FILE - In this April 9, 2014, file photo, oil rigs stand in the Loco Hills field on U.S. Highway 82 in Eddy County near Artesia, N.M., one of the most active regions of the Permian Basin. In the closing months of the Trump administration energy companies stockpiled enough drilling permits for western public lands to keep pumping oil for years. That stands to undercut President-elect Joe Biden's plans to block new drilling on public lands to address climate change.
In Colorado, a dozen permits are approved or pending to drill in Pawnee National Grassland, a birding destination where wildflowers and cactuses bloom below the buttes. Trump administration critics say officials enabled the industry to reach its goals, noting that Interior Secretary David Bernhardt and others have boasted how speedily permits were processed.
“This is classic, end of administration stuff, but for the Trump administration it’s on steroids,” said Jim Lyons, deputy assistant secretary of Interior under Obama. Devon’s more than 500 permits secured this year resulted from a long-term business strategy, not a political calculation, said spokeswoman Lisa Adams. “It was something in the works for years,” Adams said.Biden is nominating New Mexico Rep. Deb Haaland as interior secretary. And Haaland, who co-sponsored the Green New Deal by liberal Democrats, has said she opposes fracking and drilling on public land.
DBChirpy If it was pay to play, they will be investigated and publicized. May be in their best interest to return permits to avoid, public scrutiny.
Introduce a land tax
Rescind the permits
Can the permits be revoked?
I used to think it was just oil companies dealing with hard problems and wanting to get energy to the people. But this?! I’m increadably disappointed in these companies for reasons like this.
bakeddeansbeans When you rush to destroy the earth so you can be rich while it’s still spinning....
REVOKE THE PERMITS-
They are part of the problem!!! They put greed and wealth over the health and well-being of all human beings on the planet. We must preserve our protected lands so that future Americans can enjoy them and breathe clean air.
Curbing drilling won’t do anything for “climate change “
Then they'll pass regulations to hamper them... It never ends and it puts us where we are. We are playing the end game, knowing the results and then doubling down on what got us to this point in time.
I would suggest those companies surrender those permits, especially if they contributed financially or politically in any way to Trump, lest they desire to open themselves up to potential scrutiny, litigation, or charges.
The AP, always relevant.* *Sarcasm
We must drive the renewable energy industry and put these planet killers out of business. We’re running out of time.
Our Earth can only take so much damage.
Drill, baby, drill! (Not Me)
Can't they be rescinded?
Trump's legacy is death
Supply -demand - free market price point will decide.
They can drill all they want. Usage is going to decline year after year so the point is moot. Kind of like the fracking, it's too expensive to pull the oil out of the ground when ME oil is so cheap.