Pence unveils plan aimed at making US top global energy producer

Former Vice President Mike Pence’s presidential campaign on Tuesday released an energy plan with the goal of “overtaking China as the world’s number one energy producer.”

Pence’s new plan is largely focused on promoting fossil fuels and removing climate-related regulations. 

“We can lead the world once again to a more prosperous and a secure future for America with energy independence and American energy leadership,” Pence said in a video accompanying the plan. 

While the U.S. is the world’s second-largest energy producer overall, it is the largest producer of oil and natural gas.

Pence joined the crowded Republican primary field in June but has gained little traction as former President Trump remains far ahead of the rest of the pack.

Pence’s campaign website said that if he is elected, he will “immediately” take executive action to “review and remove” any Biden-era regulation that cuts energy production, gets in the way of energy production or economic growth or increases consumer prices.

Pence’s critiques echo Republican criticism of President Biden’s energy policies as focusing too much on green energy and climate change, at the expense of boosting fossil fuel production. However, Biden has also frustrated environmental groups with moves such as approving a massive oil drilling effort in Alaska known as the Willow Project.

Pence’s plan particularly highlights regulations on power plants and refineries that turn oil into gasoline and other fuels as targets for repeal. 

While many pieces of the plan focus on promoting oil and gas, it also says that Pence would take an “all of the above” strategy in the White House and notes that renewables “serve a place in America’s energy future.”

However, his plan does not lay out any strategies aimed at mitigating climate change. That is consistent with the Republican presidential field, which has largely ignored the issue despite record heat and frequent natural disasters.

The plan calls for lifting rules that limit gasoline with high ethanol content — which could bring economic benefits to corn-producing states including Iowa, where the first primary caucus will be held. 

Pence also said he would lift limitations of mining on federal lands and seek to “expedite the approval of rare earth mineral extraction and processing.”

He also pledged to cut approval time for energy projects in half. Congress recently passed, and Biden signed, legislation aimed at shortening the timeline for environmental impact studies on energy projects.

He also said he would scrap the Justice Department’s Office of Environmental Justice, which seeks to protect underserved communities from experiencing undue pollution burdens.