Executive Orders Prioritize Traditional Energy Over Renewables

In a sweeping shift of energy policy, the Trump administration has issued a series of executive orders aimed at ramping up fossil fuel extraction and critical mineral mining. The directives encourage cross-departmental support for oil, gas, coal, and mineral production, while scaling back commitments to wind energy and other select renewable initiatives.

National Energy Emergency Declared

President Trump signed Executive Order 14156 declaring a national energy emergency. This move empowers federal agencies to fast-track projects related to extraction, transport, processing, and production of domestic energy sources—explicitly including oil, gas, coal, uranium, biofuels, and hydropower, but excluding solar and wind. Congress must revisit this emergency status every six months.

Freezing Biden-Era Green Initiatives

Another directive, Executive Order 14154, halts the release of funds from Biden-era programs under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act. These programs, focused on climate resilience and clean energy, are now paused pending further review.

Accelerated Deregulation and Permitting

To remove regulatory barriers, EO 14156 and EO 14154 demand faster permitting for energy and mining ventures. Biden’s energy executive orders have been repealed, and the Council on Environmental Quality must draft relaxed environmental review regulations. The social cost of carbon is no longer to be considered in permit approvals.

Under EO 14260, the attorney general is instructed to challenge state-level laws that limit fossil fuel or mining activities. EO 14270 further compels agencies to review and sunset certain regulations by September 30, 2025, and to ensure new regulations have a lifespan of no more than five years.

Mineral Strategy Gains Momentum

With EO 14241, the administration expanded the list of critical minerals to include uranium, copper, potash, and gold, among others deemed vital by the newly established National Energy Dominance Council (NEDC). Federal agencies are tasked with fast-tracking permitting for these resources on public lands.

The order sets early May 2025 deadlines for agencies to identify projects ready for immediate approval, publish known mineral-rich federal lands, and recommend areas suitable for private development. Meanwhile, the Development Finance Corporation and the Department of Defense are creating a mineral investment fund, and the Export-Import Bank is preparing new tools for funding supply chain resilience.

Offshore and Clean Coal Initiatives

New executive actions also target offshore mineral development, directing agencies to promote exploration and recovery of seabed resources. Simultaneously, coal is receiving renewed attention under EO 14261, which includes it in the critical minerals strategy. The Departments of Agriculture, Energy, and Interior must prioritize coal leasing and support royalty relief applications.

The administration has also reopened financial channels for coal via DOE’s Section 1706 loan category. There’s a push to export U.S. coal, power AI data centers with coal energy, and scale up clean coal technologies. A related policy loosens pollution standards for coal plants under the EPA’s mercury rules for two years.

Creation of the National Energy Dominance Council

EO 14213 established the National Energy Dominance Council, chaired by the Secretary of the Interior and composed of key federal stakeholders. The NEDC will advise on energy policy and coordinate implementation of the president’s energy directives across the government.

By Lance T. Brasher and Joshua B. Nickerson (Skadden Insights)