Environmental Groups Applaud Biden’s Plan to Pause New Oil and Gas Leasing on Public Lands

“The simple truth is that we need to stop drilling and fracking everywhere, as soon as possible.”

As President Joe Biden prepares to enact a temporary moratorium on new oil and gas leasing on federal lands and waters, climate justice advocates on Tuesday praised the expected move and encouraged the Biden administration to demonstrate its commitment to addressing the climate emergency by permanently banning fossil fuel extraction on the nation’s publicly owned territory.

“The federal government has the power—and the moral responsibility—to get off fossil fuels.”
—Wenonah Hauter, Food & Water Watch

“A pause on drilling and fracking is good news, but only if it is followed by a strong plan to permanently ban all dirty energy extraction on public lands,” Food & Water Watch executive director Wenonah Hauter said Tuesday in a statement responding to Biden’s forthcoming moratorium.

“The simple truth,” Hauter added, “is that we need to stop drilling and fracking everywhere, as soon as possible. The federal government has the power—and the moral responsibility—to get off fossil fuels, and doing so on publicly owned land sends a positive message that the Biden administration is serious about confronting this issue head-on.”

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