Major US oil industry groups on Monday sued the administration of US President Joe Biden for halting drilling auctions on federal lands and waters this year, arguing that the government is required by law to hold regular sales.
The American Petroleum Institute (API) and 11 other groups filed the lawsuit in federal court in the Western District of Louisiana.
It seeks to compel the US Department of the Interior to reinstate the lease sales, calling the length of the stoppage “unprecedented.”
Photo: Reuters
During his election campaign, Biden promised to stop issuing new leases to oil and gas companies as part of an agenda to combat climate change and move the country off of fossil fuel use by 2050.
His administration in January paused drilling auctions pending a review of the program.
Since then, the administration has been sued by oil-producing states and industry groups who say the pause is costing them jobs and revenue.
“The law is clear: The department must hold lease sales and provide a justification for significant policy changes,” API chief legal officer Paul Afonso said in a statement. “They have yet to meet these requirements in the eight months since instituting a federal leasing pause, which continues to create uncertainty for US natural gas and oil producers.”
US Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland in May said that a report would be released in “early summer,” and late last month told a congressional committee that it was coming “very soon.”
Interior officials would not comment on the suit.
In June, a federal judge in Louisiana granted a preliminary injunction to Louisiana and 12 other states that sued the department over the leasing freeze.
At the time, Biden administration officials said that they would comply with the ruling, but have not moved to resume auctions.
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