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Posts Tagged ‘White House’

More White House briefing humor

Posted in energy policy, Uncategorized, tagged , , , on November 29, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Q    Does the President think there’s some benefit to the climate to drill oil in Venezuela and not here?

MR. KIRBY:  No, it has nothing to do with a benefit to the climate, Peter.  Again, there are 9,000 unused permits here in the United States on federal land that oil and gas companies can and should take advantage of.  Nine thousand.  And we’re talking about one there in Venezuela.

Oh no, not the 9000 permits response yet again!

Can someone please help the White House staff understand the difference between leases and permits, and the process that is followed in exploring for and producing oil and gas? Perhaps this will help.

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Another climate office: White House Office on Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation

Posted in climate, energy policy, Offshore Energy - General, tagged , , , on September 19, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Per Executive Order 14082, September 12, 2022, yet another White House office and task force has been established to coordinate (direct?) the 26 Federal Departments (plus many bureaus and offices) with energy and climate responsibilities.

Sec. 3. White House Office on Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation. There is hereby established the White House Office on Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation within the Executive Office of the President, which shall coordinate the policymaking process with respect to implementing the energy and infrastructure provisions of the Act and other essential initiatives. The White House Office on Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation shall have a staff headed by the Senior Advisor for Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation; shall have such staff and other assistance as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this order, subject to the availability of appropriations; and may work with established or ad hoc committees and interagency groups.

Sec. 4. ‘‘There is hereby established a National Climate Task Force (Task Force). The Task Force shall be chaired by the Senior Advisor for Clean Energy Innovation and Implementation. The National Climate Advisor shall serve as Vice Chair.’’

Task Force Membership:

(i) the Secretary of the Treasury; (ii) the Secretary of Defense; (iii) the Attorney General; (iv) the Secretary of the Interior; (v) the Secretary of Agriculture; (vi) the Secretary of Commerce; (vii) the Secretary of Labor; (viii) the Secretary of Health and Human Services; (ix) the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; (x) the Secretary of Transportation; (xi) the Secretary of Energy; (xii) the Secretary of Education; (xiii) the Secretary of Homeland Security; (xiv) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; (xv) the Director of the Office of Management and Budget; (xvi) the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy; (xvii) the Administrator of the Small Business Administration; (xviii) the Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality; (xix) the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs; (xx) the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy; (xxi) the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism; (xxii) the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy; (xxiii) the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; (xxiv) the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service; (xxv) the Administrator of General Services; (xxvi) the White House Infrastructure Coordinator; and (xxvii) the heads of such other departments, agencies, and offices as the Chair or Vice Chair may from time to time invite to participate.’’

Over the years, the work of cabinet departments has been increasingly directed by the White House, such that cabinet officials confirmed by the Senate are often subordinate to White House staff. Critics contend that the centralization of energy and climate policy in the White House has delayed and altered important Departmental actions. Did the White House climate office author this rather extreme statement in the introductory text for the proposed 5-year leasing plan?

“The long-term nature of OCS oil and gas development, such that production on a lease can continue for decades makes consideration of future climate pathways relevant to the Secretary’s determinations with respect to how the OCS leasing program best meets the Nation’s energy needs.“ (Interpretation: offshore oil and gas production must be throttled down to correspond with the climate office’s energy fantasies.)

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President’s letter to refiners – you be the judge

Posted in energy policy, tagged , , on June 15, 2022| 1 Comment »

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Q&A on Sale 257 at yesterday’s White House press briefing

Posted in energy policy, Gulf of Mexico, Offshore Energy - General, tagged , on November 16, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Q    Can I just ask one more on oil and gas?  So, we just saw President Biden take action now in terms of the — protecting oil and gas development on Native lands and Tribal lands.  But later this week, the U.S. government will open up for auction many, many acres — an area larger than several states, actually — to oil and gas leasing because of this legal situation. 

So there are critics who say that you should have done more to avert this action.  And I wonder if you can just say, you know, what action could potentially be done.  Is there — are there any last-minute steps that could be taken to prevent those auctions from going forward?

MS. PSAKI:  Well, you know, the President did — as you know, Andrea, but just to get others up to speed — issue an executive order pausing oil and gas leasing on public lands and in offshore waters to facilitate the identification and implementation of long-needed permitting and leasing reforms. 

Shortly thereafter, the Interior Department cancelled the pending offshore oil and gas lease in the Gulf of Mexico known as Lease Sale 257. 

So, what you’re referring to, I believe, is the fact that, in June, a federal district court in Louisiana stopped the President’s leasing pause and ruled that the Interior Department is legally required to go through with the sale of the Lease Sale 257, which is what you’re refer- — what Andrea is referring to in terms of putting up a bunch of lease sales — oil and gas lease sales. 

We believe the decision is wrong, and the Justice Department is appealing it.  So it’s in the courts; it’s in a legal process.  We’re required to comply with the injunction.  It’s a legal case and legal process, but it’s important for advocates and other people out there who are following this to understand that it’s not aligned with our view, the President’s policies, or the executive order that he signed.

Go ahead.

Q    So there’s no more la- — so, you can’t take any last-minute action to prevent that from going forward?

MS. PSAKI:  I would point you to the Justice Department.  They, of course, are appealing this, and I would point you to them for any legal action or what their options are.

White House

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Is pressuring OPEC part of the Green New Deal?

Posted in energy policy, tagged , , on October 27, 2021| Leave a Comment »

But certainly, the supply and — and OPEC and putting additional pressure on OPEC is something that — that, certainly, our national security team will continue to do. 

Jen Psaki, Press Secretary

Equally predictable:

I will also note that, as it relates to gas prices, we remain concerned about trends we have seen where, even as supply has increased at times over the last several months, we’ve still seen heightened prices.

The FTC — we’ve asked the FTC to look into that.  They’ve said they were doing that.

Jen Psaki, Press Secretary

Related post.

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