The Salt Lake Chamber has issued the following statement regarding the executive order placing a moratorium on new oil and gas development leases on federal lands:
“The Biden Administration’s recent action to impose an open ended moratorium on new federal oil and gas leasing will have negative consequences for Utah’s economy. Now is not the time to stall job creation or energy production during a pandemic and the Chamber calls for a better, more deliberate and inclusive process to reach these decisions.
“We agree with Utah’s federal delegation, governor, and legislative leadership that federal reviews should be conducted with full transparency, in consultation with state, local, and Tribal authorities, and include analyses of the impact of potential federal action on rural communities and businesses, and on state and local revenues. Decisions that have profound consequences locally should not be made in a vacuum in Washington.
“Jobs, economic vitality, and funding for civil services, particularly in Utah’s rural areas are at stake. We strongly urge the Biden Administration to fully embody the spirit of unity they have espoused by connecting and collaborating with those whom their policies most directly affect.”
