According to an article recently posted by the Associated Press, The Biden administration’s suspension of new oil and gas leases on federal land and water was blocked today by a federal judge in Louisiana.
Louisiana and 12 other states including Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and West Virginia sued after President Biden signed an executive order canceling oil and gas lease sales through June.
The judge reportedly ordered that plans continue for lease sales that were delayed for the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska waters "and all eligible onshore properties."
U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty’s ruling came in a lawsuit filed in March by Louisiana Republican Attorney General Jeff Landry and officials in 12 other states.
The Judge said his ruling applies nationwide, and will grant a preliminary injunction (technically a halt) to the suspension pending further arguments on the merits of the case.
"The omission of any rational explanation in cancelling the lease sales, and in enacting the Pause, results in this Court ruling that Plaintiff States also have a substantial likelihood of success on the merits of this claim," he wrote.
"Millions and possibly billions of dollars are at stake," wrote Doughty, who was nominated to the federal bench by President Donald Trump in 2017.
Landy said in a statement shortly after the ruling that "This is a victory not only for the rule of law, but also for the thousands of workers who produce affordable energy for Americans".
