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As Biden vows monumental action on climate change, a fight with the fossil fuel industry has only begun
Juliet Eilperin and Brady Dennis, The Washington Post
Jan. 27, 2021
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Climate envoy John Kerry and climate coordinator Gina McCarthy speak at a White House briefing. Kerry said the climate crisis has given President Biden little choice but to act on shifting the United States toward renewable energy.Washington Post photo by Jabin Botsford
WASHINGTON - Joe Biden had long promised to become the climate president, and on Wednesday he detailed far-ranging plans to shift the U.S. away from fossil fuels, creating millions of jobs in renewable energy and conserve vast swaths of public lands and water.
Environmental groups hailed the expected moratorium as the kind of bold, urgent action needed to slow climate change.
“The fossil fuel industry has inflicted tremendous damage on the planet. The administration’s review, if done correctly, will show that filthy fracking and drilling must end for good, everywhere,” said Kieran Suckling, executive director at the Centre for Biological Diversity.
Oil industry groups condemned the move, saying Mr Biden had already eliminated thousands of oil and gas jobs by killing the Keystone XL oil pipeline in his first day in office.
“This is just the start. It will get worse,” said Brook Simmons, president of the Petroleum Alliance of Oklahoma. “Meanwhile, the laws of physics, chemistry and supply and demand remain in effect. Oil and natural gas prices are going up, and so will home heating bills, consumer prices and fuel costs.”
Two sources outlined the proposed moratorium, which will be announced on Wednesday.
The move follows a 60-day suspension of new drilling permits for US lands and waters announced last week and follows the new president’s campaign pledge to halt new drilling on federal lands and end the leasing of publicly owned energy reserves as part of his plan to address climate change.
The moratorium is intended to allow time for officials to review the impact of oil and gas drilling on the environment and climate.
Millions of Americans support halting fossil fuel leasing and permitting. We re in a #ClimateCrisis and can t afford one more acre of public land being committed to destructive fossil fuel development. â Taylor McKinnon, @centerforbiodiv
Environmental groups hailed the expected moratorium as the kind of bold, urgent action needed to slow climate change.
“The fossil fuel industry has inflicted tremendous damage on the planet. The administration’s review, if done correctly, will show that filthy fracking and drilling must end for good, everywhere,” said Kieran Suckling, executive director at the Centre for Biological Diversity.
Oil industry groups condemned the move, saying Mr Biden had already eliminated thousands of oil and gas jobs by killing the Keystone XL oil pipeline in his first day in office.
“This is just the start. It will get worse,” said Brook Simmons, president of the Petroleum Alliance of Oklahoma. “Meanwhile, the laws of physics, chemistry and supply and demand remain in effect. Oil and natural gas prices are going up, and so will home heating bills, consumer prices and fuel costs.”
Tejon Ranch Sees Legal Victory In Habitat Conservation Challenge
A federal court has ruled in favor of the re-approval of Grapevine at Tejon Ranch, a master planned, mixed-use residential community in development.
Kern County Superior Court Judge Kenneth C. Twisselman ruled in favor of Tejon Ranch and Kern County over an ongoing habitat conservation challenge by the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), an Arizona-based environmental organization, regarding the California Condor. The recent ruling allows the company to move forward with developments for Grapevine.
“We are extremely pleased the court thoughtfully and thoroughly considered the issues, found that we had satisfied the court’s original ruling and decided to rule against the claims in this latest lawsuit,” said Hugh F. McMahon, Executive Vice President of real estate at Tejon Ranch Co., in a statement Friday. “Once again CBD tried to hijack and abuse the California Environmental Quality Act in their continued a