EPA set to propose a revamp of “actual construction” efforts

In an effort to speed up American manufacturing and construction, the Environmental Protection Agency is looking to add a revision to what is considered a “pollutant-emitting activity,” and what can be circumvented, effectively eliminating what the agency considers as red tape that effectively slows down everything from the creation of piping to AI data centers. 

The latter, a real focus on artificial intelligence, is primarily the engine behind a proposal from EPA administrator Lee Zeldin, who believes that the growth of data centers are critical to making the U.S. the AI capital of the world.

“[This] proposal works to provide solutions to issues that have held up critical American infrastructure and advance the next great technological forefront,” Zeldin said via release. “Through commonsense permitting reform, the Trump EPA is fixing the broken system of government interference, while continuing to uphold our core mission to protect human health and the environment.”

Orphan wells could receive a geothermal revival

According to a report in Canary Media this week, policymakers across the aisle are weighing the idea that these wells could be repurposed to generate geothermal heat, using the robust subsurface data already mined from oil and gas development to help spur the initiative. 

Could many of the nation's millions of orphaned oil and gas wells help spur the rise of geothermal energy sourcing? It’s a concept that is gaining traction across many southern and midwest states as what is the solution for unused oil and gas wells that are expensive to remediate and require constant evaluation to determine buildups like methane. Oftentimes can cost in the tens, if not hundreds of thousands, per well to remediate.

United States leads all in energy production in 2025

The latest numbers from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, an independent data firm conveyed that America is tops again globally in total energy production, and in fact set another record year in production across oil, natural gas, and even renewables. According to the firm, the U.S. produced 107 quadrillion British thermal units of energy, a 3.4 percent increase. 

In doing so, America remains the largest producer of natural gas in the world, a place it has remained since 2011. And with all the talk of fuel prices being what they are, crude oil nationwide set a record of roughly 13.6 barrels a day, with the Texas’ Permian basin and a large swath of southeastern New Mexico leading the charge.