Keystone Today

After President Joe Biden took office, he announced a moratorium on new federal oil leases, saying it was due to battling the climate crisis with the goal of transitioning to green energy.

Some, however, have criticized the move, saying that the strategy has ultimately led to an increase in gas prices.

Congresswoman Julie Letlow (R-LA) took to Twitter this week in objection to Biden's policies.

“Because of this Administration's energy policies, our reserves are drastically depleted and offshore leasing has slowed to a halt,” she said. "Increasing domestic production is the long-term solution that will keep Americans from paying outrageous prices at the pump.”

The Twitter post also included a link to an article by the Daily Caller titled “Biden Admin Issues Fewest Oil And Gas Drilling Leases Since The 1940s: REPORT.”

Biden made the executive order in his first week of office on Jan. 27, 2021, a statement from the White House said. 

“Climate considerations shall be an essential element of United States foreign policy and national security,” the president said in the statement.

The order laid out ways the administration will prioritize the climate crisis, including to “pause new oil and natural gas leases on public lands or in offshore waters pending completion of a comprehensive review.”

In Pennsylvania, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate John Fetterman “agreed to co-sponsor the Keep It In The Ground Act — federal legislation banning new oil, gas and coal leasing on federal lands — and support a complete moratorium on fracking in Pennsylvania,” FOX News said. The report, however, added that his 2022 campaign has walked back some of his comments on fracking and oil leases.

Pennsylvania’s average gas prices continue to be higher than normal, AAA data showed. As of Sept. 14, the average cost was $3.90 per gallon, which is higher than the national average of $3.70. The cost of gas last year at this time was $3.30 per gallon.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that new leases are down 97% compared to those of the Trump administration. Federal oil leases are producing the lowest amount of oil since the end of World War II. From the time of taking office until Aug. 20, Biden has leased 126,228 acres of federal land for drilling. Previous administrations have leased a minimum of 4.4 million acres.

A graphic from the Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management showed Biden leased 0.13 million acres in his first 19 months. President Bush leased 12.74 million acres, President Obama leased 7.25 million acres and President Trump leased 4.14 million acres. 

A May report by The Center Square also stated that the Biden moratorium has contributed to rising gas prices. 

“Canceling oil and gas leases is part of Biden’s ongoing punishing of the industry including threatening banks for lending and investment,” Daniel Turner, executive director of the energy workers advocacy group Power the Future, said in the report. “We are all living the consequence: outrageously high prices and growing shortages.”

Daniel Yergin, vice chair of S&P Global, argued that federal oil leases on U.S. land have been a priority of previous administrations in a bipartisan manner.

“Whether Democrats or Republicans, presidents have wanted to embrace the idea of energy independence and production,” Yergin told the WSJ.

The WSJ report added, “New leases are needed to maintain supply later, potentially helpful in averting future shortages and price surges, energy industry leaders say.” It also said that the Inflation Reduction Act requires at least 2 million federal acres and 60 million offshore acres of oil and gas producers each year for 10 years, which the Interior Department has said they will follow.

Environmentalists have approved of Biden’s goal to stay away from fossil fuels for the long term, but some have criticized him for slowing leases during what is a volatile time for gas and energy prices.

Following Biden’s moratorium on federal oil leases, U.S. district Judge Terry Doughty issued a ruling against the moratorium on Aug. 19, stating that the policy violated the Miners Leasing Act (MLA) and the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA); a report from the Montana Department of Justice said.  

“President Biden’s executive order to choke off energy development didn’t just increase prices and hurt American families—it was flatly illegal,” Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen said, responded to the ruling.

The ruling only applies to 13 states, including Montana.

The Biden administration’s moratorium is now back in place, an August Bloomberg report said.