WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14) released the following statement on President Donald Trump’s day-one executive actions on U.S. energy policy, including withdrawing from the international Paris Climate Accord, opening public lands to oil and gas drilling and declaring a “national energy emergency”:

“President Trump and his oil and gas supporters appear determined to stick consumers with higher electric bills and the costs of the heating climate. The United States has made incredible progress in producing cleaner, cheaper energy and in putting money into the pockets of consumers through energy efficiency over the past four years.  Now, it appears that Trump intends to implement his Project 2025 Agenda, which will cost American families and communities billions of dollars every year. The rising costs of extreme events fueled by burning fossil fuels are exploding, whether it be insurance, electric bills due to hotter summers, or damage from hurricanes, fires and floods – costs are hitting Americans and small businesses where it hurts most: their pocketbooks.

“With the stroke of his pen, President Trump put the U.S. on the same footing as Iran, Libya and Yemen by formally beginning the process of withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris Climate Accord. President Trump's shortsighted decision to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord—for a second time – will saddle hardworking Americans with rising costs while turning a blind eye to the immense economic opportunities we see all across the country with clean energy investments. By stepping away from this agreement, Trump has handed those opportunities to other nations while forcing American families to pay more for the consequences of unchecked climate change.

“After President Joe Biden acted to permanently ban oil drilling off the Florida coast, Trump is seeking to reverse this critical protection. Floridians understand the damage that oil drilling and extreme weather events can do to our pocketbooks and way of life. The BP Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 was a wake-up call to the dangers of dirty and dangerous oil drilling and the risks it poses.

“Trump’s declaration of a “national energy emergency” is an unserious attempt at policymaking that will do nothing to increase energy production, lower costs for families or support small businesses. Under this declaration, Trump has even granted himself the power of eminent domain to kick people out of their homes if they might live on top of oil or gas. Meanwhile, the landmark and Democratic-led Infrastructure and Clean Energy laws have been broadly successful in creating jobs, boosting manufacturing and countering China.

“Despite these regrettable executive orders, I remain hopeful we can make meaningful progress in lowering costs for American families. However, we cannot turn a blind eye to the intentions of powerful special interests to elevate their profits over the best interests of everyday Americans.”