US Appeals Court Orders Biden Admin to Hold Gulf Oil Lease Sale Without Eco Restrictions

A federal appeals court has ruled in favor of energy industry groups, ordering the Biden administration to proceed with a massive offshore oil and gas lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico without environmental restrictions. The court upheld a lower court decision that struck down the government's late modification of the lease sale, which had added environmental restrictions and blocked off millions of acres. The ruling requires the administration to move forward with the original plan to offer 73.4 million acres for lease. The decision has been praised by industry groups, who argue that it will support energy independence and the Gulf Coast economy.