Oil and Gas Industry Could be a Key Partner for Biden to Reach Eco Goals

January 13, 2021

Oil and gas advocates are bracing for what a Biden administration means for business. Apart of that being opportunities for the fossil fuel industry to work with the new administration to lower carbon emissions.

The eco-left has continued to paint the oil and gas industry as the boogeyman. Yet, the U.S. has led the world in reductions of greenhouse gas emissions since 2005, mostly through private-sector innovation in U.S. natural gas and renewables.

Mike Sommers, the CEO of the American Petroleum Institute, told the Washington Examiner in an exclusive interview:

“If they did it right and do it in a way that is consistent with our principles, there is going to be common ground with methane regulations,” Sommers said of the Biden administration. “If I am a new administration, I would want the people actually in the business who know the business at the table as I am writing a regulation.”

One thing API is not open to compromising on in Biden’s agenda is his promise to ban oil and gas drilling on public lands and waters.

The API argues the policy, which Biden’s nominee for Interior secretary, Rep. Deb Haaland, could pursue without Congress, would lead to increased energy imports and higher prices for oil and also harm the budgets of states such as New Mexico that rely on royalty payments from federal drilling.

“The consequences would be absolutely devastating to American communities and the American public,” Sommers said. “We will be making that position clear to the Biden administration.”

One thing is for certain, if Biden wants to enact comprehensive change for the betterment of the American people and their interests, he won’t be able to do that without the oil and gas industry at the table.