In a newly published op-ed in RealClear Energy, AXPC CEO Anne Bradbury outlines a clear and actionable vision to strengthen America’s energy leadership. Anne highlights the necessary steps Congress and the administration must take to convert recent pro‑energy moves by the Trump Administration into a lasting energy policy framework that meets global demand, fuels prosperity at home, and strengthens national security.
By Anne Bradbury
May 08, 2025
Upstream, independent producers supply close to 90% of America’s oil and natural gas, and we know that our nation is stronger, the world is safer, and the environment is cleaner when the United States leads in energy production. President Trump has taken meaningful action in his first 100 days to unlock America’s energy potential – but now is the time to turn this momentum into a durable foundation rooted in balanced, forward-looking energy policy.
Protect Americans’ Wallets through Tax & Fiscal Policies
American-made energy can out-compete just about anyone; we just need policies that encourage production rather than enacting self-imposed economic headwinds.
For over a century, the U.S. tax code has allowed oil and natural gas producers to deduct intangible drilling costs (IDCs) in the year they’re incurred, a practice known “accelerated cost-recovery” or immediate expensing.
Due to the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), U.S. independent producers are no longer treated like every capital-intensive industry under the tax code. Instead, IDCs are subject to depletion deductions over the life of the asset, which can be 20 years or more. This is despite IDCs making up 80% of the costs to explore, develop and drill new wells – including wages, repairs, supplies, fuel, and surveying – with most of these expenses going to workforce and labor.
Policymakers should fix this tax penalty on America’s independent producers to ensure new investment, more production, more jobs, and lower energy costs.
Restore Federal Lands for Energy Production
Oil and gas development cannot happen without leases, yet even with growing demand for oil and natural gas, the last administration leased a record low acreage.
A lack of leasing leads to a lack of federal revenues from oil and gas development. In 2018 the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) held 28 lease sales and reported total receipts of $1.15 billion in onshore revenues. By contrast, in 2024, BLM held 14 lease sales and reported total receipts of less than $150,000 in onshore revenues. That’s a difference in over $1 billion driven by agency discretion and lack of onshore lease sales for oil and gas development.
While the Department of Interior, under Secretary Burgum, has already re-started federal lease sales, Congress can ensure that a future administration cannot reverse this progress. The House Natural Resources Committee’s reconciliation package establishes mandated, prescriptive requirements for regular leasing and more predictable permitting to reduce delays and accelerate the first-date-of-production. In total, the Committee expects to generate over $15 billion in savings and new revenue for the federal government.
We urge Congress to support these proposals.
Repeal the Statutory Mandate for a Methane Tax
In March, President Trump signed a Congressional Review Act resolution of disapproval to nullify the prior administration’s implementing rule for the waste emissions charge, also known as the “methane tax” or “natural gas tax.” This policy was an unnecessary tax that raised costs on American energy producers and ignored their significant investment to identify and reduce emissions.
Since the statutory mandate for the methane tax remains intact under the IRA, the Environmental Protection Agency is still legally required to develop a regulation to implement it, despite the nullification of the 2024 implementing rule. Because of this, it is essential that Congress repeal the underlying statutory authority through the budget reconciliation process.
Modernizing the Federal Permitting Process
We need modern energy infrastructure to meet growing domestic and global energy demand. Unfortunately, our ability to produce, transport, and deliver energy is hampered by outdated permitting processes and lengthy environmental reviews.
The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) needs to be reformed to establish clear standards that lead to predictable outcomes for agency reviews and safeguard legitimate, approved projects from undue third-party litigation. This administration has taken important steps in that direction, and Congress should follow by enacting durable, statutory reforms that ensure America can build energy infrastructure that meets this critical moment of burgeoning demand.
Promote the Export of American Energy
American-made energy has become an effective strategic tool to enhance national security, limit geopolitical uncertainty, reduce global emissions, and keep prices low and stable at home. Despite these clear benefits, U.S. liquified natural gas (LNG) faced significant political and policy headwinds under the last administration.
The Trump administration recently ended the LNG export approval pause, and now is the time to advance LNG projects and promote U.S. LNG around the world. We can and should use U.S. LNG to help improve our trade balance, secure our national security, help our allies, and prevent our adversaries from extending their influence.
As the representative of the nation’s leading independent oil and gas producers,
I welcome the progress made by the Trump Administration over the last 100 days and will continue advocating for reforms that enhance domestic energy independence, global energy stability, local job creation, economic growth, and lower costs.
Anne Bradbury is CEO of American Exploration & Production Council (AXPC).
