Infuriating climate activists, Biden expands oil drilling on public land

President Joe Biden is bringing back public land leases for oil and gas drilling in the U.S. to combat high gas prices but the move is angering climate activists.

In an effort to combat high gasoline and energy prices, President Joe Biden is bringing back public land leases for oil and gas drilling in the U.S. for auction as soon as Monday -- but the reversal of a 2020 campaign promise has angered climate activists ahead of midterms that will determine Biden's ability to get his agenda through Congress.

The administration is now set to start reselling leases for drilling on public lands -- putting 144,000 acres of lands up for lease in nine states as soon as Monday -- as Biden faces massive pressure to boost oil production in the U.S. amid soaring prices partly from the war in Ukraine, what Biden calls "Putin's price hike." The Interior Department announced the move on Friday afternoon heading into the holiday weekend.

"For too long, the federal oil and gas leasing programs have prioritized the wants of extractive industries above local communities, the natural environment, the impact on our air and water, the needs of Tribal Nations, and, moreover, other uses of our shared public lands," Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said in a release. "Today, we begin to reset how and what we consider to be the highest and best use of Americans' resources for the benefit of all current and future generations."

The Interior Department said new changes to the sale process reflect "the balanced approach to energy development and management of our nation's public lands" and noted the land offered for auction is 80% less than the 733,000 acres nominated. It also said that lease sales will be subject to Tribal consultation and community input.