Biden moving to ban oil and gas leases for 20 years in Nevada region, just weeks before Trump inauguration
The Biden administration is making a last-ditch effort to restrict oil and gas drilling in the western United States just weeks before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration. The Department of the Interior recently announced plans to seek a 20-year ban on oil and gas leases in 264,000 acres of Nevada’s Ruby Mountains.
The administration has filed an application to withdraw the acreage from potential leasing, triggering a two-year ban on new mineral leases in the area during the approval process. The proposal will now undergo a 90-day public comment period, which will fall under the Trump administration.
“The Ruby Mountains are an iconic landscape with exceptional recreation opportunities and valuable fish and wildlife habitat worth preserving for the future,” stated Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “Today’s action honors the voices of Tribal communities and conservation and sportsmen’s groups and marks another important step to protect a treasured landscape.”
However, the lease limitation imposed by the Biden administration does not extend to mining activities in the region. During Trump’s first term, the Forest Service conducted a study to determine if 54,000 acres in the Ruby Mountains could be leased for oil and gas drilling. The proposal was ultimately rejected in 2019 after receiving thousands of comments from locals, Nevada residents, and individuals nationwide who opposed the idea.
Geological surveys conducted in the area have indicated low to no potential for oil, according to Jenna Padilla, the geologist for the Humboldt-Toiyabe Ruby Mountains ranger district. This information was reported by the LA Times in 2018.
It remains uncertain whether the Trump administration will entertain potential leases in the region. However, any such actions could face obstacles following the Biden administration’s latest proposal.
The article was rewritten by Aubrie Spady, a Writer for Fox News Digital, and has integrated seamlessly into a WordPress platform.
