** Biden to review oil and gas royalty rates
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Tuesday, February 2, 2021
Bureau of Land Management ([link removed])
When President Biden issued an executive order to temporarily pause oil and gas leasing on public lands last week, he directed the Interior Department to evaluate the program for “fair return to taxpayers for the use of their resources.” As a result, the Biden administration's pause on new oil and gas leases will include a review ([link removed]) of oil and gas royalty rates charged for the extraction of public minerals.
The law governing how much companies pay to drill for oil and gas on public land has not been updated in a century, and federal rates are half of what states like Texas charge for drilling on state land. According to the Government Accountability Office ([link removed]) , raising royalty rates would provide more money for state and local governments. Rep. Raúl Grijalva, chair of the House Natural Resources Committee, praised this move, saying ([link removed]) , “Raising royalty rates now through executive action is a good and very overdue move... [the federal government should] end this legalized ripoff once and for all.”
** EPA's "secret science" rule vacated
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A federal court threw out a rule ([link removed]) instituted by Trump's EPA that would prevent the use of public health data in agency decision-making. The agency skirted rulemaking procedure, calling the change procedural rather than substantive, which caused the change to be rejected in court on Monday. The rule was also under review by the Biden administration, and this administration's EPA has signaled its support for the rule's rejection.
Quick hits
** The fight for an equitable energy economy for the Navajo Nation
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High Country News ([link removed])
** Court rejects Trump EPA's 'secret science' rule
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The Hill ([link removed]) | Washington Post ([link removed])
** Colorado River getting saltier sparks calls for federal help
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Bloomberg ([link removed])
** How Biden may get oil companies to pay more to drill
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Washington Post ([link removed])
** Rosemont Copper to defend Arizona mine’s federal approval
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Bloomberg ([link removed])
** Opinion: Oil and gas moratorium gives New Mexico space
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Albuquerque Journal ([link removed])
** Natural gas pipeline leak spurs landowners to assail Colorado’s “subterranean toxic spaghetti”
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Denver Post ([link removed])
** Opinion: Trump's assault on the environment is over. Now we must reverse the damage.
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The Guardian ([link removed])
Quote of the day
At best, New Mexicans have lost their public land for no reason—and at worst, they end up paying with their health. This is a system that needs to change, and this is the opportunity that the moratorium offers New Mexico. Pausing this fire sale of public land to polluters will allow us time to think about better ways we can protect our public land, create new long-term jobs, and do all this without polluting New Mexico’s air and water.”
—Diane Albert, Albuquerque Journal ([link removed])
Picture this
** @NatlParkService ([link removed])
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“Whatever you do, rock onwards and upwards!" - Moira Rose
Looking for ideas or inspiration on how to enjoy national parks at home or in your community this year? #PlotYourPath ([link removed]) at [link removed]… ([link removed])
Photo: A golden-mantled ground squirrel at @LassenNPS ([link removed])
Photo/Troy Saunders
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