Article Reflection No. 60 (7/22/2023)

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Article: Biden Administration Moves to Raise the Cost of Drilling on Federal Lands

Reflection:

In The New York Times article “Biden Administration Moves to Raise the Cost of Drilling on Federal Lands”, journalist Coral Davenport details a proposal from the executive branch. Increasing the costs of bonds by over tenfold, this proposal—if enacted—plans to make drilling much more costly for fossil fuel corporations. According to Interior Department principal deputy assistant secretary for minerals and land management Laura Daniel-Davis, this regulation may mitigate drilling’s harm on the environment, place less burden on taxpayers, and “discourage speculation by oil and gas companies” (par. 5). Similarly, environmental advocates support the proposal, but call for halting drills (by, for example, directly hindering the process of leasing public land). Those opposing this proposed guideline argue that the law can discourage investments for natural gas or oil and hinder energy production. Such increased royalties have not been seen since 1920, Davenport writes.

So much certainty about the harmfulness of fossil fuels. Yet so little action for so many years. This article is good news, especially as emissions rise. Nearly all articles I have read about heatwaves and floods recently mention the disaster’s association with climate change, and it really, really makes me feel like I need to act. Everyone seems to say that the next generation has to carry the burden of climate change, even more so than today. That's painful.