American Energy Independence Act of 2022

To prioritize United States energy independence, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the American Energy Independence Act of 2022 2. Policy It shall be the policy of the United States— (1) to secure energy independence; (2) to provide people in the United States with stable, affordable, and reliable energy prices, including gasoline, diesel, electricity, natural gas, and propane; (3) to lift regulations on United States energy producers; and (4) to address the impending energy crisis caused by the illegal invasion by Russia of Ukraine. 3. Prioritization of United States energy independence (a) President The President shall— (1) direct the Secretary of Energy, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Secretary of Transportation, the Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of the Interior to prioritize United States energy independence; and (2) not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, develop and submit to Congress, and make publicly available, a plan for the United States to achieve energy independence by 2024. (b) Secretary of Energy (1) In general Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Energy shall develop a program, promulgate rules, and issue guidance to ensure that the United States is— (A) energy independent by 2024; and (B) a net exporter of energy. (2) Hydraulic fracturing Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Energy shall review existing programs of the Department of Energy and promulgate regulations to reduce the regulatory burden on private United States entities harvesting energy through hydraulic fracturing. (c) Domestic energy independence (1) In general Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (referred to in this subsection as the Administrator (A) identify and repeal any regulations promulgated by the Administrator during the 15-year period preceding the date of enactment of this Act that have the intent or effect of substantially reducing the energy independence of the United States; and (B) promulgate regulations and issue guidance relating to— (i) reducing the regulatory burden for energy producers in the United States; (ii) increasing the energy output by those producers; and (iii) setting the social cost of carbon to $0 per metric ton. (2) Prohibition The Administrator shall not propose, finalize, or issue any regulation relating to climate change if the Administrator determines that such a regulation will— (A) reduce the energy security of the United States; or (B) increase energy costs for consumers in the United States. (d) Department of Transportation (1) Review and report Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall— (A) conduct a review of all existing programs of the Department of Transportation relating to transportation prices in the United States; and (B) submit to Congress a report on the stability of transportation prices and the affordability of transportation in the United States. (2) Rulemaking Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Transportation shall promulgate regulations and issue guidance to promote stable and affordable gasoline and diesel prices for commuters in the United States. (e) Department of Defense report Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to Congress and make publicly available a report reviewing the national security implications of the dependence of the United States and allied countries on Russian energy exports. (f) Leasing of Federal land for oil and natural gas production Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior shall— (1) conduct a review of existing Federal programs relating to the leasing of Federal land for oil and natural gas production; and (2) based on the review, promulgate regulations and issue guidance— (A) to promote the leasing of Federal land for oil and natural gas production; and (B) to reduce regulatory burdens on energy companies in the United States. (g) Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (1) Definitions In this subsection: (A) Commission The term Commission (B) Covered application The term covered application (2) Review of covered applications previously denied Not later than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall review and reconsider, in light of the national security implications of the energy independence of the United States, all covered applications denied by the Commission during the 10-year period ending on the date of enactment of this Act. (3) Presumption applicable to covered applications (A) In general Subject to subparagraph (B), the Commission shall— (i) presume that all covered applications received by the Commission during the period beginning on the date that is 1 year before the date of enactment of this Act and ending on January 1, 2024, will have a positive effect on national security by contributing to the energy independence of the United States; and (ii) consider those covered applications to be granted, based on that presumption. (B) Rebuttal The Commission may overcome the presumption described in subparagraph (A) and deny a covered application considered to be granted under that subparagraph if the Commission makes competing findings under any other Act with respect to the national security implications of the covered application. 4. Abrogation of energy policies (a) Prohibition on use of funds To implement the Paris Agreement (1) Prohibition (A) In general No funds appropriated or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2021 or any fiscal year thereafter may be used to implement the Paris Agreement. (B) Inclusions The prohibition under subparagraph (A) includes the use of funds for the following: (i) Preparing, communicating, or maintaining nationally determined contributions. (ii) Funding emissions reductions of developing countries. (iii) Developing financial mechanisms that incentivize offshoring of jobs. (iv) The Green Climate Fund. (2) Termination of prohibition The prohibition under paragraph (1) shall terminate on the date on which the Senate provides advice and consent to the ratification of the Paris Agreement pursuant to section 2 of article II of the Constitution of the United States. (3) Definition of Paris Agreement In this subsection, the term Paris Agreement (b) Authorization of Keystone XL pipeline (1) Authorization TransCanada Keystone Pipeline, L.P. may construct, connect, operate, and maintain the pipeline facilities at the international border of the United States and Canada at Phillips County, Montana, for the import of oil from Canada to the United States as described in the Presidential Permit of March 29, 2019 (84 Fed. Reg. 13101 (April 3, 2019)). (2) No Presidential Permit Required No Presidential permit (or similar permit) under Executive Order 13867 ( 3 U.S.C. 301 42 U.S.C. 7151 15 U.S.C. 717b (c) Nullification of climate crisis executive order Executive Order 14008 ( 42 U.S.C. 4321 (d) Waters of the United States (1) Definitions The definitions of the term waters of the United States (2) Codification of navigable waters protection rule The final rule of the Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency entitled The Navigable Waters Protection Rule: Definition of Waters of the United States (3) Abrogation of proposed rule The proposed rule of the Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency entitled Revised Definition of Waters of the United States (e) Abrogation of methane rule The proposed rule of the Environmental Protection Agency entitled Standards of Performance for New, Reconstructed, and Modified Sources and Emissions Guidelines for Existing Sources: Oil and Natural Gas Sector Climate Review 5. Report Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress a report that— (1) describes the status of United States dependence on foreign countries for energy needs; (2) (A) describes the compliance of applicable Federal agencies with this Act; and (B) evaluates the effect of that compliance on United States energy independence; and (3) evaluates the stability and affordability of energy prices for United States consumers.

Summary: American Energy Independence Act of 2022 This bill addresses U.S. energy independence, the production and importation of oil and natural gas, and the rescission of specified environmental requirements. Specifically, the bill directs the President to develop a plan for the United States to achieve energy independence by 2024. The Department of Energy (DOE) must also develop a program and issue rules to ensure that the United States achieves such energy independence and becomes a net exporter of energy. The bill also addresses energy pipelines, including by approving the TransCanada Keystone Pipeline in Phillips County, Montana for the import of oil from Canada to the United States. It also provides for energy production, including by requiring regulations to be issued by DOE to reduce requirements on entities harvesting energy through hydraulic fracturing, the Department of Transportation to promote stable and affordable gasoline and diesel prices, and the Department of the Interior to promote the leasing of federal land for oil and natural gas production. In addition, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must identify and repeal certain regulations that substantially reduce energy independence. Further, the bill prohibits the use of any funds to implement the Paris Agreement on climate change. Finally, the bill rescinds (1) Executive Order 14008 about tackling climate change, (2) the 2021 proposed rule issued by the EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers about the scope of the Clean Water Act, and (3) the 2021 proposed rule issued by the EPA about methane gas emissions.