DOI Pushes for Higher Fees for Offshore, Onshore Oil and Gas Companies

Australian resources giant Woodside's Goodyn A offshore gas production platform in the North West Shelf gas project, which produces a third of Australia's oil and half of its natural gas, off the northwest coast of Australia on Jan. 1, 2001. -/AFP via Getty Images

A new Department of the Interior (DOI) report on oil and gas leasing in federal lands and waters advises the DOI’s Bureau of Land Management to raise royalties, rental rates, and other fees on oil and gas companies, but hasn’t moved to halt new leasing entirely.

During his 2020 presidential run, President Joe Biden’s campaign website said that his climate plan would include “banning new oil and gas permitting on public lands and waters.”