Protecting American Energy Production Act
The Protecting American Energy Production Act would (1) declare that states should maintain primary regulatory authority over hydraulic fracturing (fracking) for oil and natural gas on state and private lands, and (2) prohibit the President from declaring a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing unless Congress passes a law authorizing one. In other words, the bill reinforces state-level control over fracking and blocks unilateral federal pauses by the executive branch without new congressional authorization. If enacted, the measure would limit the federal government’s ability to pause or suspend fracking activities and would require Congress to explicitly authorize any nationwide or extensive moratorium, potentially accelerating energy development while limiting executive pause powers.
Key Points
- 1Short title: The Protecting American Energy Production Act.
- 2Sense of Congress: States should have primacy in regulating hydraulic fracturing on state and private lands.
- 3Prohibition on moratoriums: The President may not declare a moratorium on the use of hydraulic fracturing unless Congress passes and enacts a law authorizing it.
- 4Federal vs. state authority: The bill strongly leans toward state/regulatory autonomy over fracking, limiting unilateral federal action.
- 5Current status: The House has already passed the bill (February 7, 2025); in the Senate, it has been received and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources (February 10, 2025).