Opinion | The author's opinion does not necessarily reflect Sarah Palin's view.
The Biden administration granted a waiver to an energy firm developing an offshore wind project off the coast of Massachusetts, exempting them from paying development fees intended to protect taxpayers.
The decision has raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest, as the former Deputy Interior Secretary had previously provided legal services to the energy firm.
“At the same time the Department of the Interior was looking at forcing greater and more expensive bonding requirements on holders of long-standing oil and gas leases, they were relaxing these requirements on the nation’s first utility-scale offshore wind energy producer, one that just coincidentally happened to be a client of their incoming #2,” PPT Director Michael Chamberlain said. (Trending: Chilling Surveillance Program Under Biden Exposed)
“If you want to talk about bad optics, I don’t see how they could be any worse than right here,” he added.
“For an administration touting itself as the most ethical in history, this represents yet another incident in which Secretary Haaland’s Interior appears to have a tough time living up to that standard.”
The waiver was approved despite the Trump administration’s prior rejection of the request.
The project, Vineyard Wind 1, has been fast-tracked, receiving federal approval and support from the Biden administration.
“Vineyard Wind 1 represents a historic milestone for advancing our nation’s clean energy production. This project and others across the country will create robust and sustainable economies that lift up communities and support good-paying jobs, while also ensuring future generations have a livable planet,” Haaland said in 2021.
“The Interior Department is committed to responsibly accelerating our nation’s transition to a clean energy future, and doing so in coordination with our partners, stakeholders, Tribes and ocean users to avoid and reduce potential impacts as much as we can,” she added.
“Amidst a global energy crisis, this action from the Department of the Interior is yet another attempt to add even more barriers to future energy production, increases uncertainty for producers and may further discourage oil and natural gas investment,” Holly Hopkins, the vice president of upstream policy at the American Petroleum Institute stated.
“This is a concerning approach from an administration that has repeatedly acted to restrict essential energy development.”
This decision has been contrasted with the administration’s actions targeting the oil and gas industry, raising questions about the administration’s approach to energy production.
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