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Oil platform in the Gulf of Mexico: New fields for 1.1 billion barrels of oil to be auctioned
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Ann Heisenfelt / dpa
It's a setback for Joe Biden: The US President's administration is releasing 32 million hectares of land for exploration for oil and gas production.
A court had previously ordered the White House to do so.
In January, Biden tried to prevent further exploration for oil and gas with a decree containing a moratorium on the granting of new drilling rights.
In June, however, a judge appointed by Biden's predecessor Donald Trump declared the moratorium in the state of Louisiana invalid for the time being.
According to the judge's ruling, Congress must approve the halt to oil and gas drilling.
Environmentalists announce resistance to awarding contracts
The now planned distribution of the new exploration fields is expected to begin in September, announced the responsible department in the Ministry of the Interior.
According to a government document, clearing the sea surface in the Gulf of Mexico could produce up to 1.1 billion barrels of oil and around 125 billion cubic meters of gas.
Environmental protection groups announced legal action against Interior Minister Deb Haaland and the marine energy bureau responsible for awarding drilling rights.
After Hurricane Ida, "it is clear that we have to do everything we can to get away from fossil fuels in order to reduce the effects of climate change - including stronger and more frequent cyclones -" said the head of the organization Healthy Gulf, Cynthia Sarthou , with.
Brettny Hardy of the Earthjustice organization called the decision to grant drilling rights "disappointing".
The Biden government has "fallen for the disinformation campaign and political pressure from the oil industry" and ignores the "worsening climate emergency."
In the presidential election campaign, Biden had promised to do more to combat global warming.
He reversed his country's exit from the Paris climate protection agreement under his predecessor Trump.
apr / AFP