The Trump administration will continue to process permits for oil and gas permits deemed “necessary” during the government shutdown, according to the Department of Interior’s (DOI) contingency plan.
The DOI notes in its contingency plan that oil, gas and coal permitting activities will continue “to the extent such plans are necessary to protect human life and federal property” during the government shutdown while the agency will reportedly freeze some green energy projects that the Biden administration preferred, according to Bloomberg. While the Biden administration cracked down on offshore oil and gas leasing, enacted a last-minute drilling ban across millions of acres and greenlit a record-low leasing schedule, the Trump administration has moved to reopen federal lands and waters for energy development.
“In order to protect human life and federal property and address the National Energy Emergency, [Bureau of Land Management] BLM staff responsible for processing oil & gas permits / leases, coal energy leases, and other energy and mineral resources necessary for energy production will be excepted or excepted on call, to the extent such plans are necessary to protect human life and federal property,” the plan states. “Permitting activities such as Oil and Gas, Transmission and related Rights-of-way, where fees collected for processing activities are available for use, personnel will be classified as ‘Exempt.’”
The DOI has noted that they will not give preferential treatment to wind and solar projects that the Biden administration favored. Former President Joe Biden pushed for intermittent green energy sources like wind and solar through billions in federal grants, loans and subsidies.
Government funding lapsed on Wednesday and is set to continue as some Democratic Senate members oppose the House-passed funding measure.
A prolonged lapse in funding could severely impact the entire federal government, with the White House warning that critical nutrition aid programs for low-income women and children are set to expire on Oct. 1. Since Congress has not sent any appropriations bills to President Donald Trump’s desk for the new fiscal year, a shutdown will affect all federal agencies.
“President Donald Trump has revived American energy. While the Biden administration left our energy resources to waste at the cost of taxpayers, Americans can feel relief knowing that they now have an administration laser focused on unleashing our domestic energy sources, lowering costs, and securing a more affordable and reliable energy future,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum told the Daily Caller News Foundation previously, touting the DOI’s plan to expand oil and gas leasing opportunities. “The number of new oil and gas lease sales simply speak for themselves.”
The DOI did not respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.
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