Wyoming Rep. Cheney Drafts Bills Barring Federal Energy Leasing Moratorium
Representative Liz Cheney - R-, Wyo., introduced legislation seeking to bar the federal government from issuing moratoriums on federal oil, natural gas and coal leasing on federal lands unless a joint resolution is approved and enacted by congress.
Several of Cheney's Republican Colleagues in the House joined her in sponsoring the Safeguarding Oil and Gas Leasing and Permitting act and the Safeguarding Coal Leasing Act.
The legislation is in response to President Joe Biden's recently issued moratorium on new energy leasing for federal lands.
Elected officials in Wyoming along with the energy lobby have sharply condemned Biden's executive orders issued this week.
Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon on Thursday morning heaped praise on Cheney for introducing the legislation.
"Oil and gas industries across the west are hit hard by the Biden administration's executive actions," Gordon said. He added that eight western states, including Wyoming, could lose up to $8 billion in GDP and over $2 billion in tax revenue each year.
"This is a bipartisan issue. I thank Congresswoman Cheney for taking it on."
Meanwhile, Petroleum Association of Wyoming President Pete Obermueller said the moratorium is the result of "extremists in the Biden administration."
"The Petroleum Association of Wyoming applauds Congresswoman Cheney's common-sense bill that will give voice to those elected offices with a constitutional responsibility to represent the people and lands affected by these misguided attempts to wreak havoc on economies across the west," Obermueller said.
Cheney's legislation has also been endorsed by the Wyoming Mining Association.