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U.S. NEWS Saturday 29 January 2022
Federal judge throws out oil lease sale in Gulf of Mexico

By MATTHEW DALY "Especially in the face of the
Associated Press climate crisis, we need to
WASHINGTON (AP) — A take the time to make sig-
federal court has rejected nificant and long overdue
a plan to lease millions of programmatic reforms,''
acres in the Gulf of Mexico Schwartz said. "Our public
for offshore oil drilling, say- lands and waters must be
ing the Biden administra- protected for generations
tion did not adequately to come."
take into account the lease Energy companies includ-
sale's effect on planet- ing Shell, BP, Chevron and
warming greenhouse gas ExxonMobil offered a com-
emissions, violating a bed- bined $192 million for drill-
rock environmental law. ing rights on federal oil and
The decision by U.S. District gas reserves in the Gulf of
Judge Rudolph Contreras Mexico in November.
in Washington on Thursday The Interior Department
sends the proposed lease auction came after attor-
sale back to the Interior De- neys general from Republi-
partment to decide next can states led by Louisiana
steps. The judge said it was successfully challenged a
up to Interior to decide suspension on sales that
whether to go forward with Biden imposed when he
the sale after a revised re- A man wears a face mark as he fishes near docked oil drilling platforms, on May 8, 2020, in Port took office.
view, scrap it or take other Aransas, Texas. Companies bid on 308
steps. Associated Press tracts totaling nearly 2,700
Environmental groups square miles (6,950 square
hailed the decision and court invalidated Interior's cannot continue to make ana, spokeswoman Melissa kilometers). It marked the
said the ruling gave Presi- illegal lease sale," said investments in the fossil Schwartz said. largest acreage and sec-
dent Joe Biden a chance Brettny Hardy, a senior at- fuel industry to the peril of Interior has "documented ond-highest bid total since
to follow through on a torney for Earthjustice, our communities and in- serious deficiencies in the Gulf-wide bidding resumed
campaign promise to stop one of the environmental creasingly warming plan- federal oil and gas pro- in 2017.
offshore leasing in federal groups that challenged the et.'' gram,'' Schwartz said, and The auction was conduct-
waters. The decision was sale. A spokeswoman for Inte- Haaland has recommend- ed even as Biden has tried
released on the one-year "This administration must rior Secretary Deb Haaland ed an overhaul of the na- to cajole other world lead-
anniversary of a federal meet this critical moment said the agency was re- tion's oil and gas leasing ers into strengthening ef-
leasing moratorium Biden and honor the campaign viewing the decision. program to limit areas forts against global warm-
ordered as part of his ef- promises President Biden The administration was available for energy devel- ing, including at United Na-
forts to combat climate made by stopping offshore "compelled to proceed opment and raise costs for tions climate talks in Scot-
change. leasing once and for all,'' with Lease Sale 257" follow- energy companies to drill land in early November.
"We are pleased that the Hardy added. "We simply ing a court ruling in Louisi- on public land and water. q

In blow to telecoms, California's net neutrality law upheld

By BARBARA ORTUTAY neutrality rules designed for federal net neutrality
A federal appeals court to prevent AT&T, Comcast, laws.
has upheld California's net Verizon and other major "This win is significant be-
neutrality law, rejecting an internet providers from ex- cause it offers protec-
attempt by telecommuni- ploiting their dominance tions to people in our most
cations industry groups to to favor certain services or populous state and drives
prevent the state from en- apps over others. the national conversa-
forcing it. In response, seven states tion forward," said Matt
The 9th Circuit Court of Ap- and Puerto Rico enacted Wood, vice president of
peals upheld a previous rul- their own net neutrality policy and general coun-
ing, which means the status policies. The most expan- sel of consumer advocacy
quo stays and the state sive effort of this sort was group Free Press, in a state-
can continue to enforce in California, which started ment. "Yet tremendous as
the law. This means Califor- enforcing the law last year, it is, we still need the Biden
nia can continue its ban on with potentially significant FCC to reclaim its author- In this June 19, 2018, file photo, a router and internet switch are
internet providers slowing consequences for the rest ity not just for nationwide displayed.
down or blocking access to of the U.S. open-internet rules, but for Associated Press
websites and applications The Trump administration policies promoting afford-
that don't pay for premium sued to block California's able, resilient, just and rea- court. They say the regula- by-state one, but the indus-
service. 2018 law, preventing it from sonable internet connec- tions can undermine invest- try has fought prior federal
California's net neutrality taking effect for years, but tions for everyone." ment in broadband and in- net neutrality rules. But with
law was signed by former the Biden administration Big telecom companies troduce uncertainty about a Senate divided 50-50 be-
Gov. Jerry Brown in 2018. has dropped that lawsuit. oppose the stricter regula- what were acceptable tween the parties, legisla-
That came after regulators On Friday, proponents of tion that comes with the business practices. tion in Congress may not
during the Trump admin- net neutrality cheered the net neutrality rules and They say they prefer a na- draw enough support to
istration killed federal net court's decision, but called have fought it fiercely in tional approach to a state- pass.q