Biden Administration to Resume Oil and Gas Leasing on Federal Land

Pumpjacks are seen at sunrise near Bakersfield, Calif., on Oct. 14, 2014. Lucy Nicholson/Reuters

The Biden administration has said that it will resume plans for oil and gas drilling on federal lands and waters after an appeals court ruled to allow the use of an approximately fivefold higher “social cost of carbon” value in evaluating permits, according to reports.

Interior Department spokeswoman Melissa Schwartz told Bloomberg and Reuters in a March 18 statement that, in view of the federal appeals court ruling, “the department continues its planning for responsible oil and gas development on America’s lands and waters.”