Senator Inhofe (R-OK) introduced a bill (S.335) to “achieve domestic energy independence by empowering States to control the development and production of all forms of energy on all available Federal land.” The full text of the bill is not yet available but should be posted shortly on congress.gov.
Federal jurisdiction over climate related issues is generally preferred over exclusive state jurisdiction. Federal regulation creates minimum requirements that all states must adhere to, and states can also opt to build upon the federal baseline to impose more stringent state-specific regulations. Without a set of standardized national rules, states with large political and economic incentives to deregulate can and will do so. The proposed legislation could therefore result in less energy regulations and more fossil fuel development which will fuel climate change.