Oil and gas takes another hit with suspension of federal leases
The oil and gas industry in Montana and North Dakota took another hit Thursday when the Department of the Interior announced it will suspend new oil and gas leases on federal lands for 60 days as part of a broad review of Interior’s programs. The move is a first step toward making good on promises that newly sworn in President Joe Biden made on the campaign trail to halt new drilling and hydraulic fracturing on federal lands. The suspension won’t limit activity under already existing leases. Companies can continue to drill and develop those acres. Presently, about 20 percent of