White House pushes clean energy, says US must reduce reliance on foreign oil in wake of OPEC+ decision

OPEC+ to cut oil production by 2 million barrels a day

The White House is hoping clean energy will help the U.S. weather Wednesday's decision by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to cut back oil production.

Ministers from Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC+) on Wednesday said they would cut oil production by 2 million barrels a day in a move that is expected to raise oil prices globally.

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Reacting to OPEC's decision, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Wednesday the administration is banking on clean energy to get the country through.

"Today's announcement is a reminder of why it is so critical that the United States reduce its reliance on foreign sources of fossil fuels with the Inflation Reduction Act," Jean-Pierre told reporters. 

The OPEC decision comes as the White House has pushed top oil producers like Saudi Arabia — which leads the international oil cartel — not to make drastic cuts to oil production as gas prices remain high.

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She added, "We are making a historic investment in accelerating the transition to clean energy as it relates to Russia."

While the cuts will likely negatively impact consumer wallets, they are expected to spur a recovery in oil prices for producing nations like Russia, Kuwait and the UAE.

To help curb the pain at the pump, the White House continues to order deployment of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. This policy is set to continue into the future, Jean-Pierre explained.

"The Department of Energy will deliver another 10 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to the market next month as part of the historic 180 million barrel release the president ordered back in March," the press secretary said. "And the president will continue to direct the SPR releases as necessary."

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Prices at the pump range from $3.06 per gallon in Mississippi to as much as $6.41 per gallon in California, according to AAA. The national average gas price is currently sitting at $3.80 per gallon.

FOX Business' Caitlin McFall contributed to this report.

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