Antsy Industry Awaits Interior Oil Lease Sale After Court Order

摘要

Oil and gas industry-aligned lawyers say the Interior Department could be held in contempt of court if it doesn’t soon comply with a Louisiana federal judge’s order to restart federal oiland gas leasing.The department paused quarterly oil and gas leasing nationwide in January while it reviewed the leasing program. But Louisiana U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty on June 15 issued apreliminary injunction enjoining and restraining Interior from implementing the pause in Louisiana v. Biden.Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said Tuesday that the department is complying with Doughty’s order and will follow the law, but she declined to say how exactly it’s doing so.