The cascade of encouraging news for energy infrastructure continued yesterday with new Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Chris Wright's initial Secretarial Order entitled "Unleashing the Golden Era of American Energy Dominance", setting out DOE's priorities which prominently include accelerating permitting.

As with new EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin's priorities we shared yesterday, Secretary Wright's new policies align tightly with EEIA's top priorities. Here are the Order's sections that most directly support expanding energy infrastructure:

Streamline Permitting and Identify Undue Burdens on American Energy:

"A burdensome federal permitting process undermines America's competitiveness and national security. Pursuant to President Trump's Executive Orders, the Department will prioritize more efficient permitting to enable private sector investments and build the energy infrastructure needed to make energy more affordable, reliable, and secure. To that end, the Department will identify and exercise its legal authorities to expedite the approval and construction of reliable energy infrastructure."

Advance Energy Addition, Not Subtraction:

"Great attention has been paid to the pursuing of a net-zero carbon future. Net-zero policies raise energy costs for American families and businesses, threaten the reliability of our energy system, and undermine our energy and national security. They have also achieved precious little in reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. The fact is that energy matters, and we need more of it, not less. Going forward, the Department's goal will be to unleash the great abundance of American energy required to power modern life and to achieve a durable state of American energy dominance."

Return to Regular Order on LNG Exports:

"America is blessed with abundant energy resources - we are the world's top oil and gas producer and a net energy exporter for the first time in decades. Our energy abundance is an asset, not a liability. On January 20, the Department resumed consideration of pending applications to export American liquefied natural gas (LNG) to countries without a free trade agreement (FTA) with the U.S. in accordance with the Natural Gas Act. Proper consideration of LNG export applications is required by law and shall proceed accordingly."

Strengthen Grid Reliability and Security:

"Fortifying America's electric grid is critical to the reliable and secure delivery of electricity. Under President Trump's Executive Order, "Declaring a National Energy Emergency," the Department will identify and exercise all lawful authorities to strengthen the nation's grid, including the backbone of the grid, our transmission system. This is an imperative as we consider current and anticipated load growth on our nation's electric utilities. Moreover, after two decades of very slow demand growth, electricity demand is forecast to soar in the coming years. The Department will bring a renewed focus to growing baseload and dispatchable generation to reliably meet growing demand."

The Order concludes with this appeal:

"The Department's mission is vital to American security and prosperity. Working together, we will accelerate American science, reduce energy costs for American families and businesses, and strengthen the reliability and security of our nations energy system - all in our quest to better human lives. I look forward to working with you on this noble mission."

We look forward to working with Secretary Wright and his Department to help transform these policies into concrete actions to advance infrastructure project initiation and execution.