The Interior Department has clamped a 60-day moratorium on issuing oil and gas leases that affects all federal lands, minerals, and waters, according to a secretarial order signed late Wednesday.
The order, signed by acting Interior Secretary Scott de la Vega, applies to all of Interior’s bureaus, including the Bureau of Land Management and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
During his campaign, President Joe Biden pledged to halt oil and gas leasing on federal lands as part of his climate plan. Wednesday’s order is temporary, however, and is separate from Biden’s moratorium on leasing activity in Alaska’s Arctic ...