Efforts to Restore Federal Oil and Gas Leasing Program Are Underway

August 19, 2021

On Monday, the American Petroleum Institute (API) and 11 other industry groups filed a lawsuit to force the Biden administration to comply with the law and allow for new leasing. In June, a Louisiana-based U.S. District Court Judge issued an order temporarily blocking the administration’s pause on new oil and gas leasing on public lands and waters. The administration simply ignored the orders of a federal judge since June, that is up until this Monday.

Following the lawsuit from API and other industry groups, the Biden administration challenged the federal judge’s decision to block the Interior Department’s pause on oil and gas leasing on public lands and water but will proceed with leasing during the appeals process.

The oil and gas industry and trade groups joined U.S. Gulf Coast and western state officials in seeking to overturn the Biden moratorium. While it took entirely too long following multiple lawsuits, the oil and gas industry won and now leasing is able to resume.

Reuters reports:

A U.S. offshore regulator on Wednesday said efforts to resume a federal oil and gas leasing program are underway and would soon bear results following a court decision ending a suspension.

We commend the oil and gas industry, trade groups, and the energy rich communities that fought for this vital industry to resume. And along with it so will all the benefits the industry brings into those communities across the country.