Tribes exempt from pause in U.S. federal drilling program - official
Monday, January 25, 2021

Native American tribes are exempt from the Biden administration's temporary suspension of U.S. oil and gas leasing and permitting on federal lands, a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Interior said on Monday. 

The clarification comes after an oil-producing tribe in Utah las week asked Interior for an exemption from the 60-day pause, saying it would hit its economy and sovereignty.

"The approval process for oil and gas activities does not apply to tribal and individual trust lands," Interior spokesman Tyler Cherry said in an email, referring to the secretarial order issued on Jan. 20, President Joe Biden's first day in office.

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