For the first half of this decade, Missouri Farm Bureau (MOFB) was relentless in calling attention to the perilous path our nation was headed down in terms of energy policy. The Biden administration was hyper-focused on climate change, and the Green New Deal was being pushed through federal agencies. The result was a perverse skewing of energy policy that drove up fuel and electricity costs while threatening both the economy and national security.
What a difference a year makes.
Upon taking office, President Trump signed the “Unleashing American Energy” executive order, a much-needed rollback of unnecessary and burdensome regulations on the energy sector. This action restored balance to federal energy policy and refocused government priorities on lowering costs, strengthening reliability and protecting American energy producers.
At the heart of these reforms is permitting certainty. The emergency permitting procedures established under “Unleashing American Energy” have transformed a system that once delayed critical projects for years. By reducing permitting timelines to as little as 28 days, the administration sent a clear signal that domestic energy development and critical mineral production are national priorities.
Another critical move was the repeal of the Biden-era greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards for fossil fuel power plants by the Environmental Protection Agency. To have affordable, reliable electricity, we must have baseload generation that isn’t solely dependent on the sun shining and wind blowing. It’s common sense. The harsh reality is we are at greater risk for brown- and black-outs because more reliable baseload (e.g. coal) was removed from the nation’s electricity supply faster than intermittent sources, like wind and solar, were put onto the grid.
Recognizing this imbalance, Congress and the Administration reduced what we believe are excessive subsidies for solar and wind energy. There is a place for these energy sources in the power portfolio, but federal energy policy shouldn’t distort markets at the expense of grid reliability and electricity affordability.
Projects previously approved for federal financing have also been scrutinized, one being the Grain Belt Express. We welcomed the Department of Energy’s decision to rescind the project’s $4.9 billion conditional loan guarantee and appreciate Senator Hawley and former Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey for bringing it to the administration’s attention.
On the liquid fuels front, prices are down at the pump (the lowest in five years) and homegrown biofuels are positioned to play an even bigger role in the fuel supply. President Trump, for instance, recently called on Congress to approve the sale of E-15 year-round, a priority for Farm Bureau. This is long overdue and will benefit motorists and farmers alike.
We truly are back-to-the-basics when it comes to American energy policy. We are unleashing domestic energy production, promoting a diverse energy portfolio, eliminating unnecessary regulations and making critical investments in innovation. Farm Bureau members have been calling for these actions for years, and they’re finally happening.
The stakes are high—and if our leaders get the fundamentals right, we will be more secure and prosperous as a nation.
