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What could the US Government do with executive orders to lower gas prices immediately?

Doug Houseman's picture
Doug Houseman 34,965
Visionary and innovator in the utility industry and grid modernization Burns & McDonnell

I have a broad background in utilities and energy. I worked for Capgemini in the Energy Practice for more than 15 years. During that time I rose to the position of CTO of the 12,000 person...

  • Member since 2017
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  • Mar 11, 2022
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What could the US Government do with executive orders to lower gas prices immediately?

1)    Stay the federal gas tax for six months
2)    Increase the oil depletion allowance (similar the production tax credit for wind and solar)
3)    Make public transit free by ordering the department of transportation to pay for trips taken (87% of the actual cost of public transit is subsidies now [USDOT])
4)    Remove any refining limits from US refineries
5)    Set up a 30-day program of releases from the strategic oil reserve (my last choice)

With an impact within 6 months:

1)    Hold the suspended auctions for leases on oil producing tracts
2)    Return to older environmental permitting requirements, and timelines
3)    Offer National Guard help on road building and temporary in field pipeline laying
4)    Allow more hauling of petroleum and refined products by rail

Within 2 years

1)    Restart pipeline construction
2)    Overhaul the new FERC rules on building pipelines
3)    Sue to reopen US oil field that are restricted by state laws
4)    Provide funds to update refineries
5)    Open the land bank for crop land and grow a maximum crop of corn and soybeans for sustainable jet fuel

Within a decade

1)    Bio-modify corn to yield more corn oil, same with soybeans and soy oil
2)    Pu in place an aggressive energy efficiency program for all energy uses, set much higher standards
3)    Get realistic about meeting sustainable energy goals, and bring manufacturing of all aspects on shore, with goals that are 2 to 8 times current installations
4)    Make building pumped hydro easy, and getting transmission rights of way as simple as possible
5)    Grade buildings’ energy efficiency and require the grades be posted at every entrance 

There is a lot more than would take a law change. These are items that the President could do on his own.

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Audra Drazga's picture
Audra Drazga on Mar 11, 2022

Interesting bullet point steps.  I love how you make it seem simple!  To me, I would love it if this administration would sit down with O&G producers and try to work together with long-term and short-term solutions vs what seems like always working against each other.  Perhaps I am living in a pipe dream - but that would be nice to see.  We can all work together to phase out dirty fuel - but it is not just something we can do at a flip of a switch.  

Doug Houseman's picture
Thank Doug for the Post!
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