Department of Interior

The three US lease auctions were the last planned under the current 5-year federal leasing plan.

The U.S. Interior Department said it can move forward with planning for oil and gas leasing on federal lands after previous delays stemming from a court move blocking a climate accounting tool.

The DOI guidance explains how states can apply for the first $775 million in grant funding available this year under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to create jobs cleaning up polluted and unsafe orphaned oil and gas wellsites across the country.

The industry group called the decision by the court “misguided” and said it will result in significant uncertainty for Gulf of Mexico producers

The US government has made more than $1 billion available to qualified states. The program is part of the recently passed infrastructure law.

A federal judge tossed out the results of Sale 257, held last November, because of what it said was the government’s underestimation of the potential effect on the environment.

The Biden administration has appealed a district court decision to restart oil and gas leasing programs in the US.

Mississippi land no longer up for grabs, as the fed continues to postpone or cancel the sale of public parcels.

David Bernhardt, the deputy Interior secretary, could take over as acting secretary in the interim.

Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke praised America’s resource potential and regulatory framework at OTC. He also laid out his plan to review the department and signed two secretarial orders.