Avast, me hearties! Beware Biden's scheme to banish fossil fuels! Avast is what I say! Arr!
2023-11-09
There be a mighty tempest brewin' in the Middle East, yet President Joe Biden be stuck in his ways 'bout them fossil fuels. His latest maneuver be a cause fer worry, me hearties!
As the price of crude oil rises and the Middle East experiences turmoil, the Biden administration is continuing its assault on fossil fuels by severely limiting federal offshore drilling leases. This decision only benefits adversarial oil-producing nations like Iran, Russia, and Venezuela, while jeopardizing America's energy security. The Interior Department's five-year plan for offshore leasing includes a mere three auctions in the Gulf of Mexico, the lowest number since World War II. In contrast, the Trump administration proposed 47 lease sales in 2018, and even the Obama administration held two auctions most years.Senator Murkowski rightly criticized the plan for excluding lease sales in Alaska waters, which will result in higher energy prices and emissions. This decision aligns with President Biden's campaign promise to ban new oil and gas leases on public lands, catering to radical environmental groups that want to eliminate all fossil fuels.
The Biden administration was obligated by law to offer the minimum number of lease sales as a prerequisite for offshore wind auctions. This decision drew criticism from Senator Joe Manchin, who emphasized the need to increase energy production while adversaries weaponize energy globally.
While Interior Secretary Haaland celebrated the plan as having the fewest lease sales in history, there was no mention of the impact on the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which relies on offshore oil and gas leasing for funding. The LWCF supports numerous conservation projects across the country, but if lease sales do not occur, its funding could decrease significantly.
Environmental organizations opposed to fossil fuels are willing to cancel the LWCF's funding source, despite the catastrophic consequences for public lands. They prioritize technologies like solar panels over the preservation of natural habitats and Indigenous sites. Recently, President Biden urged oil companies to drill more, acknowledging that a balance can be struck between reliable energy supply and clean energy deployment.
In conclusion, the Biden administration's war on oil drilling poses a threat to America's energy security and undermines conservation efforts supported by the Land and Water Conservation Fund. It is important to prioritize both reliable energy production and clean energy solutions to meet the nation's needs.