White House accused of violating IRA over new offshore oil restrictions – By Jack Aylmer & Ian Kennedy (Straight Arrow News) / Aug 25, 2023
In a move to balance environmental protection and energy industry interests, the White House has taken steps to prevent oil and gas drilling on more than 6 million acres of federal waters. Industry groups have contested the decision, asserting that it contradicts the Biden administration’s own Inflation Reduction Act and threatens American energy security.
“Today’s announcement leaves American energy developers in a period of extended uncertainty, with no future offshore lease sales scheduled,” American Petroleum Institute Vice President of Upstream Policy Holly Hopkins said. “This action defies Congress’s mandate in the Inflation Reduction Act, jeopardizes U.S. energy security and violates the Biden administration’s energy obligations to the American people.”
The move stems from a concerted effort by environmental organizations to safeguard a whale species teetering on the brink of extinction. Seeking to navigate a middle path, the federal government has permitted the sale of more drilling locations in the Gulf of Mexico, albeit with significant restrictions. The heart of this dilemma arises from provisions set by the Inflation Reduction Act aimed at the energy sector.
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