The Interior Department announced Monday that it would resume new oil-and-gas leasing on public lands to comply with a federal court order, but environmentalists weren’t happy about it.
Climate groups urged President Biden to stick to his promise to ban drilling on federal lands and waters after the department said it would adhere to the June 15 preliminary injunction ending the pause on leasing sales while the Justice Department appeals the ruling.
“DOJ is appealing that decision to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit,” said the Interior statement. “Federal onshore and offshore oil and gas leasing will continue as required by the district court while the government’s appeal is pending.”
The Interior’s announcement came hours after the American Petroleum Institute and 11 other energy trade groups filed a federal lawsuit of their own alleging that the “unprecedented” leasing pause violated federal law.
Rep. Raul Grijalva, who chairs the House Natural Resources Committee, said he was “disappointed” in the administration’s decision to restart drilling auctions, insisting that Interior Secretary Deb Haaland “has the authority to pause leasing.”
“Holding more lease sales under today’s outdated standards is economically wasteful and environmentally destructive, and everyone not sitting in a fossil fuel boardroom knows it,” the Arizona Democrat said in a Monday statement.
Nicole Ghio, Friends of the Earth senior fossil fuels program manager, pointed out that Mr. Biden pledged during the campaign to “ban new oil and gas leasing on public lands and waters.”
“It’s encouraging that the Biden Administration is appealing this wrongful decision,” said Ms. Ghio. “However, the President made a promise to ban all new oil and gas leasing on public lands and waters, and the American people expect him to keep it. The climate emergency reality we are facing demands immediate action, not acquiescence.”
The department dragged its feet for two months before agreeing Monday to hold new auction sales, acknowledging U.S. District Court Judge Terry A. Doughty’s injunction pending the outcome of a lawsuit filed by 13 states.
“Interior will proceed with leasing, consistent with the district court’s injunction during the appeal,” said the department. “In complying with the district court’s mandate, Interior will continue to exercise the authority and discretion provided under the law to conduct leasing in a manner that takes into account the program’s many deficiencies.”
In an apparent bone to environmental groups, the department also announced it would “release a notice of intent to conduct a review of the federal coal leasing program later this week.”
In his Jan. 27 executive order, Mr. Biden directed the department to pause new drilling auctions pending a comprehensive review of the federal oil-and-gas leasing program, which is still in the works.
“Separately, Interior continues to review the programs’ noted shortcomings, including completing a report,” said the statement.
Ms. Haaland has moved the goalposts on the completion date for the review, saying on June 23 that the review would be finished by “early summer.”
She said on July 22 that it would come out “soon,” leading to fears that the pause would become a de facto ban.
Read rest at Washington Times
You know what that means like Oil Tankers that can run around spill millions of barrels of Crude Oil into the Sea causing Harm to the Birdies and the Fishies or have the Eco-Freaks forgoten that
The Standing Rock protesters left behind a big big mess as Eco-Freaks always do when they have get through celebrating Earth Day
Didn’t Biden recently ask OPEC to increase crude oil production?
Since this recalcitrant president came to office, he has systematically cut any activity that was boosting American petroleum production (as agreed with Bernie Sanders) and now everyone is struggling to pay for gas, prices for which have increased for around $2 a gallon to as high as $5 in some regional areas.
How do democrat voters feel now?
OK, “I got this.” First, under the Mineral Leasing Act and applicable regulation, the DOI is LAWFULLY authorized to conduct oil & gas lease sales on a quarterly basis. Now, if the Secretary of Interior decides to do a review of the oil & gas program, that is within her purview. You do that as a SIDE BAR, not cancel a bunch of potential lease sales. If you don’t like the Mineral Leasing Act, Fed. Land management Policy Act or other applicable statutes, then you get Congress involved and you CHANGE the law.
Second, I’m TIRED of the FALSE narrative this Administration continues to “spew” out about the oil & gas industry, NEPA, etc. It is right out of the WildEarth Guardians playbook. There is a long standing & well established process for leasing & operations on the federal domain. Fact is, you hold a lease sale under a programmatic EIS, and based off that broader environmental analysis it sets the initial terms/conditions & timing stipulations needed to attach to a lease. If you want an idea of how detailed these lease EIS’s get, just go out to the government website (ePlanning) and look at the EIS for ANWR. Once the federal government issues an oil & gas lease, all that does is open up your opportunity to develop the acreage. If you propose ANY type of surface operation…seismic, drilling & production you are subject to FULL environmental review & public notice under both the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and full disclosure & legal parameters established under the Administrative Procedures Act. A LONG & detailed environmental review process. Anyone who tells you anything different is either misinformed or outright LYING.
My point is, this Administration, whether it is energy, climate, health, foreign policy…seems to be getting in a very bad habit. Being VERY LOOSE with the pertinent facts. One thing is for sure. As a retired oil & gas (regulatory) operative of 36+ years and (now) a NEPA practitioner for BLM, I find it patently offensive when a sitting U.S congressman uses language like “Holding more lease sales under today’s outdated standards is economically wasteful and environmentally destructive, and everyone not sitting in a fossil fuel boardroom knows it,” There is NO CREDITABLE basis to make that statement. It is embarrassing and a disservice to agencies and proponents that are making a good faith effort to both perform their duties and responsibly develop the federal mineral estate. Go ahead and continue to openly attack & VILIFY your domestic energy PRODUCERS at EVERY opportunity. Just play right into the hands of OPEC+. Not a good plan and the American public needs to start waking up to this misguided energy strategy. It’s too late when the lights go OUT…
America’s worste enemy is the United Nations and the Democrat Party
Because the Democrat constituency model is assembling a coalition of special interest groups, very few of their policies and decisions will ever benefit or have support of a majority. Each policy or action is a payoff to one group or another.
“However, the President made a promise …”
Seems this individual knows nothing about politians- they ‘shade the truth’ (aka lie) to get elected. And Bite-Me’s background? He’s a lawyer, need I say more?
Hey Eco-Freaks you idiot from that stupid Friends of the Earth this is a Federal Court your t he same bunch of Nit-Wits who use the Courts to halt logging and Fracking over your Fragile Earth load of poppycock GET OVER IT ECO-FREAKS
“environmentalists weren’t happy” … they will never be “happy”, or satisfied. They are, however, impressed with themselves.