BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – Within his first week in office, President Joe Biden has made significant changes to the country’s energy industry through an array of executive orders.
Last week, the president revoked a critical permit for the Keystone XL pipeline.
On Wednesday, Biden paused all new oil and natural gas leases on public lands and offshore waters “to the extent possible.”
Senator Steve Daines, R-Mont., says he’s joining with other western senators to introduce two bills, one to allow construction on the Keystone XL pipeline to continue, and another to reverse the moratorium on oil and gas leasing on federal lands.
“These jobs are so important for our communities, the tax revenues are so important for our counties, as well as low cost energy and keeping us independent and no longer dependent on places like the Middle East for oil and gas,” said Daines.
The halting of leases on federal land expands the previous 60-day moratorium issued by the president on his first day in office.
“We’ve already waited too long to deal with this climate crisis. We can’t wait any longer,” Biden said at the White House.
Daines is expected to introduce the legislation to the Senate sometime this week.