Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump says if he gets elected he’ll eliminate all “unnecessary” regulations in the energy industry and place a temporary moratorium on all new regulations that aren’t compelled by Congress or public safety.
Trump made the statements during a speech at a shale gas conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania last week.
The position puts in him staunch contrast to both the Obama administration as well as his democratic opponent Hillary Clinton’s energy plan, which focuses on aggressively growing clean energy and fighting climate change. While Clinton has called for a huge boost to solar energy, Trump only mentioned the word “renewable energy” once during the speech in passing.
The energy regulations that Trump says he’ll undo include opening up federal lands and offshore areas for oil and gas exploration and production, rescinding a moratorium on new coal mining leases on federal land, and removing rules to protect streams from coal mining and waterways and wetlands from industry in general. Furthermore, Trump says he would eliminate the Clean Power Plan, the Obama’s administration’s ambitious and controversial proposal to curb greenhouse gas emissions from power plants.
The opposition to current policies shouldn’t come as a surprise. Previously, Trump has said he’d “cancel” the international Paris climate agreement, which was ratified this weekend by the U.S. And China.
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On Monday, it was reported that Trump has chosen Myron Ebell, director of the Center for Energy and Environment at the conservative Competitive Enterprise Institute, to lead his Environmental Protection Agency transition team. Ebell has called the Clean Power Plan “illegal” and has said joining the Paris agreement is “unconstitutional.” Trump also used the speech last week to position Clinton’s energy plans as focused on regulations that would kill jobs and economic growth.
For more on Clinton’s take on how Trump feeds country’s worst impulses, watch:
Regulations under Clinton “will be beyond anything you’re experiencing right now,” said Trump adding “she’s not only declared war on the miners but on all oil and natural gas production. It’s war.”
Trump and Clinton plan to enter into their first Presidential debate Monday night at 9 p.m. ET/ 6 p.m. PT. Tune back into Coins2Day for continuing coverage.