Days before President Joe Biden meets one-on-one with Russian President Vladimir Putin, imports of Russian crude oil to the United States reached a record high and are expected to increase this summer. The president, however, is not expected to address the increased cross-Atlantic oil trading when the two leaders meet on Wednesday.
 
“Last month we saw a record 5.75 million barrels of Russian #crude discharged in the US, and we’re projecting a further record this month of 7.5mn bbls,” according to commodity trading analysts at ClipperData who monitor cargo shipments worldwide.

Western Energy Alliance hosted a livestream discussion with former United States Senator Cory Gardner to talk about the impacts President Biden’s ban on oil and natural gas leasing will have on public lands conservation funding.
 
Last year, Sen. Gardner co-authored and helped pass the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA), which relies almost exclusively on royalties paid from oil and natural gas production on public lands and waters to fund $2.8 billion in conservation. The money reduces the National Park Service’s maintenance backlog, permanently funds the popular Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), and repairs infrastructure on other public lands. Because of a compromise forged by Sen. Gardner on competing public lands bills, GAOA was signed into law by President Trump last August.
 
The following are excerpts from the conversation with Sen. Gardner.