New Covid variant - Proposed drilling reforms - Alleged Ukraine coup

The report, published by the Interior Department, recommended increasing royalty rates, bonding rates and other fees for drillers, prioritizing leasing in areas with known resource potential and avoiding leasing in areas that can be developed to protect wildlife habitat. The minimum royalty rate is currently 12.5% for oil and gas production on federal lands.
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Environmentalists argue the report offers little on the climate impacts of drilling and contradicts Biden’s vows to end drilling on public lands. The Biden administration has approved 3,091 new drilling permits on public lands at a rate of 332 per month, a faster pace than the Trump administration’s 300 permits per month.
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“A minor increase in the royalties paid by climate polluters will have zero impact on combating the climate crisis, and will in effect make the federal government more dependent on fossil fuels as a source of revenue,” said Mitch Jones, policy director at the environmental group Food & Water Watch.