WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) along with Sens. John Barrasso (R-WY), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Steve Daines (R-MT), Jim Risch (R-ID), John Hoeven (R-ND), John Cornyn (R-TX), and Kevin Cramer (R-ND) sent a letter to Secretary of the Interior Debra Haaland on the virtual forum the Department of the Interior (DOI) is hosting this week regarding the federal oil and gas program. The “public forum” notably excludes representation of energy states like Louisiana that are set to be severely impacted by the Biden administration’s energy policies.
In the letter, the senators expressed concern with DOI limiting public participation in the virtual forum on the federal oil and gas program this week.
“We believe that you have intentionally limited the right for the public to participate, including state-wide elected officials, namely the governors of our states,” wrote the Senators.
The senators also point out misleading statements from DOI regarding federal oil and gas leasing permits.
“Though we have not been invited to participate in the Virtual Forum, we believe it is imperative to respond to the false and misleading statements in the DOI press release. Your press release states that ‘Fossil fuel extraction on public lands accounts for nearly a quarter of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.’ However, an accurate reading of USGS data shows carbon dioxide emissions from oil and gas extraction itself on federal lands account for just 0.43 percent of the total emissions associated with federal lands,” wrote the Senators.
