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The Interior Department is expanding offshore oil and natural gas leasing in the Gulf of America
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reversing the Biden administration's ban on drilling in the region. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum directed the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to hold
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the first offshore lease sale of the Trump administration, scheduled for proposal in June
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According to the Interior Department, expanding offshore capabilities is central to ensuring
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affordable energy for consumers, supporting domestic industry, and enhancing natural security. Officials argue opening additional areas of the outer continental shelf will unlock untapped energy potential and generate tens of thousands of jobs
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Boehm's updated assessment of the Gulf's estimated recoverable reserves of these resources found there are now more than 7 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and nearly 6 billion barrels of oil
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enough to power the entire world for about two and a half months and a 22.6 percent increase from 2021 levels
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Burgum says this new data confirms America is, quote, sitting on a treasure trove of energy
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while Boehm's Gulf of America regional director claims these updated estimates, quote
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reaffirm the Gulf's vital role in ensuring a reliable, affordable domestic energy supply
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However, Gulf lease sales have faced recent setbacks due to legal challenges
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concerning the effects of drilling on the endangered rice's whale. In March, a federal judge determined the Interior Department had not sufficiently assessed the
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environmental impacts of a 2023 lease sale on both the whales and the greenhouse gas emissions
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the project would release, casting uncertainty over the fate of hundreds of leases in the area
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For Straight Arrow News, I'm Jack Almer
