Governor Gordon Voices Support for Ruling Blocking Oil and Gas Leasing Moratorium
Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon put out a press release applauding a ruling by a federal judge in Louisiana blocking the Biden Administration’s oil and gas leasing pause.
Gordon said:
"This preliminary injunction is outstanding news for Wyoming and our energy workers. It confirms the position we have maintained since this “pause” was implemented. The Biden Administration has in fact put in place an unlawful, de-facto moratorium, causing economic harm to states like ours that rely on lease sale revenue to fund our schools and critical functions of government. We were not consulted prior to the moratorium taking effect, further underscoring the fact that this administration is operating off of an imbalanced and myopic approach to tackling climate change. We are hopeful that a similar ruling will be issued in the case filed in the District Court of Wyoming."
According to the ruling, Wyoming would lose, over the next 5 years, average annual investments of $2.3 billion, and have annual revenue losses of $304 million.
Although the ruling was done in Louisiana, the judge had the injunction apply nationwide until the case has been fully resolved or a different ruling made by a higher court.
The moratorium is part of a an executive order by Biden when he came in to office in January, which halts the leasing of oil and gas on federal land.
Companies are still able to utilize the current leases they have but, based on the order, would be unable to acquire new leases on federal land, which just since January, accounted for 80% of approved leases in Wyoming.
David Jenkins, president of Conservatives for Responsible Stewardship, said the judge's decision "seems to defy law and precedent".
Jenkins said a point brought up in the ruling, about the moratorium being invalid because it didn't go through a public comment period, is inconsistent considering past presidential moratoriums also didn't go through a public comment period.