The Trump administration has backed off its regular oil and gas lease sale schedule, postponing at least two auctions that had been set for later this month after delaying a major sale in New Mexico in May, according to an official website.
The moves mark a shift for the US Department of Interior, which had proceeded with a slew of oil and gas lease sales on public lands earlier this year as the outbreak of the coronavirus caused energy prices to crash.
Drilling on federal lands is a crucial part of President Donald Trump’s “energy dominance” agenda to maximise domestic production of fossil fuels.
