It is strange in Washington right now: traffic is light, DC’s golf courses are closed (as are the Smithsonian Museums and our many parks administered by the National Park Service).

How is this impacting energy? Doesn’t everything flourish without government oversight? Not exactly: here’s a list of the top 5 impacts of the shutdown on energy and climate issues.

1. The Department of the Interior has furloughed over 80% of its staff. Most press accounts have focused on how this has closed America’s National Parks to visitors, but this also means that the processing of permits for drilling of oil and gas on federal lands have been suspended.

2. Over 95% of staff at the Environmental Protection Agency have been furloughed. Most functions of the EPA’s regulatory and enforcement duties are suspending, including the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act enforcement.

3. The Department of Energy has furloughed about 70% of its employees. Among the many duties that won’t be enacted, the DoE will not approve any further of the 20 permits for LNG exports currently under DoE review.

4. Advanced Energy Research Projects – Energy (ARPA-E) has been completely shut down. This agency identifies and supports creative and transformational, next-generation energy research.

5. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has shut-down non-essential functions, that includes research into climate change and its impacts on the United States.

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