Happy Monday and welcome back to another week of ESC News Blog.
Did anyone see
The Houston Chronicle’s Business Section on August 26, 2023, they
reprinted an article from the Associated Press titled, “Dueling lawsuits filed
over oil leases - Energy interests, environmentalists at odds over plan to protect
rare whale”? In the article, it speaks
about the Gulf of Mexico oil and gas lease sale, which is scheduled for Wednesday,
September 27, 2023, which is part of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Lease Sale 261 has run into a snag because
of Rice’s whale which is an endangered species.
The BOEM has reduced the acreage from 73
million acres to 67 million acres due to their agreement to settle a lawsuit
with environmentalists about the protected whales, which hasn’t gone over well
with the oil and gas industry. The oil
and gas industry and an environmentalist’s group both have filed lawsuits last
week in reference to the Gulf of Mexico lease sale in federal court. Neither group is happy about the acreage or
the other revisions which includes new speed limits, and new rules for personnel
on industry vessels. It will be interesting
to see how this will play out over the next few weeks prior to the Lease Sale
261, or if there will even be a lease sale. If you would like to read more of the Associated Press’ article, please click
the link: Energy interests and environmentalists fight Biden oil lease plan from different sides| AP News.
If you would
like to read the U.S. BOEM’s Amended Lease Sale 261, please click the link: Federal Register :: Gulf of Mexico, Outer Continental Shelf, Oil and Gas Lease Sale 261.
If you would
like help in looking into how to transport your product or help your carbon-foot
print, contact us via the email in the blog and check out our ESC's website!
We hope you have a wonderful evening and a great week!
**Disclaimer: You may be charged a fee to read the Associated
Press’ article. **