of corporate and state-led climate commitments, agencies must now unwind financial commitments under international climate agreements. The Department of State and Treasury will play a key role in defining how this unfolds.
The rescission of DEI and EJ programs could have immediate funding implications for grantees, especially organizations that received grants under EJ40. Agencies must compile a list of recipients, and funding disruptions will likely result in program halts and potential legal disputes.
Federal Workforce & Regulatory Uncertainty: The Hiring Freeze and Regulatory Freeze actions will slow implementation across agencies by limiting staffing and suspending rulemaking. Every presidency begins similarly, but the duration of the freeze can significantly delay the implementation of the Trump administration's priorities.
While these executive orders signal a definitive policy shift, their implementation will take time and be heavily influenced by the political leadership placed in each agency. Federal agencies must now balance competing priorities, navigate funding uncertainties, and prepare for legal challenges. The coming months will provide more clarity on how these directives reshape climate policy.
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