Western Energy Alliance Applauds 14 States Now Suing Against the Biden Leasing Ban

​DENVER – In response to two separate lawsuits against President Biden’s ban on federal leasing filed today by the State of Wyoming and a coalition of 13 oil and natural gas producing states, Western Energy Alliance released the following statement attributable to President Kathleen Sgamma:
 
“Western Energy Alliance felt a little lonely for a while, but now we’re in great company. We’re very pleased that 14 states have filed lawsuits today against an executive order that so clearly exceeds presidential authority. Western Energy Alliance, representing a land-locked region, is focused on the onshore aspects of the president’s ban on leasing, so we’re pleased to see the Louisiana AG leading the charge offshore. We especially appreciate that the State of Wyoming has filed its lawsuit in the District for Wyoming so that we have more firepower focused there on the onshore leasing ban. I hope other states consider joining the litigation in Wyoming as well. Since the onshore leasing ban alone will cost states $8.3 billion in revenue over just the president’s first term, there’s a strong imperative for states to get legally involved.”

​On January 27th, the Alliance filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Wyoming immediately after President Biden signed Executive Order (EO) #14008 to ban new federal oil and natural gas leasing. Last week, the Petroleum Association of Wyoming (PAW) filed as a joint petitioner after the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) failed to hold the first quarter lease sale in Wyoming.
 
According a study from the Wyoming Energy Authority, by the end of the president’s first term the onshore portion of the Biden ban will decrease Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by $33.5 billion, 58,676 jobs will be cut annually, wages will drop $15 billion, and state tax revenue will plummet $8 billion. 

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