Biden Cancels Large Oil And Gas Lease Sale Despite Higher-Than-Ever Gas Prices

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May 13, 2022

According to AAA data, the U.S. average cost of a gallon of gas hit a whopping $4.40 on Wednesday – now the highest price ever.

This new high broke the previous record of $4.331 per gallon, which was recorded back in March of this year just after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Now, even with Americans facing enormous stress at the pump already, the Biden administration just halted the possibility of drilling for oil on almost 1 million acres in Alaska’s Cook Inlet.

The Department of the Interior cited a “lack of industry interest in leasing in the area” as its reason for this decision. Announcing its plan to “not move further” with the Cook Inlet lease sale in a statement originally shared with CBS News.

Frank Macchairola, a top official with the country’s largest oil and gas trade association, called the cancellation of the Cook Inlet lease “another example of the administration’s lack of commitment to oil and gas development in the US.”

“The President has spoken about the need for additional supplies in the market, but his administration has failed to take action to match that rhetoric,” Macchairola said, adding that politically it would play “not well.”

The government also put two leases in the Gulf of Mexico region on hold due to “conflicting court rulings that impacted work on these proposed lease sales.”

Mike Pence responded to this news on Twitter, saying “gas Prices are the Highest Ever Recorded and the Biden administration cancels an Alaska oil and gas lease sale?”

Pence then went on to say what most Americans are thinking right now: “Unleash American Energy Joe!”

Marsha Blackburn chimed in on Twitter too, warning Americans, “if this is [Biden’s] plan to make us energy independent again, we’re in trouble.”

 

Notably, this isn’t the first lease Biden has canceled. Remember when Biden cancelled the Keystone XL Pipeline on day one of his presidency?

And remember when his so-called solution to souring gas prices was to tap the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in an attempt to artificially cut prices?

Steve Milloy, a former Trump-Pence EPA transition member told FOX Business: “I blame Biden for all the lack of production. He has scared away investment.”

“I don’t trust him in court defending leasing,” he continued. 

Biden’s policies appear to be aimed at destroying America’s oil and gas sector, and he doesn’t seem to care if that means Americans can’t afford to fill up their gas tanks.

Surely voters will remember all of this by the time 2022 midterms come around. 

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