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

Ted Ellis

Deputy Director, Energy and Environment Policy

David Vasquez

Senior Analyst, Energy and Environment Policy

Samuel Buchan

Senior Fellow, Energy & Environment

Joshua Antonini

Policy Analyst, Energy and Environment

Latest

Statement | September 2, 2026

Small Businesses Need Reliable, Affordable Energy

Today, the America First Policy Institute’s (AFPI) Ted Ellis, deputy director for Energy and Environment Policy, testified before the House Committee on Small Business Subcommittee on Rural Development, Energy, and Supply Chains, on the need to power American businesses.

Public Comment | August 28, 2026

Comments Supporting Replacement of ALARA and Further Review of Radiation Dose Limits and the Linear No-Threshold Model

The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) respectfully submits these comments on the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC or Commission) proposed rule, “Reforming and Modernizing the NRC’s Radiation Protection Framework.” AFPI is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research institute dedicated to advancing policies that promote American prosperity, security, and energy abundance. Because a reliable, rapidly expanding nuclear sector is central to meeting projected load growth and keeping energy affordable, AFPI has a strong interest in a radiation-protection framework that protects workers and the public while removing open-ended obligations that raise costs and slow deployment without measurable safety benefit. AFPI has previously called for reconsideration of the “as low as is reasonably achievable” (ALARA) principle as part of broader reforms to facilitate nuclear deployment.

Research Report | August 21, 2026

Powering America’s Future with Affordable, Reliable Electricity

Affordable, reliable energy is the foundation of American prosperity. Families need electricity they can afford; businesses need dependable power to expand, hire, and compete; and communities need reliable energy infrastructure that supports investment and growth. Nationally, the United States needs abundant domestic energy to remain the world’s leading economy, military power, and technological innovator.

Op-Ed | June 24, 2026

Congress Should Follow the Administration’s Lead on Lowering Energy Prices

Recent action by the Trump administration has made historic strides to free up energy production, reduce burdensome regulations, and repeal harmful and unnecessary rules. In particular, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin and Energy Secretary Chris Wright have made significant progress in reducing the regulatory pressure on energy production. From the EPA’s “biggest deregulatory action in U.S. history” to the notable reduction of “47 burdensome and costly regulations” by the DOE, the administration has effectively moved the country from a net-zero to energy dominance focus.

Fact Sheet | June 17, 2026

Ten Actions Congress Could Take to Lower Energy Prices | Fact Sheet

Energy powers modern life, and affordable, reliable energy powers prosperity. Prices stabilize—and often decline—when Congress sets reasonable safety and environmental standards, then steps back to let free markets, innovation, and competition deliver supply, reliability, and controlled costs.