The Interior Department moved quickly to deliver on President Biden’s campaign pledge to block oil and gas drilling on public land, freezing such leases for the next 60 days.
A request signed by acting secretary Scott de la Vega on Wednesday prevents the department from proceeding with any new lease or drilling permits. It also blocks any major new mining actions.
Biden’s climate plan calls for “banning new oil and gas licenses on public lands and waters”, a pledge made by each Democratic candidate in the primaries after the idea was first proposed by Sen. Elizabeth Warren
Elizabeth WarrenBudowsky: Democracy won, Trump lost, President Biden took office (D-Mass.).
The 60-day schedule pauses a series of other actions in the interior, including any promotions for department employees or transferring public land back to the states.
Biden appointed the representative. Deb Haaland
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Biden’s climate plan envisages putting the United States on a path towards carbon neutrality by 2050, an effort that will require reducing the use of fossil fuels.
“I would make the transition from the oil industry, yes,” said Biden in an October debate with the former President Trump
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“It is a great statement because the oil industry pollutes significantly. … has to be replaced by renewable energy over time. “