The Sierra Club has applauded the Biden administration announcing on Jan. 27 a pause on new oil and gas leasing on public lands and waters, which affects our Santa Barbara – Ventura region.
The order commences a review of existing leases and permits and looks to increase offshore wind renewable energy development. The administration has directed agencies to eliminate fossil fuel subsidies and to instead identify new opportunities to spur clean energy.
In California, the announcement comes just one month after the Trump administration’s Bureau of Land Management sold over 4000 acres in Kern County for oil drilling and fracking— the first oil and gas lease sale in over eight years.
"Oil and gas development on federal lands is already a major contributor to climate change. The Biden administration’s ban is an important first step and should result in a permanent end to federal leasing,” said Rebecca August of Los Padres ForestWatch and Chair of the Los Padres Chapter’s Arguello Group.
“Putting the brakes on selling out our shared resources to the oil industry—lands that are supposed to be managed in the public interest—is a sign that the administration is serious in its commitment to put our nation's future, public health, biodiversity, drinking water, and the legacy of our public lands before corporate profit.”
“It's an exciting day!” said Jenny Binstock representing the National Sierra Club. “You'll see that while this halt doesn't apply to existing permitting for the parcels recently auctioned in Kern County, that is characterized as ‘valid existing leases’ -- the validity of which we are currently challenging in court.”