An End to US Oil Exports and Offshore Drilling?

Let’s call it the “Joe-Joe Dilemma” — and we aren’t talking cookies.

More like “all the marbles.”

Blockage of climate action by Senator Joe Machin could now lead to ‘climate emergency’ action taken by President Joe Biden. Things like ending offshore drilling, banning U.S. crude oil and LNG exports, and speeding the manufacture of electric vehicles.

“But some of those steps would be politically explosive, and could even prove ruinous to his party’s fortunes by sending gasoline prices soaring. Others would threaten to alienate European allies looking to U.S. fuel supplies to ease their dependence on Russia. And any executive actions Biden takes would run the risk of falling to the same conservative Supreme Court that has already hobbled his regulators’ ability to rein in carbon pollution.”

Declaring a climate emergency could unlock potent tools for Biden — at a steep cost / By Alex Guillen and Ben Lefebvre / POLITICO / July 20, 2022

The urgency is marked by issues like the Colorado River crisis from the worst megadrought in 1,200 years. Thirsty farmlands in California’s Imperial Valley could see their water usage cut, along with water restrictions in other states, since Lake Powell and Lake Mead are only holding about a quarter of their total capacity.

“The president has an ability to protect our country when our national security is threatened,” Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) told reporters Monday. “And clearly, the climate crisis is a threat to national security.”

Declaring a climate emergency could unlock potent tools for Biden — at a steep cost / By Alex Guillen and Ben Lefebvre / POLITICO / July 20, 2022

“The White House knows doing anything to invoke emergency powers will be immediately legally challenged and cause markets to react in a negative fashion. This is like a game of Russian roulette.”

Stephen Brown, a former energy lobbyist who heads RBJ Strategies

Of all the Presidential powers available to Biden, a 2015 law that allows the president to restrict crude oil exports during a national emergency is the most notable. More: 136 statutory powers that may become available to the president upon declaration of a national emergency.

“Biden could deploy military construction powers to build renewable energy projects near military bases or other energy security projects. Whatever steps Biden potentially decides to take, declaring climate change an emergency could also be symbolically important, publicly conveying the magnitude of the problem.”

What would declaring a national climate emergency do? / By Rachel Frazin / THE HILL / July 21, 2022