Biden’s administration lost in Louisiana district court in relation to a lease in the Gulf of Mexico. This opened the door for oil and gas exploration and production in an era of rising energy prices.
Judge James Cain of Louisiana’s Western District granted a preliminary order against the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, a federal agency that imposed some major and arbitrary restrictions for Lease Sale 261, scheduled to occur next week.
The restrictions included:
- Reduce the number of blocks for sale and the land area they cover.
- All oil and gas ships must have trained observers at all times.
- All ships, regardless of size, must not exceed 10 knots.
- Only allowing vessels to travel in the area during the day.
Judge Cain informed the government that plaintiffs in the lawsuit – Louisiana State, American Petroleum Institute, and oil giants Chevron and Shell – had “demonstrated significant potential costs” resulting from provisions that were challenged and that many of the plaintiffs’ claimed hardships stemmed from vessel restrictions.
The ruling may be great for American energy production but it is a small part of the concerns Americans (or should have) regarding what the Biden Administration has done to our energy independence.
Donald Trump’s departure from office left America as a net energy exporter. We were no longer dependent on other countries to provide us with oil and gas. This led to a greater focus on renewable energy. Oil and gas production and profits increased, so more money could be invested into alternative energy sources.
When Joe Biden became president, his administration began to work to cripple the domestic production. Although we don’t use less energy, we pay more because we now import it. Oil and gas are imported by outside forces. The oil and gas that we need comes from nations that have cut production to increase prices.
It is a complex problem for the United States. This is a multi-faceted problem for the U.S.
The Biden administration was slapped in court for the lease sale issue because of a voluntary agreement with environmentalist groups such as the Sierra Club. This took priority over American economic and energy interests. Biden’s energy policy was a threat to you and me.
Since June, the price of a bar of oil has risen dramatically. Saudi Arabia and Russia have cut their production by about 30%, and the price of a barrel is now approaching $100. This shouldn’t be happening, since American production is more than capable of making things easier. Biden, however, promised to stomp on the throats and disincentivize American oil and gas firms. Now, we’re reliant on Saudi Arabian and Russian oil.
Refineries warn of diesel shortages due to all of this. They also predict a price increase. Diesel price increases mean that everything else will go up, including food prices. The inflation problem is worsened for Americans and our economy in the long term.
Biden is doing everything in his power to increase our costs.
I’m glad that his administration lost a legal battle over a Gulf of Mexico leasing sale. But it’s just the beginning of what must be done.
