The US has auctioned off an tremendous spell of the Gulf of Mexico for fossil fuel drill in spite of the Biden administration ’s promises to address the deepening mood crisis and wean the country off fossil fuels .
On March 29 , the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management ( BOEM)held a lease salefor oil and gas drilling comprehend a total of 29.5 million hectare ( 73 million acres ) of the Gulf of Mexico ’s Western , Central , and Eastern Planning Areas – that ’s an country larger than the state of Arizona .
Over $ 263.8 million was spent at the auction sale . A total of 313 tracts , covering 650,000 hectares ( 1.6 million acres ) of federal waters , were bought up by a number of different fossil fuel ship’s company , including many of the common suspect : Chevron , ExxonMobil , Shell , and BP .
Map showing areas where federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico were offered up in an oil and gas auction in late March. Image credit: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
The sales event come just weeks after the Biden administrationgave formal approvalfor a controversial oil boring task in Alaska screw as the Willow Project .
take on climate change is often summons as a top precedency for the Biden administration , whose military action has involvedrejoiningthe Paris mood concord andinvesting inclean energy substructure . Part of the Biden 2020 campaign includeda climate planthat incorporated the " ban new oil and gas permitting on public demesne and waters " with the ultimate goal of last - zero emission by 2050 .
Off the back of these high hopes , these modish auctions have left a defective taste in the mouth of environmental mathematical group who think that Biden ’s promise are full of hot strain .
“ Murderous , ” is how the climate militant grouping Extinction Rebelliondescribedthe Gulf of Mexico leasing .
“ The Biden administration has pledged to oversee a historic modulation to clean Department of Energy , but actions speak louder than words . We do n’t need a billion new barrel of crude oil threatening masses and ecosystems in the Gulf , ” George Torgun , an lawyer at Earthjustice , suppose in astatement .
The Gulf auction is weave with a number of thorny legal and political issues . The administration was forced to guard the sale after provisions for Gulf of Mexico oil leasing were snuck into theInflation Reduction Act(IRA ) , the $ 739 Billion climate and vim bill that President Biden signed last year .
However , Earthjustice argues that the IRA directive does n’t need such a vast area to be auction off off . They also contend that the sale failed to take into bill the potential environmental and health hazards it will cause for communities living around the Gulf Of Mexico .
Earthjusticefiled a lawsuitto seek to discontinue the lease sale , arguing that it burst the law , but it still went onward .
“ The excessive and reckless orbit of today ’s oil colour and gas term of a contract cut-rate sale demonstrates how ill our Union leasing course of study needs reform . The Biden governing body is not only holding a letting sale that is at betting odds with the legal philosophy — but also yield to the want of a net profit - rich industry over the well - being of Gulf communities , vital ecosystem , and our pressing mood goals , ” added Torgun in anotherstatementgiven on the sidereal day of the auction .
