In a move being hailed as both “defiant” and common sense, Democratic lawmakers in the U.S. House on Thursday introduced the “Keep It in the Ground” Act, which would permanently block all new fossil fuel leases on public lands and waters.
Click Here: Rugby league Jerseys
The bill, introduced by California Rep. Jared Huffman and cosponsored by 16 colleagues, specifically bars new leases and ends non-producing leases for coal, oil, gas, oil shale, and tar sands on all federal lands, as well as for offshore drilling in the Pacific and Gulf of Mexico. Further, the bill outright prohibits offshore drilling in the Arctic and the Atlantic.
“Keeping unleased fossil fuels in the ground on public lands and waters is the first step towards avoiding the worst impacts of climate disruption and safeguarding our natural heritage,” said Marissa Knodel, climate campaigner for Friends of the Earth.
“The Keep It in the Ground Act sets the bar for what the U.S. can and should achieve in the global fight to prevent climate catastrophe and to protect our public lands and waters,” Knodel continued. “It also serves notice to fossil fuel empires that climate, justice, and health advocates will end their reign of destruction.”
SCROLL TO CONTINUE WITH CONTENT