{"bills":[{"photos":{"featured":"https://assets.causes.com/bill/photo/s791-114/featured_american-energy-renaissance-act-of-2015-1454548700.jpg","featured_large":"https://assets.causes.com/bill/photo/s791-114/featured_large_american-energy-renaissance-act-of-2015-1454548700.jpg","shareable":"https://n.causes.com/share-images/bills/s791-114.png"},"introduced_on":"2015-03-18","title_override":"Does America Need to Ease Regulations to Produce More Domestic Energy?","summary_override":"

This bill aims to comprehensively reform the permitting and licensing processes in the energy sector to boost domestic production of all types of energy.

Exports of crude oil, natural gas, and coal would be opened up to countries that the U.S. doesn't have sanctions on. Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) export facilities would have to speed up the permitting process to cut down on existing application backlogs. Coal exports facilities would face a narrower environmental review process than what they currently face to help accelerate that process.

Energy development on federal lands would be expanded by giving states the authority to lease, permit, and regulate energy resources on federal lands — including oil, gas, wind, and solar. If states decide not to self-regulate these developments, the developments would be covered by accelerated federal leasing and permitting practices requiring a decision within 30 days. If a decision isn't made within 60 days, applications would be considered approved.

All revenues generated by energy exploration and extraction on federal lands that isn’t allocated to the states would be used exclusively to reduce the national debt.

All greenhouse gas regulations would be repealed. Air pollutants would be redefined to exclude carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, or sulfur hexafluoride. All proposed EPA rules regarding greenhouse gases and carbon pollution would be invalidated.

This legislation would make clear that the following Acts of Congress do not authorize or require the regulation of climate change or global warming:

Clean Air Act;
Federal Water Pollution Control Act;
National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA);
Endangered Species Act of 1973;
Solid Waste Disposal Act.

Regulations that cover hydraulic fracturing (aka fracking) would be left to states to create and enforce, meaning that the federal government will stay out of the way. For Native American tribes, the EPA could only issue regulations fracking regulations if the tribe gives its express consent.

Construction on the Keystone XL pipeline could begin immediately, as this legislation would approve it and ensure that a presidential permit is not required for the project to begin.

","official_title":"A bill to free the private sector to harness domestic energy resources to create jobs and generate economic growth by removing statutory and administrative barriers.","short_title":"American Energy Renaissance Act of 2015","popular_title":null,"short_summary":"American Energy Renaissance Act of 2015\n\n Amends the Natural Gas Act regarding natural gas exports to exclude from the expedited application and approval process any nation subject to sanctions or trade restrictions imposed by the United States.\n\nAmends the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) to repeal the authority of the President to restrict exports of coal, petroleum products, natural gas, or petrochemical feedstocks, and related materials or equipment.\n\nAmends the Mineral Leasing Act (MLA) to repeal limitations on oil exports.\n\nAmends the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) to repeal limitations on export of Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil or gas.\n\nDeclares without force or effect a specified regulation and the limitation placed upon crude oil exports under the Export Administration Act of 1979.\n\nDirects the Bureau of Industry and Security of the Department of Commerce to grant licenses to export crude oil except in certain circumstances.\n\nDirects the Secretary of the...","summarized":true,"cost":null,"cost_commentary":"A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.","impact":"Americans who consume energy, U.S. natural resources, disrupted ecosystems and the flora and fauna that inhabit them, energy development companies, states and Indian tribes, the EPA, Congress, the President.","argument_for":"Energy independence is now an attainable goal for the U.S., and this bill would reduce regulations in order to provide the conditions necessary for the private sector to develop more resources and grow the economy while helping our allies.","argument_against":"This bill eviscerates climate change regulations and environmental protections that have been on the books for decades. 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Does America Need to Ease Regulations to Produce More Domestic Energy?