The Biden Administration is expected to issue a yearlong moratorium on new oil and gas drilling licenses for federal lands and waters as part of a push to ramp down American fossil fuel production and consumption as part of the fight against global warming.
Senator Bill Cassidy blasted the move. He said it will destroy Louisiana jobs and not help solve the world’s greenhouse gas emission problem.
“Energy will still be produced and there will be jobs associated with it, but it won’t be in the United States, it will be in Russia, Nigeria, Iran, Mexico, but it won’t be here,” said Cassidy.
The Biden Administration also revoked the permit for the controversial Keystone XL Pipeline, a move that will cost a reported 11,000 jobs.
Cassidy said reducing American production of fossil fuels will hurt our international standing and strengthen America’s rivals.
“We are sending to natural gas to Europe as opposed to Europe buying it from Russia as one example,” said Cassidy.
The American petroleum institute estimates about 22 percent of all American oil and 12 percent of all American gas production occurs on federal lands and waters.
The Biden Administration says the move is vital to helping the country limit global warming but Cassidy said if cleaner burning and produced American fuel isn’t available countries will turn to dirtier options.
“If instead of using coal they use our natural gas you lower global greenhouse gas emissions by about forty or fifty percent per unit of energy,” said Cassidy.
One of the first moves the new administration made was rejoining the Paris Climate Accord, an agreement by member countries to become carbon neutral by 2050.
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