Unlocking Affordable Energy
"Increased regulatory costs don’t just apply to oil and natural gas, they also have a direct impact on wind, solar, nuclear, and geothermal projects."
“Energy is not just another product: it’s what makes civilization possible.” – Matt Ridley
Energy costs are skyrocketing, and if you’ve been to the gas station recently you know just how bad it is. With these increasing costs come a variety of proposed solutions, but one often ignored aspect is the role federal red tape has on the production of all types of energy.
After several years of declining red tape during the Trump administration, federal regulations are once again accumulating, hampering the potential for more energy production. Frontier Institute President and CEO Kendall Cotton’s explains:
“This sizable growth of federal government bureaucracy comes at direct cost to the American economy, especially our ability to produce energy. For example, new guidance issued last month by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) will require ‘environmental justice’ be taken into account when permitting new natural gas projects, a move certain to delay such proposals.”
Increased regulatory costs don’t just apply to oil and natural gas, they also have a direct impact on wind, solar, nuclear, and geothermal projects.
Regardless of the type of energy production, the growth of federal bureaucracy will remain one of the biggest barriers to American energy. Officials who want to lower the cost of energy will have to recommit to downsizing the federal government and slashing red tape.
For Liberty,
Tanner Avery
The Latest
The ‘Montana Crease’
Be sure to check out the latest Frontier History column on the lasting legacy of John B. Stetson, authored by Frontier board member Lawrence Reed. Click here to see the entire column.
“The kid from Jersey was awed by the freewheeling culture of the territories west of the Mississippi. But one thing that failed to impress him were the hats of the day. Everybody wore won but they seemed worse than useless.”
Forest Management
This week, Gov. Gianforte called on the U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to do more to increase the pace and scale of active forest management projects in Montana, such as targeted thinning, prescribed burns and fuel reduction.
Our Take: By encouraging collaboration between the state and federal agencies, Montana will be able to actively treat and restore more acres of forest, helping to prevent catastrophic forest fires during the summer season. We applaud Gov. Gianforte for prioritizing the health of Montana’s forests.
Letter to City Councils
A few weeks ago we published a report titled the Montana Zoning Atlas, an interactive resource that demonstrates how strict local zoning regulations exclude low and middle-income residents and worsen Montana’s housing shortage.
This week we sent a letter to each of the 6 city councils included in our report, offering to present our findings and recommendations in regard to zoning in each city.
We are excited to work with city council members to increase affordable housing and make Montana a more welcoming place to people at every income level.