US to auction public land for oil, gas drilling as COP28 is set to begin

(Karah Rucker)

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS AUCTIONING OFF TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ACRES FOR OIL AND GAS DRILLING THIS WEEK. THE SAME WEEK THE UNITED NATIONS C-O-P-28 CLIMATE SUMMIT KICKS OFF.

THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT’S BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT PUT UP 37 PARCELS SPANNING 35 THOUSAND ACRES IN WYOMING FOR AUCTION TUESDAY. ANOTHER 26 PARCELS ON 9 THOUSAND ACRES IN NEW MEXICO, OKLAHOMA, NEVADA, NORTH DAKOTA, AND UTAH WILL COME UP FOR BIDS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS — THE SAME TIME THAT INTERNATIONAL LEADERS WILL BE MEETING IN DUBAI TO DISCUSS PHASING OUT FOSSIL FUELS. THESE ARE THE LATEST OF A NUMBER OF AUCTIONS OF FEDERAL LAND FOR OIL PRODUCTION DURING BIDEN’S PRESIDENCY. NEWS OF THIS WEEK’S AUCTION HAS ALREADY DRAWN CRITICISM FROM ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS – WHO ACCUSE THE PRESIDENT OF VIOLATING A 20-20 CAMPAIGN PLEDGE.

Joe Biden (Campaign trail Feb. 9, 2020): “And by the way, no more drilling on federal lands period. period. period. Period. (applause.)”

Karah Rucker: BIDEN’S ATTEMPTS TO END NEW LEASING OF PUBLIC LANDS FOR DRILLING WAS BLOCKED BY THE COURTS – AND THE PRESIDENT’S INFLATION REDUCTION ACT REQUIRED OIL AND GAS LEASES BEFORE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT COULD LEASE LAND FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY. UNDER THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, THE B-L-M HAS ISSUED FEWER NEW LEASES THAN PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS. HOWEVER, THE U-S IS ON TRACK TO EXTRACT A RECORD BREAKING AMOUNT OF OIL AND GAS IN 20-23.

Karah Rucker: DOZENS OF NATIONS ARE ATTENDING C-O-P-28 – INCLUDING THE U-S. THESE COUNTRIES HOPE TO SOLIDIFY THE WORLD’S FIRST EVER DEAL TO END THE USE OF FOSSIL-FUELS ALL TOGETHER – A DEAL THEY FAILED TO NAIL DOWN IN JULY. PRESIDENT BIDEN WILL NOT BE ATTENDING THE SUMMIT – ACCORDING TO WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALS.