President's ban on oil and gas lease sales being challenged Thursday in federal court
LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) -- Thursday morning, Louisiana's Attorney General Jeff Landry's lawsuit against President Joe Biden and numerous federal government officials goes to court.
The oral arguments and preliminary injunction will be heard at 9 A.M. in the Lafayette Federal Courthouse challenging a change made in late January. Through an executive order, President Biden directed federal government agencies to stop all oil and gas leases on public land.
Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry told News 10, "We see the effect high energy prices are having on the American family. At the attorney general's office, we're here to protect them."
Louisiana is leading 12 other states who sued President Biden for what they call "acting beyond the scope of his authority." They say the president cannot legally halt all public oil and gas lease sales because Congress, by statute, has commanded that federal government agencies ensure the sales happen on a regular basis.
"We think we have a great case," Landry argued. "We know one thing. We have the people of Louisiana on our side. Those that understand what kind of crushing effects that these kinds of executive orders will have on our jobs here."
The Biden administration urges leases on public lands are only on temporary pause during a comprehensive review focused on climate.
During his announcement of the executive order on Jan. 27, 2021, President Joe Biden said, "In my view, we’ve already waited too long to deal with this climate crisis, and we can’t wait any longer. We see it with our own eyes, we feel it, we know it in our bones and it’s time to act."
Landry asserts the President should not walk on thin legal ice but reverse his actions to address rising prices at the pump and tens of thousands of Louisiana workers being affected.
"We're standing up for them, and we appreciate the hard work that they engage in every day. The greatest resource of Louisiana is people, and we want them to go back to work," Landry added.
Landry's lawsuit also mentioned the sales of oil and gas leases on federal lands and waters help Louisiana's environmental concerns through funding coastal restoration.
Thursday's hearing begins at 9 A.M.