Page 18 - NorthAmOil Annual Review 2021

NorthAmOil AUGUST NorthAmOil

Biden administration battles in

courts over federal leasing pause

The administration of US President Joe Biden is appealing against a court decision

overturning its moratorium on federal oil and gas leasing, even as another lawsuit is

launched against the government

US THE administration of US President Joe Biden Biden position
is pushing back against attempts to challenge its Biden had pledged as part of his election cam-
WHAT: pause on federal oil and gas leasing through lit- paign to stop issuing new federal drilling leases.
The Biden administration igation, as it continues its review of leasing pro- The auctions were suspended almost immedi-
is appealing against the grammes on federal land and in federal waters. ately after he took office early this year in order
court order that blocked In August, the US Department of the Interior to allow the DoI to carry out a review of the
its pause on federal oil (DoI) filed a challenge against a federal judge’s entire federal leasing programme. The review
and gas leasing. decision in June to block the leasing moratorium. was expected to have been wrapped up by now,
However, the DoI said it would proceed with with US Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland
WHY: the auction of new leases during the appeals pro- previously saying that a report would be released
The US Department of cess “consistent with the district court’s injunc- in the early summer, and telling a Congressional
the Interior is arguing tion during the appeal”. It will use “discretion committee in late July that it was due for release
that the emissions provided under the law to conduct leasing in a “very soon”.
impacts of federal leasing manner that takes into account the programme’s However, those opposing the Biden admin-
programmes need to be many deficiencies”, the department added. istration’s moves have sought to lift the leasing
taken into account. The development will be welcomed by the moratorium through litigation. In March, 14
states and industry groups that oppose the Biden states filed a lawsuit challenging the leasing
WHAT NEXT: administration’s stance on federal leasing and pause. And in June, Judge Terry Doughty of
Meanwhile, US industry have been keen to have auctions resume while the US District Court for the Western District
groups have filed the court battle finishes playing out. Indeed, of Louisiana issued a preliminary injunction
a separate lawsuit in August, the American Petroleum Institute blocking the administration from enforcing its
challenging the (API) and 11 other industry groups filed the moratorium.
moratorium. lawsuit in federal court in the Western District The DoI is now trying to overturn Doughty’s
of Louisiana in a bid to force the DoI to reinstate decision.
the lease sales. The groups described the length “The appeal of the preliminary injunction
of the moratorium as “unprecedented”. is important and necessary,” the DoI said in a

US President Joe Biden
had pledged to stop
issuing new federal
drilling leases as part of
his election campaign.

P18 www. NEWSBASE .com Annual Review 2021