White House Forms New 'Energy Dominance' Council to Boost Production, Cut Red Tape

The National Energy Dominance Council Act of 2025 proposes creating a powerful new group right inside the White House. This National Energy Dominance Council, established by amending the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (Section 2), would bring together top cabinet secretaries and presidential advisors with a clear mission: advise the President on how to ramp up U.S. energy production across the board – fossil fuels, renewables, nuclear, and critical minerals – to achieve what the bill calls "energy dominance."

Who's Calling the Shots on Energy Now?

This isn't a low-level task force. The Council includes heavy hitters like the Secretaries of the Interior (Chair), Energy (Vice Chair), Defense, State, Treasury, the EPA Administrator, and key White House economic and national security advisors (Section 2). Their job description is broad: figure out how to improve everything related to energy – permitting, production, distribution, regulation, transport, and export. A major focus is explicitly on "cutting red tape" and making it easier for private companies to invest and operate. Think faster approvals for pipelines, quicker decisions on power plant proposals (including reopening closed ones or bringing small modular nuclear reactors online), and potentially fewer regulatory hurdles for mining critical minerals needed for batteries and tech.

The Playbook: More Production, Less Paperwork?

According to Section 2, the Council is tasked with developing a "National Energy Dominance Strategy" aimed at boosting production through streamlined regulations and increased private investment. They'll need to review energy markets, consult with state, local, and Tribal governments (plus the private sector), and recommend specific actions federal agencies can take to prioritize energy production. This could mean pushing agencies to speed up environmental reviews or prioritize energy infrastructure projects over other land uses. For instance, if a community has concerns about a new natural gas pipeline route, this Council's recommendations could push federal agencies to prioritize the pipeline's approval to meet national production goals. The Council also aims to identify and end practices that raise energy costs, though the specifics of how remain undefined.

Energy Gets a Seat at the Security Table

Beyond creating the Council, the bill makes a significant change to the National Security Council (NSC). Section 3 amends the National Security Act of 1947 to add the Secretary of the Interior as a permanent member. The Interior Department manages vast federal lands and offshore areas rich in energy resources. Adding its leader to the NSC alongside the Secretaries of State, Defense, and Energy signals a potential shift, formally linking the management of these resources and energy extraction policies directly to top-level national security strategy discussions.