A federal judge sided with thirteen states in a lawsuit some state Attorneys General brought against the Biden administration last year regarding the White House’s executive order pausing the sale of leases to drill for petroleum on federal lands and offshore. The Center Square (TCS) says that U.S. District Court Judge Terry Doughty issued a permanent injunction, stating that the president exceeded his authority when halting oil and gas leasing and drilling permits.

This legal action comes more than a year after Judge Doughty issued a preliminary injunction regarding Biden’s drilling permit moratorium. The Center Square points out the administration’s appeal of the judge’s initial restraining order was turned down by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals sending the case back to Doughty resulting in his issuing a permanent enjoinment.

TCS also reveals:

While Texas leads the U.S. in oil and natural gas production, Louisiana accounts for nearly one-fifth of America’s refining capacity and can process about 3.2 million barrels of crude oil a day. Louisiana has the third-highest natural gas production and reserves in the U.S. and consistently ranks among the top in both crude oil reserves and crude oil production.

U.S. Gulf of Mexico energy producers supply nearly 15% of the U.S. oil production and over 2% of natural gas production. Offshore oil and natural gas development supports over 350,000 jobs nationwide and contributes billions to the economy and local, state and federal coffers. Gulf oil and gas revenues also fund 60% of federal energy revenue that support numerous conservation projects.

If this lawsuit failed, then it would have been a huge loss not only for the states in question, but America overall. The issuance of oil and gas drilling leases would have been subject to the decisions of government bureaucrats preventing needed energy production and ratchet up prices at the pump even higher. Thankfully, not only would a Biden appeal of the judge’s declaration be unlikely, but (best of all) the good guys ultimately prevailed.

PHOTO CREDIT: Image by Anita starzycka from Pixabay