Energy & Environment

Policy Priorities

U.S. energy independence
A secure and resilient U.S. energy sector
A predictable and efficient permitting process
A level playing field for all sources of energy to compete
Increased energy exports and international energy dominance
Realistic, fact-based, and economically viable solutions for complex environmental problems
Energy policies that help America’s most vulnerable and end energy poverty—ensuring that every American has access to affordable, reliable energy

American ingenuity and entrepreneurialism have transformed American energy. When our Nation thrived under America First leadership, the United States achieved a generational strategic goal and moved from a position of chronic energy dependency to true energy independence—providing abundant and affordable energy to American homes and communities and opening new vistas of American dreams and opportunities. Our American energy sector achieved something else as well: in attaining new heights of innovation and development, the United States led the world in generating opportunity, security, and environmental progress. The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) will advance policies to safeguard the freedoms and opportunities presented by our energy potential and rebuild our Nation’s energy independence while advancing clean air and clean water and helping make the greatest economy in the world work for all Americans.

Team

Ambassador Carla Sands

Chair, Foreign Policy Initiative & Senior Fellow for Energy Policy

Oliver McPherson-Smith,Ph.D

Vice Chair, Energy & Environment

Jason Hayes

Director, Energy and Environment

Ted Ellis

Campaign Director, Power America and Deputy Director, Energy and Environment

David Vasquez

Senior Policy Analyst, American Prosperity and Energy & Environment

Samuel Buchan

Senior Fellow, Energy & Environment

Joshua Antonini

Policy Analyst, Energy and Environment

Latest

Op-Ed | March 3, 2026

HOUSEHOLD SAVINGS FROM ENERGY DOMINANCE: ONE YEAR LATER

One year into the Energy Dominance agenda, the facts are already clear and unsurprising: abundance trumps scarcity, freedom beats mandates, and energy price spikes are cooling and even falling. When bureaucracy and red tape grow, the American people suffer at the meter and at the pump.

Statement | February 12, 2026

AFPI Applauds Bipartisan Vote to Protect New Mexico Energy

The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) New Mexico Chapter released the following statement after state legislators voted to strike down the Clear Horizons Act — a proposal that would have imposed costly emissions mandates and driven up energy prices for New Mexico families: