Posted on 09/22/2023 5:47:20 PM PDT by george76
In a significant ruling late Thursday, Judge James Cain of the Western District of Louisiana sided with American energy advocates, striking down the Biden administration’s eleventh-hour restrictions on a pending offshore oil and gas lease sale.
The injunction, favoring the plaintiffs – the State of Louisiana, the American Petroleum Institute (API), and energy giants Chevron and Shell – puts a halt on the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) restrictive measures concerning Lease Sale 261. This crucial sale, encompassing vast expanses in the Gulf of Mexico, was scheduled for the following week.
The ruling by Judge Cain reiterates the federal government’s obligation to move forward with the lease sale by Sept. 30 under its original terms. The BOEM had, controversially, following a July agreement with environmental factions, excluded nearly six million acres and put forth stringent restrictions on oil and gas vessels to allegedly protect the Rice’s whale in the Gulf.
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Cain’s decision highlighted: “The court observes that plaintiffs have demonstrated substantial potential costs resulting from the challenged provisions.” Notably, he emphasized that the harm done to the industry from these imposed vessel constraints could lead to irreversible financial repercussions.
Taking a hard stance, Cain asserted the Biden administration seemed to be contriving a “scientific justification to a political reassessment of offshore drilling.” He further criticized the administration’s methodology, comparing it to a “weaponization of the Endangered Species Act” rather than a sensible, collaborative approach fitting the existing regulations.
Ryan Meyers, API’s Senior Vice President and General Counsel, heralded the court’s decision as a victory for American energy security. “We are pleased that the court has hit the brakes on the Biden Administration’s ill-conceived effort to restrict American development of reliable, lower-carbon energy in the Gulf of Mexico,” Meyers commended.
Highlighting the importance of Lease Sale 261 for America’s energy independence and economic growth, industry experts have urged the administration to recognize its duty to the American people. Lease sales like these underpin the continuity of oil and gas production and are critical for national energy reliability.
Even with the July compromise, the BOEM announced its offering of approximately 67 million acres, although it was a downgrade from the initially intended 73.4 million acres. This subtracted space encompassed potentially resource-rich zones situated centrally in the lease territory.
Erik Milito, president of the National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA)said “The injunction is a necessary and welcome response from the court to an unnecessary decision by the Biden administration.” He criticized the administration’s unilateral decision-making, bypassing public discussion.
It’s (d)ifferent.
bttt
“striking down the Biden administration’s eleventh-hour restrictions on a pending offshore oil and gas lease sale”
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