"Interior Secretary Deb Haaland defended the Biden administration’s progress on federal fossil fuel leasing at a hearing Wednesday of the Senate Appropriations Committee, emphasizing the industry’s unused leases on federal lands.
Questioning Haaland, Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) invoked the recent five-year leasing proposal issued by the Interior Department, asking about the likelihood that the administration would hold zero lease sales, which the plan identifies as an option.
Haaland did not offer an estimate, only saying the department would factor in public feedback received in the 90-day public comment period and pledging a “balanced approach.”
Responding to a follow-up question from Hyde-Smith about offshore drilling, Haaland responded, “There are about 9,000 approved drilling permits across the country currently that are not being used, 10.4 million acres of offshore federal waters already under lease.”"
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