Interior Secretary Deb Haaland took sweeping action Friday to “prioritize action on climate change,” including reinstating the ban on federal coal leasing that was part of the Obama administration’s contentious “war on coal.”
Ms. Haaland issued two secretarial orders: The first created a Climate Task Force aimed at juicing renewable-energy development, while the second rescinded a dozen Trump administration orders promoting U.S. energy dominance, including the reversal of the 2016 moratorium on new federal coal leases.
“I know that signing Secretarial Orders alone won’t address the urgency of the climate crisis. But I’m hopeful that these steps will help make clear that we, as a Department, have a mandate to act,” she said in a statement.
“With the vast experience, talent, and ingenuity of our public servants at the Department of the Interior, I’m optimistic about what we can accomplish together to care for our natural resources for the benefit of current and future generations.”
Environmental groups cheered the former Democratic congresswoman’s moves, saying they signaled a new era of placing climate change and environmental protection ahead of fossil-fuel development on federal lands and waters.
“Today is a watershed moment in the history of the U.S. Department of the Interior,” said Jeremy Nichols, WildEarth Guardians climate and energy program director. “With Secretary Haaland‘s actions today, it’s clear the Interior Department is now working for communities, science, and justice. We are grateful for her leadership and bold action to put people over polluters.”
The group highlighted Ms. Haaland‘s removal of the 2017 secretarial order reversing the Obama-era “pause” on new federal leases for thermal coal
“Critically, with Secretarial Order 3398, Secretary Haaland rescinded a previous Order that lifted a moratorium on federal coal leasing,” said WildEarth Guardians. “As a result, the moratorium on coal leasing adopted under the Obama administration is back in effect.”
The National Resources Defense Council praised Ms. Haaland‘s moves, including the moratorium on new coal leasing, as “a step in the right direction.” …
Ms. Haaland, a cosponsor of the 2019 Green New Deal resolution, has spoken out against fracking and participated in the mass 2016 Dakota Access Pipeline protest in North Dakota.
“It’s clear there’s an anti-oil and natural gas agenda at the Interior Department, so these orders aren’t surprising,” said Kathleen Sgamma, president of the Western Energy Alliance.
Read rest at Washington Times
GAWD ! These people are going to ruin America. No jobs, no exports, and no reliable primary or back up energy. Don’t forget China got a free pass at Paris and if we don’t sell them natural resources, they’ll keep building coal power plants and buy their coal somewhere else and laugh at us.
This is China’s green new deal in action … https://newtube.app/user/TonyHeller/2bwZWXp
Dumb Deb Haaland Biden the Stupid Secretary of the Inferior were right back under what we had with Clinton and Obama these liberal members of the Stupid Jackass Party(Liberal Democrats)are mostly Globalists doing the bidding of the Useless Nations and the Globalists