U.S. Chamber, Industry Defend Restart of Oil and Gas Leasing

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and industry groups defended a judge’s ruling that thawed a freeze on federal oil and gas leasing, telling the Fifth Circuit that the government’s pause was a final decision that created instability and threatened environmental harm.

The Biden administration argues the pause wasn’t a final agency action subject to court review. But the pause was the result of the Interior Secretary’s decision on how to implement an executive order, the Chamber told the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.

The Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act and Mineral Leasing Act tell the secretary to ...