The 2024 election sent an unmistakable message: Americans overwhelmingly rejected the Biden-Harris administration’s policies. But instead of respecting the will of the people, the outgoing administration is using the lame-duck period to frantically entrench their agenda before leaving office.
The Biden-Harris team is working overtime to appease its eco-left benefactors, exploiting the administrative state to ram through policies that the American people just rejected at the ballot box. From hastily finalized regulations to dubious loan approvals, their actions are a clear attempt to “Trump-proof” their climate agenda.
That’s where Lame Duck Watch comes in. This transparency initiative aims to shine a light on the Biden-Harris administration’s backroom dealings and last-minute power grabs during this critical period between Election Day and Inauguration Day.
Green Energy Grift
One of the most glaring examples of this end-of-term frenzy is the Department of Energy (DOE) decision to quadruple its lending authority. The DOE Loan Programs Office increased its handout capacity from $57 billion to an eye-popping $246 billion, positioning itself to approve a flurry of “green energy” loans before Trump takes office. That’s a whole lot of Solyndras.
Additionally, this is the same office that has long been criticized for its lack of oversight and transparency. It’s currently under investigation for potential conflicts of interest related to loan disbursements. Yet rather than addressing these concerns, the Biden administration has opted to double down, prioritizing its eco-left agenda over fiscal responsibility.
This sudden surge in green energy lending raises serious questions about accountability. How many of these loans will benefit politically connected companies? How much taxpayer money will be wasted on projects that fail to deliver? These are questions where Americans need answers.
Racing Through the Tape
On the morning after Election Day, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan convened his top officials, urging them to “run through the tape” during the lame-duck period. With Trump’s return to the White House imminent, Regan assured his staff that their work would “stand the test of time.”
With the clock ticking, Biden’s crew wasted no time. In just a few days, the administration finalized plans to limit oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and imposed sweeping restrictions on activities like drilling, mining, and livestock grazing across 65 million acres in 10 Western states. Behind closed doors, officials are rushing to complete a study justifying the Biden administration’s freeze on new liquefied natural gas export approvals—an initiative Trump has promised to lift on his first day back in office.
Punishing American Energy Producers
Another egregious example of the administration’s lame-duck overreach is the EPA’s newly finalized methane fee. This rule imposes a hefty $900 per metric ton fee on methane emissions in 2024, escalating to $1,500 per metric ton by 2026.
While most methane comes from natural and agricultural sources, certain levels are released during natural gas production. Nearly half (43%) of the nation’s electricity supply comes from natural gas, not to mention all those households who rely on it heating and cooking.
While framed as an environmental protection measure, this methane fee is nothing more than a punitive tax on American energy producers. By imposing such steep penalties, the EPA is driving up costs for businesses and consumers alike, all in service of a radical climate agenda.
This is not about protecting the environment—it’s about punishing industries the eco-left disapproves of and locking in policies that will hurt American families long after the Biden-Harris administration is gone.
The outgoing administration is working behind closed doors to force-feed policies that were on the losing end of a landslide election. Instead of reflecting on their defeat , they are shooting our dollars out of a firehose and shredding documents as they head out the door.
Rather than taking this moment as an opportunity to reflect and gracefully transition power, they are doubling down, injecting steroids into their agenda that will likely reward them with cushy jobs once they are unemployed.
The public must remain vigilant because we are the ones who will be left with the bill for these lame ducks.
Larry Behrens is the Communications Director for Power The Future. He has appeared on Fox News, ZeroHedge, and NewsMax speaking in defense of American energy workers. You can follow him on X/Twitter @larrybehrens.