Tell Interior Sec. Deb Haaland to Stop the Sale and save the climate!

One week after COP26, and despite our strong objection, President Biden and Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland hosted the largest oil & gas offshore lease sale in US history: 80 million acres of public waters for drillingThis is a clear violation of President Biden’s promises during his campaign, and puts Biden on track to approve more oil and gas drilling permits than Trump.

But it’s not too late for our old friend and ally Deb Haaland to save the day. Secretary Haaland has the authority to reject the bids received for the sale. And under existing laws, the Interior Secretary can also suspend and ultimately cancel a lease at any time if activity would cause serious harm or damage to life, property, or the environment.

We need to demand that President Biden and Secretary Haaland take action right away. If thousands of us make a call this week, we can force the administration to respond. Will you call the Department of the Interior at 866-834-8040 and urge President Biden and Secretary Haaland to to reverse the sale?

You’ll most likely get a voicemail, but not to worry – we promise this is a mailbox checked by Secretary Haaland’s staff. If you’re not sure what to say, try something like this:

“My name is ___, and I live in _____, I am calling to urge President Biden and Secretary Haaland to reject the bids for lease sale 257 in the Gulf of Mexico. This was an illegal sale, and this Administration has the authority to remedy this reckless giveaway to the fossil fuel industry. It’s time for the administration to keep their campaign promises and stand up for environmental justice. Thank you.”

After you’ve made a call, check out this social media toolkit for more ways to take action. And if you’re on twitter (or would like to be) plan to join us on Thursday from 1-4pm Eastern time: we’ll be tweeting at Secretary Haaland and other key officials on the hashtag #StoptheSale.

16 Comments

  1. Years ago, I went to the Bureau of Ocean & Energy Management meeting in New Orleans recommended by Sierra Club. There I was greeted by a group of BOEM folks & scientists educating the public. I learned about these lease parcels, little boxes all over the Gulf on the map that I saw. I also learned that these leases add up to the 2nd largest amount earned by the U. S., second to the income of the IRS!!! Everyone: It is time to push harder than ever for economic conversion. We must take some things off our plate to allow other thing on. Being creative and not destructive with our efforts could be the single greatest game changer ever seen on this planet. Commit to creative!!!

  2. Stop the sale of federal land to the fossil fuel industry.

  3. This our chance to finally make some headway with respect to climate change. Do the RIGHT thing for future generations and reject the bids for these oil lease sales in the Gulf.

  4. Stop this sale to the oil & gas industry and keep your campaign promise! We MUST all, including this powerful industry, move immediately into energy sources that can save our planet. Anyone who has the ability to read and to THINK knows that climate change is REAL and that we can and must act now. NOTHING was accomplished at the recent meeting of the world’s government leaders that showed just how inept they all are! My future votes will ONLY be for those individuals who ACT on their promises, not just talk.

  5. “I am asking President Biden and Secretary Haaland to reject the bids for lease sale 257 in the Gulf of Mexico.

    This was an illegal sale, and this Administration has the authority to remedy this reckless giveaway to the fossil fuel industry. It’s time for the administration to keep their campaign promises and stand up for environmental justice.

    Thank you.”

  6. I will not vote for Democrats in 2022 and 2024 if the Biden Administration breaks this campaign promise. Evidently he was just giving lip service to get elected. Bad mistake.

  7. I hope you can think more of the future when dealing with the land that you are handling for the rest of us.

  8. Please save our people and our earth and our future!

  9. MARYANN Osterbrink

    If you have power for good, USE IT, our species are HALF of what they were! The Gulf is so damaged already, there is little hope.

  10. I wish all of these acts against the species [wolves and all endangered species] and all of these leases etc could be reported as Ecocide which is now an International Law.

  11. Eugene Ansel Evans

    STOP IT!

  12. This is not in the best interest of the environment or of the life on earth. BAD IDEA that does not coincide with Biden’s promise to stop such activity.

  13. no more drilling!

  14. Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland;
    Save 80 million acres
    – the largest offshore lease sale in US history
    of public offshore water
    – the oil & gas industry
    – wants to drill in
    – for those minerals.

    You have the authority to reject bids received for the sale.
    Under existing laws, the Interior Secretary
    can suspend and ultimately cancel a lease at ANY time
    – if activity would cause
    – serious harm or
    – damage
    to
    – life,
    – property, or
    – the environment.
    This is exactly what drilling would do
    – in that area.

    This is a clear violation of President Biden’s promises
    – during his campaign.
    This puts Biden on track to approve
    – MORE oil and gas drilling permits
    – than Trump.

    It is in the best interests of
    – this Planet, its human,
    – plant, and
    – animal life
    that you CANCEL oil and gas drilling permits
    – forever.

    When we disrupt the time-honored
    – cycles and
    – space of our Earth,
    we cause Climate Chaos.

    SEIU Local 503 Climate Justice Committee member

  15. I am asking President Biden and Secretary Haaland to reject the bids for lease sale 257 in the Gulf of Mexico. This was an illegal sale, and this Administration has the authority to remedy this reckless giveaway to the fossil fuel industry. It’s time for the administration to keep their campaign promises and stand up for environmental justice. Thank you.”

  16. Mark John D'Andrea

    My name is Mark D’Andrea and I live in Carlsbad, CA. I am calling to urge President Biden and Secretary Haaland to reject the bids for lease sale 257 in the Gulf of Mexico. This was an illegal sale, and this Administration has the authority to remedy this reckless giveaway to the fossil fuel industry. It’s time for the administration to keep its campaign promises and stand up for environmental justice. Thank you.