Sep 22, 2016 4 min read

PITTSBURGH – Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump Thursday called for an “America first” energy policy he said would create wealth at every level of the U.S. economy.

The message was well-received, given his audience.

Trump was keynote speaker to about 1,400 attendees at the second day of Shale Insight, a joint natural gas industry conference of coalitions from Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia. The event was held at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh.

In a 30-minute speech that frequently drew strong applause, Trump pitched an economic plan he said would put American energy production front and center of his goal for producing more wealth for all Americans.

“America is sitting on a treasure trove of untapped energy,” Trump said, noting that in addition to the abundant natural gas resources in the region’s Marcellus and Utica shales, “there is some $50 trillion” of oil and natural gas reserves on public land in the country.

Part of his strategy to achieve that goal, he said, would be to rescind regulations he said stand in the way of production.

“Overregulation is costing $2 trillion a year,” Trump said, adding “I think no other business has been more affected than your business by overregulations.

“We need regulations for industry and environment, but regulations are becoming a major industry right now, and we’re going to make it a much smaller industry, maybe a minor industry.” he said.

“Producing more American energy is a central part of my plan for making America wealthy again,” he said, stating that his plan would unlock “our shale oil and gas and the energy technologies of both today and tomorrow.”

According to Trump, producing more energy at home will keep more wealth here.

“Every energy dollar that isn’t harvested in this country is harvested in a foreign country, often a country not friendly to us.”

“That not only means that we’re sending our jobs to those countries, it means it’s being produced in countries that lack our high environmental and conservation standards.

“That is one more reason why we should pursue the safe and responsible production of America’s vast energy resources and reserves.

“We need an ‘America first’ energy plan, it’s going to be from now on America first.”

Under the plan, Trump said he would open federal lands for oil and gas production, offshore areas and revoke policies that are “imposing unnecessary restrictions on innovative, new exploration technologies.”

“The development of the Marcellus and Utica shale will fundamentally change the economic landscape of this region and our country, bringing extraordinary new prosperity to millions – more jobs, higher wages, a larger tax base and dollars flowing into our country for a change instead of out of our country, which is typical.”

He added that access to American liquefied gas also supports the American chemical industry, which supports 40,000 jobs in Pennsylvania.

“We have just begun as a nation to recognize our economic advantage that is made possible by shale energy. The shale energy revolution will unleash massive wealth for American workers and their families.

“At the same time, this energy revolution will produce new demand for American steel and that means the steelworkers will benefit.”

Trump also indicated he subscribes to an “all-of-the-above” menu of choices of energy for making the country energy independent.

“Our energy policy will make full use of our domestic energy sources, including traditional and renewable energy sources. We want everything.”

Warning that Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has declared a war on coal and will work to impose more regulations on oil and gas, Trump said he would include coal in the energy portfolio.

Trump opened his talk by stating that he expects to do well in Pennsylvania in the November election, but he asked the industry for its help.

“I think we’re going to have a big, big victory right here in the state of Pennsylvania,” Trump said. “They tell me a Republican can’t carry the state of Pennsylvania, but I don’t believe it. “