Biden admin to open more public lands to drilling, raise fees
Thursday, April 21, 2022
Last week, the Biden administration announced plans to resume selling leases for new oil and gas drilling on public lands and raise the federal royalties companies pay to drill there, according to The New York Times.
The proposal marks the first increase in those federal royalties in over a century.
The Interior Department plans to auction off leases to drill on 145,000 acres of public lands in nine states, which will be the first new fossil fuels leases offered on public lands since President Biden took office.
The decision comes as Biden works to increase domestic oil supply as prices surge as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Learn more: The New York Times > Biden plans to open more public land to drilling
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Shale FAQ
What is fracking?
Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing is a process by which highly pressurized fluid is pumped thousands of feet into the ground to fracture rock formations. The goal is to release the natural gas that’s locked inside the rock.
Is it safe?
What most concerns people about fracturing is ground water contamination. The worry is that fractures underground, caused by the process, will extending upwards and into aquifers, releasing gas and chemicals into the ground water supply. There’s been no confirmed reports of such a thing happening. Though surface spills and drill site blowouts can lead to localized environmental concerns.
Will my water catch on fire?
Flammable water is caused by the release of methane gas into a drinking water supply. Methane gas occurs naturally and can be released by any kind of drilling, including water wells. In Pennsylvania officials fined Chesapeake Energy $1 million for contaminating ground water with methane. It was determined that the company had not properly cemented it’s boreholes and gas migrated up the well, between rock and into aquifers.