aware

The 1-Minute Brief

What: Executive Order 14154, "Unleashing American Energy," aims to maximize domestic energy production by revoking a wide range of climate-related policies, streamlining regulations, and promoting fossil fuels and mining.

Money: The order pauses the disbursement of funds from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act until a review ensures alignment with the new policy. It also eliminates the use of the "social cost of carbon" metric, which could significantly alter the cost-benefit analysis of future regulations.

Your Impact: The order seeks to lower energy costs for consumers by increasing the supply of oil, natural gas, and coal. It also aims to remove regulations favoring electric vehicles (EVs) and preserve consumer choice for appliances like gas stoves and various types of lightbulbs.

Status: Issued by the President on January 20, 2025, and published in the Federal Register on January 29, 2025.

What's Actually in the Bill

Executive Order 14154 directs federal agencies to systematically dismantle existing environmental regulations and policies to favor the production and use of domestic energy and mineral resources. It fundamentally reverses the previous administration's approach to climate change, prioritizing economic growth and energy independence through fossil fuels.

Core Provisions:

Revokes Previous Orders: Immediately revokes 12 prior executive orders related to climate change, environmental justice, and federal sustainability, including E.O. 13990 ("Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science to Tackle the Climate Crisis") and E.O. 14008 ("Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad").
Halts "Green New Deal" Funding: Pauses all fund disbursement from the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act pending a 90-day review to ensure spending aligns with the order's fossil-fuel-first policy.
Eliminates "EV Mandate": Directs agencies to remove regulatory barriers and "unfair subsidies" that favor electric vehicles in order to promote "true consumer choice" for gasoline-powered automobiles.
Speeds Up Permitting: Orders the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) to rescind its regulations implementing the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) within 30 days to expedite approvals for energy projects.
Disbands Climate Working Group: Disbands the Interagency Working Group on the Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases and withdraws its technical estimates for the cost of carbon, methane, and nitrous oxide.
Restarts LNG Exports: Directs the Secretary of Energy to "expeditiously" restart reviews of applications for liquified natural gas (LNG) export projects.
Promotes Domestic Mining: Requires agencies to identify and rescind rules that burden the domestic mining of critical minerals, including potentially adding uranium to the critical minerals list.

Stated Purpose (from the Sponsors):

This executive order is designed to address what it describes as "burdensome and ideologically motivated regulations" that have inflicted high energy costs on Americans.

Encourage energy exploration and production on federal lands and waters to solidify the U.S. as a global energy leader.
Establish the U.S. as the leading producer and processor of critical minerals to strengthen supply chains and reduce the influence of "malign and adversarial states."
Protect national security by ensuring an abundant and reliable energy supply is accessible in every state.
Eliminate the "electric vehicle (EV) mandate" and promote consumer choice in vehicles and home appliances.
Ensure regulatory decisions prioritize the domestic costs and benefits over global effects.

Key Facts:

Affected Sectors: Energy (Oil, Gas, Coal, Nuclear), Automotive, Mining, Manufacturing, Environmental Regulation.
Timeline: Agency action plans to suspend, revise, or rescind burdensome regulations are due within 30 days of the order.
Scope: Nationwide, affecting federal agencies, federal lands and waters, and any state or industry reliant on federal energy and environmental policy or funding.

The Backstory: How We Got Here

Timeline of Events:

The Era of Climate-Focused Regulation (2021-2024):

Following the start of a new administration in 2021, the Executive Branch issued a series of sweeping executive orders aimed at combating climate change. Orders like E.O. 13990 and E.O. 14008 established a "whole-of-government" approach to place climate concerns at the center of foreign policy and domestic planning. This period saw the establishment of the White House Climate Policy Office, the American Climate Corps, and the Interagency Working Group on the Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases, all of which are abolished by the new order. Major legislative achievements, including the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, allocated hundreds of billions of dollars toward clean energy, EV infrastructure, and climate resilience, which are now paused for review.

The Push for "Energy Dominance" (Pre-2021 and 2025):

The policies reversed by this executive order were themselves a reversal of the policies from the administration prior to 2021, which prioritized "energy dominance" through deregulation and increased fossil fuel production. This new executive order represents a return to and an intensification of that earlier agenda, citing high energy costs and national security as the primary drivers for the policy shift.

Why Now? The Political Calculus:

The issuance of this order on the first day of a new presidential term signifies a top-priority fulfillment of a campaign promise to lower gas prices and undo the previous administration's climate agenda.
The order is a direct response to economic pressures, particularly inflation and high energy costs, which the text attributes to "ideologically motivated regulations."
It seeks to capitalize on public sentiment regarding consumer choice, specifically targeting regulations on gasoline cars, gas stoves, and other home appliances that have become politically charged issues.

Your Real-World Impact

The Direct Answer: This order directly affects Americans who drive gasoline-powered cars, work in the energy or manufacturing sectors, and pay utility bills, while also impacting communities near proposed energy projects.

What Could Change for You:

Potential Benefits:

Lower Energy Costs: By promoting the production of oil, gas, and coal, the order aims to increase supply and potentially lower prices at the pump and on your electricity and heating bills.
More Vehicle Choice: The removal of policies favoring EVs could lead to a wider availability and lower relative cost of new gasoline-powered vehicles.
Appliance Freedom: The order explicitly protects consumer choice for appliances like gas stoves, dishwashers, and lightbulbs, preventing potential future efficiency standards from limiting options.

Possible Disruptions or Costs:

Short-term (1-2 years):

Regulatory Uncertainty: The rapid reversal of rules and the pause on congressionally approved funding could create uncertainty for businesses in the clean energy and EV sectors, potentially disrupting projects and investments.
Increased Local Pollution: Expedited permitting and a focus on fossil fuels could lead to more energy development projects, potentially increasing air and water pollution in nearby communities.

Long-term:

Climate Change Impacts: The rollback of policies designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions could contribute to long-term climate effects.
Economic Transition: A renewed focus on fossil fuels may slow the transition to a clean energy economy, affecting job growth and investment in renewable sectors.

Who's Most Affected:

Primary Groups: Oil, gas, and coal industry workers; automotive manufacturers; residents in areas with potential for new energy or mining projects; employees in the renewable energy and EV charging industries.
Secondary Groups: American consumers (through energy prices), military and defense sectors (through the National Defense Stockpile of minerals), and allied nations dependent on U.S. LNG exports.
Regional Impact: States with significant federal lands and fossil fuel resources (e.g., Alaska, Wyoming, Texas, North Dakota) and regions slated for LNG export terminals (e.g., Gulf Coast) will be most affected.

Bottom Line: This executive order is intended to lower your energy costs and increase your consumer choices by removing environmental regulations, but it may also expose your community to greater environmental risks and slow the nation's shift toward clean energy.

Where the Parties Stand

Republican Position: "Unleashing American Energy for Prosperity and Security"

Core Stance: Full support, as the order aligns with the party's long-standing goals of energy independence, deregulation, and economic growth through fossil fuels.

Their Arguments:

✓ The order correctly identifies burdensome regulations as a primary cause of high energy prices and inflation.
✓ It rightly prioritizes American jobs and industries over what they see as a radical and costly climate agenda.
✓ It restores consumer freedom by pushing back against perceived government mandates for electric vehicles and energy-efficient appliances.

Legislative Strategy: Defend the executive order from legal challenges and use congressional oversight to ensure federal agencies comply with its directives promptly and fully.

Democratic Position: "A Reckless Reversal for Climate and Health"

Core Stance: Strong opposition, viewing the order as a dangerous rollback of critical environmental protections that jeopardizes public health and the future of the planet.

Their Arguments:

✓ The order will exacerbate the climate crisis by encouraging more greenhouse gas emissions.
⚠️ Pausing funds from the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will kill jobs in the clean energy sector and cede technological leadership to other countries.
✗ Revoking NEPA rules and disbanding the "social cost of carbon" working group ignores science and the real-world costs of pollution, disproportionately harming low-income communities and communities of color.

Legislative Strategy: Challenge the executive order in court, use congressional hearings to highlight its negative impacts, and mobilize public opposition to pressure the administration.

Constitutional Check

The Verdict: ✓ Constitutional

Basis of Authority:

The President is acting under the authority vested by Article II of the Constitution, which grants the President executive power to oversee the implementation of laws passed by Congress. This includes the power to issue executive orders to direct the operations of the Executive Branch.

Relevant Portion of the Constitution (Article II, Section 1): "The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America."

Constitutional Implications:

Executive Discretion: The order is largely an exercise of executive discretion. Presidents have broad authority to set policy priorities for the Executive Branch, review and rescind the executive orders of their predecessors, and direct agencies on how to interpret and enforce existing statutes, so long as those directives are consistent with the law.
Precedent: The act of revoking a previous president's executive orders is a well-established precedent. This order's revocation of 12 prior orders continues this practice.
Federalism: The order could face challenges related to federalism if its directives, such as terminating state emissions waivers for vehicles, are seen as infringing on states' rights under the Clean Air Act.

Potential Legal Challenges:

Environmental groups and states are almost certain to sue, arguing that the rescission of regulations and the halt of funding are arbitrary and capricious under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA).
Clean energy companies and investors may sue, claiming financial harm from the sudden pause on programs established by the Inflation Reduction Act, arguing the administration is illegally refusing to disburse congressionally appropriated funds.
The legal fight will likely center on whether the administration is merely exercising lawful policy discretion or actively violating statutory mandates established by laws like the National Environmental Policy Act and the Clean Air Act.

Your Action Options

TO SUPPORT THIS BILL

5-Minute Actions:

Call The White House: Contact the White House comment line at (202) 456-1111 to express your support for Executive Order 14154. "I am calling to express my support for the President's 'Unleashing American Energy' executive order."

30-Minute Deep Dive:

Write a Detailed Email: Contact the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency to encourage a swift implementation of the order's directives.
Join an Organization: Find and join advocacy groups that support domestic energy production and deregulation.

TO OPPOSE THIS BILL

5-Minute Actions:

Call Your Rep/Senators: Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121. "I'm a constituent from [Your City/Town] and I urge [Rep./Sen. Name] to oppose Executive Order 14154 and work to block its implementation."

30-Minute Deep Dive:

Write a Letter to the Editor: Submit a letter to your local newspaper outlining your concerns about the environmental and economic impacts of the order.
Join an Organization: Join national or local environmental advocacy groups that are actively working to challenge this executive order in court and in Congress.