Most Carlsbad residents were pleased by news this week that the Department of Interior announced that leasing for oil and gas permits on public land has resumed. 

In January, a temporary halt was placed on federal oil and gas leasing.  In June, federal Judge Terry Doughty ruled that the halt caused undue economic harm to oil-producing states and was beyond the Interior’s authority and placed an injunction on the halt. The injunction has been appealed, and legal proceedings are continuing. 

Prohibitions related to federal lands is not the way forward when it comes to developing energy policy. It punishes states like New Mexico and leads to an increased reliance on foreign oil. We hope this injunction will stay in place.