The Biden Administration Suggests a 20-Year Oil and Gas Development Ban in the Ruby Mountains of Nevada

The Biden administration has taken action to prevent geothermal, gas, and oil extraction on 264,000 acres in Nevada’s Ruby Mountains.

The Ruby Mountains in northeastern Nevada will be off-limits to oil, gas, and geothermal extraction for 20 years, according to measures announced Monday by President Joe Biden’s administration.

According to the government, it has applied to remove roughly 264,000 acres (107,000 hectares) of nearby federal lands from this type of lease. In addition to prohibiting oil, gas, and geothermal development for two years during the process, it also initiates a 90-day public comment period on the 20-year restriction.

Mining would continue to be permitted on the lands.

In a statement, Patrick Donnelly, head of the Centre for Biological Diversity’s Great Basin, said that while the action will prevent speculative oil leasing in the region, he still feels that mining permits are necessary to fully safeguard the Ruby Mountains.

“This withdrawal does nothing to ward off the truly urgent threat of gold mining, and there are no known oil reserves in the Ruby Mountains,” Donnelly stated.

According to the Biden administration, conservationists, hunters, anglers, and Native American tribes requested that the lands be protected.

The action was taken three weeks prior to Donald Trump’s inauguration. Trump has promised to increase oil and gas production and shift away from Biden’s emphasis on climate change.

The US Forest Service determined in 2019 that leasing for oil and gas in the Ruby Mountains was not appropriate. The Trump administration’s quest for increased energy exploration throughout the west was viewed as a success by those opposed to oil and gas development.