President Biden speaks at the Department of Labor on Dec. 16, 2024 in Washington, D.C. (Kevin Dietsch)
The Biden administration's lease limitation does not put restrictions on mining in the region.
SCOTUS HEARS ARGUMENTS IN CASE THAT COULD RESHAPE ENVIRONMENTAL LAW
During Trump's first administration, the Forest Service conducted a study to determine whether 54,000 acres could be leased for oil and gas drilling in the Ruby Mountains.
The proposal was eventually rejected in 2019 after the public comment period saw "thousands of comments from the local area, the state of Nevada, and from across the nation" opposing the idea, according to William Dunkelberger, the forest supervisor who signed the decision.
Great Basin, Nevada, Elko County, Ruby Mountains, Lamoille Canyon. (Dukas/Universal Images Group)
Jenna Padilla, the geologist for the Humboldt-Toiyabe Ruby Mountains ranger district at the time, said that geological surveys "show there is low to no potential for oil" in the region, the LA Times reported in 2018.
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It is unclear whether the Trump administration will consider potential leases in the region, but such actions could face roadblocks following the Biden administration's new proposal.
Aubrie Spady is a Writer for Fox News Digital.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-moving-ban-oil-gas-leases-20-years-nevada-region-just-weeks-before-trump-inauguration