The Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management today announced the withdrawal of the public review period and virtual public hearings for proposed Cook Inlet oil and gas Lease Sale 258 that had previously been scheduled for Mar. 1 and throughout February, respectively.
In announcing the decision, BOEM cited the Jan. 2021 Executive Order on “Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad” that included a “pause” on new oil and gas leasing in federal waters pending completion of a comprehensive review and reconsideration of federal permitting and leasing practices, and said that postponement was needed to “avoid administrative costs associated with holding hearings on the sale while it is under review.” BOEM added that a notice will be published if the agency resumes its environmental review of the proposed lease sale after completion of the review.
